From high profile murders to prolific pickpockets, Stoke-on-Trent's criminal past is explored in a book set to be released next month.

Written by Dawn Bridge – who was born and raised in the Potteries - alongside her husband Adrian Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent Murders and Misdemeanours traces the criminal history of the city between 1850 and 1950.

The result of around a year of research and thousands of newspaper pages, the book recounts crimes ranging from murders investigated alongside Scotland Yard, to drunkenness offences – and everything in between.

For the couple, who now live in the south of Spain, telling the stories of the often overlooked 'little people' of history is an important motivator when writing.

Dawn said: "The people that we write about were real living people at that time.

"They had a life. And we try and give the reader just a tiny little glimpse of that person's life in the books that we write.

"Giving people a little glimpse into someone else's life, someone that did something in Stoke-on-Trent, for me personally is a privilege."

Adrian added: "We like to tell stories about the little men and women of history that often don't get a look in.

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"You can get plenty of history books that talk about the great men and women of history.

"But it's nice to know that in our own little way, we have given a very slight touch of immortality to people like Jack Twenty and Harry Hodgkin, and some of the victims of crime as well."

The authors explained that while book, which will be published by Amberley Publishing, they came across many stories that they found moving, as well as stories that made them smile.

One of the cases that Dawn found particularly moving was that of Annie Hand, a woman found not guilty of the murder of her husband – who was around forty years her senior - in 1947.

Despite an expert witness detailing the defensive wounds found on the husband, the jury did not find Annie guilty of murder or manslaughter after listening to neighbours and family gave accounts of the domestic violence he had inflicted towards her.

The book also explores some lower-level crimes in the city – including some that Dawn and Adrian found "quite amusing".

The "infamous" Harry Hodgkin, for example, was a pickpocket in Stoke-on-Trent before being sent to Canada.

Adrian said: "The Canadians quickly had enough of him because he actually helped in large-scale pickpocketing in Canada.

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"He was sent back to the UK and came back to Stoke-on-Trent. And what did Harry do? Well, he actually went back to being a career pickpocket."

The book also contains the story of the Edwardian John Tomkinson, who was known as Jack Twenty – a "legendary" career vagrant.

When he was arrested and put on trial, it was found that Jack, who lived in a canal-side shed, had over £100 in savings.

Dawn added: "We try to use genuine language of the time we're writing about and I think that combined with the stories the untold stories of some of the people we include is what makes our book a little bit different.

"These are people who have connections to the area maybe no one's heard of Annie Hand or Harry Hodgkin. We like to tell their stories."

Stoke-on-Trent Murders and Misdemeanours will be available to buy from 15 July and can be preordered from Amberley Publishing here.