By Michelle Sarel & Rosie Milsom: Residents who complained about a scrapyard in Longton were left disappointed when the owners of the businesses failed to turn up for a public meeting.

The meeting was due to start at 10am on Wednesday (April 13), but the owners EMR pulled out, saying they needed to review their application to increase the work carried out on the site.

By Michelle Sarel & Rosie Milsom: Resident in Stoke-on-Trent have claimed they are “living in a war zone” in a row over a scrap yard.

Many homeowners in the residential area of Park Hill have complained of large soot clouds, noise pollution and CCTV cameras pointing into their homes.

The scrap yard was recently taken over by American company EMR and residents have claimed the machines are now working longer hours and making their lives a misery.

By Lee Kettle: An elderly woman was taken to hospital after a fire in Blurton.

The 93-year-old suffered smoke inhalation after a plastic tray, which had been left on the cooker, caught fire and filled the house on Langland Drive at 2.15pm yesterday (March 28).

Station manager Andy Leedham said: “We would urge people to never store anything on top of a cooker as it does not take long for fires to start.”

By Megan Mackay: Staff at an opticians in Longton have been dressing up and taking part in activities to raise money for Comic Relief.

Workers at Specsavers are all wearing red clothing and holding a Longton treasure hunt in conjunction with other local businesses.

Stoke-on-Trent’s town centres are blighted by shops closing and traders going out of business. Some traders are blaming the increase in the number of supermarkets. StaffsLive’s Megan Mackay reports.

By Jennideep Hayre: Romantic couples from Stoke-on-Trent are being invited to renew their wedding vows or pop the question at a special Valentine’s weekend at Queen’s Park in Longton.

Pastor Howard Drummond, from Longton Elim Chruch, will be performing the ceremony for the married couples.

By Rachel Wood: Staffordshire fire chiefs want residents and businesses to have their say on how to breath new life into Longton Fire Station .

The station, on Uttoxeter Road, is one of 11 selected to be rebuilt under a £50 million Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme.

By Liam Kerin: More than 400 jobs a year are to be created in Stoke-on-Trent as work starts on the redevelopment of a disused pottery factory.

The Enson works site in Longton is to be transformed into a Centre of Refurbishment Excellence (CoRE), which will provide training and demonstration in the area.

It’s hoped through the work of the CoRE project that 700 people a year will enhance their skills and as a result of business activities once the project is up and running, and 400 jobs will be created in the region.

By James Maidment-Fullard: Two Longton men found guilty of murdering Bentilee man Robert Freeman have been handed life sentences.

Gareth Dennis, 29, of Anchor Road, Longton, is to serve at least 17 years before being eligible to apply for parole. Michael Grocott, 29, also of Anchor Road, must serve at least 14 years.

Tom Boyd, 21 of Beverly Drive, Bentilee, was convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment.

Ryan Shaw is 12 and regularly wears a moustache; boob tubes; high heels and dresses. StaffsLive’s Ben Hall finds out what makes this Mini Mercury tick.