Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 BST 15 April 2016
Live updates for Staffordshire and Cheshire have finished for the day but we'll be back from 08:00 Monday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather.
Summary
Updates on Friday 15 April 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Monday
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 BST 15 April 2016
In photos: Fire service's 'emotional day' as chief stands downpublished at 17:56 BST 15 April 2016
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has been paying tribute today to former chief fire officer Peter Dartford who has retired.
He has held the role for the past six years.
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End of X postThis evening on BBC Midlands Today: The tiny school saved from closurepublished at 17:52 BST 15 April 2016
Elizabeth Glinka
BBC Midlands TodayOn this evening's Midlands Today on BBC One we'll hear how a tiny infant school in Staffordshire has been saved from closure.
All Saints School in Ranton had 15 pupils a few months ago - but now it's up for 40.
What's behind the turnaround? I've been finding out and will have the full story from 18:30.
Toyota worker bought drugs on the 'dark web', court hearspublished at 17:48 BST 15 April 2016
A Toyota worker was handed a suspended sentence after drugs, external he purchased on the "dark web" were intercepted at London Heathrow Airport.
Image source, Burton MailWatch: Tonight and this weekend's weather for Stoke and Staffordshirepublished at 17:44 BST 15 April 2016
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands TodayYou can also get a latest weather forecast at any time from the BBC website.
Historic Staffordshire bridge repairs on schedulepublished at 17:40 BST 15 April 2016
Euan Duncan
BBC Local LiveNews of a restoration project in Burton as the £1.3m revamp of Ferry Bridge, external is on course to finish in June.
Image source, Oliver Mills/GeographThe bridge, which crosses the River Trent, external from the town to Stapenhill, opened in 1889 and replaced the ferry service.
It's due to officially open in the summer once it's been repainted and the handrail and timber decking replaced.
Stoke food banks giving third of parcels to childrenpublished at 17:34 BST 15 April 2016
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio StokeStoke-on-Trent's food bank, external says it gave out more than 11,000 food parcels in the last year and over a third went to children.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Trussell Trust, which runs 17 centres across the city, says demand for its food parcels is up 6% on the year before.
The charity says the top three reasons for needing its help in the area are benefit delays, low income and benefit changes.
Football: Hughes prepared to rotate Stoke keeperspublished at 17:29 BST 15 April 2016
Dan Wheeler
BBC SportStoke City boss Mark Hughes says he is "comfortable" with his goalkeeping options and is prepared to switch between Jakob Haugaard and Shay Given.
Image source, Getty ImagesIn the absence of injured number one Jack Butland, 23-year-old Haugaard has started the last two Premier League games but has conceded six goals.
Quote MessageIt's a fluid situation. We've lost a top goalkeeper, but we have two outstanding keepers that can come in and do well for us."
Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager
Event marks official opening of Stone Community Fire Stationpublished at 17:23 BST 15 April 2016
Stone’s new community fire station will be officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, external during a special ceremony on Wednesday 20 April.
Image source, A Little Bit of StoneWatch: Leek wishes Queen a happy 90th birthdaypublished at 17:19 BST 15 April 2016
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local LIvePeople in Leek have been wishing Queen Elizabeth II a happy 90th birthday.
With the event approaching fast, a number of events are being held to celebrate the birthday on 21 April.
As part of our coverage, we'd like to hear your stories and see pictures of when you met the Queen.
Please email radio.stoke@bbc.co.uk.
Your pictures: Trentham bird-watching and Kidsgrove's Harecastle Tunnelpublished at 17:12 BST 15 April 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveMore of your great photos now and this first one is from Jon Kelso who took it in Trentham.
Image source, Jon KelsoWhile Twisted Mind Photography took this picture of the Harecastle Tunnel in Kidsgrove.
To send your photos of the area in you can email them in, tweet them to @BBCRadioStoke, external or use Instagram, external.
