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Round up of all the news from North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier B as Bagnall Norton, Knypersley, Elworth, Norton in Hales and Hem Heath also winKashif Bhatti starred with bat and ball in Alsager’s North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier B win at Wood Lane.(Image: Pete Stonier / Stoke Sentinel)Alsager are off the mark at the fifth time of asking in NSSCL Premier B after an eight-wicket triumph at Wood Lane.Alsager were relegated from the top flight at the end of last season – and hadn’t made the start they would have wanted to life back in the fourth tier.A four-game winless run left them bottom of the early standings, but they finally sampled the winning feeling on their trip to Megacre.It was hosts Wood Lane who batted first, but they couldn’t make the most of the sunshine as they were bowled out for 167.Martin Dawson (33), Ben Forster (32no) and Jake Thompson (22) made the most progress with the bat for Wood Lane. Kashif Bhatti scooped 3-28 for Alsager and there were a couple of wickets apiece for Tom Bason and Lewis Pickford.Bhatti was then at the forefront of Alsager’s successful run chase after the interval.After James Bloor made 27, Bhatti took centre stage for the away side.He hit eight fours and two sixes in his 61 not out – receiving support from Muazammil Nizam, who made an unbeaten 40 – as Alsager crossed the line in the 32nd over.Hem Heath seconds were another side celebrating a maiden league win after they won at their Stone SP counterparts. Stone SP set a tough challenge for their rivals, though, as they amassed 219-4 from their 45 overs in the formative stages.Half-centuries from John Cheadle and Reuben Hall helped them to break through the 200-run barrier.Cheadle’s 88 included five fours and one six, with Hall hitting eight boundaries and one maximum in his unbeaten 87. Jack Jones took two of the wickets to fall.READ MORE: Newcastle & Hartshill shrug off awful start to beat Hem Heath in NSSCL Premier AHem Heath rose to the challenge superbly on the resumption, with captain Ben Lucas leading the charge. He compiled 65, featuring seven fours, to give his side the platform to go on and chase down that tough target.His lead was followed by Nazakat Ali (43), Saj Patel (40) and Jaidel Richardson (28) as Hem Heath banked a three-wicket win in the penultimate over. Tom Caton claimed two wickets.Cheadle’s unblemished start to the league season came to an end with defeat at Norton in Hales.The Moorlanders had opened up with four straight victories, but were on the wrong end of the verdict in Saturday’s clash.Sam Cliffe’s 52, which contained five fours and one maximum, formed the backbone of Cheadle’s 193-7 in the first half.Matt Goodwin and Jack Hassall chipped in with 38 and 34 respectively for the visitors. Chris Dyer (3-43) and Salman Khan (3-47) did the bulk of the work with the ball for the Tractor Boys.Norton in Hales slumped to 32-4 in reply as it appeared that Cheadle’s winning run would be extended.However, Khan and Sajith Priyal De Silva Lamahewage had other ideas as they forged an unbroken alliance of 167 to see the home side past the post inside 39 overs.Khan walked off unbeaten on 106, having hit 12 fours and four sixes, with Lamahewage striking seven fours and three sixes in his 70 not out.Goodwin had caused early issues for Norton in Hales and eventually finished with figures of 3-38.Elworth made it five wins out of five by winning at home against Rode Park & Lawton. The visitors reached 216-6 from their allocation in the early part of the afternoon.O Gallimore (39), T Stirk (33), L Bent (32), J Heath (31no) and L Evans (23) led them to that score.J McKay and S Morgan shared four of the wickets to fall.Elworth then produced an excellent team effort to pocket a four-wicket win with nine balls remaining.A Banks hit eight fours in a top score of 52 to set the tone for the Cheshire outfit.J Stephenson (34), H Newton (32no), A Raheja (30), R Ballard (23no) and C Regan (22) were also in fine touch to chip away at the scoreboard. L Evans and M Valentine took two wickets apiece.Knypersley had a fine day on the road as they won at Barlaston.Knypersley were set 184 for victory and looked to be cruising as Shoaib Akhtar’s 52 – featuring eight fours and two sixes – Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti’s 45 and 23 apiece from Cameron Allen and Jack Muni, saw them sitting pretty on 150-3.Barlaston fought back as Fida Hussain scooped 3-18 and Ethan Squire picked up 3-39, but Knype managed to secure a two-wicket win in the penultimate over.Earlier in the day, Ben Sharp’s 63 was instrumental in the home side reaching 183 all out. Sharp’s knock contained six fours and one six, with Jack Davies (43) lending valuable support. Bhatti and Joe Dutton snared 3-17 and 3-47 respectively for Knypersley. Dominic Cumberbatch also struck twice.Bagnall Norton won by five wickets at Ashcombe Park.Hosts Ashcombe Park had Asif Raza (39), Phil Clowes (28no) and Haroon Mahmood (19) to thank for steering them to 150 all out.Hafiz Suleman (3-16) and Morgan Murray-Williams (3-20) took three wickets apiece and there were a couple of scalps for Alex Dodd.Euan Hurst (22) and Matthew Kenvyn (15) made starts in reply, but Bagnall Norton were teetering on 68-5. But there were no further alarms for the visitors as Justin Mould and Suleman produced a matchwinning partnership.Mould hit five fours in his 54 not out, with Suleman adding an unbeaten 36, as Bagnall Norton clinched a five-wicket win in the 41st over. Raza took two of the wickets to fall.

