2012 Review: February

Following rumours about Royalist involvement in the assassination of city elder Derek Wiggy in January, Stoke erupted into civil war in February.

Royalist forces from the south of Stoke, who wanted Stoke to remain part of the UK, took control of the city after a surprise assault on the north. However, Republican pockets of resistance continued to fight. Only Fegg Hayes remained officially not under control of the UK government and Royalist forces, and swore allegiance to Stoke's Council of Elders.

Fegg Hayes's stance inspired other towns in Stoke to stand up to Royalist invaders. Swamp guerrilla fighters in Sneyd Green took back the town, as did mountain warriors in Packmoor. After winning a series of battles, Republican forces marched into Hanley and placed their flag around the shoulders of the statue of Sir Stanley Matthews, just outside of Poundland.

With the northern forces being short of funds, Royalists stopped benefit payments and set up a blockade to stop urgent supplies getting to the north of the city. These blockades were easily breached by people from the Staffordshire Moorlands however who brought much needed cigarettes and alcohol for the resistance fighters.

Bolstered by the entire ranks of the British Army, Navy and RAF, the Royalists slowly asserted control back over the city, and after more than two weeks of war, during which over half of Stoke's population was killed, Royalist forces under the command of Michael Gove eventually captured Fegg Hayes and Stoke fell back under UK control.