Image source, Twisted Mind PhotographyThousands of pupils start school underweight, say MPspublished at 17:06 BST 15 April 2016
Judith Burns
Education reporterThousands of children in England started school underweight last year, according to official figures highlighted by MPs.
Rising numbers of children do not get enough to eat, says the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger.
Image source, Oli Scarff"For a minority of children, the school lunchtime represents the only chance each day to eat something substantial," the group reported.
The government said it was committed to an "all-out war" on food poverty.
News: Man charged with student rape; mother jailed after Staffordshire confession; councillor say he'll be 'exonerated' in rowpublished at 17:01 BST 15 April 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke- A man has been charged with the rape of a Keele University student who killed herself while detectives investigated the allegations, police say
- A mother, who admitted in a Staffordshire prison to murdering her baby son, has been jailed for life
- A Cheshire East councillor who quit the authority's ruling cabinet in a row over charity donations has said he has "total confidence he will be exonerated"
Councillor says he will be 'exonerated' over charity money rowpublished at 16:53 BST 15 April 2016
Phil McCann
Political reporter, CheshireA Cheshire East councillor who quit the authority's ruling cabinet in a row over charity donations has said he has "total confidence he will be exonerated".
Image source, Cheshire East CouncilConservative Sam Gardner resigned yesterday after it emerged a company he was a director of didn't send donations collected at a music festival to the charity they were intended for.
Mr Gardner's released a statement saying he had no direct responsibility for the charity money.
BBC Weather Watcher pictures: Flowering Gnosall and Newtown under sunshinepublished at 16:44 BST 15 April 2016
Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Radio StokeOur BBC Weather Watchers always provide us with great pictures from across the area - here's one from JR in Gnosall, Staffordshire.
Image source, JRWhile the sun was out for Mick when he took this in Newtown, Staffordshire.
You could get a picture featured as a BBC Weather Watcher - head to the website and sign up.
Image source, MickTravel: Crash on Station Road in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 16:37 BST 15 April 2016
BBC TravelThere's been an accident on Station Road in Stoke-on-Trent near the A52 Leek Road junction.
Mother says son not eaten since May because of rare conditionpublished at 16:36 BST 15 April 2016
Pete Morgan
Presenter, BBC Radio StokeEarlier we told you about Averil Siegertsz who's concerned about her son Jamie, 17 - he has been diagnosed with a rare condition, Rumination Syndrome, external.
The diagnosis took several months, she says, because many doctors aren't aware of the condition and the solution is to "retrain" Jamie's brain to get it to keep food down - he can only keep water and diluted juice down.
Averil told me time is running out with Jamie losing so much weight.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, external said in their statement that they've offered the family support - and a specialist can see Jamie in the next fortnight.
Watch: Car park concerns raised in Crewepublished at 16:28 BST 15 April 2016
Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeIt's becoming harder to find a parking space in Crewe, according to the town's visitors and workers who've spoken to BBC Radio Stoke.
They say the town's new leisure centre, external, which was built on a car park, has added to the issue.
Cheshire East Council , externalsays more short-stay spaces will help boost local trade, and there are still plenty of longer stay spaces around the town for workers.
Man charged with rape of Keele studentpublished at 16:20 BST 15 April 2016
James Bovill
Political reporter, BBC Radio StokeA man has been charged with the rape of a Keele University student who killed herself while detectives investigated the allegations, police say.
Image source, Amanda Patricia StubbsElgan Varney, 32, of Wye Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, is accused of raping Hannah Stubbs.
The 22-year-old killed herself at her home in Stafford in August 2015. She was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, an inquest ruled last month.
Watch: Staffordshire girl preparing for international cheerleading contestpublished at 16:09 BST 15 April 2016
John Acres
BBC Radio StokeA girl from Staffordshire says she's looking forward to competing in the World Cheerleading Championships, external.
Grace Preston is from Wrinehill near Betley and performs with a troupe in Coventry.
They will be competing in the team event in Disneyworld Florida next week.