It’s a budget rail option via Crewe stationAuthor: Adam SmithPublished 3 hours agoCrewe will soon benefit from a new train service beginning on 25th May 2026, linking the town to London and Stirling.The operator, Lumo, owned by FirstGroup, is introducing this service to provide more affordable travel options on the West Coast Main Line (WCML).The new route will offer up to four return journeys daily from London Euston to Stirling, enhancing both accessibility and competition.What is Lumo?For those unfamiliar with Lumo, the brand operates on an open-access basis, setting its own prices and assuming revenue risks.Currently, Lumo connects London King’s Cross with cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow, providing passengers straightforward travel without premium seating.As part of the launch, Lumo has partnered with the Stirling Pride festival, offering free tickets to London, marking the occasion and forging community ties.Stuart Jones, managing director of First Rail Open Access, said:“This is a very exciting moment in our journey to launching a pioneering new service for the West Coast.“Customers can look forward to simple, low-cost fares with an excellent experience on our services between Scotland, the North West of England and London.”Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.

Police have made three arrestsArmed police outside Captain Kooks, in BurslemPolice are continuing to investigate a break-in. Armed police made three arrests after swooping on a car outside Captain Kooks, in Sandbach Road, Burslem.It followed a caravan break-in on Pinfold Avenue, in Norton, and the disappearance of two air rifles. The drama unfolded on Wednesday 20 May.Staffordshire Police arrested and quizzed three Stoke-on-Trent men – aged 23, 36, and 49 – on suspicion of burglary. Now the suspects have been bailed.A police spokesman said: “All three have been released on bail while enquiries continue.”Police are appealing for witnesses. They should call the police on 101, quoting incident number 310 of 20 May, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.Get even more North Staffordshire exclusives – and it is free

“This behaviour is completely unacceptable”Carmountside Crematorium.Police and community leaders have condemed ‘significant damage’ at a city crematorium. Officers have joined up with council officials to find those responsible for the criminal damage at Carmountside Crematorium.While neither the force nor Stoke-on-Trent City Council have provided details on the nature of what has been damaged – senior officers have branded it ‘completely unacceptable’. Now an investigation is underway to track down those responsible.Inspector Victoria Ison, of the Stoke-on-Trent North Local Policing Team, said: “We understand the far-reaching impact that this activity is having on people in the local area, particularly grieving families who are visiting the crematorium to pay respect to their loved ones. This behaviour is completely unacceptable and we are actively carrying out enquiries to find out who is responsible.”Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for safe and resilient communities at the local authority, says the council is working closely with the police to ‘bring those responsible to justice’.Councillor Walker, who also represents the nearby Milton, Baddeley Green, and Norton ward, said: “This behaviour has no place in Stoke-on-Trent and we are taking it extremely seriously. Our anti-social behaviour team are working with Staffordshire Police to bring those responsible to justice and to support the wider community that have been affected.”Witnesses should call 101.Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you – it’s FREEEnsure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search

Police are ‘standing guard’ outside a property. It follows reports of a raid on an address on London Road, in Stoke.

