Summary

  • Mother says MoD apology over Iraq death 'bitter sweet'

  • Staffordshire Police officer disqualified for drink driving

  • A teenager tried to smuggle 200 pills into V Festival

  • Updates on Friday 18 August 2017

  1. College merger proposals droppedpublished at 13:28 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Andy Giddings
    BBC Local Live

    Plans to merge North Shropshire College and Reeseheath College in Nantwich have been shelved after failing to attract government funding.

    North Shropshire College has been struggling with its finances and with critical inspection reports. The two institutions have been working together for over a year, to turn things around.

    North Shropshire College

    They say they'd been in talks with two government funding agencies for 10 months, but had to conclude "there is not a viable solution".

    The two colleges now say they will look for an alternative way forward, rather than a merger, to "ensure that the outcome serves the needs of our students, employers and community as effectively as possible”.

    Quote Message

    The conclusion to this process is disappointing to both colleges and the government, but we have explored all possible long-term funding support and unfortunately there is not a viable solution."

    Joint statement from North Shropshire College and Reeseheath College

  2. Killer jailed for 'unprovoked' stabbingpublished at 12:48 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Stephen O'Brien, 51, was stabbed in the heart in an "unprovoked attack" in August 2016.

    Read More
  3. Watch: Snatch Land Rover death - 'He didn't die for nothing'published at 12:46 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    The mother of a soldier killed when a roadside bomb exploded next to a lightly armoured "snatch" Land Rover in Iraq has been speaking about her long battle to get an apology from the Ministry of Defence.

    The BBC has seen the letter sent to Sue Smith, from Tamworth, whose son, Phillip Hewett, died in a bombing in 2005.

    Media caption,

    The defence secretary's letter of apology

  4. Football: 'New signings will be involved' in Stoke gamepublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    BBC Sport

    The Stoke City manager says he's looking to involve all his summer signings in this weekend's game when they host Arsenal.

    Bruno Martins IndiImage source, Getty Images

    The Potters have signed Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on a free transfer, Bruno Martins Indi (pictured) and Josh Tymon both for £7m this summer and have also brought Kurt Zouma and Jese Rodriguez in on season-long loans.

    Quote Message

    We are hoping to involve all the signings we have brought in over the summer on Saturday. Some will start and others will be on the bench. We view the players we have brought in as regular starters. If we compare where we were at the end of last season I think we are stronger."

    Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager

  5. Green light for Heineken's Punch Taverns takeoverpublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Gavin Bevis
    BBC Local Live

    Heineken's takeover of Burton-based Punch Taverns will not face an in-depth competition probe after the brewer offered to sell pubs to address concerns.

    The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) identified 33 areas where pubs would not face sufficient competition if the deal went ahead.

    But following the brewer's offer to sell pubs in the affected areas the CMA said it was satisfied its concerns had been addressed.

    Punch Taverns headquarters in BurtonImage source, Google

    Heineken will buy 1,895 Punch pubs with private equity firm Patron Capital purchasing the remaining 1,329 pubs in the estate.

  6. Man jailed after admitting Crewe deathpublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    A man's been jailed for seven years after admitting his role in the death of a man in Crewe last summer who was stabbed in the heart.

    Cameron Albi Scragg (pictured), 21, formerly of Gresty Road in Crewe, had previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Stephen O'Brien, external, who was attacked in a service lane off Edleston Road.

    Cameron Albi ScraggImage source, Cheshire Police

    Earlier this year, Oliver John Dabbs, 20, of Wood Street was jailed for life after being found guilty of Mr O'Brien's murder.

    Cheshire Police has described it as an "unprovoked attack by the pair" and says both men, after they were arrested, tried to blame the other for the fatal wound.

  7. Your questions on new rail franchisepublished at 11:38 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    London Midland has lost its rail franchise - here are the things you wanted to know.

    Read More
  8. Prisoners to look after birds of prey 'to reduce self-harming'published at 11:29 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    Inmates at a Staffordshire prison could soon be looking after birds of prey in an attempt to reduce the numbers of prisoners self-harming.

    A Harris hawkImage source, JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images

    Private firm G4S, which runs HMP Oakwood, says it follows a similar scheme using two Harris Hawks at HMP Altcourse in Liverpoo, externall.

    It claims that project helped reduce rates of self-harming over a short period.

    They're looking to introduce a similar programme early next year at the Featherstone-based jail and are working with local falconry specialists, having already built an aviary, external.

