Work will soon be starting on the major refurbishment of a Walsall hospice which mounted a fundraising campaign to make the improvements.

Hospice supporters will have the opportunity to dedicate a heart to their loved ones in a stunning new sculpture.

MPs were treated to the best a county has to offer when Staffordshire Day was celebrated in the Commons.

West Midlands Police broke the law by locking up a man experiencing a "severe mental health crisis" for five days.

A once popular Wolverhampton pub is gradually coming to life after being rebuilt at the Black Country Living Museum.

Housebuilder Persimmon says that demand for its homes remains strong.

Metro Bank, which has branches in Brierley Hill and Wolverhampton, has reported that deposits were flat at £16.4 billion in the first three months of this year.

Car dealership group Pendragon has reported improved profits for the first three months of 2021.

Counsellors at a children's charity have provided more than 570,000 sessions across the country since its base opened in the West Midlands.

A man with a sexual interest in children amassed a collection of more than 140,000 indecent images.

Beloved Walsall FC pitch-side announcer Gavin Drake is hanging up the microphone after 18 years with the club, but the life-long fan will continue to visit the club for matches.

A specialised wheelchair-friendly vehicle which is used to transport vulnerable adults with learning disabilities has been stolen from outside a day centre in Walsall.

The family of a retired mechanic who came to the West Midlands in the Windrush-era came up with a great surprise for his 85th birthday – arranging for him to pull a pint at his own party.

Five temporary recruits have joined Staffordshire Police as part of a government-led initiative.

A cricket club will mark its 125th anniversary year with free training sessions for those interested in getting involved with the sport.

A 10-year-old ballet dancer from Lichfield is ‘en l’air’ after winning a coveted place at the Royal Ballet School in London out of 1,200 applicants from around the world.

E-scooters have been branded "a total menace on our roads" after new figures showed they were involved in more than 600 crimes in the region last year.

Around 200 police officers are attacked in the West Midlands each month – as new figures revealed the shocking mental toll of the job on serving bobbies.

A bluebell wood near Kinver is opening to the public for charity for the first time in three years.

People have been encouraged to join their local library to find out about places to explore as part of the Staffordshire Day celebrations.

A new painting that looks down on the canal over the Black Sabbath bench on Broad Street in Birmingham has been created by local artist Paula Gabb.

Residents from a Black Country nursing home welcomed a small group of pre-school children.

Food prices have risen at their fastest rate for 11 years and the impact is being felt by the people of Wolverhampton.

The deputy Labour leader said the Mail on Sunday reported the claims despite pleas that they were ‘completely untrue’.

An 18-year-old from Walsall who uses a communication device to speak is on the hunt for a new voice so he can sound more like his Black Country family.

Walsall’s health boss who oversaw the borough’s response to Covid-19 is standing down to spend more time with his family.

A long-serving Willenhall councillor has thanked residents and political colleagues for their support following a child sex scandal involving her husband.

Spoof posters mentioning 5G technology and claiming to be from Wolverhampton Council have gone up around the city, prompting the council to issue a warning.

Judging for the returning Express & Star Business Awards starts next month.

Veteran Black Country business figure Roy Richardson has been presented with the Express & Star's first lifetime achievement award.

The musician will take a break from playing.

The DJ has been accused of predatory behaviour by several women.

A Shropshire based gymnastics coach was removed from the Great Britain squad weeks before the Tokyo Olympics following serious allegations against her.

A 16-year-old who walked into a Wolverhampton medical centre suffering from stab wounds has been taken to hospital.

A witness in a tower block filmed a group of men fighting moments before a grandfather was fatally stabbed in a shopping centre car park, a jury was told.

The Way has launched a recruitment drive amid a mass upheaval of staff at the troubled Wolverhampton youth zone.

Police and special negotiators were involved in a three-hour stand-off with a man in Stafford town centre.

Extra time has been granted to question a woman arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was found with "serious" stab injuries in Wolverhampton.

Registration for the 40th anniversary Royal Sutton Fun Run closes this Friday.

A police appeal has been launched to track down a man from Walsall who is wanted on suspicion of rape.

The Black Country's very own Calendar Girls stripped off in support of a friend who is battling breast cancer.

The cause of the blaze at a factory unit next to the M5 remains undetermined, fire chiefs say.

Legal advice is being sought by campaigners on steps to defend a restrictive covenant and potentially save Dudley Hippodrome from redevelopment, it has been revealed.

A new hmv store is set to open in Merry Hill Shopping Centre to replace the current one.

Motorists across the region are set to be faced with a number of road closures over the next week.

People have been encouraged to join their local library to find out about places to explore as part of the Staffordshire Day celebrations.

Bosses said the increases will be ‘selective’.

Crime on buses has shot up by more than a third despite passenger numbers plummeting due to the pandemic.

The driver of a car that crashed into a wall and later died in hospital has been named locally as Sufyaan Hussain.