StokeonTrentLive was first alerted to the police activity at 12.46pm today.

One StokeonTrentLive reader said: “There is a policeman on guard with a marked car outside.”

StokeonTrentLive has approached Staffordshire Police for a statement regarding this unfolding incident. Any witnesses can call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
This is a live blog. For the very latest on the police activity follow our live blog below.

Every shelter dog has a story, and those stories all deserve to end in a safe and loving home. Sadly, one young Staffordshire Terrier at the Humane Society of Broward County is still in his shelter chapter, even though he’s as happy and loving as a dog could be.Mack is only 1.5 years old, and he’s been overlooked by adopters in Florida because of the puppy energy he still has left. Even though he’s a big boy at 69 pounds, he’s also a loyal and affectionate dog who’s happy to tag along on any kind of adventure. How has this adoptable dog not been snatched up, yet?This happy-go-lucky dog could make anyone feel like they’re on cloud 9 with just a glimpse of his smile. He was thrilled to see a friend, even through his kennel’s glass, and he sat so politely instead of bouncing off the walls. Sometimes he has trouble controlling his energy, but he also knows exactly how to be a good boy!Commenter @anab03 isn’t the only one who’s “Hoping sweet Mack is adopted and finds a loving forever home soon. He’s adorable and, as a puppy, needs someone who can take him places to use up the energy.”Related: Staffordshire Terrier’s Priceless Head Tilts While Hearing Bagpipes Couldn’t Be SweeterThe shelter is no place for a high-energy pup, but this is the unfortunate hand that Mack has been dealt. Fortunately, he’s adjusted well to life in a kennel, and he makes the most of every moment. He doesn’t let being a shelter dog stop him from playing or making friends!If this is how sweet Mack is while in a shelter environment, just imagine how much more personality he’ll unlock when he’s in a safe and loving home! @Humanebroward shelter staff do all they can to keep their residents happy, healthy, and entertained, but nothing comes close to the freedom of a forever home.Staffordshire Terriers In the ShelterIf Mack isn’t the first Staffordshire Bull Terrier you’ve seen in a shelter, you’re certainly not alone. This breed is just one that’s more likely to be found in shelters, with no fault of their own. Chihuahuas, Siberian Huskies, and other Pit Bull breeds have been overbred and overlooked for years, but in reality, they’re as loving as any other dogs.🐶SIGN UP to get “pawsitivity” delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends🐾🐾When adopters give underdogs like Mack a chance to shine, their true colors start to show. Even this short video showed just how friendly and polite this shelter dog can be, so just think of how wonderful he’ll be when his forever family finally finds him!This story was originally published by PetHelpful on May 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Author Michael Attwell has spent nearly 50 years studying serial killers Myra Hindley and Ian Brady. He tells how chilling images could be a sick clue to further murders.16:33, 22 May 2026Updated 16:48, 22 May 2026Moors Murderer Ian Brady pictured at Ramshaw Rocks in Staffordshire.(Image: SWNS)Chilling images of Myra Hindley striking a solitary pose at Staffordshire’s Ramshaw Rocks could be a sick clue to further murders. Dubbed the ‘tartan’ photographs. Author Michael Attwell, who has spent nearly 50 years studying serial killers Hindley and Ian Brady, says there are striking similarities in the style of these and the notorious images taken on Saddleworth Moor – where remains of three of their child victims were found.Michael, a TV producer, director and author, whose new book The Moors Murders, is out this week, tells The Mirror: “The famous ‘tartan’ photographs show her and Brady at the Ramshaw Rocks in Staffordshire, doing exactly the same sort of thing that we see in the photographs on Saddleworth Moor. They look like markers of some description.”READ MORE: Former CIA spy boss Peter Sichel tells of ‘lonely’ job that ‘leads to alcoholism’While there has been no evidence of children being abducted in the area at this time, he believes the photos – which along with those at Saddleworth were taken between August 1964 and October 1965 – could still be hiding a grim secret.Myra Hindley at Ramshaw Rocks. A Staffordshire beauty spot could hold the key to where the body of Keith Bennett and four more unknown victims of the Moors Murderers are buried(Image: SWNS.com)He says of Hindley’s eerie poses: “Those photographs are weird. It would not surprise me if one day it turned out there was something in that.” Sixty years ago this month Brady and Hindley were jailed for the Moors Murders, in which they abducted and killed five children between1963 and 1965.The bodies of Pauline Reade, 16, John Kilbride, 12, and Lesley Ann Downey, 10, were found buried in shallow graves on Saddleworth Moor. Edward Evans, 17, was found murdered and trussed up in their house, while 12-year-old Keith Bennett’s body has never been recovered.Hindley was serving a life sentence at Highpoint Prison in 2002 when she died, aged 60, at nearby West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds from respiratory failure and bronchial pneumonia. Brady died from terminal lung disease, aged 79, in 2017, at Ashworth High