Despite receiving two engineering apprenticeship job offers, only for them to be withdrawn when the Covid pandemic hit, Yunus Esakjee was determined to stick with his preferred industry choice and training route.

A nine-year-old boy from Penkridge has become one of the first children in the UK to receive a new type of prosthetic arm, thanks to an innovative project.

A "tired" looking Walsall mosque which is in a poor condition could be replaced with a stunning state of the art facility for worshippers.

Residents and businesses across a city hosting an event in the Commonwealth Games are being invited to attend engagement sessions to learn more about the event.

The demolition of the old north bridge spanning the M6 at junction 10 will take place next week.

Inspirational teenager Stephen Sutton, who raised millions of pounds for charity before he died of cancer, will be honoured as hundreds of bikers hit the streets of Staffordshire this weekend.

History lovers are being encouraged to pay a visit to the array of attractions that are packed with fascinating facts and informative details all about Lichfield.

Plans have been lodged to turn a former bank in Bearwood into an independent pub.

The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will visit Tamworth during its final journey through England this summer.

A delivery driver's vehicle was stolen while he was dropping off goods in Cannock.

Neighbouring Sweden is expected to decide on joining Nato in the coming days.

The centre in Romania was originally a temporary space for refugees, but now is housing some women and children indefinitely.

Milena Ivakova said she thinks fellow refugees have to help each other during the war.

The Prime Minister said a levy on profits would deter investment in new technology.

Levi Bellfield has applied for permission to marry a woman while he is serving two whole life orders.

Those negotiations are happening as Kyiv prepares for its first war crimes trial of a captured Russian soldier.

Finland shares a lengthy land border with Russia and is only about 250 miles from St Petersburg.

The Office for National Statistics said GDP rose by 0.8% between January and March, down from growth of 1.3% in the previous three months.

A man has been charged with murder over the death of a 'much-loved' 27-year-old woman.

A travel agent who left holidaymakers more than £65,000 out of pocket for booked trips that failed to materialise has been ordered to repay just £1.

Detectives investigating the murder of a Black Country mechanic suspected he was targeted by intruders hoping to find drugs, a court heard.

An independent bakery business known for its freshly-baked bread and delicious sweet treats is set to open in Wolverhampton next weekend.

A leading charity is urging Black Country MPs to back a campaign to ban the online sales of dodgy, "highly dangerous" electrical devices that are at risk of blowing up in customers' faces.

A housing association has reported an 11 per cent increase in its post-tax surplus and record turnover for the year to the end of March.

Six new artworks created using recycled material have been well-received by visitors at Shugborough Estate.

A man in his 60s had cash and cigarettes stolen from him in Wednesfield.

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi condemned the disruption caused by Steve Bray.

Two universities from the West Midlands are named in a list of the best in the country for research.

A challenge has been made to topple Walsall’s long-standing Conservative council leader Mike Bird less than a week after the local elections.

A family-run hotel in Walsall is one of just six outside London to have been included in a national TripAdvisor award.

It was a case of hair today and gone tomorrow as Asian Music Radio presenters Khalid Akhtar and Shabaz Ahmad volunteered to have their bodies waxed in public and while on air to raise money for Secret Angels.

The women have been in Italy seeking to rally international support for a diplomatic resolution to the stand-off at the steel plant.

Boris Johnson deployed some of his strongest language yet to condemn Russian president Vladimir Putin.

A much-loved and respected florist who left bouquets around the Black Country to cheer people up is closing her shop later this month.

Science, adventure and knowledge were at the heart of a visit to the region by the daughter of one of the great names in theoretical physics and cosmology.

Two charity fundraisers who have overcome their disabilities to become community leaders have spoken of their pride at becoming Queen's Relay Batonbearers.

Patients would be “at risk” if a temporary ward at Walsall Manor Hospital was removed from the site, health bosses have warned.

A Stafford nursing home won a planning battle to create additional bedrooms for people with dementia just days before its services were branded inadequate by inspectors.

Chris Rock will take to the stage in Birmingham this Friday in the latest stop of his UK-wide tour following on from the infamous slap at the Oscars.

A stray tortoise weighing more than nine kilograms has been found wandering in a field.

The immediate impact of the gas cut-off was likely to be limited since much of the gas can be directed through another pipeline, an analyst said.

Defence minister Leo Docherty was answering an urgent question from Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey.

The 27-year-old will not be able to defend his 50 and 100 metres breaststroke and men’s 4x100m medley relay titles in Hungary.

Residents hope to reopen their beloved village pub despite plans brewing to turn it into housing.

The Disasters and Emergency Committee’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal collected £61,997,547 in a week.

A water rebate could soon be introduced to residents within Birmingham city council as the cost of living crisis continues to squeeze households.

A new monument is planned to honour Caribbean men and women who have served in British armed forces.

Customers have flocked to a new B&M store which has opened up on the site of a former Toys R Us branch in the Black Country.

Another person could have been in pensioner David Varlow's Halesowen house when he was murdered, a court has heard.

Two care providers have been told they 'require improvement' in the latest round of inspection reports in the Black Country.

