Teams of three rather than four on-call firefighters have been sent to incidents during a trial scheme.

A fundraiser has received orders for his Staffordshire-themed poppies from the USA and South Africa.

Several residents have been taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, police say.

A 28-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of arson are released.

Kelvin Knapper is presented with an award for his five-decade career as the fire service also marks its 50th year.

The fire took hold on Sunday at the memorial park in Brereton, near Rugeley, police say.

The blaze caused damage to a bedroom in the loft area of the semi-detached home.

A similar scheme, enabling closer working between 999 crews, is in place in Penkridge and Kinver.