Cows, lambs and a love of the land have helped farm livestock manager Kirsty Down fight back after a nightmare year of lockdown cancer treatment.

Chris Hopson of NHS Providers said there were 50 people in hospital with Covid-19 compared to 170 in November.

On Friday the UK recorded its highest number of new confirmed coronavirus cases since late March.

Police are investigating after shots were fired at a car in the West Midlands.

Around 30 firefighters tackled a blaze at a former pub in Dudley which was believed to have been started by arsonists.

Members of the public were in for a shock today when they found dozens of Peaky Blinders fans dressed in costume at a park.

Tune in to the Express & Star's website this weekend to witness the end of an era as the Rugeley Power Station's four colossal cooling towers are demolished.

By mid-morning, a huge queue had formed at the health centre, with the line snaking around a car park and stretching down the street.

The fourth step of the Government road map is supposed to see the removal of all legal limits on social contact.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering another man whose badly beaten body was found in a canal.

Police have arrested two teenage boys from the Black Country on suspicion of murdering a 14-year-old boy in the West Midlands.

Police chiefs have called for calm amid rumours there could be disorder in retaliation for the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy.

NHS England said there has been an increase of more than a fifth among adults under 45 who would definitely get their vaccine.

Tim Alderslade’s comments come after Portugal was removed from the green travel list.

The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine was approved for use in children aged 12 to 15 in the UK on Friday

Big band entertainment is journeying its way back to Severn Valley Railway despite a reduced passenger list.

Police have finished searching a Black Country landfill site after human remains were found there last month.

A nineteen-month-old with a rare illness is a step closer to getting his urgently needed stem cell treatment after a donor was found following an international search.

Social distancing and mask wearing could be set to remain in place until July 5, according to multiple reports.

A delivery driver is fighting for his life after being run over while attempting to stop a thief from stealing his van.

A footballer from Wolverhampton who scored 30 league goals for Brighton & Hove Albion before being mysteriously sacked has been featured in a new book.

A Black Country Tory MP has backed fans who booed when players took the knee during last week's England game.

New CCTV cameras are set to be fitted as part of plans to "tighten security" in crime hotspots.

A lifeline of £51,000 has been raised for Dudley Zoo after one of the hardest 12 months in its 84-year history.

"The weather has definitely helped us, as well as people being so keen to get out after months at home."

The funeral for an SAS veteran was a "wonderful celebration of his life" at the church he campaigned to see restored, his family said.

An ancient Iron Age Hill Fort on Kinver Edge will be preserved for the future through vital works by a group of National Trust rangers and volunteers.

Pubs are facing an "acute" shortage of staff, leading some to reduce capacity or close entirely, it was warned today.

A former Customs Officer and magistrate has used lockdown to complete the rewriting and editing of his second crime novel, which has now been published.

A dance school that has been running for less than three years is celebrating after being selected to compete in a prestigious international competition.

“We both had a ticking time bomb inside us.” Those are the words of cancer survivor Amie Gunn, who underwent what she thought was preventative stomach surgery at the same time as her brother.

Mr Motivator remains a bundle of energy – and now he wants to help fellow pensioners in the West Midlands keep fit in body and mind.

The tenant of a park cafe at Hednesford has got the catering licked by serving up 14 different flavours of ice-cream as well as tasty meals.

People arriving in the UK from Portugal after 4am on Tuesday must self-isolate at home for 10 days.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorised the jab after a rigorous review of its safety.

A Covid-19 drive-through testing service is being launched at Birmingham Airport.

Cases involving the Indian variant have increased by 79% compared with last week.

Bruno Lage is due to be announced as Wolves' new manager next week, the Express & Star understands.

Police chiefs have acknowledged “serious errors and mistakes” around the Hillsborough disaster after two forces agreed to pay damages to those affected by the tragedy.

The event in Warwickshire lasts all weekend with plenty of visual treats scheduled for onlookers.

The sector has seen the biggest rise in new orders since records began in 1997.

Long Covid is used to describe the effects of the virus that continue for weeks or months beyond the initial illness.

Some 156,737 new cars were registered in the UK last month, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said.

An Edinburgh University infection expert suggested the decision to move Portugal to the amber list may be politically motivated.

Those suffering from the condition have reported a wide range of symptoms.

The South Yorkshire and West Midlands forces agreed the settlement following a civil claim for misfeasance in a public office, lawyers said.

A man was taken to hospital with leg injuries after being hit by a car in the Black Country.

A new cafe-bar has opened in Stourbridge's former Co-op store, bringing up to 30 new jobs to the town.

A further two coronavirus deaths have been confirmed at hospital trusts in the Black Country and Staffordshire.

The West Midlands' NHS workforce has increased by more than 1,000 over the last year, according to Government data.

Health chiefs in Wolverhampton have urged people to be vigilant as cases of the variant found in India continue to rise nationally.

A warning device linked to a speed tracker will be trialled on canal towpaths in the West Midlands and Staffordshire to encourage cyclists to slow down.

A motorcyclist has been left seriously injured after a crash involving a lorry in Cannock.

Visitors to the Wrekin and surrounding countryside are being urged to look out for two peacocks that have gone missing from their home.

The officer, who has been granted anonymity, was one of six to open fire on Usman Khan on London Bridge after the Fishmongers’ Hall attack in 2019.

Two police officers are standing trial accused of an illegal attack on the former Premier League star.

An electrical wholesaler has expanded into the Midlands as part of strategic growth plans by opening a branch in Dudley.

Central England Co-op is set to invest more than £350,000 on a project that aims to create sustainable spaces in the communities it serves.

A plan to create a home to house multiple residents – which split opinion in a Dudley area – has been given the go-ahead.

Plans to build nine new homes in the Black country have been scuppered due to concerns about potential mine shafts underneath.

Broadcasting legend Sir Trevor McDonald was special guest at the opening of a business's new premises in Lichfield.

Dea-John Reid, 14, was killed in the Kingstanding area of Birmingham on Monday.

Two more people - including a teenager - are due to appear in court on Friday charged with murdering a Birmingham schoolboy.

A teenage motorcyclist has died after suffering serious injuries having collided with a car in Birmingham in the early hours.

With Covid-19 concerns and a need to stage it in the Town Hall to ensure social distancing could be observed, Walsall Council’s annual general meeting was certainly unique this year.