General election 2017: Results from Staffordshire and Cheshire

Summary

Social care plans 'cost Conservatives a lot of support' - Stafford MP
Neck-and-neck Newcastle-under-Lyme race settled by 30 votes
Masked men attack homeowner after breaking in
Tokyo 2020: Mixed events would add 'fun' element to Olympics – Adam Peaty
Updates from Friday 9 June 2017

Live Reporting

Arson revealed as cause of 500-tonne rubbish blazepublished at 17:18 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
The fire at an abandoned warehouse in Lichfield involving around 500 tonnes of waste was started deliberately, the fire service says. , external
At its height, Staffordshire Fire Service had 65 firefighters at the blaze in the former GKN site at the Crossfield Industrial Estate.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
They say their investigation concluded this afternoon it was arson and they still have fire crews working to put the blaze out this evening, although it is under control.
The service says, as a result, they're also still advising nearby people to stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed if they are affected by the smoke.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
Huge fire rips through warehousepublished at 17:09 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Lichfield Mercury
Emergency services are tackling a huge fire which tore through a Lichfield warehouse on Tuesday evening., external
Image source, Lichfield Mercury
Industrial estate firms 'could create 800 jobs'published at 17:00 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
The final plot of land at an industrial estate has been sold with Staffordshire County Council claiming the area will generate hundreds of jobs. , external
Image source, Staffordshire County Council
The authority says businesses have already started working at Kingswood Lakeside in Cannock in the past few months.
It says just three of the sites at the industrial estate, which is on a former opencast mining site, could create up to 800 jobs when they are fully up and running.
Pollution checks after 500-tonne warehouse blazepublished at 16:50 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
The Environment Agency says it's checking for any pollution following a 500-tonne rubbish fire in Lichfield.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
Staffordshire Fire Service says dozens of firefighters spent most of the night tackling the blaze at the former GKN warehouse at the Crossfield Industrial Estate. , external
The agency says it's been monitoring the impact of water running off from the fire into the nearby Mare Brook., external
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
BBC Weather Watcher photos: Sunshine in Gnosall and Branstonpublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
BBC Weather Watchers
The sunshine's been out and Staffordshire has been bathing in it, including our BBC Weather Watchers.
Here are two of their photos today, from users JR in Gnosall and Windy Bindy in Branston.
Image source, JR
Image source, Windy Bindy
Hundreds of homes without electricitypublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
More than 900 homes are without power this afternoon in the Cheddleton and Werrington areas of Staffordshire, according to Western Power Distribution.
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Sunshine brings sunbathing turtles in Cheshirepublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
It's not just us humans enjoying the sunshine today.
Guy Lingford's emailed in this photo from the Winterley fishing pool, near Crewe, where he says he's spotted "sunbathing turtles".
He's a bit surprised: "We still can't work out how they got here as they are not native to this part of Cheshire!"
Image source, Guy Lingford
Cyclist 'critical' after trapped under car in crashpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Sarah Robertson
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
A cyclist is in a critical condition in hospital after he became trapped under a car in a collision in Stafford., external
Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service
Staffordshire Police say yesterday afternoon's crash happened at the junction of Crooked Bridge Road and Corporation Street.
They say firefighters had to free the man from under a black Ford Focus before he was airlifted to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Driver 'found almost 200 nails in his tyres' after A500 spillagepublished at 15:48 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Liz Ellis
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
A driver says he ended up with almost 200 nails in his tyres after driving along the A500 after a lorry spilled its load of nails across the carriageway.
The A500 northbound at Etruria was closed yesterday while the nails were cleared and assistance given to other vehicles that had punctured tyres.
Media caption,
Motorists face tyre damage
Martin Beard told BBC Radio Stoke he was heading from Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Airport and found they were in his rear tyres just before getting to the airport.
He says a garage discovered 88 nails in one tyre and 97 in another and it cost almost £300 for new ones.
Highways England says safety is their top priority and they worked hard to clear the road of an debris and get it reopened.
London tower block fire: Sprinklers work highlighted in Staffordshirepublished at 15:28 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Stuart George
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
Staffordshire's top fire officer says her staff are working to get more sprinkler systems into high-rise buildings in the county, speaking after the huge fire at a tower block in London.
Several people have died after the blaze raged through the night in the Grenfell Tower.
Media caption,
One eyewitness said he saw people blinking lights within the building
Staffordshire Fire Service says it's spent the past nine months working with housing association providers to identify "high risk" sites which they feel should have sprinklers.
They say those sites are above five floors and the equipment would make them safer for both residents and fire crews if a fire broke out.
Quote Message
