Three hundred violent football thugs from Staffordshire and the West Midlands will have their passports seized to prevent them from travelling to next month’s European Championships, it emerged today.

Olympics fever was officially ignited in the UK today when the iconic flame started its 70-day nationwide tour.

More than 40 convicted sex offenders from the West Midlands and Staffordshire are on the run and wanted by police – but forces will not reveal their identities because doing so would infringe their data protection rights.

A gang of car-key burglars raided homes across Staffordshire and the West Midlands to steal high value vehicles, a court heard.

Fewer patients are having to wait more than 18 weeks to start hospital treatment compared with two years ago, according to figures out today.

More than £26,000 has been handed out in compensation to motorists in Staffordshire who claim their cars have been damaged by potholes.

Preparations for work on the high speed rail line between London and Birmingham are forging ahead as two contracts worth a combined £8 million were awarded to companies.

The M6 Toll has racked up another £41 million of losses as vehicle numbers slump.

Roman coins more than 2,000 years old have been discovered in Staffordshire in what experts described today as a significant find.

Luxury cars and lavish villas are among a £1.7 million criminal haul seized by Staffordshire Police in the past year.