The Communities Secretary said Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to stand down if he is fined makes no difference to Boris Johnson’s position.

A Staffordshire cathedral will be taking part in a national project to invite people to see its historic space after hours.

Sales were up 76 per cent for French training manufacturing group Alstom in its latest financial year to £13.2 billion.

A Tipton pub and restaurant has added a Tyson Fury pie to the menu, giving fans the opportunity to get their hands on the taste of victory.

Britain's drivers are taking a "mend and make-do approach" to car ownership with a fifth of vehicles having more than 100,000 miles on the clock, according to new analysis.

A Black Country care home deemed "no longer financially viable" will close down within 90 days, in a move slammed by union chiefs.

Funerals and crematoria group Dignity has reported a "weak" performance over the past three months after a "drop in the death rate".

Chainsaw sculptor Robot Cossey has been busy working on a number of creations in Walsall to be enjoyed by children and residents.

The Levelling Up Secretary insisted suggestions of a rift between Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are ‘overinflated’.

The Government's "ambitious agenda for reform" has been hailed by Tory MPs who insist the measures will ease the cost of living crisis.

Acclaimed singer, songwriter, composer and producer Gary Barlow is coming to Wolverhampton.

A man was arrested on suspicion of having a fake gun in connection with an incident that led to the evacuation of Wolverhampton railway station.

Staff at Birmingham Airport have been praised for being "extremely well organised" in the face of massive queues of travellers.

Birmingham Airport has been caught out by the unexpectedly rapid bounce back in people wanting to holiday abroad, its chief executive says.

A fifth of people in the West Midlands have no savings at all, warn experts who predict a major financial crisis.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has unveiled the highly-anticipated route that the Queen’s Baton Relay will take in the West Midlands during the summer.

Car dealerships group Vertu Motors, which includes Bristol Street Motors in Stafford and West Bromwich, achieved record trading results for the year to the end of February.

Two voluntary groups have teamed up to support those in Ukraine in an example of partnership working.

Councillor Wendy Thompson has been re-elected unopposed as Wolverhampton's Conservative group leader.

Students at University of Birmingham have been there and come out the other end when it comes to end-of-year school exams.

Mega profits while people suffer are beyond the pale

The Midlands recorded the highest level of take-up of logistics space in the first quarter of 2022, accounting for 46 per cent of the total taken across the UK.

A final call has gone out for nominations for the Wolverhampton Young Citizen of the Year awards.

A corporate sponsorship programme has been launched to enable businesses to be part of Birmingham's latest civic art project.

Wolverhampton railway station has been evacuated due to an ongoing police incident.

A man and woman arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was shot in the face have been released on bail.

Boris Johnson used the Queen’s Speech to set out plans to boost economic growth but came under fire for a lack of immediate action.

Crucial parts of the railway are being replaced over a four-day railway closure between Birmingham Moor Street and Solihull next month.

Teenagers across our region will start sitting GCSE and A-Level exams on May 16.

Boxing fans are in for a knockout night in Cannock as two heavyweight legends of the sport get to meet once again to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their epic fight.

The case against a Cannock man accused of a wounding offence has been discontinued.

A poet was brought in by a parcel delivery network in support of Mental Health Awareness Week.

A city church will echo to the sounds of its refurbished organ as a series of concerts take place.

The Labour leader, who faced jibes in the Commons over the so-called Beergate affair, said the Government is ‘out of energy’.

Seven men have been arrested after drugs warrants were executed in Stafford yesterday.

The Government confirmed a target of 90% of pupils hitting expected literacy and numeracy targets on leaving primary school.

They include mental health reform, clearing the backlog caused by the Covid pandemic, and giving a renewed focus to women’s health.

A Walsall store owner was threatened with a gun and a knife when he tried to stop armed robbers fleeing with expensive electronic toy cars, a court heard.

The Public Order Bill will outlaw tactics such as protesters ‘locking on’ to public transport infrastructure or gluing themselves to roads.

Strikes were taking place across seven leisure centres operated by Sandwell Leisure Trust on Tuesday after eleventh-hour negotiations between the trust and the GMB union broke down.

People have been asked to arrive at Birmingham Airport exactly when their airline arrives amid long queues and claims of "chaos" from passengers at the site.

The Ukrainian military said Russian forces fired seven missiles from the air at Ukraine’s largest port.

The Government will honour its manifesto pledge to provide security for tenants in the private rented sector by ending Section 21 notices.

The UK and allies publicly blamed Russia for the attack on Viasat an hour before the Ukraine invasion began.

Boris Johnson launched his legislative agenda for the coming years by conceding he cannot ‘completely shield’ everyone from the cost-of-living crisis.

The speech was delivered for the first time by the Prince of Wales.

The Government has also promised new measures to help the industry invest in heat pumps – a cleaner form of keeping homes warm

The Bill will look to protect the UK’s financial system from exploitation amid fears the City has earned a reputation as a money-laundering hub.

Compulsory rental auctions will ensure that landlords make shops that have been vacant for more than a year available to prospective tenants.

Members of a bowling club claim that they are unable to play this year because the green they usually use has been damaged by youngsters playing football.