Secure Hospital in Merseyside, where he was also serving life.Michael Attwell, author of The Moors MurdersWhile many people believe Brady took Keith’s whereabouts to his grave as a final act of control, Michael disputes this. He thinks Keith’s remains could still be found at a location both killers gave.He says: “Both Brady and Hindley, who weren’t in contact in prison, gave a location which the police searched, but found nothing. I believe they both thought the information was correct. At that point, Hindley was shopping Brady for everything – she was no longer protecting him. For them to share the same location makes me think it was the truth.”Searches of the area yielded nothing and bones found in 2022 by someone researching Keith’s murder turned out to be from an animal. But Michael believes advances in technology and detection methods may, in the future, show traces of Keith’s body at the site.He says: “Radar imaging has improved to the point that it is now very good at finding physical remnants like rocks that leave impressions in the soil. Finding bodies is much harder because they’re organic and they decay. But I do believe the tech will get there and he may well be found. Either that or there will be an accidental discovery, after a time of erosion. Those are the two best hopes.”Photo of Keith Bennett. The 12-year-old was one of five victims of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, with three of them later found buried on Saddleworth Moor(Image: PA)Michael, who commissioned The Moors Murders docuseries in 1999 and produced Myra: The Making of a Monster in 2003, is deeply saddened that Keith’s mother, Winnie Johnson, died, aged 78, in 2012, without finding her son. Michael, who met her, says: “She was the sweetest, loveliest, perfectly ordinary woman in every way. You could just tell her whole life had been ruined.“She talked about how she’d started going up onto the Moors, taking flowers for his birthday, Easter and Christmas. She liked going up there and found a certain peace. She said, ‘I feel he is up there somewhere’. She just wanted him to come home and it’s terribly unfair, because in four of the five cases, the bodies were found. She never got that resolution.”And, in 2025, a lawyer for Keith’s family hoped to gain access to two briefcases belonging to Brady. Held by his solicitor, they were rumoured to contain personal papers providing clues about Keith’s grave.But Michael believes the subsequent silence means this was bogus. He says: “My strong suspicion is if there was anything in them that was of any use to anybody, no self-respecting solicitor would not have made that stuff available. I suspect the truth is there’s nothing there.Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley(Image: SWNS)“I think it’s one of those myths that has been built up, like the idea that Brady went to his grave knowing where the body was and not revealing it. I think it’s highly improbable.” Michael’s extensive research of the serial killers has given him a unique insight into their warped minds.Describing the male-female murder duo as “unheard of” at the time, he says: “It was worst nightmare territory. They photographed the victims, they tape recorded the whole thing, they killed them on the moors in the dead of night and buried them in secret.“Brady was a psychopath, impervious to other people’s pain and suffering. If you look into serial killers, almost all of them come from highly abnormal, dysfunctional backgrounds. There may be a genetic predisposition but the environment is critical.” Before he met Hindley in 1961, Brady’s childhood had cultivated his dysfunction.Michael says: “Brady was born in the middle of the depression at a time of extreme poverty to an unmarried waitress. She puts an advert in a shop window, when he’s a few months old, and a family in the Gorbals, Glasgow, takes him in. The environment is violent. He doesn’t know who his parents are. He knows that he doesn’t belong in this family.Winifred Johnson, mother of missing boy Keith Bennett, pictured on Saddleworth Moor, with a photograph of her son, 25th January 1995(Image: Mirrorpix)“So he becomes this angry little boy, throwing tantrums, banging his head against the wall, screaming and shouting. From about 10, he’s carrying a knife. He starts breaking into people’s houses and becoming a thief. At a very early age he’s living beyond the law and justifies it by saying he’s getting his own back on the world. He starts showing sadistic behaviour towards other children. When he’s 13 he rapes another boy.”Infatuated by him, Hindley helps Brady to live out his sadistic fantasies in one of history’s depraved murder sprees. Michael says: “However much she was under his sway and influence, the truth is she must have enjoyed it. It was their little secret.” For now, the location of Keith Bennett’s and whether there were, indeed, further murders, remain unknown.Only time will tell if the bespectacled boy with the big smile will ever be laid to rest or if the Ramshaw Rocks beauty spot is, indeed, hiding a very ugly secret. Michael says: “You could be searching for five years. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack. “So the mystery of the Moors Murders murders continues and we’ll be talking about it for years to come.”*The Moors Murders by Michael Attwell will be published on 4th June by HarperCollins (HarperElement, £10.99)READ MORE: World’s worst serial killers as Ted Bundy nailed for ANOTHER murder

