What is claimed to be the biggest TV screen inside any West Midlands bar has been installed at Velvet Music Rooms on Birmingham’s ‘golden mile’ of Broad Street.

Signalling cables have been ripped from the tracks by thieves between Birmingham Snow Hill and Tyseley affecting spectators travelling to Alexandra Stadium for the Games.

Major retailers are failing to reduce petrol prices in line with falling wholesale costs, the RAC has warned.

Poundland has cut the price of 1,000 general merchandise items in its more than 800 stores.

Transport infrastructure group Hill and Smith Holdings enjoyed growth in sales and profits in the first six months of this year.

Town centre drinkers in Wednesbury are saying 'Cheers' after a popular pub reopened following a makeover.

The school at the centre of the controversial closure of a sports centre in Sandwell has broken its silence.

The M5 is closed heading towards Birmingham after two serious crashes in the early hours.

Football ticket scams have surged, bank warns

‘Environmentally friendly’ coffin claims banned by advertising watchdog

Nightclubs across the region are struggling due to rising bills and decreases in footfall.

An inspirational schoolgirl who defied the odds after being born at 25 weeks has helped her mum write a book to raise money for the neonatal unit which saved her life.

Cannock Chase Forest will host the 2022 Commonwealth Games mountain biking event on Wednesday, and surrounding roads will be closed in preparation for the competition to take place.

HomeServe UK has announced the acquisition of a Herefordshire based heating firm, as the expansion of its boiler installations business continues at pace.

West Midlands Fire Service is in mourning after announcing the "sudden death" of a trainee fire fighter based in Bilston.

A hospice is using virtual reality headsets to help patients enjoy experiences away from their beds.

Across three districts in the Black Country, the best cyclists in the Commonwealth will compete for the a spot on the podium.

A couple who met by chance while on their lunch break at work are now celebrating 60 years of marriage.

West Midlands Police has seen officer numbers boosted by nearly 900 since a government recruitment drive was launched.

Andy Street says he backed Liz Truss for Tory leadership after she pledged to deliver key schemes for the West Midlands.

The Rowe family are full of praise for the people of Birmingham – but not so keen on the price of the ice cream.

Sir Gavin Williamson has launched a campaign to save a "lifeline" village bank earmarked for closure.

The Premier League and West Bromwich Albion have been urged to build on the success of the Lionesses by spearheading a drive for more all-weather pitches.

A time-lapse video, exclusive to Express & Star, shows the full Black Country cycling time trial route in all its glory.

The West Midlands can expect cooler and "fresher" days for the rest of the week, before high temperatures return at the weekend.

The young royal and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed swimming heats, a hockey match and artistic gymnastics at the event in Birmingham.

Sandwell is one of 85 areas to get a slice of £9 million of funding to improve new parks and green spaces.

If you live in Halesowen, Kingswinford or Kinver and your water is currently milky or cloudy, you'll be pleased to know the water company says it's "not harmful to health."

Dudley Canal Trust is closing for the day due to the Commonwealth Games cycle race on Thursday.

Sandwell Council could be changing the way councillors get elected.

The Salvation Army has warned the homelessness crisis in West Midlands will deepen after local councils slashed funding for mental health and addiction support.

A charity offering free debt help to people in the Black Country says the cost of living crisis is "crushing" those on low incomes, as they have seen an increase in people considering or attempting suicide.

More than 3,000 police operations involving firearms took place in the West Midlands and Staffordshire last year, new figures show.

Energy rebate payments have been handed out to households across Sandwell, cabinet documents reveal, as the cost of living crisis bites consumers pay packets and utility costs.

A mother who failed to send her daughter to school has been fined £660.

The public will be out in force to see the Commonwealth's best cyclists go by in their pursuit of time trial gold.

A place of natural beauty is ready for the eyes of the world as the Commonwealth Games arrives.

Residents in some parts of Dudley and across the Black Country are having issues with discoloured water.

No funerals will take place at six of the seven cemetery sites in Wolverhampton as the cycling time-trials race through the Black Country.

Almost 200 people have signed a petition against plans to close down a Walsall bank branch by the end of the year.

The Black Country Big Band is performing a free concert at Walsall Arboretum on Sunday.

A fallen caused transport disruption near Lichfield on Tuesday.

A Worcestershire hotel boss believes the county will benefit from people holidaying in the UK during the summer school break.

The beach volleyball arena at the Commonwealth Games will see another set by a top music star.

Sandwell Council wants taxpayers to tell them what its budget priorities should be.

Two 17-year-olds from Bilston have been locked up for more than 15 years for a series of robberies across Wolverhampton that involved threatening men with a handgun.

An army of volunteers from a city have helped to make their mark on the Commonwealth Games.

Amanda Milling MP has branded the Tory leadership contest the most toxic she has ever seen as she urged both candidates to bring an end to 'blue on blue' attacks.

A council leader has said "too many people" are choosing between heating their homes and eating as he outlined measures to help amid the cost of living.

A Lioness from Walsall with more than 100 international caps thinks England's Euros win will serve as inspiration generations to come.

