Flames spread from three cars to perimeter fence.

Preparations are under way in the Black Country and Staffordshire for all pupils to return to school next month – with mass testing key on the agenda.

A man jailed over child sexual offences had no prior criminal history when he took on a role with a police official’s office, it has been revealed.

Sam Allardyce says he feels a lot safer now he has received his Covid-19 vaccination – with Albion's boss urging everyone to get their jab.

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

Uh-oh. Former Chancellor Philip Hammond says the public needs to learn some “home truths” on the economy.

An engineering firm has been fined £5,850 after illegally taking water from two hydrants.

The country’s first scheme to train electric vehicle technicians has been launched.

Railway journeys in the West Midlands decreased for the first time in around 20 years amid the start of Covid-19, figures show.

Youngsters from a Quinton nursery are preparing to say it with flowers as they take part in a sponsored charity walk.

An initiative offering over-50s mid-life MOTs is being lined up.

Pupils “drummed out” a special message to a much-respected school administrator who is retiring after 31 years.

A competition has been been launched to find the best takeaway in a Black Country town.

A Burntwood councillor is calling on the area’s police commander to increase officer cover for the town due to her concerns over “increasing low-level law-breaking and anti-social behaviour”.

A public appeal has been launched for any help or information about a wanted man.

Tickets are going on sale for a major heritage rally car show following lockdown easing announcements.

A woman worker at a Co-op store in Lichfield was hit in the face by an aggressive customer.

Leaders from across the West Midlands have welcomed a message from The Queen concerning the Covid-19 vaccine.

Transmission of Covid-19 between workplaces and homes in the West Midlands remains a concern, health chiefs have said.

A woman is in a critical condition after being hit by a car in Birmingham,

Residents are being warned over bogus callers claiming to be working with the police and fire service and offering to check smoke alarms.

A man has died after an incident which closed part of Wolverhampton’s ring road.

Almost 300 fines were handed out to people across the West Midlands last week to people flouting Covid-19 restrictions.

A further 24 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

Dudley father Philip Peace has today been jailed for life for murder after a jury found him guilty of shaking his five-month-old daughter to death.

More than 80 alligator heads have been seized after a raid at a house in the West Midlands.

A Wolverhampton pub found serving food and drinks to customers inside its premises during lockdown has had its licence revoked by the city council.

Extra teams have been drafted in to help with the current delays to bin collections in Sandwell – caused by Covid-related staff absences.

A mystery winner from Wolverhampton – known only as Mr B – has won £1 million on the National Lottery.

Knife killer Moses Christensen had set his sights on killing somebody by the age of 14, a court heard today.

Two people were arrested by police after driving "extremely dangerously" on just a wheel rim before being stopped.

A test blast using explosives will be carried out on one of the cooling towers at Rugeley Power Station next week.

A West Bromwich cannabis farm with around 130 plants was found by police after heat was detected by a drone.

Birmingham street traders have been granted a judicial review of a new council policy requiring them to sell “innovative products”.

A Black Country charity is to be given nearly £900,000 to help survivors after incidents of sexual abuse and domestic violence increased by 30 per cent during the pandemic.

Sandwell Council bosses say a proposed 2.99 per cent council tax increase is the lowest in the West Midlands – and shows they are on the side of residents.

A Black Country hotel with nearly 100 rooms has gone up for sale.

A new sports hall and teaching block is to be built at the expanding Springfield Brewery education campus, under plans submitted to Wolverhampton Council.

Plans to convert an empty Black Country pub into a day nursery could be given the green light – at the second time of asking.

The RSPCA is appealing for information after an emaciated dog was found dumped in a park in the West Midlands.

The first bottles of Peaky Blinder gin have been rolling off the production line at a new £1 million distillery set up at the home of a former brewery.

Pubs in the Black Country and Staffordshire have reluctantly welcomed a decision to allow outdoor service only in April as lockdown is eased.

Two marathon runners have been shortlisted for an award after raising £10,000 for a hospital trust's charity in the Black Country.

