Summary

  • Beauty spot pool death: Victim named by coroner

  • Doctor who treated bomb victims feared second attack

  • World's top women cyclists to ride through West Midlands

  • Thousands expected for literary festival

  • Updates on Friday 2 June 2017

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

  1. Football: Shaqiri confident of having more impact for Stoke next season

    Matt Sandoz
    Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    The Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri has assured supporters there's still more to come from him, after he was criticised during parts of last season.

    Shaqiri quoteGareth Copley/Getty Images

    Shaqiri scored just four times for Stoke despite playing in 25 games and he's told BBC Radio Stoke it's taken longer than he thought to settle into the style of the league.

  2. Paralympian barred from Alton Towers ride: 'What can a 10-year-old girl do that I can’t?'

    Jerry Chester
    BBC News Online

    Paralympian Claire Cashmore says it was "frustrating" not to be allowed on to the Smiler ride at Alton Towers because she has no left forearm.

    The Kidderminster-based swimmer is an ambassador for disability sport, and says one of her goals is to make sure there are "no barriers for disabled people".

    Claire CashmoreGetty Images

    It’s not like I’m a weak person - what can a 10-year-old girl do that I can’t? When people tell me I can’t do something it makes me very frustrated and even more determined to do it.”

    Claire Cashmore

    In a statement, Alton Towers says it apologises for "any inconvenience caused to Ms Cashmore" but that it never puts any guests at risk by operating outside safety guidelines.

    The Smiler ride hit the headlines after a crash in 2015 left five people with serious injuries, including two women who lost legs.

    In the rare event that it is necessary to evacuate the ride, this may require guests to descend a short distance on a ladder using a harness and safety line. Current Health and Safety Executive guidance states that it is essential to maintain three points of contact when using a ladder."

    Alton Towers statement

  3. Cow in three-hour rescue from slurry pit

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    A cow's had to be rescued from a slurry pit at a farm near Nantwich.

    Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service says specialist equipment had to be brought to Lodmore Lane, Burleydam for the rescue this morning.

    They say the cow was safely rescued after three hours from a concrete chamber which was part of the pit.

  4. Biker 'not seriously hurt' despite being wedged under road sweeper

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    The motorcyclist, who we told you earlier ended up wedged under a road sweeper after a collision in Staffordshire, wasn't seriously hurt, paramedics say.

    Scene of the crashStaffordshire Fire Service

    West Midlands Ambulance Service says the 45-year-old man was under the vehicle's front axle when they arrived on Stone Road, Bramshall this morning.

    They say airbags were used by fire crews to get the man free and he'd suffered injuries to his thigh and arms and was airlifted to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

  5. Woman dies in accident at Blue Lake beauty spot

    David Grundy
    BBC Wales reporter

    A woman from Staffordshire has died at a lake in Gwynedd, police have said.

    The incident, which happened at Blue Lake quarry, near Fairbourne, on Tuesday is being treated as an accident.

    Blue Lake quarryGeograph/Confusion

    North Wales Police said the incident was being treated as an accident.

    "Our early investigations have shown the lake is not a safe location to swim or jump into the water and our advice at this time is to stay away," said Sgt Helen Gallop.

    She said a file was now being prepared for the north west Wales coroner.

  7. Five grass fires on same field

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    A series of grass fires have broken out on a field in the Burntwood area.

    One of the firesStaffordshire Fire Service

    Staffordshire Fire Service says crews were first called just before 14:00 to five fires, all on a field off Stables Way and Fair Lady Drive.

    A total of six fire crews were called to the scene which the service says is just 200 yards (183m) from a Skoda garage.

  8. JRR Tolkien book Beren and Lúthien published after 100 years

    BBC News England

    A new book by Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien is going on sale - 100 years after it was first conceived.

    Beren and Lúthien has been described as a "very personal story" that the Oxford professor thought up after returning from the Battle of the Somme.

    He spent the winter of 1916-17 convalescing with his wife in a cottage at Great Haywood, Staffordshire.

    Tolkien through the years

    The book was edited by his son Christopher Tolkien and contains versions of a tale that became part of The Silmarillion.

    It is being published today by HarperCollins on the 10th anniversary of the last Middle Earth book, The Children of Húrin.

  9. Historic library could become theatre and museum

    Jennie Aitken
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    A historic Stafford landmark could be transformed into a theatre and museum under plans to save it.

    The Grade II listed Old Library is on the Victorian Society's Top Ten Endangered Buildings list.

    The old library

    A previous bid to buy the building was rejected by the owner, who didn't want to comment to BBC Radio Stoke.

    It's now been taken off the market and the Stafford Old Library Trust says it's trying to agree a final purchase price with it off the market.

    A spokeswoman for the trust says they want to turn it into a community arts centre and are meeting today to talk through their plans.

  10. Electric current injures railway teens

    Two teenagers hurt at train tracks in the Black Country were injured by an electric current, paramedics have confirmed.

    Four boys had been playing next to a stretch of railway near a park in Wednesbury.

    There emergency crews found two teenagers, both believed to be 13 years old, with serious injuries.

