A teenage rapist who had an online ‘paedophile manual’ has been locked up for seven-and-a-half years.

Luke Alexander Morrison, 19, raped two young girls when he was a child himself, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard.

Morrison, of Cornhill Gardens, Leek, pleaded guilty to two charges of raping a girl when she was aged between four and six and one charge of raping a girl aged five or six years old.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing indecent images and videos and to possessing extreme pornography.

Jennifer Josephs, prosecuting, told the court Morrison raped one of his victims when he was just 12.

She said the girls told someone at their school that they had been attacked.

When he was arrested, police seized two laptops from his home.

They found that he had bought an online guide to abusing children and how to get away with it, the court heard.

Miss Josephs told the court: “He had downloaded what we refer to in the law as a ‘paedophile manual.'”

She said officers found indecent images and videos on both laptops, with 69 in the worst category.

Police officers also discovered he had been distributing the images using Skype.

Miss Josephs said Morrison had told his victims to never tell anyone and their self-confidence has been affected.

Adam Watkins, defending, said: “This is a deeply troubling case.

“The defendant has previously been sexually abused and that has affected him massively.

“It must be taken into a consideration that he was only a child when he was offending.”

Judge Paul Glenn detained Morrison in a Young Offender’s Institution and made him the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, banning him from unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16.

The judge told Morrison: “You have turned their life upside down.

“Why should they have to feel guilty for what happened to them?

“You have contributed to the abuse of children by viewing this material.”

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A woman has died after a car collided with her on Ashbourne Road in Leek last night (March 16).

A red Peugeot 407 collided with the pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman, who is from Leek, is yet to be identified.

The collision occurred just before 6:40pm and West Midlands Ambulance Service sent out an ambulance and a paramedic support officer.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “An ambulance crew was on scene in less than four minutes and found the woman lying in the road following the collision.

“Having suffered serious injuries, the woman was found to be in cardiac arrest.

“However, sadly it became apparent that nothing could be done to save her and she was confirmed dead at the scene.

“The driver of the car, a man, was treated for the effects of shock and discharged at the scene.”

Anyone with information can contact Staffordshire Police by calling 101 and quoting incident 714 of March 16.

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A woman who died after a collision with a car in Leek has been named as Susan Cooper, from Alton, police have confirmed.

The 66-year-old died after being in collision red Peugeot 407 on Ashbourne Road.

Ms Cooper was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident happened just before 6.40pm on Thursday and and ambulance crew was on the scene in less than four minutes and found the woman lying in the road.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Having suffered serious injuries, the woman was found to be in cardiac arrest.

“However, sadly it became apparent that nothing could be done to save her and she was confirmed dead at the scene.

“The driver of the car, a man, was treated for the effects of shock and discharged at the scene.”

An investigation into the circumstances of the collision is ongoing and witnesses are asked to call the police on 101, quoting incident 714 of March 16.

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A motorcyclist from Leek has died following a serious road traffic collision on the A53 Quarnford, near Buxton.

The incident took place on Sunday (October 29) and involved a Suzuki motorcycle and a VW Transporter Van.

The man, 49, who has not been named but was from the Leek area, was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital but later died.

Specialist officers from Staffordshire Police are supporting his family.

Officers from the Collision Investigation Unit are now asking for anyone who witnessed the accident to come forward and contact 101 quoting incident 517 of 29 October.

Photo sourced by Staffordshire Police

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Nine Staffordshire men have been arrested in connection with offences involving exploiting children online.

Warrants were issued as part of Staffordshire Police’s Operation Safenet, which aims to detect online abuse.

Two men from Stoke-on-Trent were arrested,  a 25-year-old on suspicion of possession of indecent images of children, and a 34-year-old on suspicion of making and distributing images of children.

A 54-year-old man from Leek was arrested on suspicion of possessing, making and distributing of images.

Two men from Newcastle-under-Lyme were arrested – a 34-year-old on suspicion of making and distributing images of children and a 25-year-old on suspicion of possession of indecent images of children.

