Ex-MP candidate who praised Hitler jailedpublished at 12:41 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Barbara Fielding-Morriss, a former election candidate for Stoke Central, said her blogs were "educational".
Read MoreEx-MP candidate who praised Hitler jailedpublished at 12:41 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Council moves closer to buying derelict shopping centrepublished at 12:22 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Local Democracy Reporting ServicePlans for Stoke-on-Trent City Council to buy the derelict East-West Precinct and redevelop it, at a cost of £7.25m have won the support of the local authority's cabinet.
Developer Realis Estates put the site up for sale in July after abandoning its plans for the shopping centre and leisure complex.
Image source, GoogleIt will cost the council £4m to buy the land and another £3.25m to build a "youth zone" on the site, which will include sports, music and arts facilities for eight to 19-year-olds.
The rest of the land could be used for housing, a hotel or other developments.
The authority’s cabinet backed the scheme earlier in the week and it will go to a full council meeting on 18 October.
Jail for race hate election candidatepublished at 11:14 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
BreakingA former Stoke-on-Trent election candidate who praised Hitler in her online blog has been jailed for 12 months.
Barbara Fielding-Morriss appeared at Stafford Crown Court this morning and was told by the judge he found her attitude during the trial "sinister".
In June, she was found guilty of three charges of stirring up racial hatred.
In four blogs between September 2016 and September 2017, she included statements about how asylum-seeking Jews were like termites and made comments about mentally disabled migrant children, the jury heard.
As she was led away this morning, Fielding-Morriss told the judge he'd "completely ignored freedom of speech laws".
Have your say on proposed M54-M6 link roadpublished at 09:51 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
People are being invited to a drop-in session today on the proposed new route between the M54 and the northbound M6., external
Image source, Highways EnglandHighways England has revealed the new dual carriageway will run between J1 of the M54 and J11 of the M6, from near Featherstone to near Cheslyn Hay.
It claims it'll take about 22,000 vehicles a day off the A460, as well as easing congestion on the A449 and the A5.
The session takes place at Essington Community Centre, Wolverhampton between 14:00 and 19:00 today.
In the papers: Black Country fuelling drugs warpublished at 08:31 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Here are some of the stories making the headlines on the Express & Star website this morning:
- How Black Country fuels Colombian drugs war between vicious cocaine cartels, external
- Peaky Blinders' Cillian Murphy saddles up for new series, external
- Councillors in Staffordshire question their own budget to save £35m, external
Cloudy but mainly dry daypublished at 08:26 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
It will be a cloudy and mainly dry. However there will a chance of some rain this morning which will carry on into the afternoon. Some patches of sunshine. Feeling a bit colder with highs of 14C.
Video: Your 50-second weather forecastpublished at 07:19 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenterAny early areas of mist and fog will clear leaving a dry and fine day, with highs of 19C (66F).
Media caption, Latest weather for the West Midlands
Woman died of stab woundspublished at 18:58 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
A woman whose death is at the centre of a murder probe died of multiple stab injuries, police say.
Avan Najmadeen, a 32-year-old mother-of-four, was found dead at her home in Glebedale Road, Fenton, on Monday.
A 35-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder remains in custody.
Video: What's the weather got in store?published at 18:01 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands TodayIt should be a mainly dry night, with some mist and shallow fog patches towards tomorrow morning with lows of 13C (55F).
Media caption, Latest weather for the West Midlands
North West weather: Cloudy and rainy nightpublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
Tonight will be mostly cloudy with further showery rain which may turn more persistent later in the night.
A cloudy and misty start to tomorrow.
Police find drugs after stopping car with stingerpublished at 17:42 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
A large amount of Class A drugs have been seized and a 37-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent has been arrested after police stopped a car with a stinger.
The spiked strip was thrown into the road to stop the Ford Focus on Huntbach Street in Burslem this morning and officers also found a police-style baton in the car, which is thought to be stolen.
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceThe man, who attempted to flee on foot, is being held for questioning.
JCB donates to tsunami clear-up operationpublished at 16:09 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
JCB is donating $250,000 worth of equipment to the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi, to help the clean-up operation following the recent earthquake and tsunami.
The Rocester-based company said the vehicles are "perfect for removing heavy debris".
Image source, JCBMore than 1,400 people are believed to have died in the disaster and the company went on to say it hoped the machinery would be used to help with reconstruction efforts, once the debris was cleared.
North West weather: Cloudy with risk of showerspublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
A cloudy afternoon with some showers, especially later on. Breezy with high of 18C.
Charity on hunt for those lonely this Christmaspublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
A charity group in Stoke-on-Trent which distributes unwanted of surplus food is organising a free Christmas meal for people who would otherwise be alone this year.
Affordable Foods Stoke says that as well as giving everyone who attends a meal on Christmas Day, it wants to send them home with a small hamper.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe charity sells food that is either close to or past its "best before" date, saying that as well as helping those on low incomes, it prevents food waste and takes pressure off food banks.
Council launches local lotterypublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
A local lottery, with a jackpot of £25,000, has been started by Lichfield District Council.
It will cost people living in the area £1 to play and the authority says 60% of the money will go to local good causes.
In the papers: Cyclist killed in crashpublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
Here are three headlines from today's Shropshire Star:
- Cyclist killed as crash closes Shrewsbury road, external
- Emergency summit over Shropshire hospital concerns, external
- Raiders caused £27,000 damage in Newport school burglary, external
Poet laureate honoured with postboxpublished at 14:05 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
Carol Ann Duffy is being honoured with a special postbox in Stafford today, on National Poetry Day.
The poet laureate was educated at St Austin’s RC Primary School in the town and said it was "the school where I was first encouraged to write poetry by the wonderful Mrs Tilscher".
Image source, Royal MailThe postbox will remain in Market Square for a month and is covered in quotes from some of her most famous poems.
In the papers: Plans for trams to return to citypublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
Stoke-on-Trent LiveHere are some of the top stories from Stoke-on-Trent Live:
- Plans for trams to return to city, external
- Teenager quits college after warning for supporting Tommy Robinson, external
- Well-known restaurant has closed suddenly, external
Wilde signs one-year deal with Widnespublished at 13:26 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
Back-rower Sam Wilde signs a new one-year contract with relegated Widnes Vikings.
Read MoreMan denies 86-year-old's stab deathpublished at 11:31 British Summer Time 4 October 2018
Madni Ahmed denies murdering Riasat Bi and a charge of attempting to murder an 18-year-old man.
Read More
