The number of specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence experts will be more than doubled in the West Midlands, a police chief has said.

Extra flights from Birmingham Airport have been announced by Jet2.com after the Balearic Islands, Madeira and Malta were put onto the Government's green list.

Residents and councillors have won the battle to stop a 'monster mast' being erected in Sutton Coldfield.

A new 25-metre pool is to be built inside a former retail unit in Lichfield – in a bid to get residents back into swimming after the Covid pandemic.

Industry figures warn the addition of 14 new destinations to the Government’s green list will not be enough to salvage the summer.

A justice campaigner who organised a street protest following the death of Dalian Atkinson has called for the police officer fund guilty of his manslaughter to be given a severe sentence.

A town centre shopping centre will be the venue for the first national collection by an armed forces charity in more than a year.

A woman has enjoyed a special celebration to mark her 100th birthday with family, fellow residents and staff at the care home she lives at in Bearwood.

A 72-hour push to vaccinate thousands of people across the region has today been launched as cases of the Delta variant surge.

A successful vaccine drive in the West Midlands is pivotal to the whole country's Covid recovery, a leading health chief has said.

A van driver has been jailed for 18 months after causing the death of an 85-year-old cyclist through careless driving while over the prescribed limit for drugs.

A mother who lost her son, brother and father in the Tunisia terrorist attack in 2015 is to jump out of a plane with her surviving son to honour their memories and mark the sixth anniversary of the tragedy.

A "beautiful" green field in part of a city is under threat after it emerged it has been lined up for a new housing estate.

Plans have been revealed to extend a landmark Black Country building for further homes.

A union has secured an inflation-beating pay deal for its members at Jaguar Land Rover.

Schools in a Black Country borough are celebrating LGBT+ equality as part of a national campaign to raise awareness of diversity.

Nearly three quarters of Star readers are against a move to make British schoolchildren sing a patriotic anthem.

All aboard. We've been dipping into our archives to dig out some aspects of local transport history – and find to our surprise that our own offices were once an epicentre for relaxing Wolverhampton transport staff.

A Black Country secondary school has been awarded for its response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Visiting a Midland hospital is about to become less of a daunting experience for children and patients with learning disabilities.

The Government is considering plans to end the requirement for people arriving in England from amber list countries to quarantine at home for 10 days.

A Wolverhampton city centre venue where hundreds of cannabis plants were discovered has been stripped of its premises licence.

A driver is on the run after a 21-year-old man died and four others were injured in a crash in the Black Country.

The scaled down ceremony is the second royal investiture since the first national lockdown and is also the second to be held at the palace.

A further two arrests have been made as police continue to investigate the murder of teenager Kimani Martin – who was shot and killed in a taxi in Tividale.

A Stourbridge man has been charged with wounding and dangerous driving after a car was allegedly driven at a group of people outside a pub.

TV and radio personality Richie Anderson has become an official ambassador for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

School leaders have warned that the latest clarification comes ‘too late’ for many schools.

A jury has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict on West Mercia Pc Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith, accused of assaulting former Aston Villa footballer Dalian Atkinson.

A father and son trading duo from Wolverhampton have been sentenced for continuing to sell illicit cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco – despite a previous warning from the local authority.

No new coronavirus deaths have been announced at the region's hospitals, in the latest figures released by NHS England.

West Mercia Police Pc Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith denies assaulting the former footballer

A police officer's actions which caused the death of ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson have damaged trust in the force, said the Assistant Chief Constable of West Mercia Police.

Police are appealing for help in tracing a missing Stafford woman.

A Black Country tenant was put at risk from a ceiling that partially collapsed and was left unable to use her shower after her landlords failed to adequately repair a leak, a court has heard.

Police are appealing for information after a motorhome was stolen from a property in South Staffordshire.

A man indecently exposed himself in front of a 12-year-old boy fishing in a Dudley canal.

The total number of live births in England and Wales in 2020 fell for the fifth successive year in a row.

Its nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to keep rates unchanged.

People are encouraged to ensure they do everything they can to minimise outbreaks by following Government guidelines.

Researchers say tiredness and muscle aches are among common symptoms.

Experts have warned that some measures, such as the use of face masks, could be required in order to manage levels of coronavirus in the community.

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering teenager Kimani Martin – who was shot and killed as he sat in a taxi in the Tividale area.

An MP is set to meet with Lloyds Bank bosses after slamming a decision to close of a Black Country branch.

Budget supermarket giant Lidl is looking to open new stores in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Wyre Forest, as it expands across the region.

Bin crews in Sandwell are going on strike amid allegations of bullying - with fears residents will be impacted by the industrial action.

Two men have been rushed to hospital with serious stab injuries and five people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after an incident in the Black Country.

An exercise tutor working to keep elderly and less able people active has been recognised for reaching a 20-year milestone.

