Ian Winter
BBC Midlands Today Sport

The Burton Albion chairman says he's got the right man in charge of the side in Nigel Clough, as the Brewers look to stay in the Championship.

Last season, their first in the division, they had the smallest crowds and the lowest-paid players in the whole league, yet managed to stay up.

Despite critics, including BBC Sport, predicting they'll get relegated, chairman Ben Robinson says he's confident Clough can still get the "best results".

James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

The NHS in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire is named as among the worst performing services in England in a new progress report. , external

The area was one of five in England rated as "needs most improvement" with the study citing long waits for cancer treatment and a problem with bed blocking.

It's the first indication of how each area's five-year plan to improve health and social care services is going.

Local health officials say the solution lies in the health and care systems working more closely together, which they are now doing.

Steve Swann
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

Four men who plotted a UK terror attack using a cleaver and a pipe bomb had a “longstanding, radical violent, ideology,” Mr Justice Globe said.

The men – from Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent – were dangerous offenders, he said.

Three of them had previously served prison sentences after being convicted of terrorism offences.

Only one of the men, Tahir Aziz was in court to hear the sentences was told he must serve a minimum term of 15 years.

Naweed Ali, 29, Khobaib Hussain, 25, Mohibur Rahman, 33, (pictured left to right) refused to come to court. They were each given minimum terms of 20 years.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Four men who planned a Lee Rigby-style terror attack have been jailed for life for terror offences.

Naweed Ali, 29, and Khobaib Hussain, 25, both of Sparkhill, Birmingham, and Mohibur Rahman, 33 and Tahir Aziz, 38, from Stoke-on-Trent who dubbed themselves the "Three Musketeers" were sentenced at the Old Bailey.

A driver is filmed going the wrong way on the M6 Toll moments before crashing into two vehicles.

Staffordshire Newsletter

Fast food packaging in parish roads and a welcoming traffic calming measure were just two of the issues discussed at a parish council meeting near Stone., external

Matt Lee
Breakfast Producer, BBC Radio Stoke

An investigation has been launched after six out of seven taxi drivers reportedly refused to carry a disabled woman in Stoke-on-Trent this week.

Baljeevan Deol told the BBC she was trying to use the taxi rank by Hanley bus station on Tuesday afternoon when it happened.

Image source, Getty Images

Two years ago she worked with BBC Radio Stoke to reveal some taxi drivers in the city were charging wheelchair users more than able-bodied passengers and it's since led to a law change.

Drivers face a fine of up to £1,000 if they refuse to transport wheelchair users or charge them extra.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council says it's spoken to Bal's family and is investigating what happened.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Image source, East Staffordshire Borough Council

It's judgement day for Uttoxeter. , external

Well, when it comes to the Britain in Bloom contest it is.

The town was shortlisted in the town category as a finalist in this year's competition. , external

East Staffordshire Borough Council says judges have started touring Uttoxeter this morning, external, meeting community gardeners and viewing the floral displays.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City's manager Mark Hughes says he's still looking at all of his options as he considers his starting 11 for the opening game at Everton next weekend.

Image source, Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

The Potters will be travelling back to Germany tomorrow for their final pre-season friendly against Red Bull Leipzig.

Hughes says it'll give his players one final chance to stake their claim for a place at Goodison Park.

The Sentinel

Hundreds of families are still waiting for answers over the fate of a fire-ravaged pub., external

Image source, The Sentinel

Four men who planned a "Lee Rigby style terror attack" are due to be sentenced later.

Naweed Ali, 29, and Khobaib Hussain, 25, both of Sparkhill, Birmingham, and Mohibur Rahman, 33 and Tahir Aziz, 38, from Stoke-on-Trent, were convicted at the Old Bailey yesterday.

Image source, JULIA QUENZLER

Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A stack of wooden pallets at an industrial estate in Stoke-on-Trent is still burning this morning after firefighters spent most of the night tackling the flames., external

Crews were called to Chemical Lane, Longport, just after 19:00 on Wednesday to fight a blaze involving waste wood.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service

Residents were warned by Staffordshire Fire Service to keep their windows and doors shut, external while they fought the "severe fire".

I've been to the site this morning and plumes of thick, grey smoke were still coming off the pile of wood and there was a strong smell of burning wood.

At its height, the fire service says it had 100 calls from people saying they could see the fire from miles away.

Elizabeth Glinka
BBC Midlands Today

Plans by Harper Adams and Keele universities for a new veterinary school could help tackle any shortage of vets in Britain, academics say.

The pair said last month they'd reached an agreement, external to offer five-year degrees and training would be delivered on both campuses.

Both sites say they'll announce later in the year when the first students will start but already say they've had high demand for places.

Officials at Harper Adams University say they've heard from farmers saying fewer vets want to look after farm animals compared to pets and they're hoping their new school will help plug any gap.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

A windy day with blustery showers, but sunny spells developing this afternoon with highs of 21C (70F).

All train services in Lichfield are likely to be delayed, warns the train operator London Midland.

The line is blocked between Lichfield Trent Valley and City.

BBC News Travel

Train passengers are facing delays on services between Lichfield Trent Valley and Lichfield City after an earlier signalling fault had seen all services suspended this morning., external

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Morning everyone, there was clearly rain overnight but the morning's turned drier on the weather front with some brightness in among the cloud.

This was taken today by BBC Weather Watcher Dragonlady, in Nantwich.

Image source, Dragonlady

We'll have a full look at the day's weather forecast shortly and there'll then be updates on today's news, sport, travel and more through the day.

You can also share your photos of Staffordshire and Cheshire with me via email or, if you use Instagram, put them there with the tag #bbcstoke, external in the description to show you agree to share them.

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.

Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Crewe Alexandra's manager, David Artell, says it will take at least 10 games to judge whether his first pre-season as the club's manager has been a success.

Image source, crewealex.net

Artell's team begin the new season on Saturday at home to Mansfield and he told BBC Radio Stoke he's satisfied with how the build-up has gone.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A bridge in Burton is going to have £6.1m spent on it , externalso lorries can keep using it in the future.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

The county council says the money is from the government and will be used on St Peter's Bridge.

They say the work will include replacing bearings and aims to prevent any future unplanned maintenance work.