Crewe to be transformed by £48m plans
Nursery being 'creative' on care costs
Road reopens after weeks of repairs
Updates from Friday 1 September 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
An investigation is under way this morning after reports of no water or poor pressure from people living in parts of Sandbach., external
United Utilities says it is aware and is working to solve the problem as soon as it can.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A man arrested by police after the death of a van driver on the A50 near Uttoxeter has now been released under investigation. , external
The westbound route was shut for over seven hours after Staffordshire Police says a white Iveco Daily van and a white Mercedes Sprinter box van collided near the JCB World Parts Centre.
Image source, GoogleA 62-year-old man from Northamptonshire who was driving the Mercedes died at the scene of the crash.
Police say the driver of the Iveco, a 48-year-old man from Dunstall, Bedfordshire, was arrested in connection with providing a positive road side drug swipe and on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Sarah Robertson
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Image source, RSPCAA turtle's been found abandoned, swollen and in a "terrible state" in the middle of a Stoke-on-Trent park., external
The RSPCA says the musk turtle was discovered in its tank in Hartshill Park on Wednesday.
Image source, RSPCAThe charity says the swelling was found to be down to the animal suffering from lymphoedema which they think is down to a poor diet.
The turtle's now recovering at a vets.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Train passengers from Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe are facing delays today as more England-wide rail strikes start.
Arriva Rail North, Merseyrail and Southern RMT staff walked out for 24 hours from midnight in a row over driver-only operated trains.
Northern rail services from Stoke-on-Trent are affected with the firm saying it will try to run as many services as it can. , external
Arriva Trains Wales says services between Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly will make extra calls at stations including Sandbach and Holmes Chapel., external
BBC Sport
The summer transfer window has shut in the UK and there was a flurry of activity among our Staffordshire league clubs:
Image source, Reuters
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Plans have been revealed to spend £48m redeveloping Crewe's town centre.
Cheshire East Council has already released details of plans for a cinema, shops and a gym at the Royal Arcade.
Image source, Cheshire East CouncilBut today it says it also plans to build a history centre and refurbish the Market Hall, with a focus on independent food stalls.
The proposals will be discussed by the council's cabinet on 12 September. , external
They'll be deciding whether to put £15m of authority funding towards the project.
Almost 50 workers have lost their jobs at one of Stoke-on-Trent's best-known companies , external- as administrators look to find a buyer for the troubled firm.
Image source, The Sentinel
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A special ceremony will be held in Leek today to mark the celebration of Merchant Navy Day this weekend.
Image source, Getty ImagesStaffordshire Moorlands District Council says the Red Ensign flag will be raised at Moorlands House at 09:45. , external
The ceremony is part of a national campaign by Seafarers UK aimed at remembering the sacrifices of Merchant Navy personnel., external
James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News
There are warnings that nurseries in Staffordshire could close because the government isn't paying them enough for an increase in free childcare.
From today, all three and four-year-olds are eligible for 30 hours' free childcare a week, rather than 15, as long as both parents are working a minimum number of hours. That's thought to be 7,000 families in Staffordshire.
Image source, Matt Cardy/Getty ImagesBut the National Day Nurseries Association says the government is only giving the county's nurseries £4 per child per hour, among the lowest in the country.
The county council admits it's a problem while the government says it's raising the hourly rate it pays to councils to a level far higher than the average cost of providing childcare.
Quote MessageWe've recognised that there are difficulties and our officers have been working really well with the nurseries across the whole of the county so that we can provide, going forward, something that is sustainable for everybody."
Councillor Mark Sutton, Cabinet Member for Children, Staffordshire County Council
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
It's been a sunny start to the day and here's how the rest of Friday is looking across the West Midlands.
You can also keep up-to-date on the latest forecasts at any other time by heading to the BBC Weather website.
Charlie Slater
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Good morning everyone, the sun's beaming down already this morning over Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
It was doing so earlier over Sandbach too if this photo from BBC Weather Watcher Mike_A is anything to go by:
Image source, Mike_ACharlie Slater will be along shortly with a full round-up of today's weather forecast and there'll be updates on Friday's news, sport, travel and more through the day.
Send in your photos too of Staffordshire and Cheshire via email or, if you are an Instagram user, pop them there, external and tag them with #bbcstoke so we know you agree to share them.
Burton sign Sheffield United defender John Brayford, Tottenham striker Will Miller and Rochdale midfielder Jamie Allen.
Read MorePort Vale sign Burnley defender Tom Anderson on a season-long loan and Doncaster midfielder Harry Middleton on a one-year deal.
Read MoreStoke City send forward Bojan Krkic to Alaves and Giannelli Imbula to Toulouse, both on a season's loan.
Read MorePolice say two men left the elderly victim badly bruised after the attack at her home.
Read MoreValerie Grant asked mental health workers: "What have I got to do? Top myself to get help for my son?"
Read MoreWe'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.
The A50 has reopened near Uttoxeter after a crash this morning left a lorry driver dead and his truck overturned.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this evening, more on why care homes are being told to do more in Staffordshire to give their residents "meaningful" lives.
We'll also have the latest on which of our local clubs have made moves on transfer deadline day.
Plenty to come from 18:30 on BBC One.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
People are being asked how a popular canal site in Cheshire can be made "even better" for residents and tourists.
Image source, Canal and River TrustThe Canal and River Trust says the Shropshire Union Canal through Audlem is popular with "thousands" of visitors each year.
They say they still want to improve it, external, citing access, car parking and other facilities as topics they want feedback on.
