Tributes have been paid to a "kind" and much-loved Wolverhampton butcher and veteran who has died aged 96.

Howden Joinery, which has depots across the West Midlands, saw both sales and profits dip last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A co-owner of a gym in the Black Country has welcomed an opening date of April to help avoid another lockdown as restrictions ease.

A 16-year-old boy has been stabbed in the stomach in broad daylight in Walsall.

See the latest figures for coronavirus cases and deaths in your area.

Police have arrested a ninth person in connection with the murder of a shooting victim in Dudley.

A killer from Stourbridge who stabbed a pensioner to death on a remote hilltop was soaking wet when he called at the door of a stranger to tell her that he had "committed a crime", a court has heard.

Two men from Wolverhampton and one from South Staffordshire have been arrested after police intercepted a van carrying £1.6 million of cocaine into Northern Ireland.

A devastated son has told of losing his mother and sister to Covid within a month of each other – as the family launched a hospital fundraiser in their memory.

Business leaders have called on the region's next Mayor to "champion the area’s unique strengths" as it bids to thrive after Covid.

A private testing site has opened in the Black Country to help meet a “surge” in demand – and to certify those preparing for the relaxation of rules as “fit to fly”.

Almost nine in 10 people in the Black Country have backed plans for an Oyster-style smart card system for public transport, according to a new poll.

A new £2 billion fund aimed at helping deprived areas bounce back after the pandemic must be prioritised in the Budget, MPs have said.

A Staffordshire cricket club is counting the cost of a burglary after raiders broke in through their roof and stole a ride-on mower.

Student William Gill may only have been legally allowed to drink, gamble and open a bank account in his own name in the last few months.

A musician is hoping to hit the right note with fans when he hosts a second Variety Show for Macmillan nurses.

Compton Care has benefitted from the fundraising exploits of a Gaelic football club.

A Dudley councillor has hit back over claims that he undermined confidence in the vaccine programme.

Tony North looks out the bedroom window of the house where he has lived for decades.

An annual hike to Britain's tallest mountain - in aid of charity and in memory of a Black Country peace campaigner - will go ahead this year, organisers have said.

Brexit issues are causing small to medium-sized (SME) manufacturers in the West Midlands significant disruption as they look to recover from the economic effects of Covid-19.

BBC presenter Jo Whiley, whose sister has learning disabilities, said she was ‘crying with joy’ at the news.

Automotive components group Gestamp saw both profits and sales reduce last year as it was hit by the coronavirus crisis.

A man has died after a crash between a car and a lorry in Lichfield today.

A pedestrian was seriously injured in a crash in Birmingham city centre today.

Residents in a Stafford area may soon have to pay to park outside their homes as part of a permit scheme proposed more than six years ago.

A Walsall man has been ordered to pay fines and costs of £359 after leaving a wine bottle on Cannock Chase.

Andy Street says he won't add to council tax bills for the next three years if he is re-elected as West Midlands Mayor.

A crossing for cyclists and pedestrians could be introduced on a busy road in Halesowen after years of campaigning.

Volunteers have been left devastated after the recent theft of vital lifesaving equipment from a Dudley church.

Beer duty should be cut in the Government's upcoming Budget to help pubs survive the impact of Covid-19, a Wolverhampton MP has said.

Schools should not be used as polling stations for the upcoming elections due to the disruption caused on students, a senior councillor has said.

Cameras have been installed in areas targeted by fly-tippers across Cannock Chase.

Derelict land in Bloxwich could be transformed into a development of more than a dozen homes, if plans are given the green light.

A further 19 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

A fly-tipper has been jailed for 13 months after he was caught on CCTV illegally dumping rubbish on three separate days.

Pokémon fans from across the world will be setting their sights on a Staffordshire auctioneer – as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of the trading cards.

A claim staff working in a Covid test centre are only given one face mask has sparked an angry row between Dudley’s Conservative and Labour parties.

An eyesore Walsall building that has been in a poor state for 20 years will finally be transformed into shops and a new restaurant.

A senior county councillor has said she is reassured that action is being taken in Stone to tackle crime.

Four men were taken to hospital after a triple stabbing in the Black Country.

CCTV footage has been released of two men who have been found guilty for their part in a shooting at a barber shop in Walsall.

Take-up of the vaccine in the West Midlands was today hailed as “incredible”.