A football supporter has been banned from attending Wolves and England matches for five years after breaching a ban – and for throwing a smoke bomb.

Rough sleepers will be given support as well as a place to stay as part of a new scheme in Stafford borough.

A new community garden aiming to bring together locals in a calming space has officially been opened.

Bewdley's Becky Hill is set to bring the sounds of summer to the Commonwealth Games.

Rough sleepers will be given support as well as a place to stay as part of a new scheme in Stafford Borough.

More than 300 online sex crimes will take place against children in the West Midlands and Shropshire every month the Online Safety Bill is delayed, the NSPCC has warned.

Waste management company Biffa achieved record revenue of £1.44 billion in the year to March 25.

A Black Country science teacher from is aiming to climb a dormant volcano to raise funds for charity.

A four-year-old boy from Dudley has won a special friendship award for his unwavering loyalty to his best friend who has leukaemia.

Our love affair with Greggs shows no sign of ending.

A council leader has hailed the Government's Levelling Up department for "coming on board" with their vision of how Wolverhampton could be transformed.

The West Midlands has seen a 338 per cent increase in the number of homes selling for more than £1 million in the last 10 years.

A pair of childhood sweethearts from Wednesbury have celebrated their diamond anniversary after 60 years of marriage.

More than 72,000 people in the Black Country and parts of Staffordshire could be suffering with long Covid symptoms, according to estimates.

Community support is being sought to help make a charity appeal to create a garden for Walsall stroke rehabilitation patients take root and grow.

A black cat who has spent 200 days in an RSPCA branch has not had a single rehoming enquiry, as volunteers believe it is due to the colour of her fur.

A brain tumour patient from Walsall is campaigning for better funding to help find a cure for the disease after receiving a shock diagnosis.

Temperature are likely to remain warm in northern parts of England and Scotland.

A West Midlands gymnast is competing in Tuesday's horizontal bar final at the Commonwealth Games.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has revealed he is backing Liz Truss in the Tory leadership contest.

Andy Street has revealed he will be joined by a Government Cabinet minister to watch the Commonwealth Games action unfold in Wolverhampton.

A strategic partnership – developed in the Black Country – has helped a gas distribution and reinstatement specialist secure a major £2 million contract to work on the UK’s premier rail project.

Sir Bill Cash is spearheading a parliamentary campaign to call off an inquiry and save Boris Johnson from facing further sanctions over 'partygate'.

Two Black Country MPs have been on the end of a backlash after pledging their support for "Judas" Rishi Sunak in the Tory leadership election.

A Conservative councillor has resigned his seat - sparking a possible by-election.

Tenants and leaseholders in Wolverhampton are being invited to have their say on a new strategy to support their needs.

A rave-loving Dudley couple have renewed their vows in style at a major Wolverhampton music festival.

A key player in a £300,000 drugs network is behind bars today (Monday, August 1) for his role in a criminal network supplying crack cocaine and heroin in the Black Country.

The cheapest petrol station in Wolverhampton has seen manic queues in recent weeks, as drivers continue to flock to fill up on the cheapest prices on both petrol and diesel.

A police officer suffered a fractured ankle after being assaulted by a patient at Sandwell Hospital.

Roads across Wolverhampton will be closed this week when some of the world's top cyclists race along them in the Commonwealth Games Time Trials.

Police are hunting a man in connection with the theft of a silver Porsche Boxster.

There have been other topics of conversation at the Commonwealth Games apart from the action.

A new travellers’ site to cater for an “unmet need” could be created on a disused farm within green belt land in Willenhall.

A host of activities are on offer to entertain children at a special fun day in Lichfield’s Beacon Park on Wednesday.

The NSPCC has launched a campaign urging parents and carers to think carefully about leaving children home alone or unsupervised as the summer holidays start.

Some of the world's leading gymnasts are competing at the Birmingham Utilita Arena during the Commonwealth Games.

A jumble sale will be raising funds for Ukrainian refugees in Stafford on Saturday.

Lovers of classical music are being invited to enjoy a weekend at a place of peace and reflection.

A black cat called Boris who has been left with the battle scars of a life spent living rough is hoping he can find a new home.

A Covid survivor has made an emotional return to a hospital's intensive care unit to thank the “amazing” staff who looked after her.

A taste of the Caribbean will come to the Commonwealth Games for a five-day celebration.

An Aldridge businessman should get "the gold medal for construction" after building a McDonald's in Perry Barr in 57 days.

Overnight road closures will continue at the M6 Junction 10 roundabout until mid-August as resurfacing work continues.

The opening days of the Commonwealth Games have seen medals won and loud and vibrant crowds everywhere.

A second man has been charged in connection to a mass brawl which broke out in Wolverhampton.

An extra 100 booking slots for residents to access a tip in the Dudley borough have been added for weekends to meet demand, chiefs have said.

Councils in the Black Country will be getting a share of a £9 million funding pot to create new and improved parks in urban areas.

Hundreds of boat owners and waterways enthusiasts are set to arrive in Wolverhampton this month when the city stages a popular yearly canal festival.

A main road north of Stafford town centre will close overnight for one night next week as work continues on a major industrial development.