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

Former PCSO avoids jail over force fraudpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A former PCSO has been given two suspended sentences after admitting falsely claiming expenses and timekeeping.
Leigh Yeomans, 35, had previously admitted two counts of fraud.
Staffordshire Police says he's not worked on 33 full days and had falsely submitted 24 expense claims. , external
Today at Stafford Crown Court he was given a 12-month suspended sentence for each count, told to do 250 hours of unpaid work and to repay over £8,200 to Staffordshire Police.
Thieves steal £90k copper cable from railwayspublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Copper wire worth more than £90,000 has been stolen from the railway across Staffordshire over the past six weeks. , external
British Transport Police says about 3,650m (2.26 miles) of the cable's been removed in a series of thefts.
Image source, Network Rail
It thinks the wiring, used for power, signalling and communications, is being stolen to order and then sold overseas.
Network Rail says replacing the cables will currently cost about £300,000.
Football: Stoke signing 'hungry to make a big impression'published at 13:48 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
BBC Sport
More on Stoke City signing former Real Madrid forward Jese Rodriguez on a season-long loan from Paris-St Germain.
Image source, Rex Features
The 24-year-old joined Real at the age of 14 and was part of their Champions League-winning squads in 2014 and 2016.
He joined PSG last August for £21m on a five-year deal, but scored just twice in 14 appearances before he was loaned to Spanish club Las Palmas in January for the rest of the season.
Quote Message
Jese was a man in demand when PSG made it clear they would allow him to leave on loan and we’re delighted he has chosen to join us. He hasn’t had the happiest of periods in his career in Paris, but he’s still only a young man and is hungry to make a big impression in the Premier League
Tony Scholes, Stoke City chief executive
Factory fire: Smoke warning for residentspublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
People living near a factory fire in Staffordshire this afternoon are being told to stay inside and keep doors and windows shut if they're affected by the smoke, external.
Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service
The fire service along with other emergency services are tackling the blaze in Norton Green Lane, Norton Canes.
West Midlands Ambulance Service says no-one has been hurt as far as they are aware , externaland the road remains shut.
Dozens of firefighters tackle factory blazepublished at 13:03 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
More than 30 firefighters are tackling a fire , externalin a factory near Cannock this afternoon.
Image source, Google
Six fire engines have been sent there with Staffordshire Fire Service saying it's thought to be ducting on fire at the site off Norton Green Lane, Norton Canes.
It says the factory has been evacuated., external
Huge spike in van break-ins – Tamworth police issue advicepublished at 12:42 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Tamworth Herald
Van owners are being urged to remain vigilant following a huge spike in break-ins in Tamworth., external
Football: Leeds midfielder to face no charges over Port Vale spitting allegationspublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
BBC Sport
Leeds United midfielder Samuel Saiz has been cleared of wrongdoing after an allegation of spitting by Port Vale boss Michael Brown.
Image source, Rex Features
Brown claimed Saiz had spat at full-back Joe Davis in the first half of the Valiants' EFL Cup defeat on 9 August.
Saiz, 26, scored a hat-trick as he helped Leeds reach the second round.
A Leeds statement, external said: "The player has been cleared of any wrongdoing and the club's support for the player has been vindicated."
Armed officers to patrol V Festivalpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Armed officers will be on patrol for this weekend's V Festival in Staffordshire, Staffordshire Police say., external
Image source, PA
Tens of thousands of people will head to Weston Park to watch the likes of Pink and Jay Z perform.
The force says the patrols are only for reassurance as there's no specific threat but say they're being "prudent" given the UK terrorism threat level is currently at severe.
Stoke sign PSG forward Jese on loanpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Stoke City sign ex-Real Madrid forward Jese Rodriguez on a season-long loan from Paris St-Germain.
Read More
Mother and baby hurt in hit-and-runpublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
The 17-year-old and her one-year-old daughter are in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Read More
Your say as fountain brought back to lifepublished at 11:05 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Facebook
You've been having your say on Facebook about the news that four water-breathing dragons in a Stoke-on-Trent park have been brought back to life.
