BBC Local Live: Staffordshire & Cheshire on Friday 25 August 2017

Summary

Cannabis, cocaine and thousands of pounds in cash seized in raid
Former head 'admitted changing pupil's exam answers'
Severe delays as pop fizzes on to motorway
Updates on Friday 25 August 2017

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

'Dangerous' motorbikes hunted in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 17:09 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Police say they're trying to find out where a group of motorbikes are being stored because they say they're being ridden around parts of Stoke-on-Trent "in a dangerous manner".
Image source, Google
It's become an increasing problem around Fenton, the force says, on places like Fenton Park, Warrington Street and Vivian Road.
But officers say they are struggling to find where the motorbikes are being kept as the riders' faces are covered and the number plates aren't the right ones for the bikes.
Iraqi teen 'proud' of GCSE successpublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Liz Copper
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today
A teenager who moved to the UK from Iraq three years ago unable to speak English has celebrated passing 13 GCSEs, many with high grades.
Media caption,
Zainab Fhadal getting her GCSEs
Zainab Fhadal left Baghdad with her family in 2014 and says at first she was sometimes "overwhelmed" by life in Stoke-on-Trent.
The 16-year-old has been studying at Thistley Hough Academy and today learnt she'd passed all her exams, including English.
She says she's proud of her achievement and wants to get into medicine.
Monday set to be busiest for bank holiday trafficpublished at 16:48 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
BBC News England
Drivers planning to use the roads around Staffordshire and Cheshire this weekend are being warned Monday will be the busiest day for day trips and holiday traffic.
Around five million cars will be on the roads that day for "leisure trips" as people either go for days out or return from a weekend away.
Image source, Getty Images
The busiest roads are again expected to included the M6 between junctions 15 and 19, with the roadworks from 16 to 19 not being lifted.
Meanwhile train users planning to head to the capital are being warned major work on the railways will mean no trains in or out of London Euston on Saturday and Sunday.
Engineering works will also affect several other London stations and Manchester Airport - there's a full rundown here on the BBC website.
Watch: Five great pictures of Staffordshirepublished at 16:27 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
It's always a pleasure to showcase the great photos we get sent by people across Staffordshire and here are five more for today.
You can share your pictures of the area on an email to me or, if you use Instagram, put them there and add the tag #bbcstoke, external to the description so I know you agree to share them.
Media caption,
Audience photos
Monkey chase: Visitors warned after one encounter goes viralpublished at 16:10 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
BBC News UK
Visitors to Trentham Monkey Forest are being reminded not to get too close to the animals after a Twitter user was chased and photographs of the incident went viral.
Karima Nabi told the BBC she wanted to get a photo with a Barbary macaque but ended up running from it when it turned and chased her for several seconds.
Image source, @XXXXXKN1234
A series of photographs of the encounter has been retweeted over 41,000 times and gained 70,000 likes.
Trentham Monkey Forest does warn all its visitors to experience the "natural behaviour" of the animals while not getting too close to them.
Football: Former Port Vale goalkeeper Alan Boswell diespublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Andy Giddings
BBC Local Live
The former Port Vale goalkeeper Alan Boswell has died at the age of 74.
He started his career at Walsall before moving to Shrewsbury Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers before spending two seasons at Vale Park.
After his playing career ended, he retired to run a newsagent's and a business supplying gaming machines to pubs.
Football: Port Vale striker ready to renew derbypublished at 15:37 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The Port Vale striker Tom Pope says he loves the atmosphere of derbies like the one with Crewe Alexandra this weekend.
Media caption,
Tom Pope
The last time the sides met was in April 2016 when the Vale relegated their opponents with a 3-0 win.
But, following Port Vale's own relegation last season, they'll meet again on Saturday and Pope says he's hoping to get the right result for his team.
Election donations: JCB biggest Tory donorpublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
BBC Politics
Staffordshire-based digger maker JCB was the biggest donor to the Conservative Party in the run up to June's general election, it's been revealed.
New figures from the Electoral Commission covering the 11 largest parties show £24.8m was given to the Tories from April to June, more than double Labour's £9.4m.
The total was £9.4m more than the previous highest quarter on record. JCB donated £1.5m to the Conservatives.
Monkey chase reminder to keep distancepublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
A woman who just wanted a photo with a macaque gets a 'terrifying' chase, but is 'glad it happened'.
Read More
Mysterious tent pitched on Lichfield roundaboutpublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Lichfield Mercury
A tent bizarrely pitched on a Lichfield roundabout was taken down this week after its mysterious occupant vanished, apparently leaving the portable shelter behind., external
Image source, Lichfield Mercury
Football: Stoke's Butland in England squad for qualifierspublished at 14:14 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
BBC Sport
Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland's been named in Gareth Southgate's England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia.
England have a two-point lead at the top of Group F with four qualifying matches to go.
Image source, OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images
August Bank Holiday: Cheshire M6 roadworks not being liftedpublished at 14:07 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Daniel Wainwright
Data unit - English regions
Twenty miles of roadworks on the M6 between Crewe and Knutsford won't be lifted for the last bank holiday weekend of the summer.
Highways England is lifting or completing about 98% of all work before the bank holiday with most roadworks on motorways removed by 06:00 on Friday.
Image source, Google
However it says the works between junctions 16 and 19 in Cheshire can't be lifted due to safety reasons.
If you're hitting the roads or rails to travel over the bank holiday, BBC News has been looking at where to avoid here.
Image source, Getty Images
'Not too late' to alter HS2 routepublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
David Gregory-Kumar
Science correspondent, BBC Midlands Today
The firm behind the planned new HS2 high-speed rail line says it's not too late to change the route phase two of the project takes as it cuts through Staffordshire.
Media caption,
Concerns over HS2 route
HS2 Limited has been holding public meetings this week in the north of the county.
Concerns have been raised over a large part of Whitmore Woods being lost to make way for the line, along with a nearby farm.
However the firm says it'll be listening to all local communities, MPs and councils over whether there's "an improvement" they can make to the route.
Council to spend £70k on artwork in UK City of Culture bidpublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News
A £70,000 new art installation in Hanley will form part of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's final push to be named UK City of Culture 2021.
Councillors have agreed to spend an extra £149,000 on the bid, external, including the artwork.
It will be unveiled at a celebration event at the end of September, the day after the next written submission is sent to the government.
As well as the installation, £40,000 will be spent on the celebration event and the rest will be spent on outside bid advisers.
Stoke-on-Trent is down to the last five cities in the race to the title with the winner to be announced in December.
BBC reveals the work of West Midlands Ambulance Servicepublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
BBC One
The day-to-day work of the West Midlands Ambulance Service is broadcast in a new series on BBC One tonight.
It starts this evening at 21:00 and features call handlers talking a woman through CPR for her husband, crews reacting to a street brawl and the search for a missing man.
Media caption,
A distraught wife is coached over the phone to do CPR on her husband.
On Midlands Today from 13:30: Inspirational GCSE resultspublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Liz Copper
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this lunchtime, we'll be getting some of the local reaction from families and pupils to getting their GCSE results today.
Image source, PA
I've been at one school in Stoke-on-Trent getting some inspirational stories and you can see more from 13:30 on BBC One.
Virtual reality used in speeding campaign at M6 servicespublished at 11:58 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Image source, West Midlands Police
Virtual reality technology is being used at service stations along the M6 in Staffordshire, external this week as part of a speed awareness campaign.
Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) says it's using the equipment to show drivers what can happen from poor decisions on the road.
Image source, West Midlands Police
It's part of a European-wide campaign all this week to crackdown on speeding. , external
After being at Norton Canes service station yesterday, today CMPG says they're at Keele services., external
Crewe and Nantwich cancer patients treated faster than UK averagepublished at 11:35 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Nantwich News
Patients in Crewe and Nantwich are being seen and treated for suspected cancer faster than the national average, latest NHS figures show. , external
Image source, Nantwich News
Road reopening date set after water main burst collapsed routepublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A main road near Nantwich that's been shut since midway through last month after a water main burst is now set to reopen next week. , external
Cheshire East Council says the A530 Middlewich Road suffered "substantial structural damage" when it happened on 19 July with both edges of the road collapsing.
Image source, Cheshire East Council
The route's been shut between Alvaston Roundabout and Marshfield Bank Roundabout since then as they worked to reinforce and repair it.
The authority's set 1 September as the reopening date, six weeks after the water main burst.
Image source, Cheshire East Council
Football: Burton set for Manchester United visit in EFL Cuppublished at 10:51 British Summer Time 24 August 2017
BBC Sport
Burton Albion look to have drawn the plum tie in the next round of the EFL Cup as they'll be away at defending champions Manchester United.
Thursday's third-round draw in Beijing took place at 04:15 BST and this will be Burton's first trip to Old Trafford for 11 years.
Image source, Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
In 2006, as a non-League club, they earned a lucrative FA Cup third-round replay after holding a United team featuring players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to a goalless draw.
Meanwhile, Stoke City's reward for beating Rochdale is an away tie in the third round at Bristol City.