For three years Lotus Sanctuary has been offering a lifeline to vulnerable women and the opportunity for a more positive future

A teenager who died after being stabbed in Great Barr has been named as Jack Barry.

The chief executive of Wolverhampton pubs company Marston's is stepping down on September 30 after 20 years in the post.

The death of George Floyd had a huge personal impact on Sir David Thompson, the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police.

The Black Country’s Doreen Tipton has released her first single – all about the lockdown.

Stopping young people falling into the clutches of gangs as the region emerges from lockdown will be top priority for police, says Sir David Thompson.

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has appointed the youngest chief executive in its 208-year history.

No further cases of the South African Covid-19 variant have been found in mass testing, but residents are still being warned to follow the rules.

A Smethwick man has denied having a toxic relationship with his wife, who he is accused of murdering, a trial heard.

Online workshops to dispel myths about the coronavirus vaccination are being organised to encourage more people from minority groups to get the jab.

Children at a village primary school are celebrating their return to the classroom this week with some special spring activities.

A father from the West Midlands is set to take on a fundraising challenge to give back to those who helped care for his son.

A multi-million pound project to build a community centre is taking shape.

Young people and staff at a respite centre have begun a challenge to complete 500,000 steps for charity during March.

Ladder for the Black Country is again supporting Black Country Skills Factory to host another virtual World of Work week covering the construction sector.

A student has completed an impressive challenge on the bike in aid of a charity close to his heart.

Bosses running hospitals in Staffordshire have revealed that while a programme to vaccinate staff against Covid is “running extremely well” they do not know precisely how many workers have received the jab.

A plan is to be developed by Black Country Consortium to plant trees across the area thanks to a £183,000 cash boost from the Woodland Trust.

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

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was seen acting suspiciously in Kidderminster.

The Antiques Roadshow team are preparing to film at Birmingham's Aston Hall for the first time this year as part of the 44th series of the much-loved show.

Police are searching for a missing woman from Nottinghamshire who has links to Bridgnorth.

Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to speak to following a shoplifting incident at a store in South Staffordshire.

Jury deliberations in the trial of man accused of murdering a 31-year-old man outside a Black Country shopping centre have started today.

A large Covid vaccination centre will open in the former TJ Hughes shop in Walsall on Monday.

A further 14 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

The rate of positive Covid cases in Walsall continues to drop but residents are still being warned to follow the rules as lockdown restrictions are eased.

A crumbling shop and house in Walsall that have stood empty for years will be converted into new flats after plans were given the go-ahead.

The photographer who captured the image of an otter swimming in a Wolverhampton canal recently had only been taking pictures for two weeks beforehand, he has revealed.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) has taken hundreds of calls from Scotland during the pandemic to help over-stretched services north of the border.

A supermarket’s plans to tackle a Stone town centre bottleneck have been given the green light by Stafford Borough Council.

New family homes could be built on a derelict Walsall car park that has become a magnet for fly-tipping.

“As a public health professional, this is something we train for but wish never happens.”

A former Stone tattoo parlour that has been vacant for almost three years could be converted into a shop selling baby clothes.

A fitness tycoon hailed the West Midlands "the region of opportunity" at an event to mark careers week.

More police officers could be equipped with airport-style hand-held metal-detecting scanners in a bid to make stop and search "less invasive".

Two Staffordshire councils could share one chief executive for 12 months following the departure of one authority’s managing director.

Covid is set to stay for years to come according to a Staffordshire health boss – and some measures will need to remain in place to control its spread.

The Mayor of Dudley opened a new food store today which has created 47 new jobs in the borough.

"Help save the Rose, you know it makes sense" - that's the message from actor John Challis, patron of the popular theatre in Kidderminster.

It took more than 400 workers just two weeks to build from scratch, cost around £66 million and took up 70,000 sq metres.

A badger needed a helping hand after getting stuck inside a piece of machinery on a construction site in Dudley.

A warning has been issued after criminals have posed as police officers in an attempt to defraud people living in the Wyre Forest area.

Worries have been raised over the future of thousands of steel worker jobs, including many in the Black Country, after Liberty Steel’s main lender filed for administration.

A teenager has been charged with conspiring to murder a man shot dead in Dudley.

Vulnerable and needy families will be able to enjoy a tasty treat this Easter thanks to the kindness of a shop manager.

A new music venue is set to open in the region and is set to provide an employment boost by creating 50 jobs.

Hospital admissions for coronavirus are down by a quarter in a week across the West Midlands.

A driver jailed over a fatal three-car collision in which his passenger died has had his sentence increased after a hearing at the Court of Appeal.

Brick manufacturer Ibstock swung to a loss in 2020, but it is seeing an improvement in its performance so far in 2021.

A motorcyclist has been critically injured in a crash in the West Midlands.

An increased number of social workers in Wolverhampton say their case loads are not manageable and that staff stress levels are higher, a survey of the council’s workforce has revealed.

A kind-hearted schoolgirl is making hundreds of Easter goodie bags to give to Black Country Women's Aid.

Infrastructure company Hill & Smith expects to see a good recovery in 2021 after annual profit fell owing to the pandemic impact.

Construction materials group Breedon saw profits fall by about 50 per cent following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The RSPCA has issued an appeal after a Eurasian eagle owl was found dumped in a box at a roadside.

Thousands of people in the Black Country and Staffordshire have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine – but new figures also show areas in the region with the lowest coverage.

“Mr Watson, come here, I want to see you.”

The West Midlands Mayor says investment and major projects will help a city overcome its "economic challenges" and thrive after the pandemic.

A collaboration of small grassroots organisations are taking a different approach to the free school meals debate by launching a campaign to feed the whole family for less than £45 per week.

A couple who first met during a milk round in the 1950s have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

It's census time. This month every household in England and Wales will be asked to take part in the nation's biggest survey to help government plan for future needs.

Sandwell Council has issued a warning to residents of Tipton Green, where Covid infection rates are twice as high as the average rate in the borough.

A man accused of murdering his wife bought her a wedding dress the day before her death, a trial heard.

A man has been arrested after a driver fleeing police crashed into another car in Tipton.

A nineteen-year-old told a jury he was wearing gloves on the day of an alleged murder because he was worried about Covid.

Floral tributes have been left at the scene where a man died after a stabbing in Great Barr.

People aged 55 and over are now being invited to get their life-saving Covid-19 vaccine.

A further 26 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

A man was assessed for smoke inhalation after a hob fire today.

A brick was thrown through the window of a home in an attempted robbery in Rowley Regis.

An exciting tie-up between two businesses in the Black Country and Shropshire is delivering a ‘galvanizing’ world first.

A new law that could see travellers jailed for setting up illegal camps has been backed by a Wolverhampton MP.

Logistics business Pallet-Track has launched a national #HoorayforHauliers campaign to celebrate the role of the key worker drivers who have kept Britain moving throughout the pandemic.

A remote controlled car battery exploded while charging causing a fire at a house in the Black Country.

Since the 1940s, women have been playing an increasingly larger role in the world of business.

Anglers are being urged to have their say on proposed byelaws which could be introduced to protect salmon and sea trout stocks in rivers across the region and beyond.

Eccleshall, near Stafford, is known in normal times for the spirited atmosphere of its vibrant town centre brought to life by its pubs, bars and other hospitality businesses.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. I would love to give her a huge hug but I can’t and we can’t sit too close either, but to hold her hand is fantastic – I think I’ve been squeezing a bit too hard.”