Developer set to buy former police HQ for £15m
Council rules out referendum on hospital services
Rescued lamb 'not facing dinner plate'
Updates from Friday 4 August 2017
A Tamworth businessman is urging Staffordshire County Council to find a use for a building which has been empty for more than two years., external
Image source, Tamworth Herald
Liz Copper
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this evening, we'll have more reaction to the news that two men from Stoke-on-Trent and two from Birmingham have been jailed for life for plotting an attack on a police or military target.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceThree of them dubbed themselves the Three Musketeers and the judge said all four were gripped by a "long-standing, radical, violent ideology".
I was at the Old Bailey today and will have more from 18:30 on BBC One.
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Crewe Alexandra defender Eddie Nolan says he reckons League Two will be as competitive as ever this season.
Image source, crewealex.netThe Alex ended last season 17th in the table and Nolan joined over the summer on a one-year contract.
Crewe will host Mansfield on Saturday in their first game of the season.
Quote MessageIt's a very tough league, I think anyone can beat anyone. There's a lot of teams having a right go financially as well so it's going to be an interesting season, especially [the] Mansfield first game. I think they're one of the big hitters at the minute
Eddie Nolan, Crewe Alexandra defender
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A university is planning to use Snapchat to make offers to students through the clearing process this summer., external
Image source, ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty ImagesStaffordshire University says it'll also make offers of a place, based on the grades they get told a student has, through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
They say that an "in principle" offer from their Clearing Social Media team will then be followed up with an email to ring their dedicated phone lines.
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
The Stoke-on-Trent pottery firm Portmeirion's reported a rise in revenue and profits during the first six months of the year. , external
Image source, GoogleThe company says revenues are up 16% on the same period last year, despite America proving to be a "challenging market" for them so far in 2017.
Portmeirion says the UK has now become its largest market after it bought the firm Wax Lyrical in 2016, but sales fell 15% in the United States, its second-largest market.
The firm says it'll continue to "monitor the impact of Brexit" but says pre-tax profits are up so far this year from £1.4m in 2016 to £1.6m.
It's been a mixed day of sunshine and showers over Staffordshire, but there have been some breaks in the cloud, as BBC Weather Watcher Poeticverse found by the canal in Burton.
Image source, PoeticverseAllen Cook
BBC Local Live
A huge fire of 150 tonnes of wooden railway sleepers at an industrial estate in Stoke-on-Trent was started deliberately, the fire service says., external
Image source, Staffordshire Fire ServiceCrews were called last night to Chemical Lane, Longport, and it took them almost a day before the blaze was finally out.
The fire service says 60 firefighters were used to put it out and an investigation then concluded the fire was arson.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A man only suffered minor injuries despite his car ending up on its roof in a ditch after hitting a tree this afternoon.
Image source, West Midlands Ambulance ServiceWest Midlands Ambulance Service says it happened at 13:40 on Hilton Lane, in Shareshill, near Featherstone.
Its operations manager Rob Marsh tweeted that, despite what the crash looked like, the victim's worst injury, external "was nettle rash".
BBC Sport
World champion Adam Peaty insists he can improve on his new 50m breaststroke world record.
Adam Peaty
The 22-year old, from Uttoxeter, became the first man to dip under 26 seconds, finishing in 25.95s on his way to retaining his World Championship title in Hungary.
Peaty said he surprised himself with his new 50m world record set in the semi-final just a few hours after also breaking the record in the morning heats.
He also still has "Project 56" to focus on, his goal of becoming the first man to break the 57-second barrier in the 100m.
Olivia Morley
Journalist, BBC WM
A driver has been captured on dash-cam footage travelling the wrong way along the M6 Toll.
It happened during last night's evening rush hour near Cannock.
A woman in her 60s was driving and crashed into two other vehicles. Nobody was injured.
Dashcam video captures M6 Toll wrong-way driver
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A young kitten's recovering following surgery to have a leg amputated after getting tangled in twine at a farm near Nantwich., external
The RSPCA says the six-week-old, which it's named Stumpy, arrived at its Stapeley Grange Cattery in June along with his mum and five siblings.
Image source, RSPCAThe charity says they'd been found liviing stray and the kitten had got the twine tangled so tightly around a back leg, circulation had been cut off.
It says there was no option but to amputate. Stumpy is now making a good recovery.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
We take a trip along a couple of Staffordshire's waterways, see some local wildlife and a stunning rose in today's selection of pictures, sent in by you, our audience.
Audience photos
You can share your photos of the area via email or, if you use Instagram, external, pop them there with the tag #bbcstoke to show you agree to share them.
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale's assistant manager David Kelly has praised youngster Dan Turner's versatility during pre-season.
Image source, Port Vale FCThe management team have experimented this summer with rotating players during the friendly games.
Quote MessageHe's got bundles of energy, he can play in various positions, not just down the middle. He can play on the left as well so we've just tried to rotate the team around a little bit
David Kelly, Port Vale assistant manager
The historic Shire Hall could be brought back to life as an arts centre, says a consortium,, external which has now lodged proposals with the council.
Image source, Express and StarThey were among four men who had been plotting a "mass casualty attack" in the UK.
Read More
Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Fire crews expect to be at the site of a large wood blaze in Stoke-on-Trent for much of today,, external having spent the night tackling it.
The fire on Chemical Lane
Fire engines were called to a recycling and reclamation site in Chemical Lane last night, with Staffordshire Fire Service saying crews battled to stop it spreading.
They say it involves 150 tonnes of wooden railway sleepers and was still burning this morning.
The document Sir Stanley Matthews signed in 1932 reveals he was paid £5 a week with Stoke City.
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Phil Bowers
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
On the day when Brazilian footballer Neymar is expected to sign a contract worth £775,000 a week, the first professional contract signed by Stoke City legend Sir Stanley Matthews is being put up for auction.
Image source, Hansons AuctioneersHansons Auctioneers' says the deal from 1932 saw Matthews get a £10 signing on fee with weekly wages of £5 a week during the season.
They say the contract, along with another from 1935, ended up with Stoke City supporting brothers David, Andy and Graham Lockett, who say they'd love to see them at the British Football Museum.
The auction's being held later this month., external
Find out your team's fixtures in the Championship during the 2017-18 season.
Read MoreAs disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson is jailed, more of his victims share their stories.
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