The Ironbridge Gorge is usually one of Shropshire's most peaceful places to stop and smell the fresh air - but did you know it is supposedly patrolled by a phantom boatman sailing a ghost barge full of corpses?

A prominent football fan has written to police chiefs with concerns over the high number of officers on duty at Walsall's league match against Grimsby Town.

The Severn Valley Railway has had to withdraw its refurbished GWR 4930 loco 'Hagley Hall' after just the first of the three day Autumn Steam Gala.

The University of Wolverhampton has ranked 127th out of 132 universities in the UK, according to an academic league table published by the The Times.

A mysterious foul smell which passed over parts of the Black Country and Birmingham may be due to muck spreading according to council bosses.

Stars from the world of darts faced off in the Black Country to raise funds for charity.

Names and personal details of people linked to gang-related crime were stolen from a vehicle belonging to an off-duty officer in Walsall, it has been revealed.

"It's important to get it right, not just for my pride but to uphold the traditions of the country – and to give The Queen the best send-off she deserves."

No Queen anecdotes I'm afraid, as I have none, only having seen her once.

Staff and residents at two care homes in Great Wyrley went back to school and enjoyed a day of themed activities.

A pair of unusual chairs made from driftwood are on sale at a Bridgnorth antiques centre.

A devoted widower has hosted his sixth annual charity hike to raise money for an Alzheimer's support network which cared for his wife before she died.

Friendship and creativity are at the heart of a flower arrangement club celebrating a special anniversary.

The new MXT Disability Nightclub in Wolverhampton is set to be opened by avid club goers and owners Damian Sier and Louise Blumm.

Molineux will join the nation in paying respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II before Saturday’s Premier League fixture with Manchester City.

Merry Hill has confirmed that the only store that will open on the day of the Queen's funeral will be Boots.

A new crackdown on substandard HMOs could be approved in Dudley to stop rogue landlords who cram tenants into overcrowded homes.

Adio Adeshine was charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

New figures have revealed the worst roads for speeding drivers in Birmingham.

West Midlands Metro trams will only run between Wolverhampton St George's and Black Lake on Sunday due to "essential upgrades" in West Bromwich.

A single mum has been fined £300 after complaints were made that sounds of passion from her semi disturbed her neighbours.

Staffordshire continues to mourn the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ahead of her state funeral on Monday.

A man and women were taken to hospital after police and paramedics descended on a West Bromwich street.

Jobs could be created if plans to build new commercial units on a patch of disused land in Aldridge are given the go-ahead.

Drivers on the M6 faced hour-long delays after a spillage following a collision on Friday afternoon.

"I wanted to show my gratitude for everything she has done for this country," says a Wolverhampton councillor who was in London to see the procession for Queen Elizabeth II's lying in state.

Worlds collided this week as stars from Wolves football club - including new signing Diego Costa - met cast members from Wolverhampton Grand's panto, Aladdin.

A Walsall man accused of being part of a brawl between feuding families told a jury the incident pre-empted a meeting to resolve the dispute.

The University of Wolverhampton has secured £35,000 to deliver three projects focused around healthy lifestyles and organ donation.

Deliveries group DX is to open a new depot in West Bromwich to support the continuing growth of its freight business.

A floating market could visit Stone’s canalside after community leaders agreed to consider inviting boat-based traders to the town.

Residents and businesses in Stafford will be encouraged to reduce their waste and re-use items as part of a new campaign.

Two elderly drivers died from their multiple injuries when their vehicles collided on a road between Staffordshire with Shropshire, an inquest heard.

Shopping centre opening times at locations such as the Bullring and McArthur Glen Designer Outlet in Cannock on the day of the Queen's funeral.

Councils across the Black Country and Staffordshire have announced plans for bin collections on the day of the Queen's funeral.

Two friends from the West Midlands have recorded diaries of their 13-hour journey to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II.

A "heartbroken" royalist couple from Tipton are bracing themselves for crowds on Friday when they head down to London to see the Queen lying in state.

Large screens will be showing the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II across parts of the Black Country on Monday for people who don't wish to grieve alone.

After a summer of heat waves and drought-like conditions plus a humid September-so-far, the West Midlands and Shropshire are about to experience their first genuinely cold night for quite some time.

Meeting Queen Elizabeth II has often been described as a momentous occasion – and for two sporting greats, it is something they will never forget.

The giant Chinese business group, which owns Wolves, has moved to scotch suggestions that it is in poor financial health.

Staffordshire digger giant JCB has announced that its profits recovered in 2021 after the turbulence of the Covid-19 pandemic, but is warning of a less certain outlook for the coming year.

Drivers across the West Midlands and Staffordshire who are travelling to London to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II have been urged to avoid travelling at peak times.

Around 70 students studying uniformed public services qualifications in the Black Country have led a two-minute silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

A Midlands-based printing and branding company is poised to give away over £10,000 worth of products and services to a deserving charity or community project as its Brum:SOS initiative reaches the final stages.

Oh no they didn't, oh yes they did! – Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre has revealed the full cast for its 2022 panto.

Hospitals in the West Midlands will make arrangements to ensure patients are staff are able to watch the Queen's funeral on Monday, bosses have said.

