Summary

  • Barry Bennell sex abuse trial set for January

  • Cheshire CCG given 'inadequate' rating

  • Election candidate charged over blogs

  • Kurt Zouma: Chelsea defender joins Stoke on season-long loan

  • Updates on Friday 21 July

  1. Funeral for car crash victimpublished at 10:30 British Summer Time 24 July 2017

    Jodie Looker
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    The funeral will be held today for a woman from the Staffordshire Moorlands who was killed in a car crash.

    Amy Savage, 22, from Cheddleton, died after a car she was travelling in hit a wall in Onecote.

    Amy Louise SavageImage source, Staffordshire Police

    A 26-year-old man from Leek was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving.

    Ms Savage's funeral will take place at St Edward's Church in Leek today.

  2. World Aquatics Championships: Adam Peaty prepares to defend recordspublished at 09:22 British Summer Time 24 July 2017

    BBC Sport

    Olympic breaststoke champion Adam Peaty is through to the men's 100m final in Budapest later today.

    Adam PeatyImage source, Getty Images

    The 22-year-old from Uttoxeter set a world championship record when he qualified fastest in 57.75 seconds yesterday.

    But the swimmer has a long-term goal of under 57 seconds.

  3. Lung transplant patient 'planning for next holiday'published at 09:00 British Summer Time 24 July 2017

    An 11-year-old girl from south Cheshire, who recently underwent a double lung transplant, is now back home from hospital and planning her next holiday.

    Elle Grace MorrisImage source, Becky Whitfield

    Elle Grace Morris from Wrenbury was born with cystic fibrosis and earlier this year had a life-saving double lung transplant.

    She's spent the last five months in Great Ormond Street Hospital but is now back home and fighting fit.

  4. M54 tailbacks clearingpublished at 08:30 British Summer Time 24 July 2017

    BBC News Travel

    Long delays are staring to clear on the M54 eastbounds after a vehicle fire closed the carriageway at one of the busiest times of the day.

    It is expected to take some time for tailbacks to clear completely.

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  5. Video: Your 50-second weather forecastpublished at 08:20 British Summer Time 24 July 2017

    Charlie Slater
    BBC Weather presenter

    After a cloudy start and the possibility of a few showers we can expect a generally dry day with highs of 21C (70F).

    Media caption,

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  6. Forest Green add Pickering and Fitzwaterpublished at 19:40 British Summer Time 22 July 2017

    Forest Green sign goalkeeper Harry Pickering on a one-year deal, while Jack Fitzwater joins on loan from West Brom.

    Read More
  7. West Ham sign Arnautovic for £20mpublished at 18:05 British Summer Time 22 July 2017

    West Ham sign Stoke City and Austria forward Marko Arnautovic for a club record £20m on a five-year-deal.

    Read More
  8. Election candidate abusive blogs chargepublished at 22:54 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    Independent candidate Barbara Fielding-Morriss, 78, stood in two elections this year.

    Read More
  9. Juror discharged for love-life questionpublished at 20:32 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    The terror trial juror asked a court usher more than once to find out if a police officer was single.

    Read More
  10. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Monday, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening.

  11. On Midlands Today from 18:30: Tracking the summer getawaypublished at 17:57 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    Ben Godfrey
    BBC Midlands Today

    On Midlands Today this evening, school is out and the big summer getaway has started.

    Traffic on motorway

    It's set to be the busiest in years across the region with early figures suggesting planned journeys over the weekend are up by at least 10%.

    We'll have the latest on the Midlands motorway network and how all the routes are coping on BBC One from 18:30.

  12. Large stretch of A41 near Newport to close for roadworkspublished at 17:52 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    A 1.5 mile stretch of the A41, south of Newport, will close next week, to allow resurfacing to take place.

    Telford and Wrekin Council says it has put the work off until the summer holidays and will take the opportunity to clear gullies and repair signs there, while the road is closed.

    Road closed sign
  13. Cyclist suffered serious injuries after trapped under trailerpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    A cyclist had to be airlifted to hospital this afternoon after getting trapped under a trailer pulled by a tractor in Staffordshire. , external

    Man being rushed to air ambulanceImage source, West Midlands Ambulance Service

    West Midlands Ambulance Service says they were called to the B5017 Stubby Lane, Marchington just before 13:00.

    They say the fire service helped free the victim, a man thought to be in his 60s, who had suffered several serious injuries.

  14. Watch: Warnings of heavy rain and high winds for the West Midlandspublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    Alex Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    The heavy rain will clear eastwards through the early hours on Saturday. By dawn clear spells will develop, with light winds.

    Media caption,

    Weather for the West Midlands.

  15. Juror discharged in four-month terror trial for asking 'is that policeman single'?published at 17:27 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    A juror in the four-month trial of the alleged Three Musketeers terror cell accused of plotting a Lee Rigby-style attack has been discharged - for asking whether a police officer in the case was single.

    The Old Bailey trial of four West Midlands men was halted as Mr Justice Globe was about to finish his summing up and send jurors out to begin deliberating verdicts.

    He told the remaining jury members the female juror was discharged after she was overheard asking a court usher about the marital status of a policeman who had been criticised by the defence during proceedings.

    Old BaileyImage source, Getty Images

    The judge said the inquiry was made "jokingly" and did not come at the behest of another jury member who said she found the officer "attractive". That juror said she would remain true to her oath, the judge said.

    Naweed Ali, 29, and Khobaib Hussain, 25, both of Sparkhill in Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent men Mohibur Rahman, 32, and Tahir Aziz, 38, have denied preparing terrorist acts.

  16. Sunsets and a curious duck in Friday's pick of your photospublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    Two stunning sunsets bookend my selection today of photos sent in by you, our audience, of Staffordshire.

    You can send your photos of the area in on email or use Instagram to share them, adding #bbcstoke, external to the description to show you agree to share them.

    Media caption,

    Audience photos of Staffordshire and Cheshire.

  17. Cheshire CCG given 'inadequate' ratingpublished at 17:16 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    A group that provides health services in South Cheshire says it is being supported by NHS England after being given an overall rating of inadequate., external

    Hands holding stick by dementia patient

    South Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group has been told its dementia services need to improve, but its mental health support is good, and cancer treatment outstanding.

    The group says the rating doesn't reflect on the safety and quality of its care.

    However it does say it ended its financial year with a deficit of more than £2.8m, despite cost cutting.

  18. Uttoxeter's Adam Peaty on medals, tattoos and legacypublished at 17:04 British Summer Time 21 July 2017

    Nick Hope
    BBC Sport Olympic sports reporter

    As Adam Peaty prepares to defend his 100m breaststroke gold at the World Championships in Hungary, BBC Sport's been given wide-ranging access to his training camps in Thailand and Tokyo.

    We've spoken to the 22-year-old from Uttoxeter about the scale of his achievements so far including the world record and Olympic gold.

    Media caption,

    Adam Peaty: Olympic champion explains his Project 56

    Plus why he has a giant tattoo off a lion on his left bicep and just what his 'Project 56' is all about.

    Read the full story here on the BBC Sport website.