The route sees 15,000 riders travelling through Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Birmingham.

Some 15,000 riders travelled through Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Birmingham.

A brilliant hat-trick from Alvaro Morata helps Premier League champions Chelsea to a dominant win at Stoke City.

Port Vale draw at Yeovil to climb off the bottom of League Two but their winless run is extended to eight games.

We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Monday.

Liz Copper
Staffordshire reporter, BBC Midlands Today

Leading pottery manufacturer Emma Bridgewater has given her backing to Stoke-on-Trent's bid to be named UK City of Culture in 2021.

She's been back in the city ahead of a major international ceramics festival which opens tonight.

The Ceramics Biennial runs until the start of November.

The City of Culture judges will be coming here during that time, and everyone hopes they'll be impressed by what the Potteries has to offer.

Stoke-on-Trent's Regent Theatre celebrated its 18th birthday last night.

The first show there was Annie, starring Leslley Joseph, back in 1999 and now the theatre welcomes a quarter of a million visitors every year.

Panto regular Jonathan Wilkes attended the birthday bash.

Express and Star

Staffordshire County Council said Jamie MacDonald, who had been the authority’s head of strategic property for nine years, external, was no longer working there.

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

It will remain largely cloudy overnight with a few outbreaks of rain and drizzle likely. There will also be areas of hill fog.

Tomorrow there will be lots of cloud around throughout the day with some brighter spells developing at times. Dry for most of the day with the risk of just a shower or two in the morning. Highs of 18C (64F).

Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

The delayed 2017 Mow Cop Killer Mile race went ahead last night in glorious sunshine.

There were four races - the under 11s was won by Isaac Laydon and Patience Lamb (pictured).

The under 18s was won by Will Kesteven and 12-year-old Clarissa Rigby.

Simon Myatt from Trentham Running Club took the honours in the main race.

The 2018 race will be reinstated in spring next year, likely to be in May.

Kamran Hussain told children that martyrdom was better than anything they could achieve at school.

Kamran Hussain, 40, made no reaction as he was found guilty of eight counts - half of the verdicts were by a majority decision.

He was remanded in custody to be sentenced on 28 September, and faces a maximum sentence of seven years in jail for encouragement of terrorism and 10 years for support for a proscribed organisation.

Image source, Julia Quenzler/BBC

The Old Bailey was told Hussain had one previous conviction in 2008 for perverting the course of justice at Stafford Crown Court for which he was handed 14 months in jail.

As he was led down from the dock, a supporter called down from the public gallery "see you soon".

Hussain smiled and replied "inshallah" - God willing.

A British imam who told children that martyrdom was better than anything they would achieve at school has been found guilty of supporting the so-called Islamic State terror group.

Kamran Hussain, 40, from Tunstall, was recorded by an undercover officer making a series of radical sermons at a charity-funded mosque, over four months last year, encouraging terrorism and supporting the terror group in Syria.

Image source, Google

Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Hussain, was found guilty by a jury which deliberated for 10 hours on eight charges, two of supporting IS and six of encouraging terrorism on dates between June and September last year.

Imam Kamran Hussain, 40, has been found guilty of eight offences relating to terrorism by a jury at the Old Bailey.

A 12-foot wide pile of rubbish appeared in Stafford's Market Square overnight.

It was unclear at first what had happened, but the council says it was to show the equivalent to a day's worth of rubbish collected from the streets.

The council says it costs £1m to keep the town clean.

Image source, Stafford Borough Council

Among the 12-foot-wide, five-foot-high rubbish heap was cigarette butts, dog poo, crisp packets, fast food boxes and cartons, newspapers, drink cans and bottles and bits of food.

The litter is cordoned off and is part of an anti-litter scheme.

Leading pottery owner, Emma Bridgewater, returned to the Potteries ahead of major international festival, the British Ceramics Biennial.

Crewe Alexandra youngster Ross Woodcock has suffered a cruciate knee injury that will rule him out for the season.

Image source, Crewe Alexandra FC

The Alex said Woodcock was withdrawn at half-time of an under-23 match on Monday and their "worst fears were confirmed".

In a statement on the club's website, external they said: "Everyone at Crewe Alexandra wishes Ross a speedy recovery from his injury."

Three men have been arrested following "disorder" in Stoke-on-Trent last night.

Staffordshire Police said officers were called to Penkhull New Road at around 17:00 on Thursday evening to reports of two men making threats with an axe.

A man was then hit by a vehicle on All Saints Road, the force said he received minor injuries.

Police have arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of affray, assault with intent, and possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply.

A second man, aged 19, has been arrested on suspicion of assault, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply and dangerous driving.

A 16-year-old boy, also from Stoke-on-Trent, who was arrested on suspicion of affray has been released under investigation.

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We shared with you yesterday that a Stoke-on-Trent pottery firm has produced a toby jug resembling Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Labour supporter Alexander Kirk, 19, from Lincoln, commissioned Hanley's Bairstow Manor pottery to make 500 jugs.

Some of you shared your thoughts on this on BBC Radio Stoke's Facebook page, external, it seems some of you may be receiving this as a present!

Image source, PA

Bobbie Mcguinness isn't a fan, saying: "You can put that one straight in the bin."

Wendy Foxall commented she'd rather have a Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders jug.

Kate Nicholson simply said: "YESSSS."

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Port Vale coaches David Kelly and Chris Morgan who have been placed in temporary charge of the team say they still have "belief" in the current squad.

The duo have remained at the club following the sacking of manager Michael Brown on Saturday.

Image source, Port Vale