Four other men were arrested in other areas of the county, including two in Codsall and two in Cannock.

All nine men have been bailed with conditions or been released from custody while investigations continue.

Det Sgt Jon Heathcote, of the force’s Child Exploitation Team, said: “I would like to send a clear message to those individuals within Staffordshire and the wider region, who are looking at indecent imagery of children on the internet or using the internet as a vehicle to sexually exploit children in any form; that you will be identified and brought to justice.”

Staffordshire Police are urging parents or carers of children who have access to the internet, to ensure they are aware of their child’s online activity.

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A man pleaded guilty to making £39,000 worth of cannabis at an “extensive, proficient and sophisticated” cannabis farm in Leek, a court heard.

Jonathan Howcroft, 52, of Glenfield Drive, Stockport, pleaded guilty and was given a two-year suspended sentence in Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Police searched a storage unit called Unit Two in Leek on April 8 where they found cannabis plants and growing equipment.

Jonathan Dickinson, prosecuting, told the court: “The storage unit had been sectioned off into rooms.

“In the grow room, they found 106 cannabis plants, 75 already harvested plants, six electric fans, 38 lights and sprinklers.

“In a room known as the nursery room, hidden behind wooden boards, 98 plants, 49 already harvested plants, five lights and one fan were found.

“In the drying room, a total of 311 grams of cannabis and seven plants were found in that area.

“A total of 211 plants growing and 124 plants already harvested were found in the storage unit.”

The cannabis had an estimated street value of £39,000.

An estimated £23,800 worth of cannabis from this unit is thought to already be on the street.

The electrical power-point for the unit had also been tampered with.

Howcroft had six previous fraud offences in 2005 but nothing drug related.

Mitigating, John Williams told the court: “He went bankrupt in 2015 and has been struggling since.

“He was asked to provide the premises and he stupidly agreed to as he was that desperate.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that others were involved in this.”

Howcroft was also given a six-month concurrent sentence for abstracting electricity and 120 hours unpaid work.

Sentencing Howcroft, Judge David Fletcher said: “This is a serious offence but I know it was not just you.

“You did this out of desperation financially, why else would a man of 52 with no previous drug related offences do something like this?”

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Foodbanks across Staffordshire are preparing for increased demand during the winter months.

Statistics revealed by Leek and District Foodbank show the amount of food they distributed increased by 58% during December last year.

This follows an increase of 92% from November to December 2015, when servings almost doubled from 84 to 162.

Liz Green, chair of trustees at Leek and District Foodbank, said: “We have around 55 referral agents, including places like schools and mental health teams, that deal with people and discern any needs for food that they may have.

“If a person is in desperate need of food they need to go to an agency who will issue a food voucher which they bring in to us, and we tend to get more people coming to us during the colder months.

“I think the reason foodbanks work is because when people give a tin of meat, or beans for example, they are giving something tangible.

“They can see that somebody, somewhere who needs that food is going to be receiving the gift that they have given.”

The Leek Foodbank is part of the Trussel Trust group that manages food banks across the country.

Mrs Green added: “Trussel trust are a national umbrella organisation, and all of the data including weights of food and the number of clients are recorded on a national database.”

Mark Ward, Interim Chief Executive at The Trussell Trust, said: “Our network is working hard to stop people going hungry but the simple truth is that even with the enormous generosity of our donors and volunteers, we’re concerned foodbanks could struggle to meet demand this winter if critical changes to benefit delivery aren’t made now.

“People cannot be left for weeks without any income, and when that income does come, it must keep pace with living costs – foodbanks cannot be relied upon to pick up the pieces.”

10,330 sets of three-day emergency food supplies were given out by Stoke-on-Trent food banks during 2016-17, 3,913 of which went to children.

Stoke-on-Trent residents donated 99 tonnes of food from 1st April to 2016 to 31st March 2017.

