Stoke on Trent, England News

But pavements and some side roads remained untreated yesterday as cars slid into each other and pedestrians took painful tumbles on treacherous surfaces.

Nine British nationals of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin who plotted to bomb London Stock Exchange and build a terrorist training camp have been jailed.

Councils throughout Staffordshire, including Stoke-on-Trent city, Staffordshire county, Newcastle borough, Stafford borough, and Staffordshire Moorlands district councils, have signed a charter committing to make the planning process easier for businesses.

BUDGET cuts of 24 million including a council tax increase of 3.49 per cent have won final approval from ruling councillors.

More than 30 people called ambulance crews after falling in icy conditions in Stoke-on-Trent, and at least 30 schools in Staffordshire are closed.

A local lady has landed a job a dream job at this summer's Olympic Games ahead of more than 10,000 other applicants nationwide thanks to the Street Games Programme.

A HOUSING expert predicts benefit reforms coupled with a rise in rents will mean some neighbourhoods become nothing more than fly-tipping hotspots.

A British judge on Thursday sent nine men to prison for al-Qaida inspired plots to bomb the London Stock Exchange and set up a terrorist training camp.

THE top two players in Stoke-on-Trent and also the world prepared for their high pressure McCoy's Premier League head-to-head by practising together over a cup of tea.

The 25-year-old avoided an immediate prison sentence yesterday for the way she assisted former partner Sacha Markovic when he failed to return to Sudbury Prison after temporary leave in November.

BIDDULPH: A man caught driving while he was banned was given a community order for 12 months by North Staffordshire magistrates plus a three month curfew order from 7pm to 7am.

Khan's attempts to recruit others to his cause were captured by bugs hidden by the security services at his Tunstall home.

HIGHWAYS officials have insisted they were well prepared for heavy snowfall which brought main roads across the region to a standstill .

A TINY deformed Staffie cross puppy, which was callously abandoned in the middle of a road, has been given a new lease of life by kind-hearted staff at a Netherton manufacturing company.

Father-of-three Gurukanth Desai, 30, was "more of an anti-capitalist than a radical Islamist", Woolwich Crown Court in London was told.

DRIVERS are being warned to take extra care on the roads as forecasters predict icy and foggy conditions following a plunge in temperature.

I THINK we now have conclusive proof that this Labour council running Stoke-on-Trent is the worst Labour council in the history of the city and of the Labour Party nationally as a whole.

Terri Judd is a reporter with The Independent, who writes regularly on defence issues, having repeatedly embedded with British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Struggle: A cynical move by councils to raise tax by 3.49 per cent means that many families will need to find 50 extra to pay their bill as the move will not trigger a local vote on proposals Dozens of town halls are planning a 'cynical' rise in their council tax bills this year in defiance of the Government.

Terror bomb plotters Gurukanth Desai, Abdul Miah, both of Cardiff, and Mohammed Chowdhury and Shah Rahman, both of London Wales' terror plotters were "well advanced" and had made a high-level commitment to jihad, a court was told today.