Gareth Snell stresses the importance of ongoing long-term funding for the ceramics sectorAuthor: Adam SmithPublished 3 hours agoThough the government’s new £120 million funding announcement for the UK’s ceramics industry has been welcomed, Gareth Snell, MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, insists that more support is essential to ensure the sector prospers in the long term.”The money is obviously incredibly welcome to help with meeting some of the immediate energy costs and also funding some of the decarbonisation investment that all of the companies want to do,” Snell said.”But long term, there’s still more work to do.”Emphasising the need for broader initiatives, Snell said, “it’s important we’re promoting a buying British campaign – and that we’re looking at what we do with those sectors that can’t decarbonise as quickly”.The £120 million package includes funds for capital investment in energy-efficient equipment and relief for operational costs.However, Snell warns that this alone cannot fully resolve things.”No one is under the illusion that this is all the help we need as a sector,” said Snell.He told our Chief Reporter that he’s committed to working with government officials and local companies to secure ongoing support, arguing that the ceramics sector is “vital” for UK growth, jobs, and exports.”The work that we turn as MPs, working with the local companies and with the unions, has paid a dividend, and that dividend is coming in hard cash,” Snell stated.”We’ve already got conversations lined up with the relevant departments about the other issues affecting the ceramic sector, so the cheap Chinese imports that are coming that we need to make sure we’re protecting our sector against. We know there’s issues around fraudulent activity fakes where companies overseas mimic ware and then they sell it. We know there are issues around the back stamp and protecting the Made in Britain logo, and that’s something I’m going to be doing more on later in the year.”So we know there are other things we have to do, but what this money does, it just gives the breathing room to allow us to take stock, move forward, knowing we can protect the industry now, so that the next step”.Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.