A Midlands-based menopause specialist has called on the Health Secretary to look into the problems of shortages of Hormone Replacement Therapy.

A coroner has urged health chiefs to consider imposing minimum standards for perimeter fences at acute mental health units after neglect was found to have contributed to the death of a vulnerable patient.

Hundreds of delighted Christians took part in the return of Walsall's popular Easter Walking the Way of the Cross street procession.

A man will be sentenced for killing a plumber found stabbed to death at his home near Walsall.

The event is returning to its full eight-week season this year.

A popular samosa stall is set to return for its 6th Molineux matchday edition in support of Dementia UK.

More than 40,000 railway workers have started voting on whether to strike in disputes over jobs and pay.

Grocery price inflation hit 5.9% in April, according to figures from Kantar.

The widow of a West Bromwich Albion legend has welcomed news of a study into reducing dementia risks among former footballers.

Vulnerable children in the Black Country are more likely to receive free school meals than five years ago, new figures show.

A Halesowen pensioner was tied up and left to die by a burglar who returned to his house to steal more of his money, a court heard.

Bright sunshine and plenty of smiles were on parade for tenth anniversary of the fundraising Bike4Life Ride Out and Festival in aid of of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

James Heappey said it is ‘completely legitimate’ for Kyiv to strike targets in Russia to disrupt logistics under the terms of warfare.

Ministers have been warned people feel "unsafe on their own streets" after analysis showed more than 200 police stations and counters have been closed down.

With less than 100 days to go until the start of the games, the Queen's Baton Relay has continued its global journey.

An air gun has been seized by police near to a nature reserve in Dudley.

A family-owned manufacturing firm near Stafford has invested in solar panels to increase the amount of renewable energy it uses, as demand for its commercial vehicles and construction equipment grows.

Cafe bar group Loungers enjoyed record sales of £237.3 million for the year to April 17.

National Express Group, which operates bus services in the West Midlands, saw revenue return to 2019 levels in the first three months of this year.

The extra day off would recognise the Queen’s ‘extraordinary service’.

Aiden Aslin was fighting in Mariupol, Ukraine, when he was captured earlier this month.

Women who rely on the medicine to treat menopause symptoms have reported feeling suicidal without it.

The Ministry of Defence said Russian forces have taken Kreminna after days of street-to-street fighting.

A Black Country-born veteran charity fundraiser will mark his 80th birthday with a series of long walks and tough challenges.

A Sandwell councillor has resigned ahead of next week's local elections after just nine months on the council.

The Black Country’s Brexit battering ram has announced he has quit politics to focus on charity work.

A town centre is set to become a place of fun as part of celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Minions, Star Wars characters and The Simpsons are among the model attractions at the Black Country Brick Show this weekend.

Councillors are calling for free parking to help businesses in a town centre blighted by renovation works.

"I was quite depressed at the time, but her drawings and spending time with her just made me happy – so I thought we should make a children's book."

Airport passenger figures slumped as the hangover from coronavirus continued, new figures reveal today.

The number of stalking crimes in Staffordshire increased by 44 per cent in the last year with thousands of offences recorded.

There were tears and laughter as respects were paid to Black Country comedy legend Alan ‘Aynuk’ Smith.

A popular and much-loved "model employee with a heart of gold" has retired from a Wolverhampton health trust after nearly two decades’ service.

The murder trial of the two Oldbury brother accused of masterminding the drive-by shooting of a community football manager has resumed.

Cash was snatched from a convenience store by a robber brandishing a metal pole.

Police have released an image of a man in hopes of gaining more information following the attack and robbery of a 16-year-old.

A luxury apartment block in the centre of Wolverhampton has applied for permission to add more flats to the premises.

A cute dog is taking part in a Three Peaks Challenge with a difference as his owners look to raise funds for club which took the bull terrier under its wing.

The region's MPs have condemned the "sexist tittle-tattle" that saw Angela Rayner accused of using 'Basic Instinct' tactics to distract the Prime Minister.

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was stabbed in Wolverhampton.

The driver of a car that crashed into a wall, killing a young Wolverhampton boxer, has died in hospital.

It used to host the likes of Laurel & Hardy – but new footage shows Dudley Hippodrome is a shell of its former self.

A post mortem on the body of a man found in a car next to a hospital has proved inconclusive.

"It's a world exclusive to get for us to get Lennox Lewis in a small town like Cannock."

The Prime Minister is facing calls to quit from some of his own MPs after he was fined for a breach of Covid regulations.

A community fasting event is set to take place annually after a successful first run.

A main road in Wolverhampton has reopened after engineers were tasked to carry out emergency works due to a damaged manhole.

Self storage group Lok'nStore saw revenue rise 31.1 per cent to £13.38 million in the six months to the end of January.

Two elderly drivers have been killed in a crash close to the Shropshire/Staffordshire border.

Work is under way on a highways improvement scheme to make it easier for cycling and walking in Cannock.