Almost 2,000 protest at homes on Green Belt landpublished at 13:04 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
A protest group delivered a petition with almost 2,000 signatures, external objecting to plans for 250 houses on Green Belt land.
Summary
Man jailed for causing Kayden Dunn's death
Sports centre to close due to £2.4m repair and maintenance bill
Ceramic firm aims to double staff numbers with £3m investment
Hundreds of police on Cheshire beat without current background checks
Updates from Friday 19 May 2017
Almost 2,000 protest at homes on Green Belt landpublished at 13:04 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Football: Midfielder promises 'improved' Stoke City next seasonpublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio StokeThe Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam says the team won't have another season like this one, where they'll finish outside the Premier League's top 10.
Image source, Jan Kruger/Getty ImagesStoke could finish with their lowest points tally since winning promotion in 2008, following a run of form that's seen them win just one of their last 10 matches.
Adam says the players are as frustrated as the fans but will put things right.
Unemployment falls again in West Midlandspublished at 12:24 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
The unemployment total in the West Midlands fell by 5,000 to 161,000 in the three months to March. , external
Image source, Express and StarAbandoned dog found lying on broken glasspublished at 11:59 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio StokeA dog's been found lying on broken glass in Stoke-on-Trent after being tied up and abandoned., external
Image source, RSPCAThe RSPCA says the male Staffordshire bull terrier, which they've called Patch, was discovered off Pyenest Street on Monday afternoon.
The charity says he was visibly shaking when they found him and had suffered several cuts and grazes to his body but is now recovering.
Car destroyed and 'exploding gas bottles' in campsite firepublished at 11:37 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveA 4x4 car's been completely destroyed in a fire which reportedly saw gas bottles exploding.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service says three fire crews were called at 02:39 today to land at the back of The Haberdashers Arms, Knighton. , external
They say three caravans and the car were on fire and five more caravans were damaged by the heat.
The service says it believes the fire started accidentally but staff are going to inspect the site today to confirm the cause.
Seven weeks of roadworks for new water pipespublished at 11:13 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
BBC Midlands TodayWork will begin today on installing new pipes in part of Stoke-on-Trent with the aim of improving the city's water network., external
Image source, GoogleSevern Trent says the work on Longport Road is vital to improving water pressure for local residents.
However, the company has warned it will mean around seven weeks of roadworks, until early July, while the pipes are laid.
Your say: Hanley - the city centre or one of six towns debatepublished at 10:51 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveWe told you yesterday about the can of worms involved in deciding whether Hanley was a town in Stoke-on-Trent or the city centre.
It was to answer Kevin Hall, who'd used Your Questions to ask about the issue and we ended up saying that it's both Hanley and also the city centre.
Well that sparked off numerous comments on the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page:
- Steven Malam, external: "I've visited a lot of city centres, Hanley is not a city centre. It's a small town, nothing more."
- Dave Weaver, external: "Hanley is a town and also the biggest town of the six. Stoke-on-Trent is a city and Hanley is known as the city centre, but it's still only a town like the rest."
- Martin Hand, external: "It should be treated like the city centre but we all know people can't move on from the past and think every town should have its own city centre too."
NHS cyber-attack: Stoke-on-Trent hospital 'expected back to normal' todaypublished at 10:21 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeServices at Stoke-on-Trent's Haywood Hospital are expected to be back to normal today after Friday's cyber-attack on the NHS. , external
Image source, GoogleThe Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Partnership NHS Trust say some outpatient and day case appointments were cancelled again yesterday because patient records at the Burslem-based hospital couldn't be accessed.
They say they're aiming to reorganise appointments as soon as possible.
Unemployment falls in West Midlands in latest figurespublished at 09:59 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveUnemployment fell by 5,000 in the West Midlands in the three months to March to 161,000, external, official figures show.
Image source, DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty ImagesHowever, compared with the same three months in 2016, the number of people out of work in the West Midlands is up by 4,000.
