Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live

A magnet is being used to clear a shed load of nails from the northbound A500 in Stoke-on-Trent.

Highways England says it's helped to speed the process up, after the road was closed around Basford in the early hours.

The road remains closed northbound around Basford and Porthill.

Ros Chimes
Staffordshire Moorlands reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

The company which owns Alton Towers says the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London have dented demand for the attraction.

Merlin Entertainments says that while more foreign tourists are coming to Britain because of the weaker pound, the number of domestic day trips has fallen.

Image source, Google

The group also says visitor numbers are down at two of their other attractions, Madame Tussauds and Legoland.

The Association of Electoral Administrators is investigating after complaints in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Nails are still being picked out of the northbound A500 in Stoke-on-Trent after a lorry spilled them on to the carriageway early hours.

The road has been shut between the Basford roundabout and Porthill Bank after drivers started reporting punctures around 02.30.

Local garages have been dealing with some of the repairs.

Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

The police and coroner are investing any links between patient deaths and an evacuation after a fire at the Royal Stoke last Wednesday.

The North Staffordshire Coroner's office confirmed it's working with the police and the hospital trust to investigate if people died as a result of being moved.

A 39-year-old-man has been charged with arson.

Image source, Paul Bradbury

The hospital trust says that it's undertaking a review to understand what it did well and how it could improve in the future. It points out that, on average, between five and 10 patients die every day at the hospital.

BBC Midlands Today

Burton Hospital is to merge with hospitals in Derby this Autumn. , external

A business case has been agreed by the two trusts and further discussions will take place over the summer following consultations with staff and the public.

Clinicians at both hospitals says the new way of working will "improve the quality of care".

Gavin Bevis
BBC Local Live

A group of lottery winners have teamed up to build a new footpath at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The team, which includes retired serviceman Ken Wedgeworth, from Swadlincote, has spent two days creating the 40ft path from the main walkway to the naval section.

Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A public meeting will take place tonight to discuss what will happen to Kidsgrove Sports Centre.

It comes as Newcastle Borough Council says it can't afford to maintain the building which is owned by Staffordshire County Council.

Unless a solution is found, the centre will close at the end of this month.

Tonight's meeting takes place at 7pm at Kidsgrove Town Hall.

Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live

Part of a major route in Stoke-on-Trent has been shut after a lorry spilled its load of nails across a carriageway.

Motorists have been advised to follow diversions after the spillage shut the A500 northbound at Etruria.

For Tyres Stoke tweeted, external that one customer had "20-plus screws per tyre".

It was thought the road would reopen some time on Tuesday morning, but Highways England said due to the size and nature of the spillage, it would remain closed into the afternoon.

The Potteries buses, run by First Group, said, external all of its services were delayed due to the closure.

The A500 will be closed for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, Highways England warns.

The northbound carriageway was closed earlier this morning after a lorry shed a load of nails on the road.

Diversions are in place, external and drivers are warned to expect delays in the surrounding roads.

BBC Radio Stoke

Newcastle Borough Council's announced a review is to take place into the Parliamentary election for Newcastle-under-Lyme on 8th June.

The authority's asked the Association of Electoral Administrators to carry out the independent work.

It comes after people claimed they were unable to vote because electoral lists hadn't been updated and some postal votes had not been sent out.

Some students at Keele University said they were unable to vote after being told their "names were not on the list" at polling stations.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Weather Watchers

Good morning from our Weather Watchers.

Two lovely views to start your day, one of Leek (top) from Videoman and one of Stoke-on-Trent (bottom) taken by Gadjet.

Image source, Videoman

Image source, Gadjet

BBC Midlands Today

A landmark site on Cannock Chase has been declared a special monument by Historic England. , external

The spot was used as a military training camp during World War One.

The scale model of Messines, external (pictured) was excavated in 2013 and helped show troops roads and trenches as they prepared to go to the frontline on the continent. It has since been reburied to preserve it.

Messines Ridge was the site of a major battle in Belgium where the Germans were defeated in 1917.

The site's dedication marks the centenary of the Battle of Messines.

A man from Telford has been arrested following reports someone was seen with a gun near Newport Carnival at the weekend, police say.

The West Mercia force says it seized a BB gun and a 19 year old was arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of an imitation firearm. He has been released "under investigation".

BB guns fire ball bearings or plastic pellets.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

The A500 northbound is expected to be closed throughout the morning, Highways England warns after a lorry shed nails on to the carriageway.

It said:, external "Due to size and nature of the shed load it is anticipated that the road will remain closed throughout the morning."

Diversions are in operation and drivers on the A50 westbound and A500 southbound are asked to join the M6.

The A500 at Stoke-on-Trent is closed northbound between the A53 and A527 after a lorry shed nails on to the carriageway.

Highways England is warning drivers to expect long delays in the area while the clean-up is under way.

Joanne Malin
BBC Midlands Today

Members of a leisure centre in North Staffordshire say they're "outraged" over plans to close a well-used facility. , external

A taekwondo group (pictured) which has been running at Kidsgrove Leisure centre for 20 years is just one of dozens of clubs who'll have to find alternative premises.

Newcastle Borough Council announced just a few weeks ago that the centre was to close at the end of the month as a survey revealed £2.4m would need to be spent on the aging sport centre over seven years to make it viable.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

Some cloud around today and the possibility of light rain this morning, but brighter spells later, with highs of 20C (68F).

The animal was diagnosed with the rare "balloon syndrome", caused by gas collecting under the skin.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

About nine miles (14km) of a major route in Staffordshire's going to be shut for a whole weekend next month, so several giant steel beams can be installed for a new bridge.

The county council says the A50 will be closed in both directions from 20:00 on Friday 7 July until 05:30 on Monday 10 July.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

It'll be shut between the A521 roundabout at Blythe Bridge and the B5030 roundabout at Uttoxeter.

The authority says a 750-tonne crane will lift the six beams into place to form the base of a new bridge across the dual carriageway.