Meet the West Midlands Police officer known as ‘Memory Cop’ due to his astonishing face recognition skills which have enabled him to identify 3,000 suspects

A puppy has spent Christmas in a warm and loving home after being dumped in a cardboard box on a canal towpath.

Police tell how they have pursued West Midlands criminals through the courts to recover 'dirty money' - and reveal how many milllions they have clawed back and how the money will be spent

A Midlands Air Ambulance helicopter attended a serious crash near Newport where fire crews cut a woman free from a vehicle.

HS2 has confirmed that its aim to get trains running between Birmingham and London between 2029 and 2033 "cannot be achieved".

Our Midlands Heroes series looks at the career of former Shrewsbury Town goalie Joe Hart

At every turn, HS2 brings us unpleasant surprises. From severely curtailing its original vision to suffering eye-watering rising costs, the project has been a disaster from the start.

Police in the Black Country are currently searching for dozens of people in connection with a range of crimes - here are the latest faces added to West Midlands Police's most wanted list.

A property near Penkridge which is "steeped in imagination and history" and where J.R.R. Tolkien once lived is on the market for £450,000.

The National Trust has spoken of its excitement ahead of the 2026 takeover of Ironbridge's museums.

The region is set to gain a group of new railway stations, including two set right in the heart of the Black Country, in the new year.

Pressure testing is almost ready to start at a huge clean energy development which is expected to supply thousands of Walsall homes with power.

The University of Wolverhampton has revealed plans to move its engineering faculty to a former brewery headquarters in the city when its Telford campus closes next year.

The people behind a community centre which suffered tens of thousands of pounds of damage after a severe fire have spoken of the progress being made to rebuild and reopen.

A woman who is campaigning on behalf of her elderly parents who fear their home next to a canal in Rugeley will be washed away says she fears a disaster "on the scale of Shropshire".

Leading employee and workplace training provider PLT Training has described 2025 as a “transformational year” - saying the Autumn Budget has brought “much-needed stability” for the road ahead.

More than 8,000 parking fines have been issued in Wolverhampton over the past five years to drivers who parked in disabled bays without a valid Blue Badge, new figures reveal.

Savings will be made with the mobile library service and contracts with voluntary organisations as part of a council’s internal efficiency review.

Dive into this bumper collection of letters from readers...

A city palliative care charity is getting set to receive hundreds of Christmas trees in the new year for a popular fundraising campaign.

Traffic calming measures are being proposed for a Birmingham road amid speeding concerns.

A raft of major UK retail and hospitality brands shut down stores in the West Midlands and across the UK this year, with other high street mainstays closing their doors for good.

Police want to speak to a man following a shop theft in Oldbury.

A video shows piles of black bin bags and old furniture on the streets of Birmingham at Christmas after nearly a year of bin strikes.

A Wordsley woman put on a festive community gathering at the church in which she was recently confirmed.

A heart-warming video shows volunteers serving food to around 200 homeless and vulnerable people at Birmingham New Street Station on Christmas Eve.

A man is in custody after police recovered a vehicle which had been stolen in Willenhall this weekend.

A person was extricated from a car following a crash on the M54 in Telford.

A video shows the moment a tiger finds a Christmas gift on her climbing frame - left for her by keepers - at Dudley Zoo.

A "police incident" in Darlaston has closed a street and caused diversions on the buses.

A woman arrested in connection with the murder of a man in Wolverhampton on Christmas Day has been released on bail.

A stolen puppy was reunited with its owner in Birmingham after quick-thinking officers found it hidden in a house.

An accident in Birmingham is causing diversions on a bus route this morning.

A north Shropshire JD Wetherspoon pub that was evacuated after a fire broke out at lunchtime on Saturday remains closed today.

The fire service responded to a late-night car fire in Bridgnorth.

Birmingham residents face having to pay new parking charges at three beauty spots in 2026 despite a wave of opposition to the proposals.

William Lee’s take on the classic supernatural werewolf trope made for highly entertaining teenage fiction - though it needed polish in some areas. Kirsty-Louise Card reviews ‘Gone Before the Moon’ - the debut novel by West Midlands author Will...

What do business leaders in the Black Country and wider West Midlands hope and wish for in the year ahead?

We've picked out our photos from this year which show pubs from across the region in their best light.

The vital role farmers play in putting Christmas dinner on people’s plates was discussed in a virtual NFU Education lesson that brought farming into classrooms across the region.

An alleged victim of historical sexual abuse has spoken of his anguish as he faces a lengthy wait to see his alleged perpetrator in court, after a judge adjourned his trial for two years.

A haulier company in Sandwell is seeking an update to its goods vehicle operator's licence.

A video shows the moment police found a revolver, heroin and crack cocaine in a Tipton man’s bag.

We love any chance to come together for a celebration, and this collection of pictures shows just that.

Take a short stroll through Birmingham and it’s hard to miss the skyscrapers springing up across the city centre’s ever-chaning skyline.

A proposed 16-home development in a village near Shifnal has drawn concern from locals over traffic safety and infrastructure, with residents warning the site could increase risks on a "high risk" road.

A West Midlands-based cemetery and crematorium has reported a 20 per cent increase in cremations at its recently-renovated Burntwood site which underwent a £350,000 upgrade.

Dudley Council looks set for a momentous 2026 as it continues to face challenges including pressure on its finances, political upheaval, unrest on immigration and delayed regeneration projects.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker hailed key moments and developments which have taken place in the region as he looked back on 2025.

The owners of a restaurant in West Bromwich have applied to open until 3am.