Overall, the Office for National Statistics' figures showed the unemployment rate across the country fell to its lowest level in 42 years.
Seven caravans damaged in early-hours blazepublished at 09:47 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Seven caravans and a 4x4 have been damaged after a fire in the early hours of the morning., external
Image source, The SentinelAppeal for national memorial to police officers raises over £2.5mpublished at 09:21 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveMore than £2.5m has already been raised towards a new, national memorial to police officers who die in the line of duty.
Image source, UK Police Memorial TrustPC Keith Palmer's murder, in an attack outside the Houses of Parliament in March, prompted "greater emphasis" on the need for a permanent memorial.
The UK Police Memorial Trust has today launched a national appeal to fund its construction at the National Memorial Arboretum.
It is set to cost around £4m and to bear the names of more than 1,400 officers and staff.
Man 'critical' after attackpublished at 08:59 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveA man's been left in a critical condition after an attack last night., external
Staffordshire Police say they had reports that the 24-year-old was being assaulted on Grange Road, Cheddleton.
Image source, GoogleThey say two men, both in their 40s, were arrested in connection with the attack and will be questioned today.
The force adds that the victim, a local man, is being treated at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Missing the Birmingham bomb yet?published at 08:39 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
It was the find that brought a swathe of the city to a standstill - you can watch its demise here...
Media caption, The moment Army detonates WW2 bomb found in Birmingham
But what about the aftermath of the World War Two bomb?
Aston Expressway, closed for much of Monday and Tuesday, is open, with the 500m exclusion zone that forced the evacuation of homes and business scaled back to Priory Road, Aston, where the device was uncovered at a construction site.
And it's better news for rail commuters who have been dealing with suspended Cross City services between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley - the route runs parallel to where the bomb was found.
Train operator London Midland said earlier today...
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End of twitter postThere's relief all round - One commuter on Twitter commented that seeing a London Midland train at a Lichfield station was "a sight to brighten a grey morning".
And just to make doubly sure if you feel like breathing a sigh of relief...
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End of twitter post 2Watch: You 50-second weather forecastpublished at 08:32 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenterA mostly cloudy day with further spells of rain. The rain will be locally heavy and possibly thundery, mainly in the east.
It will gradually become drier in the far west later. Feeling cool - highs of 11C (52F).
Media caption, Weather for the West Midlands.
Hundreds of homes lose powerpublished at 08:19 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveMore than 800 homes are without power in the Kidsgrove area this morning., external
Western Power Distribution says it has engineers investigating and aims to have electricity restore by 09:30.
Welcome to Wednesday's live coveragepublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveMorning all, there's talk of a fair amount of rain around today but the day has started off with a little brightness around.
This picture was taken before 07:00 in Nantwich by BBC Weather Watcher Dragonlady.
Image source, DragonladyWe'll have a full weather forecast for you in a few minutes and updates through today on the day's news, sport, travel and more.
I'm also going to feature more of your photos of Staffordshire and Cheshire so keep those coming in on email or, if you use Instagram, put them there, external and add the tag #bbcstoke, to show you agree to share them.
Police memorial donations plea launchedpublished at 06:35 British Summer Time 17 May 2017
PC Keith Palmer's killing outside parliament "put a greater emphasis" on the need for the memorial.
Read MoreFuneral held for ride fall death girlpublished at 18:14 British Summer Time 16 May 2017
A service to remember 11-year-old Evha Jannath has taken place in Leicester.
Read MoreOur live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 16 May 2017
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.
On Midlands Today from 18:30: Region feels impact of WW2 bombpublished at 17:56 British Summer Time 16 May 2017
Nick Owen
Presenter, BBC Midlands TodayOn Midlands Today this evening - it's been the saga of the region for the past two days, the unexploded World War Two bomb found in central Birmingham.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceIt was finally blown up this afternoon after causing much disruption across the Midlands on roads and rail services.
We'll have a full round-up including on the possible history of this bomb, on BBC One from 18:30.