The Trussel Group have 14 banks locally in areas including Stoke, Hanley, Longton, Tunstall and Fenton.

Watch our video report at Leek Foodbank, below:

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A Grandma from Leek has been jailed for setting her room on fire at a Salvation Army Hostel using a lighter and aerosol.

Alison Sutherland, 49, from Furmston Place, Leek, blamed ‘voices in her head’ for the blaze in April last year, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court was told.

Mother-of-four Sutherland initially denied intent and “in a docile, confused state” said the fire was started accidentally.

Prosecuting, Rob Smith, told the court: “A thick cloud of smoke could be seen coming from Sutherland’s room.

“A resident tried to open the door after the fire alarm had started going off.

“Sutherland had tried to block the door with a cupboard and wardrobe.

“Upon entering the room, he managed to locate the source of the fire to her wardrobe and tried extinguishing it before the fire brigade were called.”

Mitigating, Paul Cliff, said: “Sutherland has been suffering from a form of psychotic disorder.

“She has been held in custody since August last year and has been paranoid, delusional and was not able to understand the case properly.

“After her recovery period during the months of October, November and December, she became lucid to her case in January 2018.

“She pleaded guilty shortly after and states she only ever wanted to hurt herself and not others, admitting voices in her head told her to start the fire.”

The court heard Sutherland had a troubled upbringing and suffered from substance abuse.

“She looks forward to any interventions that are opted to her to help her mental state and substance abuse,” added Mr Cliff.

Sutherland was also charged with possession of cannabis and failing to surrender to bail on May 22, 2017, after leaving Staffordshire until August, 2017.

She was jailed for two years for arson, with a one month concurrent sentence for failing to surrender to bail, a victim surcharge and a destruction order on the cannabis.

Jailing Sutherland, Judge Paul Glenn said: “You are a 49-year-old woman with four children, and a grandchild I know you are eager to see.

“Your last conviction was back in 1990 for something unrelated and after reading two psychological reports, they show no reason to suggest you suffer from pyromania.

“In a building of 60 rooms and over four floors, luckily no one was injured.

“I believe if you can stay off drugs you will stay out of trouble.”

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A Leek man has been jailed after unleashing “haymaker type punches” on two men during a night out in Leek town centre.

Daniel Scragg, 32, from Orchard Court, Leek, pleaded guilty to the two attacks which happened on October 24 2015.

The incident happened in the early hours, after Scragg saw a group of eight people talking to Mr Oliver, a street pastor, who had been handing out lollipops that evening.

Scragg thought that the group were being “disrespectful” towards the pastor when he ran out of lollipops, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard today (February 13).

He then punched one man from the group, Mr Carter, who fell to the ground and sustained minor cuts and scratches.

Scragg then attacked another member of the group, Mr Wilkes, an IT Support Developer, who suffered a fractured jaw.

Pastor Mr Oliver, described the attacks as “haymaker type punches that knocked them to the floor like a sack of potatoes.”

Prosecuting, Mr Antony Longworth, said: “Mr Oliver tried to reason with the defendant and said that the group were not working in a pack mentality.

“When Mr Wilkes scratches his temple, his eyelashes now feel like they are being pulled out.

“He no longer feels confident to go out socially, as he did before.”

Mitigating, Richard Davenport, said: “The defendant fully accepts what he has done.

“At the time of the incident everyone was drunk and he was on his own.

“If he goes into custody today, he is at great risk of losing his home.”

Scragg’s sentence was reduced by 10%, as he pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm on the first day of his trail.

He was handed a 4 month sentence and a 32 month sentence, which will run concurrently.

Jailing Scragg, Judge Fletcher, said: “Mr Wilkes went straight to the ground and lost consciousness immediately.

“You kicked him with serious force and he has had to have surgery for his injuries.

“He is still suffering from altered sensation in his mouth due to the attack.”