Up to 50 firefighters battled a blaze in a Shropshire Wetherspoon pub that saw diners and drinkers evacuated.

Network Rail engineers have completed its refurbishment of the Newport Road bridge at Stafford Railway Station.

Staffordshire Police Road Crime Team's relentless pursuit of uninsured drivers and their delight at sending vehicles to the pound saw them branded as Grinches.

A major retailer has issued an urgent recall of a children’s toy amid fears it could pose a serious choking risk - with shoppers being advised to stop using the item “immediately.”

Four men have been arrested and several weapons were recovered following an armed robbery in Birmingham.

Police are appealing for information after a woman was left seriously injured after being run down by a vehicle in Tipton on Christmas Day.

Eight fire crews have been sent to tackle a blaze at a Wetherspoon pub in a Shropshire town.

A woman has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Wolverhampton man on Christmas Day.

Flowers and tributes left where a Wolverhampton father was stabbed to death in Heath Town reveal the pain his friends and family are suffering.

A Smethwick man has been charged in connection with a knife point robbery in Birmingham.

Black Country tradesmen who have had tools stolen in 2025 have been urged to contact the police after officers seized items believed to have been taken in thefts.

A speeding driver who led officers on a chase at more than 100mph in Birmingham has been jailed.

The Cure guitarist and keyboard player Perry Bamonte has died aged 65, the band have said.

A section of the West Midlands Metro tram network was brought to a halt on Monday morning after an ambulance became stationary on the tracks in Birmingham.

Pub company Marston’s has toasted a successful 2025 with a significant surge in profits attributed to the success of its innovative new pub formats, which are proving a major hit with customers and driving strong commercial returns.

Free parking on council-run car parks is likely to be restored in Dudley next year, the council leader has said.

A stunning seven bedroom country house has just gone up for sale on the border of Shropshire and South Staffordshire.

The debate among residents about whether Wolverhampton feels like a city and whether it has made the most of its city status is one which has rumbled on since it was first awarded.

What are animals trying to say to humans and how can we be a good listener? Those are the questions Amelia Thomas hoped to answer during her journey of discovery in which she came face to face with many creatures great and small.

Whether it’s a classic mojito, a rich espresso martini or a fruity cosmopolitan – our thirst for cocktails is showing no signs of slowing down.

The site of a former day centre for vulnerable adults could be redeveloped into a new store after the cash-strapped local council approved more property sales.

A visit to Smethwick High Street was one of the highlights of the police cadets who accompany the High Sheriff of the West Midlands on their duties.

Resorts World is treating visitors to an artistic touch from emerging talent at one of its shopping outlets alongside 50 well known brands

Mark Andrews takes a wry look at the week's news

Companies in fintech, flexible education and artificial intelligence are just some of those which our panel of experts says might be making waves over the next 12 months.

The ‘noisiest’ areas of Wolverhampton have been revealed—use our interactive map to see how your local area ranks!

A man who handled more than £5,000 of stolen construction machinery belonging to a Walsall company has been ordered to do unpaid work.

Comments on rising costs for charities and flood fears on the Severn – your opinions today.

The Severn Valley Railway is looking ahead to 2026 after its 60th anniversary year was marred by a “catastrophic landslip”.

Wolverhampton's main civic church is to get a new rector, after two-and-a-half years without a priest.

A Staffordshire enforcement company staged a double celebration for two of its long-serving directors – who happen to be twin sisters.

More than a pub a day is expected to have closed its doors in the UK this year, with Wolverhampton not immune to the sad decline of the pub trade, with some pubs closing and others changing their business - here's a look at the changing fortune of fi...

Rail passengers across the West Midlands are being warned to expect significant disruption to train services throughout the festive period, with reduced timetables, early finishes and rail replacement buses in place on key routes between Boxing Day a...

Black Country residents enjoying their Christmas presents have been urged by Dudley Police to register them to thwart thieves.

A man who died on Christmas Day after being stabbed in Wolverhampton has been named on social media.

An urgent appeal has been launched to ask for public help with finding a teenager who has been reported as missing.

Students studying British Sign Language and Deaf Studies were given the opportunity to gain experience through interactive events.

Thousands of shoppers have rushed to their favourite shopping outlets to grab a post-Christmas deal this year.

Judging by Toyota’s recent run of good cars, hopes are for the Urban Cruiser. James Batchelor sees if it’s another winner.

A conservation scheme by Staffordshire Council has helped to provide healthier heathland and benefit wildlife year round.

It was a morning for families and friends to come together and brave the cold and help to raise funds for charity.

Our intrepid reporter James Vukmirovic decided to take on a Boxing Day tradition alongside more than 100 other hardy souls as he entered the depths of Chasewater.

The organisers behind a fundraiser for boaters hit by the Whitchurch Canal collapse said they have been "overwhelmed" after the appeal topped £60k.

A Gurdwara has launched an appeal for public help after suffering what it described as a hate crime from raw meat being dumped outside.

Hundreds turned out to cheer on the Albrighton and Woodland Hunt's annual Boxing Day meet - amid government plans for a fresh ban.

Nigel Swan hasn’t spent much time with an EV before, so can the Renault Scenic show him that it’s the best way forward?

West Midlands Police Chief Constable joined officers patrolling Sutton Coldfield this festive period.

Residents of a 'quiet' Wolverhampton neighbourhood have been left terrified following a murder on their road on Christmas Day.

Big-hearted paramedics and ambulance staffs dropped off presents instead of patients to New Cross Hospital.

Kim Warren’s all-year-round festive café in Shropshire has closed, however she will continue to sell Christmas products online.