BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire

We'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.

You can also find a latest weather forecast for your part of Staffordshire or Cheshire on the BBC website at any time.

A growing problem with knife crime has forced Staffordshire Police to launch a knife amnesty for the first time in 10 years. 

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The force say knife crime has increased by 26% over the last year. 

I've been speaking to the mother of a teenager who survived being stabbed just an inch away from his heart - you can see that story on BBC One from 18:30 in Midlands Today.

A convicted arsonist absconded from an open prison near Uttoxeter to try to collect drugs being sent to his home address, a court has heard.

Uttoxeter AdvertiserCopyright: Uttoxeter Advertiser

Two people have been arrested after what police have called a "significant quantity" of suspected Class A drugs, crack cocaine and cash was found in Cannock. 

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Staffordshire Police says officers on routine patrol pulled over vehicle which was showing as uninsured on Church Street. 

The force says they found the drugs and cash and arrested a man, 31, and woman, 20, both from Birmingham, on suspicion of drug supply offences.

A man was airlifted to hospital this afternoon after a van fell on top of him, trapping him in Burton. 

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West Midlands Ambulance Service say it happened in Anslow near the B5017 at around 12:20 - the victim was under the vehicle for around five minutes until it was jacked up again. 

They say he was conscious but suffered head, shoulder and knee injuries along with chest pain - paramedics say they're not thought to be life-threatening.

Crewe Alexandra's strike force next season will include two players who, between them, have scored over 300 goals.

Crewe Alexandra FCCopyright: Crewe Alexandra FC

Former Rochdale and Barnsley striker Chris Dagnall joined the Alex yesterday on a two-year contract and will link up with another new signing Ryan Lowe.

The Alex manager Steve Davis told BBC Radio Stoke he's excited about the partnership.  

Quote Message: We're getting another forward with a proven record, who has scored at this level and above. It'll give us some real potent force up front - him and Ryan Lowe will have scored more than 320 goals between them." from Steve Davis Crewe Alexandra manager

We're getting another forward with a proven record, who has scored at this level and above. It'll give us some real potent force up front - him and Ryan Lowe will have scored more than 320 goals between them."

Here's your early evening headlines if you are just joining us:

- The wife of a Stoke-on-Trent soldier who was killed in Iraq in 2003 says she would like to see Tony Blair in court over the conflict, following the publication of the Chilcot Report

- Ambulance bosses are denying patient safety will be compromised by plans to get rid of Leek's rapid response vehicle    

- Three men from Stoke-on-Trent have been arrested on suspicion of stealing from a charity clothing bank

The final total for 2015's BBC Children in Need Appeal has been announced and it was a record-breaking £55m.

The charity says it is the highest amount raised in its history and the cash will go to projects working in communities across the UK.   

One organisation that they have helped is Homestart Staffordshire Moorlands which helps families with children aged under five-year-old. 

Louise Walker from the charity says they couldn't do what they do without Children in Need's support.  

A risque costume designed for Madonna by Jean Paul Gaultier has been sold at auction after its Lichfield owner decided to let someone else be a Material Girl.  

Lichfield MercuryCopyright: Lichfield Mercury

More reaction now to today's publication of the Chilcot Report, from the widow of a Stoke-on-Trent soldier who was killed in 2003 in Iraq. 

Cpl Stephen Allbutt, from Sneyd Green, died in a "friendly fire" incident and his wife Debi has been speaking to BBC Radio Stoke.

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She said she was "relieved" at the report's publication and "surprised" at how much had been published.

Chairman Sir John Chilcot said the 2003 invasion was not the "last resort" action presented to MPs and the public.

Debi Allbutt also said she felt her own key questions had been answered but that the publication today was only the beginning.

Quote Message: It's a massive can of worms that's been opened and we've just got to see how far this can of worms goes." from Debi Allbutt Widow of soldier killed in Iraq

It's a massive can of worms that's been opened and we've just got to see how far this can of worms goes."

As Wales prepare for their historic semi-final against Portugal in Euro 2016 tonight, I've been tracing the journey of their captain Ashley Williams which all started in Staffordshire.

See all the details this evening on BBC One from 18:30.

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A small ceramic company from Stoke-on-Trent has been awarded an exclusive contract with Disney to produce fine bone china figurines of their well known princesses.  

The English Ladies Company is the only one in the world which has the rights to produce them. 

From design to production, they can take almost a year and, as I've been finding out for BBC Midlands Today, they'll be selling in Disney Stores right across the globe.

The wife of a Stoke-on-Trent soldier who was killed in Iraq in 2003 says she would like to see Tony Blair in court over the conflict, following the publication of the Chilcot Report.

Debi Allbutt's husband Stephen, from Sneyd Green, died in a "friendly fire" attack in Basra in 2003.

Ministry of DefenceCopyright: Ministry of Defence

Today the UK's Iraq War inquiry said Tony Blair overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, sent ill-prepared troops into battle and had "wholly inadequate" plans for the aftermath.

Mr Blair apologised but insisted that lives had not be lost "in vain".  

Quote Message: I don't know how far he (Tony Blair) should be prosecuted for war crimes, I really don't know, because it's a massive can of worms. But I think somebody needs to be accountable for that and you can't have prime ministers or presidents sending us into war when there's no reason. from Debi Allbutt Widow of soldier killed in Iraq

I don't know how far he (Tony Blair) should be prosecuted for war crimes, I really don't know, because it's a massive can of worms. But I think somebody needs to be accountable for that and you can't have prime ministers or presidents sending us into war when there's no reason.

Here are this afternoon's latest headlines:

- The wife of a Stoke-on-Trent soldier who was killed in Iraq in 2003 says she would like to see Tony Blair in court over the conflict, following the publication of the Chilcot Report

- Ambulance bosses are denying patient safety will be compromised by plans to get rid of Leek's rapid response vehicle  

- Hundreds of Staffordshire parents have signed a petition to save their school lollipop man

Shocked onlookers have reported seeing a man allegedly beating his dog with a chain outside a busy Burton shopping centre.  

Burton MailCopyright: Burton Mail

I've been speaking to one of the new managers in football's National League, Marcus Bignot at Solihull who's been speaking of the impact the legendary Crewe Alexandra boss Dario Gradi had on him.

He found his way to the Moors after being released as a teenager by Birmingham City, then playing for non-league and professional clubs including Crewe, QPR and Millwall.

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But it's his time under the Alex's then manager Dario Gradi that he says "took (how to manager) to the next level" - there's much more on the BBC Sport website.

Quote Message: Under Dario, every coaching session he did, I'd be looking at it from my own perspective as a coach - 'what can I take from this?' I always had my coaching head on when I was at Crewe." from Marcus Bignot Solihull Moors manager

Under Dario, every coaching session he did, I'd be looking at it from my own perspective as a coach - 'what can I take from this?' I always had my coaching head on when I was at Crewe."

Three men from Stoke-on-Trent have been arrested on suspicion of stealing from a charity clothing bank. 

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Staffordshire Police say they were detained in the early hours of this morning on the A500 after someone reported seeing people taking clothes from a bank on Tesco car park, Longton. 

The force says a 17, 18 and 20-year-old are being questioned.

The sun's come out this week and that's been captured in many of the photos uploaded by our BBC Weather Watcher volunteers.

These two are from users Dodger in Trentham and Gadjet in Stoke-on-Trent.

DodgerCopyright: Dodger

GadjetCopyright: Gadjet