Vale Announce New Club Badge

Local Endsleigh League team Port Vale FC have unveiled a new club badge ahead of the forthcoming football season.

Featuring symbols representing the club and its hometown of Burslem, the crest was designed by noted local artist Colin Muntford, best known for his statues of giant pigeons that adorn the streets and rooftops of Tunstall.

"This is the commission of a lifetime," Muntford told cheering Vale fans from the centre circle of Vale Park ahead of a pre-season friendly against Real Madrid. "I've got Vale in my blood, heart and gametes! Up the Scamps!"

The new badge will feature on the new Vale strip to be announced soon, as well as all official merchandise and letterheads.

City Council Approves Name Changes

Stoke City Council has approved a bunch of name changes for many roads and places in the city.

Sir Jimmy Savile Road, in Boothen, will be renamed Angry Pulis Avenue, and Jimmy Savile Street in Tunstall will now be known as Ted Hankey Street. The Sir Jimmy Savile Memorial Garden in Etruria will keep its name until a suitable local celebrity dies.

Stuart Hall Street in Burslem is to be known as Wayne Biggins Street, and Max Clifford View in Trentham is to be renamed as Peter Crouch End. Dr Fox Road in Bentilee has temporarily been renamed Foxy Bingo Road pending the outcome of police enquiries. Rolf Harris Road in Shelton is now Brian Blessed Road.

The city council has confirmed that it has no plans though to change the names of Cliff Richard Road, Sir Cliff Street, Sir Cliff Richard Avenue, Bachelor Boy Botanical Gardens, Devil Woman Street, Living Doll Road or Sir Cliff Cliff. "Innocent until proven guilty," council spokesman Jinky Watkins explains. "And we all know Sir Cliff didn't do it. We can rest easy on this one."

Late Contender For Stoke's 2013 Man Of The Year

David Sherratt of Tunstall has made a late bid to be Stoke's man of the year for 2013, an award thought to be a formality for Jonathan Wilkes, after the completion of his court case earlier today for outraging public decency and causing harassment, alarm and distress.

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Man-walks-bar-naked-waist-carrying-ag-sex-toys/story-20492423-detail/story.html

Mr Sherratt entered a pub in Tunstall on 16 November last year, wearing nothing below the waist and carrying a bag of sex toys. He then told other customers: "If you don't like it, you can take it outside."

The charge of outraging public decency was dropped, but Mr Sherratt admitted the others and was handed a 12 month community order.

More Stoke Facts

More than 25,000 people live in each square mile of Stoke.

Tunstall's Chinatown has the largest Chinese community in the Western world.

In 2011, Stoke had 150 million visitors. Most of them were people driving along the M6.

Stoke was purchased from native Americans for £24.

A typical Native American

Stoke is known as the "Venice of England" for its canal system. The canals are the Trent & Mersey Canal and Cauldon Canal.

Stoke is home to 58 different species of nettles.

South Longton is 75% landfill.

In Profile: Pottermus

Pottermus is one of the biggest characters in Stoke. Better known today as Stoke City's mascot, he has had a long and interesting life. Join me now as I take a look back at the life of this local legend. JOIN ME!

Born in Tunstall in 1967 as Pottermus Percival Burgess to parents Ted and Sharon, Pottermus had a tough upbringing on Tunstall's mean streets. "It was kill or be killed," Pottermus says about those early days.

Joining a gang aged 8, Pottermus was soon involved in a life of crime and drugs, to the detriment of his school work and family life. "The gangs had kids dealing drugs 'cus the Police never suspected they were involved," says Pottermus. "It was good shit back then too. None of this crap nowadays that's cut up with god-knows-what. You bought 'charlie' from me and it was proper 'charlie' you got."

It wasn't long before Pottermus was using himself. "I started off on weed, then mushrooms, LSD. Not long after I was doing coke then I moved onto the real bad stuff."

When parents Ted and Sharon found out what was going on, they used their life savings to send Pottermus to rehab. "I was in a pretty bad state," Pottermus says. "It was in rehab I first started dabbling with religion too. That really helped me get clean."

Having got clean, Pottermus needed direction in his life. Fortunately, an old friend offered him help. "Me mate Dave back from the gang days had just bought 'The Place' in Hanley and he needed someone to manage it. I didn't know if I could do it but I relished the challenge!" It was also through this job that he first met future wife Pottermiss.