    The latest government statistics , externalshow there were 1,017 self-harm incidents at HMP Oakwood last year, up from 164 in 2012.

  9. Watch: Adam Peaty in Zambia for charity sport marathonpublished at 11:06 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Gavin Bevis
    BBC Local Live

    Uttoxeter's world swimming champion Adam Peaty is midway through a gruelling sports marathon in Zambia.

    The 22-year-old is among a group taking part in 50 hours of sport over five days to raise money for charity.

    He's been speaking to BBC East Midlands Today's Natalie Jackson.

    Media caption,

    Adam Peaty

  10. Further arrests over hit-and-runpublished at 10:18 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Four people are now being questioned after a mother and her baby were struck by a car.

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  11. V Festival: Congestion expected on Staffordshire routespublished at 09:53 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Sarah Robertson
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    Drivers are being warned that certain routes in Staffordshire are expected to get busy today and this evening with people heading to the V Festival at Weston Park.

    With the campsite opening at midday, Highways England says it's expecting traffic to be busy in the run up to 13:00 before calming for a bit., external

    M6 at junction 12 southboundImage source, Google

    They say they expect the main routes which festival-goers will use to be the M6, especially around junction 12 and the A41 and A5.

    Highways England says it's also invested more into the M54 over the past few years which is expects to benefit people coming from the south, coming off at junction three on that motorway.

    The agency says it's found in recent years that many people stay in work and then head to the event from 17:00 to 19:00 so expects more congestion around those times.

  12. Barcelona attack: Stafford woman 'arrived as it was happening'published at 09:24 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Phil Bowers
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    A Stafford woman's told BBC Radio Stoke of her shock at arriving in Barcelona just as news of the terror attack on Las Ramblas was unfolding.

    Fee Starstone says she was told it had just happened as she was checking in around the corner from where it took place.

    People running on Las RamblasImage source, AFP

    Thirteen people died and dozens were hurt when a van hit crowds on Las Ramblas yesterday. The driver fled and is still at large.

    Mrs Starstone told BBC Radio Stoke that they'd been told to stay inside but said everyone in the area was "pulling together".

    Quote Message

    The police presence is amazing. We feel safe even though this has happened just around the corner, we feel safe. Everyone is pulling together here."

    Fee Starstone

  13. Three more arrests over mum and toddler hit-and-runpublished at 09:02 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    Three more men have been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run which left a teenager and her baby daughter seriously injured. , external

    The 17-year-old mother and her one-year-old daughter were struck in Cobridge on Tuesday.

    Waterloo Road, Cobridge where it happenedImage source, Google

    Staffordshire Police says two of the men, aged 29 and 32, were found in Manchester last night.

    The third, from Stoke-on-Trent, was arrested this morning.

    They and a 26-year-old men from Stoke-on-Trent who was arrested yesterday are being questioned today.

    The force says the mother and her daughter are in a stable condition in hospital.

  14. Mother wins MoD apology over 'Snatch' Land Rover deathpublished at 08:45 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Clive Coleman
    BBC legal correspondent

    The UK defence secretary has apologised to the mother of a soldier from Staffordshire who was killed in an explosion in Iraq in 2005.

    Private Phillip Hewett, from Tamworth, died when the lightly armoured "snatch" Land Rover he was travelling in hit a roadside bomb.

    Media caption,

    Sue Smith

    In a letter to his mother, Sue Smith, Michael Fallon admits a delay in introducing safer vehicles could have cost lives.

    Speaking exclusively to the BBC, Sue has recalled her journey from the inquest process, to a victory at the Supreme Court, to the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq War.

    It has resulted in a settlement of her case and you can read her full story here on the BBC website.

  15. The defence secretary's letter of apologypublished at 08:32 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Sue Smith received it for the death of her son - after 12 years.

    Read More
  16. Watch: Today's weather in 54-secondspublished at 08:20 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Alex Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    Friday's started with sunshine for much of the West Midlands and here's how the rest of the day and the start of this weekend is looking.

    Get the latest forecasts for your area at any other time via the BBC Weather website.

    Media caption,

    Alex Hamilton

  17. Thousands set to head to V Festivalpublished at 08:10 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    More than 70,000 people are expected to head to Staffordshire today for this weekend's V Festival., external

    The event takes place over two sites - one in Essex and the other at Weston Park near Weston-under-Lizard.

    People at V Festival in 2016

    Superstars including Pink, Jay Z, Ellie Goulding, Craig David and Madness are all performing.

    Highways England says it's expecting long queues on surrounding routes including the M6 as people head for the site.