Summary

  • Girl dies in school trip crash

  • Drugs gang jailed for more than 21 years

  • Arrest after reports boy, 4, 'grabbed' as sat in car

  • Updates on Friday 7 July 2017

  1. Knife crime rises 50% in two years in Staffordshirepublished at 09:23 British Summer Time 3 July 2017

    Emma Thomas
    BBC Radio Stoke journalist

    Knife crime in Staffordshire has increased by 50% over the last two years.

    The county's police force says they recorded 967 knife-related crimes in the 12 months to April, compared with a total of 643 two years previously.

    Teenage boy holding a knife

    They say the majority of offences happened within the city area of Stoke-on-Trent.

    But officers say some rural areas have also seen a rise, such as in the Staffordshire Moorlands, where offences were up more than a third last year alone.

    The force says it'll hold a knife amnesty from 10 July , externalwith anonymous deposit bins for weapons placed across the county.

  2. Body find 'unexplained' in Cannockpublished at 09:02 British Summer Time 3 July 2017

    Louise Hancock
    Newsreader, BBC WM

    The death of a woman whose body was found at a flat in Cannock is being treated as unexplained. , external

    Staffordshire Police says Kerry Cast, 40, from Herondale, was discovered on Saturday afternoon.

    Herondale, CannockImage source, Google

    Officers say a post-mortem examination is due to take place as they try to work out what happened.

    Her family has released a statement saying they are grateful to people, external "for the outpour of love and support".

  3. Retaliation warning from police after child sexual exploitation arrestpublished at 08:42 British Summer Time 3 July 2017

    Jodie Looker
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    A man's been arrested in Stoke-on-Trent on suspicion of travelling for the purposes of child sexual exploitation., external

    The 22-year-old was arrested yesterday morning in Hanley at Central Forest Park by Staffordshire Police.

    The force has added that they're appealing to the public not to "take matters into their own hands" or do anything to hinder their investigation. , external

    They also say that they won't tolerate any acts of retaliation.

  4. Watch: Your 50-second weather videopublished at 08:24 British Summer Time 3 July 2017

    Lucy Martin
    BBC Weather

    A bright day with some cloud but also some sunny spells, with the risk of some isolated showers and highs of 22C (72F).

    Media caption,

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  5. Travel: Train delays in Lichfield and Rugeley/Walsall areaspublished at 08:08 British Summer Time 3 July 2017

    BBC News Travel

    There are delays this morning on London Midland trains between Rugeley Trent Valley and Walsall and in the Lichfield area.

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  6. Welcome to Monday's live coveragepublished at 08:02 British Summer Time 3 July 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    Hello everyone, it's a pretty bright if cloudy start to the week in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent at the BBC Stoke headquarters.

    This photo was uploaded this morning by BBC Weather Watcher Jon in Barlaston:

    BarlastonImage source, Jon

    We'll bring you a full look at this morning's weather forecast shortly and there'll be updates on Monday's news, sport, travel and more, for Staffordshire and Cheshire, through the day.

    I'm also keen to keep featuring your photos of the area so send those in on email or post them on Instagram, adding the tag #bbcstoke, external there to show you agree to share them.