Pottermiss and Pottermus

"Life was great for a while," says Pottermus. "I had a good job, I was dating Pottermiss and had plenty of money." But it wasn't long before the temptations of drugs came knocking at his door. "Working in the high class nightclub business as I was at 'The Place', drugs were everywhere. The temptation got too much and I was soon getting high again."

It was during this period that Pottermus really hit rock bottom. He was arrested for domestic abuse after beating Pottermiss, just weeks after they were married. "I'd been on a 2 day coke binge," remebers Pottermus. "She started nagging at me so I gave her a good thrashing."

Because of this Pottermus's marriage broke down and he lost his job at 'The Place' and struggled for money to feed his habit. "You don't get enough on the dole to buy the crack I was doing," he says. "I had no choice but to go on the rob."

Pottermus was soon arrested for breaking and entering - at Pottermiss's house! "That was the real low point," he says. "Being busted for robbing your ex-wife ain't good in anyone's book."

It was in prison that Pottermus first got involved in Scientology. "That lot really helped me, and I've been clean ever since. It's not a mental cult. Anyone who says it is is the mental one."

After getting clean, Pottermus was offered a chance of redemption. "Stoke City approached me about becoming their mascot," he says. "The last mascot, 'Pete Herb', had gone down for fiddling some kiddies. I didn't know whether to do it or not as I'm a Vale fan, but the money was too good to turn down."

Eventually, Pottermus grew into the role, something he still does to this day. A bigger surprise was still to come though: Pottermiss was later employed by Stoke City to join him as mascot! "It was awkward as first having to work with my ex-wife, whom I'd beaten and robbed, but the chemistry was still there and we work together well!"

And what about the future? "Who knows," laughs Pottermus. "I'm happy where I am right now. And I'm also available for parties and bar mitzvahs!"

In Focus: The "Seven Towns"

Thanks to the staff at the Stoke Paranormal Sociey, here is the story of the "seven towns" that joined together to form Stoke-on-Trent in 1910.

Burslem

*Burslem is located in the north west of the city.

*The name comes from the German verb 'boslen', which means 'to sweat'.

*Burslem was originally called Boslem, and still is by some locals.

*Burslem is the largest town in Stoke, but not the best.

*Burslem is the home town of 15 time darts world champion "Fingers" Phil Taylor.

*Burslem is a paragon of multiculturalism, with a considerable Asian population living side-by-side with BNP supporters.

*Burslem's School of Art is renowned throughout Britain.

*Vauxhall Conference association football team Port Vale are based in Burslem. Founded in 1876 as "Boslem Scamps FC", the team changed its name in 1974 during Stoke's bid for independence from the UK. They are still nicknamed "The Scamps" to this day.

*Burslem is home to Lake Burslem, world famous for its resident monster called "Bursie".

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Fegg Hayes

*Fegg Hayes is located in the north of Stoke, next to the Knypersley mountain range.
*The name Fegg Hayes comes from the greek 'Fides Hades', meaning 'Faith in Hades'. Hades is the Greek god of the underworld.
*Fegg Hayes is the home of the world famous Fegg Hayes Yeti.

*Fegg Hayes looks different from much of Stoke because of its unique history. From 1386 to 1797, Fegg Hayes was ruled by Viennese nobility. As such, much of Fegg Hayes reflects the era when it was part of the Republic of Vienna, its streets full of romanesque and baroque architecture.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Fenton

*Fenton is located just south of the city centre (Hanley and Stoke-upon-Trent).

*Fenton, from the Chinese 'feng tun', means 'bitch slap'.

*Fenton has been called "the place Longton wishes it was".

*During WWI, Fenton declared itself a tax haven hoping to attract rich war-evaders.

*Fenton is named after former footballer Graham Fenton who once had a successful loan spell with Stoke City FC.

*Fenton is home to Fenton Magistrates Court. Local judges are notoriously strict, often handing out sentences such as "hard labour", chain gangs and 100+ year prison terms.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Hanley

*Hanley is located bang in the middle of Stoke and is perhaps better known as Stoke's city centre.
*Hanley comes from the latin 'han lay', which means 'hen party'.

*Coal mining was important in Hanley until Margaret Thatcher closed down all the mines in the 1980s, calling them an "eyesore" on the beautiful Stoke landscape.

*Hanley is home to Stoke's biggest building, the Potteries Shopping Centre. It contains many of this Britain's biggest high street names including Sock Shop and Tie Rack!

*Hanley is also home to one of Stoke's biggest cathedrals, Hanley Cathedral, which is built on the site of an ancient stargate. It is currently being refurbished after being partly destroyed by a fire caused by a faulty lava lamp.