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Two men have been arrested after police found class A drugs and weapons in a vehicle in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Officers stopped a Vauxhall Insignia outside the Borough Arms Hotel in Newcastle at around 2pm yesterday (March 14).

They say a large amount of suspected crack cocaine, a gas-powered BB handgun and a lock knife were recovered in the search.

A 20-year-old man, from Leek, has been arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug with intent to supply, and possession of a section 1 firearm and a knife.

Another man, 35, of no fixed address, was arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs and alleged possession of a section 1 firearm.

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Andrew Keates, 26, is preparing for the fight of his life for the IBO Continental Welterweight title this weekend and with that comes endless opportunities.

The local boy from Leek has grown up in his granddad’s footsteps and now has the opportunity to showcase his talents on a national stage and beyond.

After winning his last fight against Ryan Fields and gaining the Midlands Welterweight Title, he now has the opportunity to prove himself on an even bigger stage and this is what he had to say on the upcoming fight: “It means a lot to me, as to get this belt opens up a lot of doors for me. It’s a massive fight for me and hopefully, I can go on to bigger better things after it and maybe defend the title on an even bigger stage.”

It wasn’t easy to get to this point, as last year was a long road for Keates as he had two defeats in 2017. However, he won the all-important last fight at the back end of the year, to set up this mouthwatering tie this weekend: “The last fight was brilliant for me, its opened up a lot of doors and put me back on the map for big titles and I’m super excited about the opportunities.”

With his last fight coming more than five months ago, he could be forgiven for feeling out of shape. However, he is feeling as good in preparations for the fight: “I feel great, training has gone well and everything has fallen into place really. I know it’s been a long time since I was back in the ring, but I’m feeling good I’ve kept up with training and been eating the right things.”

Keates credits his grandfather for leading him on this pathway and since then he hasn’t looked back, with eyes firmly fixed on the future: “I just the love the sport and I’m just following in the footsteps of what my grandfather did when he was younger. He was the one who told me to turn up at the gym one day and since that day I’ve never looked back.”

“I want to be boxing for a British title or if I win my current fight maybe a world title and that’s what I want out of boxing.”

The fight for the IBO Continental Welterweight Title, between Andy Keates and Craig Morris, is set to take place on Saturday 24th of March at the Genting Arena, Birmingham.

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The accident, which happened on Camrose Hill, near to the Top Road junction, Leek, involved a Massey Ferguson tractor and a Kawasaki motorbike.

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 4.30pm, where a 69-year-old motorcyclist was found dead.

The Stoke-on-Trent man suffered serious injuries and died at the scene

A 36-year-old man, from the North Staffordshire area, was driving the tractor, but was uninjured.

Officers from the Regional Collision Investigation Unit have launched an enquiry, to find out more about what happened.

The road, near Leek, was shut off for around four hours while officers carried out a detailed investigation.

Staffordshire Police have confirmed that the family of the deceased man are being supported by specially trained officers.

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A Knypersley man who died in an accident involving a motorbike and a tractor in Leek has been named by police today (April 9).

Robert Haden, 68, from the Knypersley area, died after his Kawasaki motorbike collided with a Massey Ferguson tractor on Camrose Hill, near to the Top Road junction, Leek, on Friday (April 6).

Officers arrived at the scene of the crash at around 4.30pm, where Robert was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries.

The 36-year-old man from the North Staffordshire area, who was driving the tractor, was uninjured.

Camrose Hill was closed for around four hours while police carried out a detailed investigation.

Staffordshire Police have confirmed that Robert’s family are receiving the appropriate care and support from specially trained officers, and have asked for their privacy to be respected during this time.

If you witnessed the collision or have any information that could help with the investigation, then please call Staffordshire Police on 101 quoting incident 520 of 6 April.

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Staffordshire Police have invested time and funds on devices which will help detect knives in over 70 venues across the Staffordshire area.

With funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), 80 devices have been purchased to detect knives being carried by people on nights out. 

