Staffordshire Newsletter

A farm house will become a care home for youngsters with autism and learning difficulties, external, after bosses assured neighbours residents would not be young offenders.

Scientists in Staffordshire have discovered what is believed to be the smallest star.

But the question is - how do you find the smallest star?

Professor Hellier, from Keele University explains: "We were actually looking for planets and looking for planets around other stars.

"We do that by looking for tiny dips in the light of a star when a planet orbiting around it and goes in front of it and blocks out some of the light.

"Because this star was exactly the same size of a planet we found a star doing it. It was really exciting."

Image source, Science Photo Library

A man found dead in a park in Hanley this morning had been reported as missing, say police.

Staffordshire Police say, external the body of 31-year-old Joe Walker was discovered in Central Forest Park at about 19:00.

Police say the circumstances aren't suspicious.

Image source, bbc

Staffordshire Newsletter

Plans for a £9.5m leisure centre to be built on Stone's Westbridge Park, external have finally been passed, dealing a blow for the town council.

The 14-year-old died when her school minibus collided with a bin lorry in Birmingham

Graham McGarry
BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Our top sport stories for Staffordshire and Cheshire this morning include:

• Bojan is a big part of Stoke City's plans for the future, says manager Mark Hughes
• The Port Vale manager says no decision has been made on whether or not they'll sign defender Neal Eardley
• Crewe boss David Artell doesn't expect to add to the five new signings he's made over recent weeks

The police investigation into a 14-year-old schoolgirl's death in a minibus crash will take months rather than weeks, an inquest has heard.

Holly Brown, a student at John Taylor High School in Barton-under-Needwood in Staffordshire, died in a crash involving a council bin lorry on the A38 Kingsbury Road, Birmingham, last Friday.

Image source, West Midlands Police

The teenager, who was on a school trip with teachers and other pupils, was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the opening of an inquest today, assistant coroner James Bennett said: "I've been provided with a report from West Midlands Police which confirms their investigation will take a matter of months rather than weeks."

The Sentinel

A college has drafted in 24-hour private security to prevent travellers returning, external to its car park after at least 20 caravans camped there.

A man has died after being discovered in a park in Hanley this morning.

Staffordshire Police say they received a call at about 07:00 after a man was found collapsed near the entrance of Central Forest Park but died at the scene.

The death is not being treated as suspicious and the victim is yet to be identified.

Almost £8,000 was spent clearing up tens-of-thousands of nails which spilled on a major road in Stoke-on-Trent.

The A500 northbound at Etruria was closed while the nails were cleared and assistance given to other vehicles that had punctured tyres on 13 June.

Image source, HIGHWAYS ENGLAND

The road was shut after a 5km stretch of road between the A53 Etruria Road and Basford roundabout and Porthill Bank.

A Freedom of Information request by a member of the public, external reveals that two magnets were used to quicken up the process which took over 15 hours to clear.

It took more than 170 man hours to clear-up the nails, costing more than £3,500.

The B5013 near Colton in Rugeley is closed after a vehicle overturned, says Staffordshire Fire Service who are at the scene.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire

Lee Blakeman
BBC Radio Stoke

A college in Staffordshire has been forced to bring in 24-hour security, to stop travellers coming back on to its land.

The group of about 15 caravans left Newcastle-under-Lyme College on Wednesday night and are believed to have moved to land next to Wolstanton High School.

BBC Weather

After a cloudy start with the chance of some drizzle, it should brighten up this afternoon with some sunny spells in store.

It will feel quite warm in the sunshine this afternoon, with top temperatures of 20C (68F).

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

Welcome to Stoke and Staffordshire Live on Friday morning.

I'll be bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather for the area between now and 18:00.

If you'd like to get in touch you can email, tweet @bbcradiostoke, external or message us via Facebook, external.

Eight-year-old Junior James Wyatt's egg scheme lays him £100 a week and more than 30 customers .

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.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

A bus shelter is to receive a makeover as part of a town's bid to "bloom".

A stop in Tamworth is set to be transformed by local artist Simon Wingfield on Sunday as part of the town's attempt to win Heart of England in Bloom., external

Image source, Tamworth Borough Council

The bus stop on Peelers Way is said to be, external on the route that the Heart of England in Bloom judges will travel along.

The makeover is the first one in the area to be improved, but we could see more be given a new lease of life as part of the Arts in Unusual Spaces., external

The government's expected to confirm further details of the next phase of the HS2 high-speed rail line next week, just before Parliament rises for the summer.

Phase 2A of the scheme is from the West Midlands through Staffordshire to Crewe.

But Stafford's Conservative MP Jeremy Lefroy told the House of Commons that any decision should be delayed until the autumn to allow greater parliamentary scrutiny.

He said the timing of the bill meant there would be only 56 days of consultation, covering much of the summer break.

Free parking could be pulled at Lyme Valley in Newcastle.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is considering, external introducing fees to discourage people from using it to visit Royal Stoke University Hospital, which is nearby.

Image source, Google

The car park, which is close to the A34, could be changed into a maximum of two hours parking, as part of plans to be considered.

A fire that destroyed a kitchen in Stoke-on-Trent was started by the family dog, investigators have revealed.

The fire started at a property on Sutton Drive, Trent Vale, at 09:10 on Tuesday.

Fire crews were alerted after a neighbour heard the smoke alarms and saw smoke coming from a window.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue

Firefighters discovered the dog, who was unhurt, had been left in the kitchen while the residents went on the school run and said he had jumped up at the cooker and "switched on two of the electric hobs".

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue said this caused clothing placed on top of the cooker to catch fire. The flames then spread to the nearby cupboards.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue