BBC News Technology

People in Staffordshire and Cheshire are more likely to fall victim to computer virus, malware and spyware fraud than other parts , externalof England and Wales.

That's according to data from UK cyber-crime centre Action Fraud which has been collated by consumer watchdog Which? via a Freedom of Information request.

Image source, PA

From 2014 to 2016, Staffordshire saw 297 reports of computer virus, malware and spyware fraud at 2.67 victims per 10,000, compared with 2.27 nationally.

For the same period in Cheshire there were 293 reports with 2.81 per 10,000.

Which? wants the government to do more to tackle the problem.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Hair and beauty salons in Staffordshire are being warned they face being fined if they offer alcohol to customers without a licence, external.

Staffordshire Police says it's aware a number are offering free drinks of wine or champagne as part of treatment packages.

Image source, Katie Collins/PA Wire

The force says it is issuing the warning now before it starts taking action.

Officers say firms caught serving alcohol without a licence could face a £20,000 fine and/or six months in prison for the owner.

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Both Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra will face Championship opposition in the first round of next season's League Cup, external.

Image source, Carabao Cup

The Vale travel to Leeds United, while The Alex host Bolton Wanderers.

Meanwhile Burton Albion are away at Oldham Athletic - all ties will be played the week starting 7 August.

Sunderland will travel to Bury in the EFL Cup first round following their relegation from the Premier League.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The southern part of Staffordshire gets well featured in today's pick of pictures you've sent in of the county.

If you want to send in one of your photos, drop us an email or use Instagram, external (adding #bbcstoke to show you agree to share it).

Burton Mail

A Burton resident who has hit out at "dangerous potholes" which are blighting the lives of drivers in the town has told the Burton Mail he has been, external "inundated with comments and requests" since he highlighted the issue.

Image source, Burton Mail

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City have ruled themselves out of signing the former England captain and Manchester United player Wayne Rooney.

Image source, Laurence Griffiths/Getty Image

The Potters have been heavily linked in the national media, external with the 31-year-old striker, with some bookmakers slashing the odds on Rooney becoming a Stoke player.

However the club's chief executive Tony Scholes told BBC Radio Stoke there hasn't been any contact with Rooney or his representatives.

BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this lunchtime, hear how the region is celebrating the life of the former Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered a year ago.

Plus we've got a special gardening anniversary for a BBC programme which was created 50 years ago.

Those stories and plenty more from 18:30 on BBC One.

Nick Hope
BBC Sport Olympic sports reporter

Uttoxeter swimmer and Rio gold medallist Adam Peaty says the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a mistake by not including three new 50m sprint events for Tokyo 2020.

Image source, Getty Images

The IOC said last week that men's 800m and women's 1500m freestyle races would be added to the swimming programme.

Peaty, who won 100m breaststroke gold at last summer's Olympics, was in favour of including 50m races in breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly.

Liz Ellis
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke-on-Trent-born rock music legend Lemmy would have "loved" getting a blue plaque in the city, according to his friend, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi.

The tribute was unveiled last night at Port Vale FC as part of BBC Music Day and saw fans turn out to witness the unveiling.

Hazel Morgan
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

A football fan who's set about reconstructing all 92 Premier League and English Football League grounds out of Lego says he almost finished Stoke City's. , external

Image source, Brick Stadiums

Julian Richards started earlier this year and told the BBC he was surfing the internet one day, found nobody else had already done it so decided to start himself.

He said this week he's done three sides of the Stoke City stadium, external and the club says it loves his work., external

Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

Alcohol and perfumes are thought to have been taken in a burglary at a Stoke-on-Trent city centre store.

Staffordshire Police says the break-in happened early this morning at the B&M shop on Old Hall Street, Hanley.

They say the thief or thieves got in through the main entrance.

Jane Sawyers joined Staffordshire Police in 1984 and was given the top job 30 years later.

Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

The new Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich says she will be listening to and acting for her constituents - although she admits being elected hasn't yet sunk in.

Laura Smith, who's only been involved in politics for four months, unseated Conservative Edward Timpson at last week's general election.

She's now stepped foot inside the Palace of Westminster for the first time since then and says she's still getting used to her new role.

The outgoing chief constable of Staffordshire Police says mistakes were made in the investigation of the 2002 murder of Kevin Nunes, a suspected drugs dealer from Wolverhampton.

Jane Sawyers is retiring today after more than 30 years in the force.

She was the head of professional standards there when 20-year-old Mr Nunes was killed in a suspected gangland shooting in Pattingham, Staffordshire. Five men were convicted of his murder but were later cleared.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

She said "it is terrible that mistakes were made and no one has been brought to justice".

In 2017, a report highlighted concerns about officers in relation to looking after protected witnesses.

Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

Fire crews in Staffordshire say they are ready to help firefighters in London following the fire that engulfed a west London block of flats.

People have taken to social media to hail London's firefighters who have worked tirelessly at Grenfell Tower in north Kensington.

Staffordshire Fire Service says it hasn't yet been asked to send extra crews but "are prepared, willing and able to send help if required".

The Sentinel

Families have won their fight for a popular children's play area to undergo a £20,000 makeover., external

Image source, The Sentinel

BBC News Travel

Drivers heading southbound through Staffordshire today are being warned to take care between junctions 12a and 11 due to barrier repairs.

BBC Sport

Burton Albion's Ben Turner has lost his appeal against a Football Association racial abuse charge and will miss the first five games of next season.

Turner was charged after an incident involving Brentford's Nico Yennaris in the Championship match in December.

Image source, Rex Features

An independent panel found the 29-year-old defender guilty as his language "included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or nationality".

Turner will also have to attend an education course and pay a £8,000 fine.

He had "strongly denied" the charge and the club were "extremely disappointed" by the commission's original decision.

Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

A crowd of heavy metal and rock fans turned out last night for BBC Radio Stoke's unveiling of a blue plaque for the Motörhead founder and frontman Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister.

He was born in Burslem in 1945 and went on to become a legendary figure within the music industry.

For BBC Music Day, a blue plaque was unveiled at Port Vale as the club has adopted Motorhead's song Ace of Spades as its unofficial anthem.

The unveiling honours went to Lemmy's friend, Birmingham-born Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi.