Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland says TV box sets helped him get through his year out with an ankle injury.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Today is International Museum Day, external which is an event that's been held since 1977 to raise awareness of their importance across the world "in the development of society".

Among the local museums taking part is the Museum of Policing in Cheshire., external

Image source, Cheshire Police

Alex Seftel
BBC Local Live

Eleven people have been charged with conspiring to smuggle items into prisons

It follows an investigation by West Mercia Police, external and the prison service into how things like drugs and weapons ended up at HMP Stoke Heath in Shropshire, HMP Hewell in Redditch, HMP Birmingham, and HMP Featherstone in Wolverhampton.

Image source, Google

The offences, in some cases dating back to 2015, included throwing items into prisons and using drones to drop them over walls.

Nine men and two women have been bailed to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Kate Palmer
BBC News

As Girlguiding is planning a huge overhaul of its programme, BBC News has been speaking to guides across the country including in Staffordshire.

Charlotte Forrester, 18, says she was proud to learn "cooking and camping" as a child at Brownies. But as a teenage Guide, she now campaigns for sex education lessons in school, among other issues.

Image source, Charlotte Forrester

Meanwhile Elli Moody, Girlguiding's head of advocacy, says its young members are now "incredibly powerful" in tackling social issues.

"When I was a Brownie and a Guide we weren't out campaigning," says Elli, 38, who joined her local unit in Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire as a girl. "Things have changed".

Read more about the modern face of Guides here on the BBC website.

Nicola Beckford
BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this lunchtime, how more police in the West Midlands could soon have personal issue spit guards to protect officers from attack.

Plus how sniffer dogs are being used to try and save thousands of bats across Europe from being killed by wind turbines.

Those stories on Midlands Today from 13:30 on BBC One.

Want to know who's the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent for the next year? It's just been confirmed as councillor Ross Irving.

The city council's tweeted, external that he's described it as a "great honour".

Image source, Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Tamworth Herald

The provisional date for the inquest hearing regarding, external the death of a girl who fell from a ride at Drayton Manor and later died has been announced.

Image source, Tamworth Herald

Vicky Norton
BBC Radio Stoke

The mother of a Biddulph man with a rare illness says a collection of 16 cats is helping tackle his condition.

Ian West was born with brain damage and needs round-the-clock care.

He's also suffered with the rare illness Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome, external which means he can vomit for hours or even days at a time.

But his mother Tina, a trained nurse, says, since getting 16 cats, he's had fewer attacks and puts it down to the feline group.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

The Stoke City goalkeeper Lee Grant was the big winner at last night's player of the year awards, winning a total of three trophies. , external

Image source, Gareth Copley/Getty Images

The 34-year-old was named player's player, fans' player and supporters branches' player of the year.

BBC News UK

Rolf Harris will be released from prison on Friday and is due to appear in person at his indecent assault trial next week, a jury has been told.

Mr Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, is being tried at Southwark Crown Court on four counts of indecent assault against three teenagers between 1971 and 1983.

Image source, PA

The judge said he would be granted bail following his release from prison.

Jurors have already been told Mr Harris, 87, was convicted and sentenced following a trial in 2014.

Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A bridge over the M6 in Cheshire is being closed for six weeks from today.

Image source, Google

Highways England says the bridge on Betchton Road near Sandbach is closing to allow work on the support struts below.

They say a signed diversion will take traffic via Newcastle Road.

BBC WM

A group of campaigners say a building in Lichfield played a vital role in the industrial revolution in the West Midlands.

Image source, Google

The Lichfield Waterworks Trust, external is looking to raise £2.8m to preserve and redevelop the Sandfields Pumping Station.

They say they want local people to get behind the campaign and turn the building into an education or community centre.

The Sentinel

Three defendants have been ordered to pay a total court bill of £3,187.52 after fly-tipped waste was dumped at locations across Stoke-on-Trent., external

Image source, The Sentinel

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A medal awarded posthumously to a Stafford-born polar explorer who died on an Antarctic trek is to be auctioned off next month.

Image source, Halls

Dr John Kershaw Wilson was with three men on a British Antarctic Survey team when their tractor fell into a crevasse, killing them.

The medal, which has an estimated value of £2,500, will be auctioned by Halls in Shrewsbury on 21 June along with Dr Wilson's diaries, photographs and letters.

Image source, Halls

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Two men have been charged with attempted murder in connection with a serious attack in Cheddleton., external

Staffordshire Police says the pair, aged 44 and 45, are due at North Staffordshire Justice Centre this morning.

They were arrested following an assault on Grange Road.

Officers say the 23-year-old victim remains in a critical, but stable, condition in hospital.

They say a third man who was arrested in connection with the incident's been released without charge., external

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service says it's looking to recruit full-time firefighters for the first time in eight years. , external

The service says it is looking for 16 people, with applications opening on 1 June.

It is planning recruitment events at fire stations across the county.

It comes after the service in October agreed to cut the number of full-time firefighters by 40 in Hanley, Newcastle-under-Lyme. Stafford, Cannock and Tamworth, external over the next two years.

At the time, the service said a number of firefighters were due to retire, so there would be no redundancies.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

Lots of dry, bright weather around today, with the risk of a few showers this afternoon and highs of 17C (63F).

You can find a detailed forecast for your area on BBC Weather.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Well, this is a turn up for the books - it's a bright, sunny start to the day, which makes a difference after several grey and wet mornings.

BBC Weather Watcher Shane's place uploaded this picture today from Fazeley, Staffordshire:

Image source, Shane's place

We'll see what the rest of the day's weather has in store shortly and there'll be news, sport, travel and other updates through Thursday.

You can also keep sending in your pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire on email or, if you are an Instagram user, put them there and add the tag #bbcstoke, external to the description so we know you agree to share them.

We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A third man has been arrested in connection with a serious assault in Cheddleton last night., external

Staffordshire Police says a 23-year-old man remains critically ill in hospital after the emergency services were called to reports of an attack on Grange Road.

Officers say the area remains sealed off for forensic work and those in custody in relation to the investigation are in their 20s and 40s.