The Sentinel

Two north Staffordshire First World War heroes will be honoured with a memorial paving stone, external marking 100 years since each man was awarded the Victoria Cross.

We told you yesterday that the white knuckle ride Oblivion had stopped mid-air at Alton Towers yesterday evening.

The park said it stopped after a sensor detected a "minor technical fault" and the ride performed "exactly as it is designed to do," the theme park said.

Here's the park's operations director explaining the stoppage.

The West Midlands Euro MP, Bill Etheridge, has announced he's withdrawing from UKIP's leadership contest.

The politician, who's seen as being a moderate within the party, says he's still to decide which of the other candidates he'll support.

Two men have been charged with the production of cannabis, Staffordshire Police say.

A 33-year-old man from Amington, Tamworth, and a 31-year-old of no fixed address, were arrested in February.

Police say they will appear before magistrates on 11 August.

Jude is nine years old and was born with cerebral palsy. His father started a football club in Stoke-on-Trent so Jude could play with kids like him.

Adam Peaty is targeting two more world championships gold medals in Budapest after surprising even himself on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old, from Uttoxeter, broke his own world record twice yesterday to reach this evening's World Championships final of the 50m breaststroke in Budapest.

He retained his 100m breaststroke title in Budapest on Monday with a world championship record.

Fans of Crewe Alexandra will have the chance to meet the team's players, and hone their own footballing skills, at an open day being held on Friday.

There will be an open training session on the Gresty Road pitch for supporters and their families ahead of the Stoke City friendly and the season kicking-off in full a week later.

Entry is free, as is the ice-cream, the club says.

Image source, Getty Images

The collection of music discovered at Weston Park includes over 300 pieces and appears to have been built up over five generations of the family who lived there, the Musical and Amicable Society says., external

It believes the oldest work was written in the 17th Century and says the collection includes known works by Handel and Purcell, alongside unknown ones which appear to have been commissioned by the Bridgeman family and written by anonymous composers.

The society says some of the work, which is due to be put on show next week, is still in mint condition.

BBC Weather Watchers

There's just one theme in today's BBC Weather Watcher photos - rain.

This one comes courtesy of Angus and me in Hednesford.

Image source, Angus and me

This drizzly snap was taken in Ipstones, by AppyIppy.

if you have a picture you'd like to share, you can sign up and become a BBC Weather Watcher here.

Image source, AppyIppy

There's a bid to raise £2,000 to get a collection of music found at Weston Park professionally recorded.

The 200-year-old collection, largely written by anonymous composers, was rediscovered in 2014 and the Music and Amicable Society, external wants to hire two cellists and a harpsichordist to play it.

The music includes 25 pieces for cello and the plan is to record it inside Weston Park and the society says it has already got the funding to cover the artist and engineer fees, but needs the £2,000 to pay for the recording costs.

BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

Stoke will be busy in the transfer market over the next few weeks but are not expected to move for Arsenal's 23-year-old winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.(Stoke Sentinel), external

Weston Park is to host a concert showcasing a music collection which has been hidden for over 200 years.

It belongs to the Bridgeman family and was discovered stored in tin trunks at their ancestral home in 2014.

The concert will take place next Wednesday evening and the original 250-year-old manuscripts will also be on display for visitors to see.

Jude Liversage has become an ambassador for Together We Will, a new campaign to encourage more people with disabilities to take up sport.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

A spell of wet and rather windy weather will move east across the region this morning, with some heavy rain in places.

Most areas will become dry during the afternoon and skies will brighten later. However, it will remain breezy - highs of 21C (70F).

Burnley sign defender Phil Bardsley from Premier League rivals Stoke City on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 17cm item was a ceremonial object to give the constable "authority", say auctioneers.

BBC News Travel

Highways engineers say they are working "flat out" seven days a week to repair a main road between Nantwich and Crewe.

Parts of the A530 Middlewich Road collapsed last week after a water main burst, and since then its been closed between the Alvaston and Marshfield Bank roundabouts.

Cheshire East Council says the repair work requires specialist skills and equipment, and the road could be closed for up to two months.

BBC Sport

Adam Peaty has broken the 50m breaststroke world record for a second time today in the semi-finals of the World Aquatics Championships.

Image source, Adam Pretty/Getty Images

The 22-year-old from Uttoxeter took more than three-tenths of a second off the record during the heats this morning with a time of 26.10 seconds.

This afternoon, he broke the record with a swim of 25.95 seconds.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

There might be some rain around tomorrow and we are forecast a cooler end to the week.

James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

The deputy leader of Staffordshire County Council is stepping down at the end of the month.

Ian Parry is taking a job at a London-based charity.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

In his seven years as a cabinet member, Ian Parry has helped oversee some difficult financial decisions, including making more than £150m of savings - or cuts - depending on how you look at it.

He leaves next week to take up a role at London based charity the Centre for Public Scrutiny, which works with councils to manage themselves better.

But Mr Parry says he'll stay on as councillor for Stone Rural.