Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 BST 19 April 2016
Live updates for Staffordshire and Cheshire have finished for the day but we'll be back from 08:00 Wednesday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather.
Summary
Updates on Tuesday 19 April 2016
More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 Wednesday
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 BST 19 April 2016
Football: Burton battling to hang onto automatic promotionpublished at 17:57 BST 19 April 2016
Owen Bradley
BBC Radio Derby SportBurton Albion midfielder Matty Palmer says automatic promotion remains the club's primary aim, despite the fact they could drop out of the automatic places tonight.
Image source, Getty ImagesBurton are home to League One leaders Wigan and need to better or match the result of third-place Walsall, if they're to hold on to second place.
Final push for life-saving MRI Scannerpublished at 17:55 BST 19 April 2016
The community is being urged to give one final push to help smash , externalthrough a £1m target for a new MRI scanner at Leighton Hospital in Crewe.
Watch: Traveller's message - 'We're not all thieves'published at 17:53 BST 19 April 2016
Cath Mackie
BBC News OnlineCouncils in the West Midlands are under growing pressure to provide permanent traveller sites.
Government figures showed there were 1,889 more traveller caravans in the region in 2015, which is 124 more than 2013.
One traveller who has spent her life on the road has spoken to the BBC of the prejudice she's faced from society.
Sabrina Stewart, who's currently living in a caravan in Nuneaton, said life as a traveller was "intimidating".
Operation Freeway: Tolls can be suspendedpublished at 17:48 BST 19 April 2016
Charges can be suspended on the M6 Toll in the event of major infrastructure failure, the chief executive of M6 Toll says.
Responding to calls to scrap the charges when the motorway network becomes gridlocked Andy Pearson said it was up to the Secretary of State for Transport to choose when to invoke Operation Freeway.
The M6 Toll company is happy to discuss amending the terms of the agreement, he added.
Watch: The stories on BBC Midlands Today this eveningpublished at 17:42 BST 19 April 2016
BBC Midlands TodayNick will be on BBC One from 18:30 with Midlands Today - here's a look ahead to some of the main stories he'll be sharing.
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End of X postShortage of sports grounds called 'crisis' in Staffordpublished at 17:36 BST 19 April 2016
Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio StokeA shortage of sports pitches in Stafford has been described as a "crisis" by the town's MP.
Jeremy Lefroy, external was reacting to the news that playing fields at both the Shugborough Estate and Beaconside, Stafford, could soon close.
Stafford Borough Council has launched a consultation, external asking local teams how best to provide facilities for the future.
Latest: Charity plans for Stoke homeless centre; 'cannabis factory' found; children's centres won't be closedpublished at 17:30 BST 19 April 2016
Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeThe main headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire this evening include:
- The former Stoke City manager Lou Macari is in talks to set up a charitable trust to take over the running of a homeless shelter, external in Stoke-on-Trent that bears his name
- Two men have been arrested after a "cannabis factory" was found in Stoke-on-Trent, police say, external
- Council bosses claim new plans mean most of the services at four children's centres, external in east Cheshire will continue - despite major changes to the way they're run
Brave Tamworth youngster gifted family getaway by good causepublished at 17:24 BST 19 April 2016
A brave youngster who was born with a rare medical condition has received a special holiday treat, thanks to a Tamworth, external charity.
Image source, Tamworth HeraldWatch: Shot goose 'lucky to be alive'published at 17:15 BST 19 April 2016
Judy Hobson
North West TonightA goose that was shot with an arrow is "lucky to be alive" after it missed his heart by just millimetres, the RSPCA in Cheshire says.
Lee Stewart, manager at Stapeley Grange, Nantwich,, external said the bolt was removed and the goose is now recovering. He is on painkillers and antibiotics for the next five days.
The goose was found in a lake in Hazel Grove yesterday and it had been injured for at least 24 hours.
