Latest news with #StokeonTrent
BBC News
11 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Safety improvements at busy Stoke-on-Trent junction set to start
Drivers have been warned of six weeks of roadworks to improve safety at a busy city work will begin at the junction of Park Hall Road and Weston Road in Stoke-on-Trent on Monday and is scheduled to last until 18 upgrades will include three pedestrian refuge points, a footpath linking existing bus stops, and a new access road to Park Hall Country follows residents' concerns about pedestrian safety after a number of incidents, including the death of a man who was hit by a car nearby in December 2023. Temporary traffic lights will be in place during the work and access to homes and businesses will be maintained, Stoke-on-Trent City Council Finlay Gordon-McCusker said the junction had been "problematic" for some time and the authority had made the work a priority."There have been a high number of near misses and incidents, including the tragic death of a local resident who died just yards from his home on a walk he had been doing for a many years."I hear frequently from local people about how unsafe the junction is, and I have been to see for myself on a number of occasions," he added. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Benefits cheat mother who lied about MS caught by posting her running trips on Facebook
A benefits cheat who lied about her multiple sclerosis (MS) to claim more than £20,000 was caught after competing in scores of running events and sharing them on social media. Sara Morris, 50, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005 but in 2020 she exaggerated the extent of her condition and claimed Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The mother-of-three inflated the severity of her MS and also claimed to be so anxious when she left the house that even a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication left her in tears. She had also claimed that she lacked balance, and was unable to get out of her bath nor stand at her cooker. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard she failed to mention to the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) that she was in fact a member of the Stone Master Marathoners and regularly ran 5km and 10km races. She was caught out by her own Facebook posts of her running. Morris, of Walton Way, Stone, was overpaid £20,528.83 between October 20, 2020 and April 25, 2023. She pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was jailed for eight months last July. During her court case, she accepted that her application 'crossed over into the realms of dishonesty'. She ended up serving nine weeks in total and recently reappeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court for a Proceeds of Crime hearing. Judge Graeme Smith was told Morris benefited from her criminality by £22,386.02 and the available amount was £60,000. He ordered Morris to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days or serve nine months in prison in default.
BBC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Arthur Berry's last play performed in Stoke-on-Trent for his centenary
The last play written by a leading dramatist from the Potteries is receiving its world premiere as part of commemorations marking the centenary of his Berry grew up in Stoke-on-Trent and became a prolific writer and artist before his death in final play Whatever happened to Pheobe Salt is being staged at the New Vic Theatre. The New Vic opened in 1986 with a performance of one of Berry's poems by Freddie Jones, father of actor Toby city is also marking its centenary - with Stoke-on-Trent Day being held on Thursday. The production of Whatever Happened to Phoebe Salt features local Rossi, who is making her stage debut, said it was an honour."To be able to be here which is a theatre which I grew up in coming to watch shows and now to be on the stage, doing a show and for such a celebration - for Arthur - for Stoke - it is just a full circle." As well as being a renowned writer, Berry was a notable artist, using the inspiration he drew from his hometown as a thread that ran throughout his Heskins, artistic director of the theatre, said he loved the area he was from."The very first word spoken on this stage by Freddie Jones, [film and TV actor] Toby Jones' dad, was the word 'yes' as part of a poem called Yes by Arthur Berry - what a thing to be part of our history."He made these plays about Stoke-on-Trent really. The place that he loved and all of his work was about it."It's all full of the grit and humour of Stokie life." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Plans for Burslem venue in memory of Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister
A planned concert venue in heavy metal legend Lemmy Kilmister's hometown would help to boost the area's music scene, a local artist has proposal would see the vacant Queen's Theatre in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, transformed into an 800-seat venue with a cafe, museum and music those behind the idea is sculptor Andy Edwards, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, who created the statue of the Burslem-born Motorhead Edwards told BBC Radio Stoke the venue, which would be called Kilmister Hall, could help to attract more bands and artists to the city. "We've got a big musical heritage in this city and we used to attract the best bands," he said."That's drifted away and this [new venue] would make a huge difference in getting that back again." The Grade II-listed Queen's Theatre originally closed in 1998 but reopened for occasional events in 2003 before shutting again in neighbours the Lemmy statue on Market Place, which was unveiled on 9 May to mark 10 years since the singer's death from cancer and the 50-year anniversary of Motorhead's to IFK Legacy CIC, which is working on the proposal, plans for the venue were at an early stage and organisers were looking at procuring the building and raising have been held with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which owns the theatre, and Mr Edwards said they had been "really positive". He said it was important the project was financially viable, adding: "It's not just about wild dreams, it's about making things pay for themselves and not run out of steam."A spokesperson for the city council said there had been "lots of discussions" with interested parties over the future of the Queen's Theatre."While these discussions are in still in the early stages and all options are being explored, it is clear that all interested parties are keen to progress with a project to restore the building, particularly one which will combine a performance space with wider community and educational uses," they added. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Benefit cheat's lies exposed by her own Facebook posts
A benefits cheat who lied about her MS battle to claim more than £20,000 was caught out by her own running posts on Facebook. Sara Morris, 50, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2005, and in 2020 claimed that the severity of her disease had left her unable to stand at the cooker. The mother-of-three also claimed she lacked balance and experienced difficulties in getting out of the bath unassisted. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard she was paid £2,292.63 a month in Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and told the Department for Work and Pensions she was anxious leaving the house, with even a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication leaving her in tears. But she failed to mention that she was a member of the Stone Master Marathoners and regularly ran 5km and 10km races, the court heard. She was caught out by her Facebook posts about her running, the court was told. A DWP investigation carried out in Feb 2023 found Morris took part in a five-mile race and was seen running without assistance, showing no signs of balance problems. The investigation uncovered that she competed in 73 races between May 2019 and Dec 2022. Morris, from Stone, Staffordshire, was overpaid £20,528.83 between Oct 20 2020 and April 25 2023. She pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was jailed for eight months last July. Now she has appeared at the same court for a proceeds of crime hearing. Judge Graeme Smith was told Morris benefited from her criminality by £22,386.02 and the available amount was £60,000. He ordered Morris to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days or serve nine months in prison in default. Paul Cliff, mitigating, said Morris was diagnosed with MS 19 years ago and the 'severity of its impact ebbs and flows to a degree'. Mr Cliff added: 'But it is accepted by her that the application did not give the full picture. It crossed over into the realms of dishonesty.' He said Morris's marriage broke down in the spring of 2020, and that she did not enjoy a lavish lifestyle as a result of her fraudulent claim. Mr Cliff said: 'She lost her home because of financial problems and was struggling to keep her head above water financially. 'The application did not give the full picture. She did say running was one of the ways she tried to manage her MS. She has found it difficult to come to terms with her dishonesty.' Morris was also ordered to pay a £187 surcharge.