    One was in a critical condition and flown by air ambulance to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

    The second is described as being in a serious condition and is being treated at the same hospital.

    Trains services are affected between Bescot Stadium in Walsall and Tame Bridge Parkway and coaches have been ordered to run between Walsall and Rugeley, London Midland said.

  12. Cyber child sex offences rise by over half in Staffordshire

    Lee Blakeman
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    Figures from Staffordshire Police show the number of cyber-related sex offences against children in the county rose by 54% last year.

    Fingers on keyboardThinkstock

    A request under the Freedom of Information Act by the NSPCC revealed offences rose to 347 last year compared with 225 the year before.

    The charity is demanding the next government introduce strict online safety measures to protect children.

  14. On Midlands Today from 13:30: Rises in cyber child sex offences

    Sarah Bishop
    BBC Midlands Today

    On Midlands Today this lunchtime, we'll hear the latest on cyber-related sex offences against children.

    Young hand on computer mouseThinkstock

    That's because a Freedom of Information request by the NSPCC's found increases recorded by some of our police forces, including Staffordshire.

    I've been looking into the details and will have more from 13:30 on BBC One.

  15. Family 'angry' after road crash deaths

    The family of a Flintshire couple who were killed in a crash in Conwy county has said their killer's sentence "will never be enough".

    Shaun Goldstraw, 21, from Leek, Staffordshire, has been sentenced to eight years in prison after admitting causing the deaths of Tracy Haley and Darren Lowe, from Bagillt, on the A543 near Pentrefoelas on 27 February 2016.

    'Hefty' sentence for driver 'won't bring couple back'

  16. BBC Weather Watcher pictures: Another sunny day

    BBC Weather Watchers

    Our BBC Weather Watchers in Staffordshire and Cheshire have been enjoying the sunshine.

    Here are two from users Tony O 1863 in Stoke-on-Trent and Deneb in Alsager.

    Stoke-on-TrentTony o 1863
    AlsagerDeneb

  17. Driver jailed for causing two deaths

    Shaun Goldstraw, 21, from Staffordshire, used a Conwy county road "as a racetrack", a judge says.

    Read More

  18. Election debate: Stoke North candidates asked how they'd attract UKIP vote

    Emma Thomas
    Political reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    All four candidates standing in the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency were asked how they would woo people who'd voted for UKIP in 2015.

    That's because there's no UKIP candidate in this election and, two years ago, 9,542 voted for the party in this area.

    UKIP supporter pictured wearing a UKIP branded tie, badge and rosetteJack Taylor/Getty Images

    All four candidates were asked to complete the sentence "UKIP supporters should vote for me because..."

    • Liberal Democrat Richard Whelan said they should vote for him because he would bring things to the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency and not see the area overlooked in the final Brexit settlement
    • Ruth Smeeth for Labour said they should vote for her because she lives in the area and will fight for the community over delivering a Brexit deal that will work for Stoke-on-Trent North
    • The Greens' Douglas Rouxel said they should vote for him because he represented a break from the two-party system and wouldn't be beholden as an MP to either of the bigger two parties
    • Conservative candidate Ben Adams replied that they should vote for him because the party's leader Theresa May was the right person to deliver the right deal and the Conservatives are committed to leaving Europe

    You can hear the debate, if you missed it live on-air, here on the BBC iPlayer.

  19. Election debate: Stoke North candidates quizzed on sports centre closure

    Perry Spiller
    Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke

    The four candidates battling it out to be the next MP for Stoke-on-Trent North have been debating on BBC Radio Stoke this morning.

    They were first asked, by Nigel from Kidsgrove, what they would do about the impending closure of the sports centre in Kidsgrove.

    Last month, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council said it would shut at the end of this month due to rising maintenance and repair costs.

    The four candidates
    • Conservative candidate Ben Adams said, if he was elected, he would back the county council - who actually own the building - with their offer to pass the buildings over for free.
    • The Greens' Douglas Rouxel said the closure was part of a wider issue caused by cuts to council funding by central government.
    • Ruth Smeeth for Labour said she would work with the borough council on a business plan for a replacement swimming pool.
    • Liberal Democrat Richard Whelan promised that, if elected, he would work with both councils to make sure the funding was in place to keep the centre open.

    You can hear the debate, if you missed it live on-air, here on the BBC iPlayer.

  20. Charity treating drug and alcohol problems closes

    Jennie Aitken
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    A charity that helps people with drug and alcohol problems in Stoke-on-Trent is closing today.

    It comes after the Lifeline Project went into administration, having been operating in the city for the last 18 months.

    Pint being drunkPA

    The city council says other local providers will be able to take over their work.

    BBC Radio Stoke has approached the Lifeline Project about the closure, but they've refused to comment.

    We've been working really hard with our local providers, because this is an emergency situation obviously, to make sure that the Lifeline services are handed over. Those services will be provided by combined healthcare trust, Addaction and BAC O'Connor."

    Sharon Taaffe, Head of Health Improvement at Stoke-on-Trent City council