From shops to salons, tourism attractions to airlines, companies big and small have been taking stock of Boris Johnson’s plan to guide the UK out of lockdown in the coming months.

A further 34 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire, along with 50 in care homes.

A £20 million pot to undertake the biggest transformation in a generation of the High Street in Stafford was unanimously backed by councillors.

A man has been left with a head injury after he was hurt in a hit and run following an argument in Willenhall, say police.

Virus infection rates are continuing to fall across our region, but remain far higher than the national average.

People who live in Sandwell are being invited to take a Covid-19 test if they are felling unwell – even if they are not displaying the three key symptoms of coronavirus.

A bid is set to be submitted for £16 million of government funding to extend rail services in the Black Country.

A father is taking on a 1,000-mile cycling challenge in memory of the mother of his young son and to raise money for charity.

A councillor is calling for a stretch of one of the county's busiest main roads to be resurfaced.

A redistribution supermarket will be creating 47 new jobs when it opens next month.

A schoolboy is preparing to take on a marathon challenge in aid of cancer patients – including his father.

A former magistrate celebrated her centenary in style at a care home with a card from the Queen and a special cake.

A Wolverhampton volunteer has raised more than £4,000 for a local charity – by growing her hair.

A man was injured in a crash between a lorry and a car on the M6.

A man has been charged in relation to attacks on pensioners in Birmingham in January and February.

A petition calling for a boycott of India at Birmingham 2022 over its human rights record finally received a response – one year after it was first submitted.

Two aspirational homes with a “sense of grandeur” could be built in a huge garden of a listed Walsall property.

Covid rule breakers in Walsall are being warned to stop ignoring regulations to ensure the roadmap out of lockdown can be a success.

Introducing vaccine passports to gain entry to pubs and sports events will speed up the reopening of Britain's economy, an MP has said.

A Stourbridge man stabbed a pensioner in a random attack "just for the sake of killing somebody" as they crossed paths at a remote beauty spot, a jury has heard.

A collection of instruments to make musicians’ hearts sing is coming up for auction in Lichfield.

The owner of a Walsall butcher's has pleaded guilty to cheating customers with short weight sales from his shop.

A prestigious art exhibition which tours the UK is set to arrive in Wolverhampton next year after it was delayed due to Covid-19.

A homeless man has been jailed after killing another rough sleeper whom he kicked, causing serious brain injuries when his head hit the ground.

A video captures the moment two West Midlands drug dealers opened their front door - only to find armed officers pointing guns at them during a raid.

A rare 18th century button made to commemorate George III's recovery from illness is going under the hammer at a Midlands auction house after being dug up in Shropshire.

Deaths during the current wave of the virus peaked on January 19.

A Shropshire man who severed his left hand in an industrial accident has thanked the NHS staff who save it and successfully re-attached it to his forearm.

A 42-year-old man accused of murder has denied shaking his baby daughter before she died.

A man has died following a crash between a van and a car near Lichfield.

Facebook has told an 81-year-old Shropshire widow that there's snout wrong with her piggy posts – after she says she was threatened with being banned for "hate speech."

Discount retailer Poundland has announced that it will begin re-awakening its hibernating stores from 8am this Friday, .

Residents were evacuated after a military device was found at a South Staffordshire allotment.

An historic Walsall pub is set to get a new covered courtyard for customers after plans for a refurbishment were given the go-ahead.

A proposed Sandwell Council tax rise of 2.99 per cent has been criticised as too high by a Labour councillor while services are cut back due to Covid.

A resource centre for children with special educational and emotional needs is to be built at a Wolverhampton primary school.

Staffordshire County Council has pledged to work with communities to site roadside memorials safely – after its policies were questioned by a community leader.

More than 50 Easter eggs will be handed out to families after councillors and a supermarket joined forces.

A new nature reserve is set to be created as part of an extension to a Staffordshire village's open space – but residents living nearby have said existing parking problems need to be resolved first.

Film buffs are being sought to solve an intriguing puzzle involving an old cinema programme.

The chief executive of pubs group Marston’s says the severity of lockdown means “sadly it’s inevitable” that some pubs will not be able to reopen.

Headteachers have said any return of pupils to school must be done with a “measured and cautious approach”.

A murder suspect carried out on CPR on his wife after finding her lying unresponsive at home in what he labelled a "crime scene", a trial heard.