*Hanley has different districts, known as quarters. There is the commercial quarter, the cultural quarter, the French quarter, the red light quarter and the thieves' quarter.
*Central Forest Park (aka: Needle Park) is located in Hanley. That's where you're most likely to find Bigfoot in Stoke! Or a drug dealer.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Longton

*Longton is located in the south of Stoke.

*The name Longton comes from the Chinese 'long tun', meaning 'arse slap'.

*Longton is affectionately referred to as the "arse end of Stoke".

*Longton is home to a wide range of shops such as Tesco Extra, Sainsbury’s and Lidl.
*Portugal is Longton's oldest ally. The Longton-Portugal Treaty signed in 1373 is still in force.
*Vicious gang warfare between gangs from south Longton (southside) and north Longton(westside) have raged on the mean streets of Longton for years.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Stoke-upon-Trent

*Stoke-upon-Trent is located in the centre of Stoke-on-Trent! Confused? You will be!
*Stoke derives from the Latin word 'stoc', meaning 'barn fight'.
*Many locals want the town renamed to avoid confusion between Stoke-upon-Trent and Stoke-on-Trent. "Old Stoke", "Ye Olde Stoc" and "Barn Fight-upon-Trent" are popular choices for new names amongst residents.
*Stoke-upon-Trent is home to the Council of Elders, Stoke City Council and Staffordshire University.
*Stoke-upon-Trent was officially at war with Russia for 110 years. At the outbreak of the Crimean War, Britain declared war on Russia in the name of Britain, Ireland, Stoke-upon-Trent and all British Dominions. But when the war ended in 1856, the Paris Peace Treaty omitted Stoke. So Stoke was technically at war with Russia until 1966 when a Soviet official, made aware of the situation, visited the town to declare peace!

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Tunstall

*Tunstall is located in Stoke's north-west, above Burslem.
*Tunstall comes from the Chinese 'tun sall', meaning 'slap my thigh'.
*Tunstall is home to Stoke's Chinatown area. The first Chinese settlers arrived here in 1065.

*Historians have discovered that locals were using iron ore found in the area to manufacture weapons from as early as the 13^th century.
*Britain's first holiday camp was Tunstall's Fascist Family Camp which opened in 1905. Alcohol was strictly banned (though opiates were allowed) and any holiday maker caught talking after 10pm was spanked.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Stoke's Grit Teams Work Hard To Fight Big Freeze

More than 1,000 grammes of salt has been scattered on Stoke's main routes to help keep traffic moving. But pavements and some side roads remained untreated yesterday as cars slid into each other and pedestrians took painful tumbles on treacherous surfaces, much to the amusement of onlookers.

Earlier plans to pour hot water onto the ice have been abandoned after it was discovered that the water would later freeze again and make matters worse.

Conditions meant one gritting lorry became stuck in the McDonald's Drive-Through at Festival Park, and help was needed by nearby boy racers to free it. And the driver of another truck, off work on sick leave, told his bosses that in 16 years of doing the job he had never seen conditions like it and was glad he was not at work during the bad weather.

Firefighters had to cut free an injured woman from her mobility scooter which had skidded on black ice and hit a row of prostitutes in Cobridge.

Cob Crooks, head of leisure pusuits and board games at the city council, defended leaving some pavements untreated despite hundreds turning up at A&E after suffering falls. "I had crews out from 10am until 11am yesterday. We had two drivers on call during that time, both of whom offered to give up their lunch break during that hour, in exchange for double pay."

In Hanley East, Ray Muncher, BNP councillor for dry cleaning services, said: "Roads that council elders and councillors live on were given priority to be salted regularly. Any salt left over may be used on roads near to busy pubs or schools. The gritting crews have done us proud. City council elders were able to attend a hog roast last night without problems."

The conditions have led to renewed calls for the city council to take more action. Housewife Kaz Jinky, a 18-year-old mother-of-four from Tunstall, watched as a man dived out of his van as it slid out of control. "The white van had lost control and was coming down sideways and the driver jumped out of the door and fell into dog poo. It was funny, but I've still made several telephone calls to the council anyways to pour more hot water on the pavements and roads, but they haven't done anything about it."

Timmy Cockburn, who runs Cockburn Crazy Paving, decided to give the council a helping hand by standing on a street corner and shouting at people. "The roads were treacherous and we saw quite a few people falling over. It was so funny I almost shat myself."