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
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A man arrested on suspicion of having a knife in a public place after Aldi in Leek was evacuated yesterday morning has been released under investigation.
The 18-year-old from Birmingham was detained at the scene.
Police said the incident was not terror related, and no one was hurt.
Image source, GoogleThe alleged Three Musketeers terror cell has been subjected to "one of the most unfair trials there has ever been in the history of British justice", a defence lawyer has said.
Convicted terrorist Naweed Ali along with three other men from the West Midlands are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of plotting an attack on British soil.
The prosecution's case involves a JD Sports bag that was found containing a partially-constructed pipe bomb and a large hatchet.
Image source, JULIA QUENZLERMr Ali's defence lawyer Stephen Kamlish QC has repeatedly accused an undercover operation - tasked with gathering intelligence on two among the accused - of planting the evidence.
In his closing speech to the jury, he alleged police had found "not one shred of evidence of an actual plot".
Naweed Ali, 29, and Khobaib Hussain, 25, both of Sparkhill in Birmingham, and Mohibur Rahman, 32, and Tahir Aziz, 38, of Stoke-on-Trent, deny preparing terrorist acts. The trial continues.
Stafford charity House of Bread is holding a tin amnesty, external in a bid to stock up its food bank following a surge in demand.
Image source, Staffordshire NewsletterJobs are at risk at a college under new cost-cutting measures, it has been revealed., external
A man arrested over a fatal hit-and-run in Cheshire has been released under investigation.
The 27-year-old from Nantwich was detained on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving follow the crash.
The body of a 44-year-old man was found on the A530 in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Police believe he'd been hit by a vehicle as he walked along the Whitchurch Road.
BBC News Health
A Staffordshire mum who shared her experiences of the NHS with Healthwatch England says she's been told her efforts could save hospitals up to £22m.
Her son David was left unable to walk after major delays to his treatment for cerebral palsy, and the negative experience spurred on Rebecca Loo, from Newcastle, to make a difference to the NHS.
Image source, Sharon DoorbarDavid, now 17, had to wait almost four months for an ankle foot orthosis - a brace that would have helped him walk
Quote MessageWe weren't just back at square one, we were worse than when we started."
Rebecca Loo, Mum
Rebecca's disgust with the orthotics service which failed her son has led to a total redesign of how children access braces, boots and callipers to help their mobility.
Healthwatch England has launched #ItStartsWithYou, external to highlight the difference patient feedback can make.
John Acres
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent has its first land train. It's been unveiled in Tunstall Park this morning and will be launched at Tunstall Carnival on 30 July.
The train's originally from the Shugborough Estate and has been refurbished.
It will be travelling around the parks across the city this summer.
Stoke-on-Trent's first land train
Evha Jannath fell off a ride and into the water and "received no help" before being sucked under.
Read More
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Plans for a new multi-million pound history centre in Stafford, external should be available to the public in the autumn, the county council says.
The proposed new building will be between Eastgate Street and North Walls and the architects have been announced today.
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
A Staffordshire mother says police haven't apologised for ripping her son's ashes out of a teddy bear and spilling them on the floor whilst searching her partner's home.
Chelsea Wright's son Nathan was 10 months old when he died in 2014.
Despite the warrant to search the premises her legal team say Miss Wright, from Rugeley, was not suspected of committing any offence.
Image source, Family picturesQuote MessageTo just go in my bedroom and see him all over the floor knowing that the only way to clean it up is by getting someone to hoover him, it was just awful to be honest."
Chelsea Wright, Nathan's mum
Staffordshire Police says an investigation is under way.
Assistant Chief Constable Nick Adderley told the BBC "as a father, (he) understands how distressing this is for Chelsea and is promising to get to the bottom of this complaint as quickly as possible."
Thanks to our regular Weather Watchers, Videoman and Sky Watcher for two lovely pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire.
The top one is of Leek and the one below is of Wybunbury.
Image source, Videoman
Image source, Sky WatcherIf you love where you live and you want to add your photos click here and become one of our Weather Watchers.
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
The number of physical attacks on ambulance staff in Staffordshire has increased in the last 12 months - with more of them than ever being classed as intentional assaults.
West Midlands Ambulance Service says 49 staff were attacked in the year up to April 2017 - up by 20 on last year.
The number of attacks involving alcohol and drugs also increased.
Quote MessageI'm not sure whether it's the uniform or they get some enjoyment out of calling for us, know they'll get a response and then decide to assault the member of staff that turns up."
Steve Elliker, West Midlands Ambulance Service
Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby Sport
Free agent Matty Fryatt appears to be training with Burton Albion.
The 31-year-old striker left Nottingham Forest this summer having missed two years with an achilles injury.
He can be seen in a video of a St George's Park training session on the Brewers website, external.
Image source, Getty Images
Liz Ellis
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
The son of a man who became seriously ill after an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease at a Stoke-on-Trent warehouse says he's had to sell the family home to pay for care.
The cause was traced to a hot tub display at the JTF Warehouse in Fenton in 2012, and two men affected later died.
Yesterday the firm was fined £1m for health and safety breaches.
David Cull told me his dad Derek has totally changed after becoming ill.
Image source, GoogleQuote MessageThis was a different man, who couldn't speak, who couldn't remember things, had lost his mental capacity. This wasn't the person that went to the store a few days before."
David Cull, Victim's son
They have secured units within the new £7 million development which opens on July 28, external.
Ian Perry
BBC Radio Shropshire
Shropshire plays host today to school pupils from across the Midlands for the grand final of a business competition.
Called the National Enterprise Challenge it's for youngsters between the ages of 11 and 15.
The contest is backed by Dragon's Den star Theo Paphitis and there will be 120 teams hoping to win the first prize.
It's the brainchild of two cousins, Ben and Mike Dyer, who grew up on an estate in Stoke. They describe themselves as fed up with seeing young people leave school unready for the world of work.
Olympic champion canoeist Joe Clarke will be attending.
Good morning from the Local Live team.
We'll be bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates for Stoke and Staffordshire between now and 18:00.
We 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.
Join us on Facebook, external and Twitter, external.
Lucy Martin
BBC Weather
A warm but fairly cloudy start with some drizzle possible, but brighter spells later with some sunny intervals and highs of 22C (72F).
Latest weather for the West Midlands
We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.