Everyone approaches apprenticeships differently, particularly if they have different skills and learning needs they want to develop.

It is a patriotic campaign that appears to have been started with the very best of intentions.

Restrictions will stop short of the total ban which was proposed last year, part of Boris Johnson’s efforts to tackle obesity.

A man found dead at his Walsall home died from multiple stab wounds to his back and neck, an inquest has heard.

Dave Smith said he celebrated the news he was Covid negative with a bottle of champagne.

A row has broken out in Sutton Coldfield after plans to subsidise car parking were vetoed.

A 29-year-old man has been charged with possessing and sharing extremist material online.

Malta and the Balearic Islands are among a ‘handful’ of places being considered for quarantine-free trips, it has been reported.

A new Tesco store that has created more than 150 jobs at the former Waitrose site in Wolverhampton is set to open its doors next week.

More towns and villages across the Midlands are to get ultrafast full fibre broadband.

Schoolchildren across the country are set to celebrate 'One Britain One Nation Day' this week by singing a patriotic song.

Rates have increased week-on-week in 85% of local areas.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said every possible avenue will be taken to accelerate the rollout.

41 cases have been identified to date in the UK.

Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS England’s medical director of primary care, renewed calls for people to take up the offer of a jab.

Tuition fees and a lack of in-person teaching were the biggest causes of dissatisfaction among undergraduates, a survey suggests.

It comes amid concerns about the impact of the pandemic on the medical workforce.

New figures suggest there were peaks in prescriptions around the time of national lockdowns

The Healthcare Safety Investigation branch said in a report that at least a dozen hospitals had to take emergency action to mitigate risks.

The trial of a police officer over the death of a footballer, Russian jets and a psychic seagull feature on the front pages.

Researchers found the prevalence of long Covid increased with age and was higher among women.

A brother and sister who committed VAT and income tax fraud amounting to more than £300,000 have both been given suspended jail sentences.

Travel agents have protested outside Westminster to highlight the ongoing challenges facing the sector, and the risks to businesses.

Mobile vaccine buses are making their way around the Black Country – as new figures show more than three in five adults across the UK have had their second jab.

Royal Mail has announced the launch of a postal apprenticeship scheme aimed at would-be postmen and postwomen.

Police have warned people not to fall for a new vaccine passport scam that is doing the rounds.

Visiting a Midlands hospital is about to become less of a daunting experience for children and patients with learning disabilities.

A West Midlands charity working to tackle youth violence and build mental health resilience has moved into its first office location.

Dalian Atkinson picked up the ball deep in his own half, shrugged off tackles from three members of Wimbledon's 'crazy gang', before impudently chipping a disbelieving Hans Segers from 30 yards.

You may have heard of the term HMO and have a rough grasp of what it means.

Staffordshire Police's deputy chief constable is to continue in the force's top job on a temporary basis, it has been confirmed.

Wolverhampton City Credit Union had a record month of lending in May.

A new business has opened its doors at Wolverhampton's i10 office and retail development – creating five new jobs.

Five million items of vital personal protective equipment (PPE) have now been distributed to frontline staff by Wolverhampton Council since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last March.

An unusual sight outside a city shopping centre has been causing a buzz for passers-by.

A survey found that 96% of Scots who travelled overseas between March 2020 and today felt very or fairly safe.

A private investigation company in the West Midlands has warned people and business owners to be vigilant after a surge in cases it is dealing with.

More than 82% of adults have also received their first dose.

The family of a man who died following a collision on a Staffordshire road have paid tribute to their ‘cheeky beloved Luke’.

A walk-in vaccination centre has opened at Birmingham’s City Hospital for people aged 18 and over.

A Sutton Coldfield teacher says she is 'humbled and proud' after receiving national recognition.

When former Premier League footballer Dalian Atkinson was fatally Tasered by police in the street where he grew up in Telford it sent shockwaves across the community and beyond.

The family of football hero Dalian Atkinson have spoken of their five-year ordeal following his death at the hands of West Mercia officer Benjamin Monk.

A Labour councillor has been criticised over claims she led an "anti-Israel" chant calling at a pro-Palestine rally.

West Mercia Police Pc Benjamin Monk has been found guilty of the manslaughter of ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson but cleared of his murder after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

A man is in hospital after he was stabbed in the chest in a flat in Wolverhampton.

A man allegedly murdered at a house in the Black Country was killed by a single stab wound, a post mortem has found.

The Government’s travel lists will be updated on Thursday.

Lloyds Banking Group has faced anger after announcing the closure of 44 branches across England and Wales including bank branches in Sedgley and Quinton and a Halifax branch in Rugeley.

Birmingham Airport has revealed that it was handling only an average of 1,600 passengers a day during last month.

Harry Potter star Oliver Phelps has spoken of his happy times as a youngster at Little Sutton Primary School.

The daily update also saw the highest number of deaths since April.