BBC Local Live: Staffordshire & Cheshire on Friday 18 August 2017

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

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

'Loose grid plates' shut northbound M6 in Cheshirepublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A series of metal plates covering grids on the M6 in Cheshire have come loose, forcing the closure of the northbound carriageway at junction 19 for Knutsford. , external
Cheshire Police says they were called about objects on the motorway at around 13:00 and found the grid plates had actually lifted into the road.
They say roadworks are taking places and are expected to take several hours.
Fulham loan Woodrow to Bristol Citypublished at 15:05 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
England Under-21 striker Cauley Woodrow joins Bristol City on loan from Fulham, having also been wanted by Burton.
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Car damaged in tree 'collapse'published at 15:00 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Image source, nbennettstoke
A car's been damaged after a tree fell on to a road in Newcastle-under-Lyme today. , external
Staffordshire Police says it happened on the A527 Brampton Road at around 13:00 and the road was shut for about 40 minutes. Nobody was injured.
They say it looks like it may have "collapsed under its own weight".
Image source, Helen Compton
Staffordshire stations to keep rail linkpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
West Midlands Trains says services will continue to run directly between Stoke-on-Trent and London.
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Direct London train service confirmed: "Common sense prevails"published at 14:38 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Facebook
You've been giving us your reaction to news that four Staffordshire railways stations will get a direct rail service to London, after it looked like they'd be losing one.
West Midlands Trains Ltd today said that Alsager, Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent and Stone would be on a direct service from December 2018 that'll run via Birmingham.
On the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, Gareth Jones posted, external: "Common sense prevails".
While Simon Mitchell wrote, external: "Last week they said that the consultation said it was not needed, now they announce they will give is a service. I'm happy they have changed their mind".
And Julie Cox tweeted, external: "Well that was a quick u turn - albeit a welcome one".
Stoke spend plenty, says chairman Coatespublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Stoke City chairman Peter Coates says the Potters may bring in more new signings before the summer transfer window closes.
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Football: Crewe manager 'not Mystic Meg' over player interestpublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Crewe Alexandra's manager David Artell says he would not be surprised if the club were to receive offers for George Cooper before the transfer deadline.
Image source, crewealex.net
Cooper is being watched by clubs in the Championship having started the season well.
Quote Message
As much as I can say yes or as much as I can say no [to transfer interest], I'm not Mystic Meg. If he keeps playing the way he's playing then I know if I was a Championship manager I'd be extremely tempted. That's not me trying to tout to clubs 'come and get our player' because it's not."
David Artell, Crewe Alexandra manager
Owl rescued after 'flying into house through chimney'published at 13:46 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
An owl's been nicknamed after a Harry Potter character after flying into a living room through a chimney., external
Image source, RSPCA
The RSPCA says the bird was found in the house on Manor Close, Tamworth on Monday with the people living there saying it could only have got in through the chimney.
The charity says the little owl was taken to their Stapeley Grange centre in Nantwich to be cleaned of soot and is now recovering there.
They've nicknamed him Hedwig after Harry Potter's owl as they say the scene he created in the house was worthy of the JK Rowling books.
Eggs stop play in non-league football matchpublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Matt Sandoz
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
A non-league football match in Cheshire was briefly brought to a halt this week after eggs started raining on to the pitch.
Nantwich Town were playing Altrincham on Wednesday night, external when it happened after around 15 minutes of the game had been played.
Image source, Google
Nantwich chairman Tony Davison says a group of youngsters had got into a neighbouring building site and started throwing around half a dozen eggs over the fence and into the ground.
He says Cheshire Police were called and the youngsters scattered, leaving Nantwich Town to finish their game which ended 1-1.
Quote Message
We didn't know what was going on to start with. It was only when the referee ran across to the dugout with an egg in his hand and I thought where's that come from?"
Tony Davison, Nantwich Town chairman
On Midlands Today from 13:30: Joy and despair over A-levelspublished at 13:02 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this lunchtime, we'll be getting reaction to today's A-level results across the region.
Image source, PA
The first students to sit one of the new A-level exams have been learning how they did and we'll also be hearing how West Midlands' universities are coping with the clearing process.
Plenty to come on BBC One from 13:30.
New rail service will now stop at three Staffordshire stationspublished at 12:41 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Train passengers in Staffordshire who looked set to lose a rail route to London are being told now there will be a direct service.