Vaccinations are now being offered to people in the region aged under 65.

A junior doctor from Staffordshire has spoken of his struggles and the difficulties faced on the frontline during Covid-19.

A junior doctor from Staffordshire has spoken of his struggles and the difficulties faced on the front line during Covid-19.

A first-time mother who contracted coronavirus when she was 30 weeks pregnant has met her baby for the first time.

The virus is far from beaten, says regional public health boss.

The mayor of Dudley is encouraging residents to nominate individuals in the community who have made a huge contribution to the lives of others and deserve national recognition.

New noticeboards have been installed at a Black Country nature reserve informing walkers about wildlife.

Fears are growing for the safety of a 14-year-old girl who has been missing from the Black Country for more than 24 hours.

An appeal for information has been launched after two motorhomes were stolen in Wyre Forest.

As the Black Country Chamber of Commerce nears its 20th anniversary it has launched a campaign to help businesses across every sector over the coming months following the devastating impact of Covid-19.

Cemetery rules will not be changed to allow a memorial bench to be installed as a tribute to Staffordshire murder victim Keeley Bunker – but the local council's outgoing leader has offered her family the chance to consider an alternative location.

Trees planted at a Kidderminster park in memory of a council worker have been vandalised.

A Stourbridge knifeman who killed a passing hillwalker told police he had roamed around looking for victims and considered other "targets" including an elderly couple, a court has heard.

Taxi drivers in Wolverhampton who have been significantly impacted by Covid-19 can apply for a grant of £2,000, council chiefs have announced.

A 16-year-old boy has been stabbed in the stomach in broad daylight in Walsall.

The leader of a district council has announced plans to stand down from his role at the annual general meeting in May.

A man was assaulted in an attempted robbery on a train at Walsall Railway Station.

A further 23 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

Six people have been arrested following a protest at a drone part factory site in Staffordshire.

Alton Towers Resort has confirmed it will reopen its gardens to visitors next month ahead of its theme park opening in April.

There was a time when using a toll road meant shuffling awkwardly in your seat while searching for change in your pocket.

The number of rough sleepers on the streets of the West Midlands has fallen by nearly two-thirds over the past year, new figures show.

A Dudley father of a five-month-old girl who suffered fatal brain injuries was today found guilty of her murder.

Tributes have been paid to a "kind" much-loved Wolverhampton butcher and war veteran after his death aged 96.

“You need to phone your wife and tell her there is a good possibility you aren’t going to make it.”

Tony North looks out the bedroom window of the house where he has lived for decades.

Police have arrested a ninth person in connection with the murder of a shooting victim in Dudley.

A man has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder after a man was shot in Dudley.

She was only five-months-old – and her life was tragically cut short after she suffered fatal brain injuries the hands of her father at her home in Dudley.

More than £2 million will be paid to businesses in Stafford which have been severely affected by Covid-19 restrictions.

Measures to improve bus reliability and journey times in parts of the Black Country are underway as part of a £30 million scheme.

Almost 60,000 rapid Covid-19 tests for people without symptoms have been carried out in Wolverhampton – with almost 2,000 people testing positive.

The Ladder for the Black Country is looking to more employers in the area to support the dreams and career aspirations of young people leaving education this summer.

A new fund aimed at helping deprived areas bounce back after the pandemic must be prioritised in the Budget, MPs have said.

A co-owner of a gym in the Black Country has welcomed an opening date of April to help avoid another lockdown as restrictions ease.

Illegal cigarettes and tobacco seized during raids in Wolverhampton are set to be recycled through an environmentally-friendly scheme.

A Dudley councillor has hit back over claims that he undermined confidence in the vaccine programme.

Catch-up lessons for pupils impacted by the coronavirus pandemic must not risk teachers being overwhelmed, education chiefs said today.

A devastated son has told of losing his mother and sister to Covid within a month of each other – as the family launched a hospital fundraiser in their memory.