The devices have now been handed out to venues wishing to participate in Burslem, Burton, Cannock, Hanley, Leek, Lichfield, Newcastle, Stafford, Stoke and Tamworth.  

Nightclubs at Keele and Staffordshire universities have also been provided with the new technology. 

Where a knife is detected from the knife wands on a person suspected of carrying a knife, door staff will contact local police patrols to then do a more in-depth search. 

Inspector Karen Cooke, head of the Staffordshire Police licensing unit, said: “We hope that with enough venues utilising this resource, it will reassure the public that Staffordshire is a safe place to visit. 

“We hope it well deter those who believe it is wise to carry a knife in public spaces.” 

Details of anyone detected of carrying a knife will be passed onto Partnership Against Business Crime in Staffordshire (PABCIS) for an exclusion order involving all venues to be considered. 

‘Society Bar’ in Leek will be one of the venues to use a knife wand to search customers as they enter.  

Managing director of the parent company Disco Bars Group, Pete Terry, said: “Our primary focus is to let our customers enjoy themselves in a safe and secure environment.  

“Any additional resources from the police to help us deter those who may cause trouble is always welcome and I hope it goes some way to reassure customers that our venues are a safe place to visit.” 

Follow Staffordshire Police on Twitter for any future updates on this issue.

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A Leek woman has been sentenced today (1st October) at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after she hid wraps of cocaine in her vest.

Collette Price, also known as Collette Ferns, 49, was given a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, for possessing and supplying cocaine and possession of criminal property.

Mr Peter McCartney, prosecuting, said Price’s home on Prince Charles Avenue, Leek, was searched by Police on the 8th December last year with a warrant, following intelligence gathering.

After examination, 23 wraps of cocaine, worth a street value of around £800, £925 in cash and electronic measuring scales were found in the residence.

Police also found drug-related messages on Price’s mobile phone, including one to a debtor where Price had written, ‘You’re lucky I didn’t hit you.’

Mr Jason Holt, defending, said Price “was selling cocaine to pay off a debt for her son, Gareth Ferns.

“She has stood by her son and always been there for him. She faced real threats and had windows put through.”

Sentencing her Judge David Fletcher, said: “This is classic street-dealing.

“[Price] was a very important cog in the wheel of supply, dealing misery to people daily.”

Chief Inspector Mark Thorley, of Staffordshire Moorlands Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We’re glad that Collette Price has now been sentenced.

“The message is clear: Whoever you are, if you deal drugs we will bring you before the courts.”

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A customised coat used by a Leek man to cheat new Ryanair baggage rules is being auctioned off for charity.

Jetsetter Lee Cimino, 30, was heading to Belfast for his birthday when the budget airline updated it’s baggage rules, which now means you have to pay for your carry-on cabin bag.

Lee was furious at the new rules, but discovered a loophole in the policy and came up with a crafty way of getting around the new baggage charge.

Whilst Ryanair now charges for the luxury of your cabin bag, the policy does not say anything about customised coats.

Lee found an old coat in the back of his wardrobe and headed down to Tunstall tailors Sew Wot?

He asked them if they would be able to modify the coat with compartments made of boxer shorts in order to fit a cabin bag’s worth of luggage into.

The coat contained space for shoes, clothes, a towel and toiletries, alongside a plastic bag for liquids to meet the airport security guidelines.

Despite literally wearing all of his clothes for the weekend, he didn’t look like Joey from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and said the jacket was actually comfortable. 

Lee said: “The coat fitted comfortably with all of the stuff in it and I even wore it around Belfast until we got to our accommodation.”

The video he posted online preparing for his birthday weekend went viral, and was seen by millions of people on social media.

“No one commented as I was getting on the plane, and going through airport security wasn’t hard either, I just took it off and put it in the tray.

“There was no scene created because we weren’t trying to make a scene, we just wanted to do it in a discreet manner to see if we could and to prove that you could get onto the plane still carrying what you needed.”

Now Lee is auctioning the famous custom coat off on eBay to raise money for University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) charity.

