Shopping centre operator Hammerson saw losses more than double in 2020 after it was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

A family-run farm has been celebrating the skilled work of its butchers.

Schools in Staffordshire are set to benefit from £18 million of funding to refurbish classrooms.

The Voice winner Blessing Annatoria, has announced the release of her debut album – just five months after winning the hit show.

A Labour government would aim to create new jobs for young people in a bid to tackle soaring rates of unemployment in the West Midlands, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Since he was elected Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer has been keen to stress that his party cannot get into power by relying on the failings of the opposition.

Weston Park, the landmark stately home on the Shropshire/ Staffordshire border, will be welcoming visitors to the estate this Easter.

A former Second World War underground military complex will be converted into a bonded warehouse and wine store.

Up to 50 jobs are available at a new 66-bed care home ahead of its grand opening next month.

Residents are being reminded they must seek approval before carrying out any work involving streams, brooks and culverts on their land.

A creative pensioner has penned a catchy tune to help lift the spirits during the pandemic.

An auction celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pokémon has broken the £100,000 mark.

A man accused of murdering his wife after a relationship breakdown “lied” to her about having blood cancer in an attempt to win her back a court has heard.

Up to a quarter of the region's urban areas could be covered by trees under plans unveiled by a mayoral candidate.

A councillor has welcomed proposals that will criminalize illegal encampments on land.

Here's one for the bucket list...

A 23-year-old man from the Black Country was arrested for a number of offences in a Staffordshire town.

Counterfeit tobacco and a weapon were seized following a series of raids on several shops.

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

More than 500 cannabis plants were seized during an early morning raid at a house in the Black Country.

Travel was disrupted, homes were damaged and trees uprooted after heavy winds and rain hit the region.

West Midlands Police has been accused of a systematic failure to deal with an attack on two Bangladeshi brothers in Walsall.

Teenager was arrested at his home last June.

A further 14 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

The owners of a Dudley pub have been ordered to pay more than £10,000 – after environmental health officers found evidence of mice at the premises.

Housing bosses in Wolverhampton are taking steps to cut the cost of providing temporary accommodation for homeless families – after spending more than £1.7 million on B&Bs and hotels over the last 12 months.

Education bosses in Wolverhampton are battling to help under-qualified people improve their chances of getting work – after latest figures revealed the city had the seventh highest rate of adult unemployment in the country.

"Help save the Rose, you know it makes sense" - that's the message from actor John Challis, patron of the popular theatre in Kidderminster.

Staffordshire Police's Chief Constable Gareth Morgan has announced he will be retiring later this year – after 33 years in policing.

Two men will be sentenced next month after admitting dangerous driving offences – following a crash which saw a car smash into a Staffordshire store.

Stopping young people falling into the clutches of gangs as the region emerges from lockdown will be top priority for police, says Sir David Thompson.

Road improvement projects totalling £69 million are being lined up to improve life for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians across Staffordshire.

Bosses running hospitals in Staffordshire have revealed that while a programme to vaccinate staff against Covid is “running extremely well” they do not know precisely how many workers have received the jab.

Campaigners fighting to protect Shropshire's green belt from large-scale housing development have hit out at two Black Country councils pushing for thousands of homes to be built there.

Trees are to be planted across the Black Country thanks to a £183,000 cash boost from the Woodland Trust.

A star chef competition to help students stay creative and expand their skills has been launched.

The Prime Minister has given his backing to a new network set up to support people with mental health issues.

A violent woman has been jailed for biting a police officer – after initially trying to avoid arrest by hiding her true identity.

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo has made an impassioned plea to fans to get their Covid-19 jab as soon as they’re invited to have it.

A wanted man is making his way back to prison after police found him hiding at an address in the Black Country.

A teenager who died after being stabbed in Great Barr has been named as Jack Barry.

The chief executive of Wolverhampton pubs company Marston's is stepping down on September 30 after 20 years in the post.

The death of George Floyd had a huge personal impact on Sir David Thompson, the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police.

The Black Country’s Doreen Tipton has released her first single – all about the lockdown.

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has appointed the youngest chief executive in its 208-year history.

No further cases of the South African Covid-19 variant have been found in mass testing, but residents are still being warned to follow the rules.

A Smethwick man has denied having a toxic relationship with his wife, who he is accused of murdering, a trial heard.

Online workshops to dispel myths about the coronavirus vaccination are being organised to encourage more people from minority groups to get the jab.

Children at a village primary school are celebrating their return to the classroom this week with some special spring activities.

A father from the West Midlands is set to take on a fundraising challenge to give back to those who helped care for his son.

A multi-million pound project to build a community centre is taking shape.

Young people and staff at a respite centre have begun a challenge to complete 500,000 steps for charity during March.

Ladder for the Black Country is again supporting Black Country Skills Factory to host another virtual World of Work week covering the construction sector.

A student has completed an impressive challenge on the bike in aid of a charity close to his heart.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was seen acting suspiciously in Kidderminster.

The Antiques Roadshow team are preparing to film at Birmingham's Aston Hall for the first time this year as part of the 44th series of the much-loved show.

Police are searching for a missing woman from Nottinghamshire who has links to Bridgnorth.

Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to speak to following a shoplifting incident at a store in South Staffordshire.

Jury deliberations in the trial of man accused of murdering a 31-year-old man outside a Black Country shopping centre have started today.

A large Covid vaccination centre will open in the former TJ Hughes shop in Walsall on Monday.

A further 14 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

The rate of positive Covid cases in Walsall continues to drop but residents are still being warned to follow the rules as lockdown restrictions are eased.

A crumbling shop and house in Walsall that have stood empty for years will be converted into new flats after plans were given the go-ahead.

The photographer who captured the image of an otter swimming in a Wolverhampton canal recently had only been taking pictures for two weeks beforehand, he has revealed.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) has taken hundreds of calls from Scotland during the pandemic to help over-stretched services north of the border.

A supermarket’s plans to tackle a Stone town centre bottleneck have been given the green light by Stafford Borough Council.

New family homes could be built on a derelict Walsall car park that has become a magnet for fly-tipping.

“As a public health professional, this is something we train for but wish never happens.”

A former Stone tattoo parlour that has been vacant for almost three years could be converted into a shop selling baby clothes.

A fitness tycoon hailed the West Midlands "the region of opportunity" at an event to mark careers week.

More police officers could be equipped with airport-style hand-held metal-detecting scanners in a bid to make stop and search "less invasive".

Two Staffordshire councils could share one chief executive for 12 months following the departure of one authority’s managing director.

Covid is set to stay for years to come according to a Staffordshire health boss – and some measures will need to remain in place to control its spread.

The Mayor of Dudley opened a new food store today which has created 47 new jobs in the borough.

It took more than 400 workers just two weeks to build from scratch, cost around £66 million and took up 70,000 sq metres.

A badger needed a helping hand after getting stuck inside a piece of machinery on a construction site in Dudley.

A warning has been issued after criminals have posed as police officers in an attempt to defraud people living in the Wyre Forest area.

Worries have been raised over the future of thousands of steel worker jobs, including many in the Black Country, after Liberty Steel’s main lender filed for administration.

A teenager has been charged with conspiring to murder a man shot dead in Dudley.

Vulnerable and needy families will be able to enjoy a tasty treat this Easter thanks to the kindness of a shop manager.

A new music venue is set to open in the region and is set to provide an employment boost by creating 50 jobs.

Hospital admissions for coronavirus are down by a quarter in a week across the West Midlands.

A driver jailed over a fatal three-car collision in which his passenger died has had his sentence increased after a hearing at the Court of Appeal.