15 Problems Only People From Stoke-On-Trent Will Understand
7. "The Roaches" Have Nothing To Do With Cockroaches Or Joints
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xjcq0iOGGY Let's clear up another misunderstanding: The "Roaches" referred to by Stokies are an unfortunately named area of the nearby Peak District and NOT cockroaches or the remains of a joint. This area of rocky beauty lies only 12 miles from Stoke's train station, making it a favourite weekend destination for hikers. Most famously, the Roaches contain the outcropping with the Winking Man (there's a hole in the face-shaped rock that seems to wink as people drive past). Oh, and a recent sighting confirms that wallabies still roam wild there. No, seriously, there are wild wallabies. They escaped from a private zoo during the second world war and bred successfully out of captivity.
Mike has lived in the UK, Japan and the USA. Currently, he is based in Iowa with his wife and 2 young children. After working for many years as a writer and editor for a large corporation, he is now a freelancer. He has been fortunate enough to contribute to many books on Doctor Who over the last 20 years and is now concentrating on original sci-fi & fantasy short stories, with recent sales including Flame Tree, Uffda, and The Martian Wave. Also, look for his contribution on Blake's 7 to "You and Who Else", a charity anthology to be released later this year.
You can find him on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/culttvmike