The charity supports the Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital in Stafford.

The internet sensation will now go on to help fund equipment, facilities and research at the hospitals.

The fee Lee paid to Sew Wot to create the coat has also been donated to charity.

The bidding on eBay has already surpassed £50, with still a week left to go.

Lee chose UHNM as his chosen charity after they helped him recover from ‘a near life-ending injury’.

He said: “I was hospitalised in a coma in July 2009 and have never yet raised awareness of their good work.

“I thought this was a good opportunity to raise some money and donate.”

View the video that went viral here:

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Leek’s annual Christmas lights switch on event is tonight, taking the historic market town into the festive spirit for mid-November.

Following Hanley’s lights switch on last night (Thursday 15^th November), Leek is the next place to follow suit. However, this year the event has been proclaimed to be bigger and better than ever.

Located in the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands, Leek is famous with tourists for its quaint architectures, many antique shops and ideal location close to the Peak District.

However, the people that live there love their hometown for its unbeatably strong community spirit.

Chairwoman and organiser of the event, Gail Lockett, also the Town and District Councillor, explains, “The parade starts at 6.30pm, which will be led by Leek’s very own Vindaloo guys, escorted by the Storm Troopers. These will be followed by the Billerettes, then by Santa and his elf.

Derby Street, in Leek Town Centre.

“The Leek Mayor, Councillor Roy Tomkinson, and the Mayoress will be on a lorry. Also, there will be Panto Dames, the Carnival Queens, children in costumes, and the Scouts Band.”

The parade will begin their journey from the Moorlands House at 6.30pm. The lights are expected to be switched on at 7pm.

The Leek Lights event will also be host to Diva Mix, who will sing onstage from 7.15pm. The usual fun-fair rides are to be located on the High Street car park, as they have been for previous years. The car park is situated behind the Green Dragon Wetherspoon’s chain pub and restaurant. The usual food, selling and charity stalls will be present, too, courtesy of Totally Locally Leek.

Chairwoman of the event, Gail Lockett, continues, “We have a large snow dome coming and, as it’s the start of the Christmas celebrations, we will have snow.

“As always, we are expecting thousands in the town with lots of fun for the children.”

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In recent years, the demand for ethical fashion has grown significantly and with eco-friendly fashion on the rise, Beth Povey spotted an opportunity and set up her Leek-based business, Realm Designs, in early 2016. The business is renowned locally for its quirky crochet and upcycled clothing and accessories.

An Ethical Vision 

Beth Povey, the founder, designer and creator of Realm Designs.

The fashion fanatic set up Realm Designs after looking into the effects that the fashion industry has on the environment. She said: “I was shocked at the amount that was wasted, thrown away and had a negative impact on the environment, during manufacture.

“This gave me a real passion to do my bit and change the way that I myself and other people think about the clothes we wear.

“I had always wanted to own my own shop. I used to work at Holly Crow, a handmade clothing shop in Leek, which really inspired me to start my own business.

“I went to college after sixth form and then onto university to study fashion, but I ended up leaving after a few months. I wanted to do my own thing and felted limited at university. 

“So I left in November 2016 and started plans to set up Realm Designs straight away. The website launched in February 2016.”

The 21-year-old kept to her sustainable vision.

“I always try to be as eco-friendly as I can in everything I do, so this was no different when starting a business.

“I try to use upcycled materials where possible, making a new product from something that may have been otherwise thrown away. I also keep any scrap bits of wool and fabric, I hate the thought of these tiny pieces ending up in the sea, and I will eventually make something new out of them.

“The fashion industry needs to change because too much waste and destruction is being caused by fast fashion. I hope to do my little part as a small business to change as much as I can.”

The Realm Designs stall at the Totally Locally Market in Leek, Staffordshire, featuring up-cycled t-shirts and crochet jewellery and accessories.