'Significant number' of plants found in 'cannabis factory'published at 17:05 BST 19 April 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveTwo men have been arrested after a "cannabis factory" was found in Stoke-on-Trent, police say., external
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceStaffordshire Police says the pair, aged 21 and 24, were arrested this morning in connection with the supply and cultivation of the drug.
According to officers, the "significant number" of plants was found on Atlas street, Fenton.
Your pictures: Sunrise over Stoke canal bridgepublished at 16:55 BST 19 April 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LivePaul Guest emailed this picture in to me, saying he took it "whilst walking my dog this morning."
He added that it is Ivy House canal bridge, with the "trees of Meakins cricket club silhouetted behind".
Image source, Paul GuestIf you want to share a picture of Staffordshire or Cheshire and potentially see it featured here, you can email it in, tweet it to @BBCRadioStoke, external or put it on Instagram, external.
Children's centres set to stay open under new planspublished at 16:44 BST 19 April 2016
Phil McCann
Political reporter, CheshireCouncil bosses claim new plans mean most of the services at four children's centres in east Cheshire will continue - despite major changes to the way they're run.
It was feared the centres in Knutsford, Macclesfield, Sandbach and Nantwich could close.
But Cheshire East Council , externalnow says they'll all stay open and there'll be no compulsory redundancies.
Cafe in Hanley granted alcohol licence despite objectionspublished at 16:30 BST 19 April 2016
Staffs Live
A cafe in Hanley has been granted a licence to sell alcohol, despite objections, external from nearby businesses.
Image source, Staffs LiveWatch: Stoke and Staffordshire's weather forecast for tonight and tomorrowpublished at 16:14 BST 19 April 2016
Sara Blizzard
BBC WeatherIf you need a weather forecast at any other time for your part of Staffordshire or Cheshire you can head to the BBC website.
Digital Nation: The Staffordshire maker of unusual clockspublished at 15:58 BST 19 April 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveIt you're not someone who keeps to time, you might pay to watch Paul Parry in action.
This man from Staffordshire is a creator of timepieces - although he tends to make more unusual ones.
You can watch a video about his hand-made clocks here - in the latest Digital Nation episode, a weekly round-up of the best local independent television from around the UK.
Watch: Calls for M6 toll charges to be scrapped during congestionpublished at 15:45 BST 19 April 2016
Cath Mackie
BBC News OnlineThere have been renewed calls for the M6 toll to be made free to drivers at times of heavy congestion on the M6.
A serious incident in February saw the M6 closed for 24 hours and on Monday night it was shut for 10 hours after a fuel spillage.
MPs have debated the issue at Westminster. Julian Knight, Conservative MP for Solihull, said the toll road was a rich person's motorway. "It was designed as the Birmingham relief road, but it brings no relief", he said.
Young Nantwich cancer patient embarks on Ellen MacArthur adventurepublished at 15:29 BST 19 April 2016
A young cancer patient from Nantwich took part in a four-day adventure , externalwith the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust
Image source, Nantwich NewsBBC Weather Watcher: Lakeside in Congleton and farming in Cheshirepublished at 15:16 BST 19 April 2016
More great pictures today that have been uploaded to the BBC Weather Watchers by our volunteers in the area.
This first one's from user Dawn Treader in Congleton.
Image source, Dawn TreaderWhile Charles in Chelford, Cheshire, took this snap of a farmer's field.
Want to be one of our BBC Weather Watchers? You could get your photo featured here or on the regional TV weather updates - head to the website to sign up.
Image source, CharlesNews: Two 'slavery' arrests in police raids; calls for M6 toll charges to be scrapped; police probe gas canister casepublished at 15:02 BST 19 April 2016
Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeOur top stories this afternoon include:
- Two people have been arrested on suspicion of slavery offences after raids, external in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme, police say
- There have been renewed calls for the M6 toll to be made free to drivers at times of heavy congestion
- Three teenagers have been arrested by police, external after a gas canister was set off at a McDonald's in Stafford last night