We've been working very closely with the city council in respect of some low-rise flats within the Hanley area that are currently being retro-fitted with a sprinkler system. This is a long-term project, it's not something that can, unfortunately, happen overnight so we will continue to push that locally."
Becci Bryant, Staffordshire Fire Service Chief Fire Officer
The fine margins of a hung parliamentpublished at 15:20 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Those Midlands marginals have a whole new meaning in hung parliament.
Read More
Mum of murder victim says she carries his smile seven years after his deathpublished at 15:15 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Burton Mail
The mother of a man who was fatally stabbed outside a Burton nightclub has told, external how the "hurt is always there" seven years on and how she is determined to "carry Connor's smile" with a special tribute.
Image source, Burton Mail
Watch: Wheelchair athlete excited by London opportunitypublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
After a disappointing time at the Rio Paralympics, the Newport wheelchair athlete Ben Rowlings says he is excited about the chance to compete at the World Championships in London.
He broke a world record for the 5,000m in Switzerland last week and believes he's in good shape for the competition next month.
Media caption,
Shropshire wheelchair athlete Ben Rowlings is excited at the chance to race in London
Girl 'flipped into the air' after hit by carpublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
An 11-year-old girl was "flipped into the air" as she was hit by a car in Stoke-on-Trent., external
Staffordshire Police says she was crossing at the junction of Chell Heath Road and Hayes Street in Bradeley when it happened on Friday afternoon.
Image source, Google
They say the car was going at low speed and the girl suffered bruises and grazes to her elbow, knee and chin
The force says the driver stopped to apologise and then drove off and they want to track him down.
Lemmy to be honoured: The Motorhead frontman 'was a rock legend'published at 14:09 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Matt Lee
Breakfast Producer, BBC Radio Stoke
The Motorhead star Lemmy, who's going to be honoured with a blue plaque in his honour in Stoke-on-Trent, was something of a rock legend.
With his mutton-chop whiskers, facial wart and high microphone position, he was in his time one of the most recognisable figures in the music business.
He was born Ian Fraser Kilmister in Burslem on 24 December 1945 and acquired the nickname Lemmy while at school, although he purported to have no idea where it came from.
Free school bus will run in Septemberpublished at 13:50 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Crewe Chronicle
Cheshire East won’t be axing the free school bus from Willaston to Nantwich in September because Network Rail hasn’t yet confirmed whether it is safe for children to use the London Road level crossing as a walking route. , external
athletics
Britain - share your personal bests!published at 13:04 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
London 2017
Image source, So Let's Go Running Bexley
Image caption,
Runners taking part in a Team Personal Best event with So Let's Go Running Bexley
This summer, London is hosting the biggest global sporting events of the year - the 2017 World Athletics and Para Athletics Championships - and the organisers have launched a scheme to get people involved in athletics right around the country.
It's called Team Personal Best and the idea is that local sports clubs or community groups across the UK sign up and put on events with an athletics theme.
It doesn't have to be a track-and-field meet - it can be a fun run, family sports day, even an event screening or bake sale with activities. There's a list of suggestions on the TeamPB submission page, here., external
Event participants are then encouraged to share their athletic achievements - no matter how big or small - with the hashtag #TeamPersonalBest to build a nationwide buzz around the championships.
You can find events near you here, external and if you want more information about how to get started in athletics, check out our Get Inspired guide.
Sports centre campaigners want to take it overpublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
People in Kidsgrove objecting to the closure of the town's sport centre say they'll try and set up a trust to take it over.
It's due to close at the end of this month after Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council said earlier this year that it can't afford to maintain or repair the building.
The authority put the cost at £2.4m over the next seven years while Staffordshire County Council, which actually owns the building, also says it's too costly to keep open.
Hundreds of people have signed a petition opposing closure, external and a public meeting was organised last night.
Quote Message
There's no question that the view that people had [at the meeting] was that they want the leisure centre to remain a viable part and an integral part of the community in Kidsgrove."
Lionel Burch, Newcastle-under-Lyme councillor for Kidsgrove
Football: Stoke target Hull youngster for defencepublished at 12:15 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Stoke City are still hopeful of landing the Hull City teenage defender Josh Tymon.
Image source, Dan Istitene/Getty Images
The England youth international is being earmarked as a long-term left-back replacement at the Bet365 stadium.
The 18-year-old has already made four Premier League starts for the Tigers, featuring in games against Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham.
Dozens of firefighters needed as 500 tonnes waste on firepublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 14 June 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
The cause of a fire at an abandoned industrial site in Lichfield, which saw around 500 tonnes of waste ablaze, is being investigated. , external
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service says, at its height last night, about 65 firefighters were tackling the blaze at the former GKN warehouse at the Crossfield Industrial Estate.
Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service
They say the building had about 5,000 tonnes of baled waste inside and around 10% was on fire when they arrived after 19:22.
West Midlands Ambulance Service, who were also called, say it was under control by 01:00 and fire crews are still at the scene this morning.