Keeping Up With Trends

Matilda Casswell modelling the new A/W Collection, which goes on sale Monday 26th November. © Back Alley Production

Fast forward almost three years and the new Realm Designs Autumn / Winter 2018 Collection will be released to the public next week.

The collection features a new rainbow cardigan which Beth has said is her personal favourite out of all the products she has ever made. 

The collection will be available on the Realm Designs website from Monday 26^th November 2018.

Kelly Hodkinson and Jade Tideswell from Back Alley Productions shot the campaign, they said: “For us, working with Realm was a totally new experience where we got to work with vibrant ideas and products that simply make our job easy! The products speak for themselves – it’s clear that Beth is incredibly passionate about her brand and its ethos, so it was a lot of fun working together to achieve the best and most creative shot.

“Beth not only takes care of each individually-made piece, but also follows the ethos of an eco-friendly and sustainable brand – which is just the icing on the cake!

“The collection is fascinating and truly unique, from amazing crochet outfits to the cutest earrings. There’s something for everyone.”

Matilda Casswell, also from Leek, modelled the Realm Designs’ products for the A/W Collection. She spoke fondly of the brand and its founder. She said: “Beth is great to work with. It is amazing to see somebody so passionate about what they do but also about improving the industry they work in.

“She ensures she is being kind to the planet in everything that she does, and in doing so she is being true to her brand and to herself. I can’t wait for Realm to continue to grow.”

Matilda Casswell modelling the Ream Designs cherry pompom earrings. © Back Alley Production

Learning The Craft

Matilda Casswell modelling the Ream Designs crochet floral earrings and matching bag in yellow and orange. © Back Alley Production

The Leek-based small business owner learned to crochet at college while doing an Art Foundation course.

“I fell in love with crochet straight away, buying books and looking at ideas online.

“I was encouraged to sew back when I was doing my GCSEs, in Art lessons. I also used to get clothes second-hand and alter them.”

Beth praises her mum for guiding her during times of uncertainty.

“Both are sort of self-taught with a little help from my mum when I needed her.”

Finding Inspiration

Matilda Casswell modelling Ream Design’s latest creations: the crochet head warmer and the matching crochet bralet. © Back Alley Production

When it comes to what’s trending in fashion, it is constantly changing. What worked last season may not work this season. Beth wants her pieces to remain timeless and adaptable throughout the year.

“I take a lot of inspiration from Seventies fashion and interiors. I love anything floral and colourful so all of these things inspire me in my work. The way I work also inspires my designs by trying to make no or little waste.

“As the seasons and fashion trends change, I try not to be too influenced by them, as I want my pieces to be something you love forever and wear all year round.”

Enjoying The Role

Beth Povey’s workspace for Realm Designs is in the corner of her bedroom.

Amazingly, the young designer runs her entire business from her bedroom! Beth has a corner in her room dedicated to Realm Designs, and tells us that she loves to work there, “I am very lucky that I have a lovely view from my workspace. It is my favourite place to be.

“When my workspace is tidy it really gets me in the mood to work, and I like to make lots of lists to keep me motivated.

“Most of my products go down really well. I only ever put out things I really love and would buy myself. There have been lots of things I have learned along the way but I really feel that my products now reflect me.

“My best-selling products are my rainbow earrings, daisy bra and daisy earrings. Luckily, they are also some of my favourite things to make!”

Remaining Forever Humble

The Realm Designs stall at the Totally Locally Market in Leek, Staffordshire, featuring handmade crochet earrings and winter beanie hats.

North Staffordshire’s market town of Leek is Beth’s humble home, and she regularly participates in the Totally Locally markets there.

Totally Locally Leek is a traditional and vibrant market town on the edge of the Peak District. It hosts a wealth of independent shops, cafes and pubs with regular weekly markets, as well as weekend speciality markets including the award winning Sunday Supplement, held on the first day of the month.

In the run up to Christmas, Beth will be running a stall at each of the markets, where she will be selling her hand-crafted Realm Designs products.

