大象传媒

"If I'm not there, start without me!"

Today the show comes live from Burslem for the funeral service of one of North Staffordshire's most popular sons, Sam Plank. The local radio legend, whose broadcasting career spanned three decades including 17 years at 大象传媒 Radio Stoke, lost his battle with cancer earlier this month.

After leaving the 大象传媒 in 2001, he joined Signal 2, along with second wife Verity Hilton, who worked with Sam for most of his radio career. He later worked at digital station Focal Radio, based in Burslem, and Moorlands FM, a not-for-profit station based in Leek, where he presented his last show in December 2010.

As well as receiving numerous awards for his radio work, he was given the Freedom of the City of Stoke-on-Trent and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities.

Sam leaves behind his wife Verity, 44, children Andrew, Mark, Thomas, Sophie and Josh and grandchildren Ben and Aimee.

He will be sadly missed.