Last week it was revealed West Midlands Trains Ltd was taking over the routes currently operated by London Midland from December.
Image source, West Midlands Rail
At the time, the Department for Transport said passengers from Stoke-on-Trent would in future have to change at Stafford.
Today, West Midlands Trains says it has finalised details of its routes and there will be a direct service from December 2018.
The operator says it will call at Stone, Kidsgrove and Stoke-on-Trent and then go via Birmingham via Coventry on the way to Euston without people having to change trains.
Football: Further signings 'possible' for Stoke Citypublished at 12:20 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The Stoke City chairman Peter Coates says the club hasn't ruled out making further signings before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
Image source, Stoke City
The arrival of Jese Rodriguez yesterday on a season-long loan from Paris St-Germain took the number of new faces at Stoke this summer to six.
In a fortnight's time, the summer transfer window shuts on 31 August.
Quote Message
It's possible, it depends whether opportunities arise that suit us really. There are one or two situations we are looking at and we'll have to see how they develop between now and the transfer window closing."
Peter Coates, Stoke City chairman
Police warning after bogus cop conned his way into Crewe housepublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Crewe Chronicle
Police in Crewe are urging residents to be vigilant after a bogus cop conned his way into a house today and searched the property. , external
Rare wildlife stops development in its trackspublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A wildlife trust has welcomed a decision to reject plans to build nearly 100 new homes near Newcastle-under-Lyme., external
Bellway Homes wanted to put the 99 houses off Meadow Way, Baldwin's Gate , externalbut the borough council's planning committee turned them down this week.
Image source, Google
The decision was made after it was discovered that the land is one of two rare raised bog wildlife habitats in this part of the Midlands.
Bellway Homes says it has yet to decide whether or not they'll appeal the decision.
Quote Message
On this one particularly we've got a particularly rare moth that's only been found in two places in Staffordshire. We've got quite a lot of interesting plants like cranberry, native cranberry. "
Kate Dewey, Planning Ecologist, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.
Brewers snubbed by Fulham forwardpublished at 10:57 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Gavin Bevis
BBC Local Live
Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough says the club has missed out on target Cauley Woodrow. He's going on loan to another unnamed Championship club.
He said the Brewers, who sit bottom of the table after losing their first three games of the season, have loan deals in place for two Championship targets and are awaiting decisions from the players.
Knitted butterfly mystery at hospital sitepublished at 10:36 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Sarah Robertson
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
A knitted butterfly has turned up in Stafford as it looks like yarn-bombers or mystery knitters have targeted the edge of a hospital site.
The woolly work's appeared on fencing at the edge of St George's Hospital on Corporation Street.
There's a caterpillar and knitted mushrooms on the fence as well but the hospital trust says, at the moment, it doesn't know who's behind it., external
Warehouse work starts on enterprise zone sitepublished at 10:16 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Five new warehouses are being built in Stoke-on-Trent.
Image source, Google
Work's started on the Tunstall Arrow site today, external off James Brindley Way with the city council saying one firm already looking to move in once it's completed.
The development is in the Etruria Valley Enterprise Zone which means businesses moving in will get cheaper business rates.
'Nightmare' as puppies 'mauled' in dog attackpublished at 09:51 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Liz Ellis
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
A man from Newcastle-under-Lyme has told BBC Radio Stoke his puppies were mauled by dogs who were off their leads in a local green space.
Carl Martin says his Yorkshire terriers, Holly and Lucy, were seriously injured by a pair of Staffordshire bull terriers in the land off King Street.
Image source, Carl Martin
Both puppies are recovering at home. BBC Radio Stoke's asked Staffordshire Police for a comment but the force is yet to respond to that request.
Quote Message
It was like a nightmare. My dog had a great big puncture hole in him, he was screaming, the dog was, he was squealing like a pig."
Carl Martin, Dog owner
Traders in Cultural Quarter come together with vision for areapublished at 09:28 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
The Sentinel
Business owners have joined forces to draw more customers and visitors into the city centre's Cultural Quarter. , external
A-level results: University to make offers through Snapchatpublished at 08:51 British Summer Time 17 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Students across Staffordshire and Cheshire will receive their A-level results this morning.
One new addition locally this year is that, following the results, Staffordshire University is planning to use Snapchat to make offers to students through the clearing process., external
The 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.
An "in principle" offer from their Clearing Social Media team would then be followed up by a email to ring their dedicated phone lines.