City of Culture 2021 shortlist expected soon
School minibus crash inquiry to take months
Nails on the road cost almost £8k to clear up
College brings in security after travellers move on to land
Updates on Friday 14 July 2017
BBC Midlands Today
More than 4,000 people in the West Midlands owe their lives to organ transplants.
NHS Blood and Transplant says the number of people on the Organ Donor Register has increased by 27% over the past five years.
It says despite the rise there is still a shortage of donors.
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A road in the Staffordshire Moorlands is due to open in the next hour - 24 hours after it was closed by a landslip.
Staffordshire County Council says its had tree surgeons on Red Road between Oakamoor and Dimmingsdale throughout the day.
Cody-Anne Jackson changes her plea during her trial and admits killing her two-year-old daughter.
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Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
A driver on the M6 was caught by police eating his dinner while behind the wheel.
The force says its filmed him - with a fork in one hand and a bowl in the other., external
After stopping the van, officers found a bowl of rice and chicken inside.
Image source, Cheshire PoliceAllow Twitter content?
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Keith Brymer Jones, of the BBC's Great Pottery Throwdown, is to create 50 jobs with his ceramics venture.
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Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Stoke City are bracing themselves for another bid from West Ham in their effort to sign the Potters striker Marko Arnautovic.
Stoke have already rejected a £15m offer from the East London side for the 28-year-old but reports today claim that the Hammers will continue to pursue the player during the transfer window.
Image source, Getty ImagesA mum from Stoke-on-Trent has admitted murdering her two-year-old daughter at their home part way through her trial.
Cody-Anne Jackson's daughter Macey Hogan was found dead at their house on Packett Street in Fenton last October.
Pathologists believe she'd been smothered or had pressure applied to her neck.
Image source, Via Staffordshire PoliceJackson, 20, will be sentenced on the 27 July.
A cat who arrived in the RSPCA’s care in Nantwich with a hole in his neck, exposing his jugular vein, is waiting for his purr-fect home., external
Image source, Nantwich NewsMore than 4,000 people in the West Midlands currently owe their lives to organ transplants.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe figure is revealed in a report today by NHS Blood and Transplant.
In this region the number of people on the Organ Donor Register has increased by 27% over the past five years.
In the North West there are record numbers of people on the organ donor register - it's gone up more than 25% in the last five years.
Facebook
A few of you have posted comments on Facebook, external after a family paid tribute to 14-year-old Holly Brown, who died in Friday's school minibus crash.
Lynne Land wrote: "A total tragedy, how her family must be feeling I just cannot imagine."
Anne Wagg posted: "Beautiful girl inside and out. So so sad."
Image source, Family photoAmazon is recruiting another 100 apprentices nationwide, with nearly half of them set to work at its huge delivery centre in Rugeley, external.
Image source, Express and Star
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A fire at Bombardier in Crewe is under control according to Cheshire Fire and Rescue.
There are no injuries and everyone is accounted for according to Station Manager Matt Barlow.
Image source, Cheshire Fire and RescueCrews are still damping down at the site which dates back to 1840 when it was used as a construction and repair facility for the Grand Junction Railway., external
Raindrops on roses, and petunias and periwinkles.
Just a couple of great floral photos from our Weather Watchers this morning.
Thanks to Angus and Me for the pinks in Hednesford and to Snow Crystals for the blues in Newcastle.
Image source, Angus and me
Image source, Snow CrystalsThe A50 closed for a new bridge to be built over two days - time lapse footage shows what happened.
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Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
An independent brewery in Stone says it has lost revenue over the past six weeks because of its internet connection being down.
The Lymestone Brewery claims its reputation with customers has been damaged because they haven't been able to contact it online - leading to a round a £1,000 in lost trade.
Image source, GoogleBT, which provides the brewery's internet service, says it had identified the fault and fixed it - but the problem re-occurred. It's hopeful of fixing the line today.
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Six fire engines and the hydraulic platform are still at Bombardier in Crewe.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue say crews are fighting the smouldering fire from the ground and roof level. North West Ambulance Service is there as a precaution.
The site was fully evacuated on the arrival of the crews and some of the areas have now returned to work as normal.
BBC Radio Stoke
Plans to build more social housing in the north of Stafford will ruin the area and lead to more anti-social behaviour, according to campaigners.
If plans go ahead, 38 houses meant to be built in Baswich will be moved to Doxey instead.
Image source, GoogleQuote MessageRegarding proposals for housing in Baswich and Doxey - providing affordable housing in a different location to the development is not contrary to our policy. Each application submitted by a developer will be considered on its own merits."
Spokesperson, Stafford Borough Council
The group 'Doxey Against Segregated Housing' argue that clustering social housing together will cause problems.
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A Staffordshire Moorlands road is still closed this morning after a landslip.
Landslide in Staffordshire Moorlands
Engineers have been working overnight to clear Red Road between Oakamoor and Dimmingsdale after the sudden heavy downpour caused a tree to fall from a height of around 35ft.
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
Firefighters are tackling a fire at the Bombardier site in Crewe.
Crews were called to Bombardier Transportations on West Street at about 08:10 this morning.
There are eight fire engines at the scene, external as crews are working to stop the fire spreading.
Image source, Cheshire Fire and RescueNorth West Ambulance Service is also there but it's not known if there are any casualties.
Cheshire Fire Service says it involves plastic sheets and boards in the roof space of a building.
Grieving relatives of a teenager who drowned in a canal have labelled the yobs, external who smashed up their loved-one's memorial garden as the "scum of the earth".