The Hammersley Fountain was erected in Hanley Park in 1894 and has now been restored, along with the park, through National Lottery grants.
Media caption,
The fountain brought back to life
On the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, external, Al Williams posted, external: "I remember my grandma telling me how lovely Hanley Park was when she was young, born in 1896. I don't think people realise how important the parks were."
Mary Green added, external: "Looks lovely, it has been a long wait."
And Keith Brierwood posted, external: "Looks nice, just hope it doesn't get vandalised."
Brewers rock bottom after Boro defeatpublished at 10:53 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Gavin Bevis
BBC Local Live
Burton Albion's miserable start to the season continued last night with a 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough.
Former Forest striker Britt Assombalonga scored twice for the hosts and Burton's misery was made complete by a 78th-minute sending off for Hope Akpan.
The result leaves the Brewers bottom of the league table with a televised home game against Birmingham City to come on Friday night.
Former building society site earmarked for housing developmentpublished at 10:14 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
The Sentinel
The site of a former building society has been earmarked for a housing development., external
Image source, The Sentinel
Football: Three league defeats in row for Burtonpublished at 09:53 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
BBC Sport
Burton Albion are still without a point in the Championship this season after they lost 2-0 at Middlesbrough, making it three defeats in a row in the league.
Image source, PA
The home side's record signing Britt Assombalonga scored his first goals for the club as Garry Monk's side won at the Riverside.
To compound the defeat, Burton saw substitute Hope Akpan sent off for a lunging challenge in the 78th minute.
Quote Message
We are delighted with how they played. We can take so much encouragement from that. We kept going and I thought, considering the opposition and the team we had, we played well."
Nigel Clough, Burton Albion manager
Football: Stoke confirm Rodriguez loan as Joselu leavespublished at 09:27 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The doors are swinging both ways at Stoke City this morning as it's one in and one out at the club, transfer-wise.
Image source, Stoke City
The Potters have signed Jese Rodriguez on a season-long loan from Paris St-Germain, external, their sixth deal of the transfer window.
The 24-year-old completed the deal today after coming through a medical.
Meanwhile, Stoke also confirmed Joselu has joined Newcastle United for £5m., external
Newcastle sign striker Joselu for £5mpublished at 09:23 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Breaking
Newcastle United complete the signing of Stoke striker Joselu on a three-year contract for £5m.
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'Life-threatening injuries' for mum and toddler in crashpublished at 09:07 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A mother and her one-year-old daughter have been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a hit-and-run in Stoke-on-Trent last night.
Image source, Google
Staffordshire Police says it happened on Waterloo Road, Cobridge near the junction with Hawthorne Street.
They say a silver vehicle hit the victims and then left the scene, travelling towards Hanley.
Officers say they're also trying to find the driver of a black Audi who they think may have seen what happened.
Burst water pipe in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 08:49 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Part of Stoke-on-Trent may be without water this morning after a water pipe's burst. , external
Severn Trent says it happened on Baddeley Green Lane and could be causing supplies to be off or at low pressure.
They reported it at 06:45 and say they have a team already on site.
Watch: Today's weather in 55 secondspublished at 08:21 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter
It's started dry in parts of the region, but it looks like there may be rain coming - here's today's forecast.
You can also keep up-to-date at any time by heading to the BBC Weather website and getting the latest forecast for your area.
Media caption,
Rich Davis
Welcome to Wednesday's live coveragepublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Morning everyone, it's looking pretty bright in the skies over Stoke-on-Trent this morning.
BBC Weather Watcher Z70 took this photo in Ranton, Staffordshire earlier.
Image source, Z70
We'll have a fuller look at today's weather forecast shortly and there'll also be updates on Wednesday's news, sport, travel and more through the day.
You can also keep sharing your photos of Staffordshire and Cheshire via email, put them on Instagram with the tag #bbcstoke, external or you could become a BBC Weather Watcher yourself.