The dates for the markets are 2^nd December and the 16^th December 2018. More information about the markets can be found here.

Click the image to be directed to the Realm Designs website.

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Foodbanks across Staffordshire are preparing for increased demand during the winter months.

Statistics revealed by Leek and District Foodbank show the amount of food they distributed increased by 58% during December last year.

This follows an increase of 92% from November to December 2015, when servings almost doubled from 84 to 162.

Liz Green, chair of trustees at Leek and District Foodbank, said: “We have around 55 referral agents, including places like schools and mental health teams, that deal with people and discern any needs for food that they may have.

“If a person is in desperate need of food they need to go to an agency who will issue a food voucher which they bring in to us, and we tend to get more people coming to us during the colder months.

“I think the reason foodbanks work is because when people give a tin of meat, or beans for example, they are giving something tangible.

“They can see that somebody, somewhere who needs that food is going to be receiving the gift that they have given.”

The Leek Foodbank is part of the Trussel Trust group that manages food banks across the country.

Mrs Green added: “Trussel trust are a national umbrella organisation, and all of the data including weights of food and the number of clients are recorded on a national database.”

Mark Ward, Interim Chief Executive at The Trussell Trust, said: “Our network is working hard to stop people going hungry but the simple truth is that even with the enormous generosity of our donors and volunteers, we’re concerned foodbanks could struggle to meet demand this winter if critical changes to benefit delivery aren’t made now.

“People cannot be left for weeks without any income, and when that income does come, it must keep pace with living costs – foodbanks cannot be relied upon to pick up the pieces.”

10,330 sets of three-day emergency food supplies were given out by Stoke-on-Trent food banks during 2016-17, 3,913 of which went to children.

Stoke-on-Trent residents donated 99 tonnes of food from 1st April to 2016 to 31st March 2017.

The Trussel Group have 14 banks locally in areas including Stoke, Hanley, Longton, Tunstall and Fenton.

Watch our video report at Leek Foodbank, below:

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A Grandma from Leek has been jailed for setting her room on fire at a Salvation Army Hostel using a lighter and aerosol.

Alison Sutherland, 49, from Furmston Place, Leek, blamed ‘voices in her head’ for the blaze in April last year, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court was told.

Mother-of-four Sutherland initially denied intent and “in a docile, confused state” said the fire was started accidentally.

Prosecuting, Rob Smith, told the court: “A thick cloud of smoke could be seen coming from Sutherland’s room.

“A resident tried to open the door after the fire alarm had started going off.

“Sutherland had tried to block the door with a cupboard and wardrobe.

“Upon entering the room, he managed to locate the source of the fire to her wardrobe and tried extinguishing it before the fire brigade were called.”

Mitigating, Paul Cliff, said: “Sutherland has been suffering from a form of psychotic disorder.

“She has been held in custody since August last year and has been paranoid, delusional and was not able to understand the case properly.

“After her recovery period during the months of October, November and December, she became lucid to her case in January 2018.

“She pleaded guilty shortly after and states she only ever wanted to hurt herself and not others, admitting voices in her head told her to start the fire.”

The court heard Sutherland had a troubled upbringing and suffered from substance abuse.

“She looks forward to any interventions that are opted to her to help her mental state and substance abuse,” added Mr Cliff.

Sutherland was also charged with possession of cannabis and failing to surrender to bail on May 22, 2017, after leaving Staffordshire until August, 2017.

She was jailed for two years for arson, with a one month concurrent sentence for failing to surrender to bail, a victim surcharge and a destruction order on the cannabis.

Jailing Sutherland, Judge Paul Glenn said: “You are a 49-year-old woman with four children, and a grandchild I know you are eager to see.

“Your last conviction was back in 1990 for something unrelated and after reading two psychological reports, they show no reason to suggest you suffer from pyromania.

“In a building of 60 rooms and over four floors, luckily no one was injured.

“I believe if you can stay off drugs you will stay out of trouble.”

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