A West Midlands father completed the gruelling Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge for Muscular Dystrophy UK, the leading charity for more than 110,000 children and adults in the UK living with one of more than 60 muscle-wasting and weakening conditions.The father-of-two, Rich Clift, from Staffordshire, completed the 100km walk (across two days, May 16-17 2026), alongside Rich’s brothers-in-law, Ashley Pike and Mikey Green and Max’s uncle, Lee Cooper, to raise awareness and funds for the charity close to his heart.

Rich’s inspiration is his nine-year-old son, Max, who was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in March 2025. Initially they thought he had dyspraxia, and after months of testing, Max was finally diagnosed. Whilst there is currently no cure for the condition, Max is on two treatments called Translarna and Givinostat, as well as having steroid treatments and wearing leg splints to help manage his condition.

Following the support they’ve received from the charity, the family wanted to give something back to help others living with a muscle-wasting and weakening condition. The 38-year-old reflected on Max’s diagnosis saying: “After speaking with Max’s school he had an assessment by an occupational therapist and was referred to the community paediatrician, who suspected muscular dystrophy. We thought Max was just being clumsy and we were shocked he had a life-limiting condition. Hearing those words felt like the ground disappearing beneath our feet.“Nothing could prepare us for how quickly everything escalated from that point: blood tests, consultants and suddenly a whirlwind, we never asked to be part of. Through it all, the kindness of the professionals around us has made a huge difference. “Max has been an absolute superstar, since his diagnosis. Despite what he’s going through, he always has a smile on his face. His sheer determination to not allow the condition to hinder him is admirable.”

After successfully completing the challenge Rich said: “Taking on the Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge for Muscular Dystrophy UK, was completely out of our comfort zone. Max faces a daily battle each day and shows us what true strength looks like. Every step we took, was for Max and everyone else living with a muscle wasting condition.”A local football team, Wyrley Juniors U12 JPL, will be climbing Mount Snowdon, on Saturday, June 13, to help raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity and the club.Marcus Bagley, manager of the Wyrley Juniors U12 JPL football team, said: “We’re taking on our biggest challenge yet. Together with our families, we’ll be climbing to the summit of Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, to raise vital funds for our football team and two causes that mean the world to us.“Max is a football‑loving nine‑year‑old who was recently diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This life‑limiting condition weakens the muscles over time, and currently there is no cure. “We want to stand with Max and his family by raising funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK, who support research, care, and creates hope for children like him. Max is part of our extended football family, and this climb is for him. This isn’t just a climb — it’s a show of strength, teamwork, and community spirit. Together, we can reach the summit — and help others rise with us. Every donation, big or small, makes a real difference.”

To read more about the family’s story and donate, visit: musculardystrophyuk.org/RichCliftTo support Wyrley Junior FC’s climb, visit: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wyrleyjuniors-under12sFor more information about Muscular Dystrophy UK visit musculardystrophyuk.org or call our free helpline on 0800 652 6352 (open Mon – Fri 10am – 5pm).

He was believed to have been heading to a city cemetery06:20, 19 May 2026Updated 12:44, 20 May 2026Missing Tyler, 14, from Stoke-on-TrentPolice have launched an appeal to find a missing 14-year-old boy not seen since Sunday. And officers believe Tyler Townsend was heading to Burslem Cemetery the last time he was spotted.Now Staffordshire Police has issued images and a description of the missing Stoke-on-Trent teenager. Meanwhile the force say he is known to frequent Burslem Cemetery, Hanley, Central Forest Park, Birches Head, Fegg Hayes, Bentilee, and the green space behind the Texaco filling station on Hanley Road in Sneyd Green.Missing Tyler, 14, from Stoke-on-TrentTyler had last been seen at around 3pm on May 17 in Hanley and it’s believed he was heading to Burslem Cemetery. He is described as around 5ft 6in tall, of a slim build with short brown hair.He was wearing a black puffa jacket with ‘Lorenzo’ written across the back, tracksuit bottoms and grey and black Nike Jordan trainers. A spokesperson for the force said: “If you’ve seen Tyler, or if you know where he might be, get in touch with us.”Anyone with information should call 101 and quote incident 143 of May 18.Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you – it’s FREEEnsure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search