People are still dying of coronavirus in the Black Country and South Staffordshire area with eight deaths in the region this week.

Coach firms around the Black Country have said they are struggling for business following the passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

A care home for people in Wolverhampton has been given the go-ahead to build a new extension which will increase its occupancy from 31 to 55 residents.

A storm of soaring energy bills and rising costs are forcing businesses across the West Midlands into changes they do not want to make.

A Black Country dairy business has seen the cost of running its fleet of electric milk floats rocket from £1,000 a week to a whopping £4,000.

As hundreds of thousands of people queue for miles to pay their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, St John Ambulance is helping keep the crowds safe and well.

A new date will be set for the royal opening of the new Stourbridge Glass Museum after it was postponed due to the Queen's death.

The day began with interest rates at a sky-high 10 per cent. By lunchtime they had risen to 12 per cent, and in the afternoon they stood at 15 per cent.

An awards ceremony to commemorate the efforts of young people in Wolverhampton has been rescheduled for next month.

A man from Kinver has written a book about his grandparents' journey from Hungary to the UK, after the Hungarian Uprising of 1956.

A Dudley hotel has paid tribute to Busby Babe Duncan Edwards with an original stained glass window depicting the footballer.

Former Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster have confirmed his retirement from football.

Wolverhampton's Mander Centre has announced that its stores and car park will be closed on Monday, September 19 for the Queen's funeral.

NHS hospitals in England have been urged to contact all patients with appointments on Monday.

A man from Stourbridge is in with a chance of becoming a millionaire ahead of his appearance on a popular ITV game show.

A graduate from the University of Wolverhampton can't believe his success after moving from Spain and featuring in an Adidas campaign.

A number of hospital appointments have been called off due to the bank holiday on Monday to mark the Queen’s funeral.

A Wolverhampton takeaway that was previously given a zero rating has now been reassessed and had its rating change to four out of five.

A Bridgnorth man who suffered the loss of his mother as a child is campaigning to have bereavement awareness incorporated into the national curriculum for schools.

An 18-year-old who struck a man who was injured with a machete has been locked up for 30 months for his role in the attack.

If you see yourself as a bit of a food connoisseur, you're in the right place.

A road near the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton has reopened after it was closed in both directions due to a burst water main.

A public drop-in for proposals to regenerate Digbeth and the relocation of BBC Midlands – including metro extensions and a public square –  will be launched next week, according to a leading property developer.

A 36-year-old man appeared in court charged with possession of an imitation firearm after a police incident that saw homes in a Pensnett street evacuated.

A Stafford tearoom which developed a royal theme by accident after a break-in has been inundated with new visitors since the Queen passed away.

West Mercia Pc Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith denies assaulting Dalian Atkinson after he was tasered by a colleague who was found guilty of manslaughter.

A large Midlands-based food manufacturer and retail supplier is planning to expand with a new industrial unit at its Wolverhampton headquarters.

A Labour MP and a member of the House of Lords have both expressed their concern over the development of the former Brandhall golf course.

A mother whose six-year-old son was hit by a taxi on a zebra crossing in Darlaston wants to thank several good Samaritans who stopped to help.

Hygiene ratings for food businesses across the Black Country and Staffordshire have been released with one Cannock takeaway handed a zero out of five rating – the worst possible score, whilst three other establishments received the second worst sco...

Two YouTubers who flipped a car and crashed near the Wrekin in a viral video have been fined £1,000 each.

Birmingham Airport will be pausing take-offs and arrivals to honour the national silence marking the Queen's funeral.

A rhinoceros "came into contact" with a visitor's car at the West Midland Safari Park despite the efforts of its keepers.

A pensioner accused of making threats to kill in relation to an house siege near Walsall has appeared in court.

The new Sainsbury's Restaurant Hub has officially opened today in the St Mark's Wolverhampton store.

Cannock Chase District Council has appointed its first LGBT+ ambassador – but there was criticism that the role didn’t go to an external charity.

A woman from Cannock who went for a check-up for Crohn's disease was floored when she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Cannock Chase District Council has approved plans to ban the release of sky lanterns and balloons on any council-owned land.

The new Sainsbury's Restaurant Hub in Wolverhampton will be officially opening today.

The leather skills industry in Walsall has been boosted by £10,000 in grants from Walsall Business Support, which was launched to help grow business and skills in the town.

Overrunning roadworks on a busy Staffordshire A-road are complete, highways bosses say.

South Staffordshire community leaders have called for action to improve health and social care services for residents – and said the district is the “poor relation” in the county.

About 50 people have been blocking the main entrance to the site near Tamworth, Staffordshire.

An extraordinary council meeting will take place in Cannock next week to address the new King.

Residents in some areas of Stafford will visit new venues to cast their votes in future elections after 13 polling stations were changed.

Electric car drivers may soon be able to charge their vehicles at a Cannock retail park.

An MP is hoping the strong links between Walsall and the Royal Family will continue after the death of "our gracious sovereign" Queen Elizabeth II.

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after a man was shot with an air-rifle in a disorder in Darlaston.

The queue was more than two miles long by Thursday morning.