Alum Rock in Ladywood has become a protest hub – with local people saying poverty and other issues will also dictate vote

On a Wednesday afternoon, despite the pouring rain, Alum Rock Road is buzzing with activity. The busy thoroughfare in Birmingham is clogged with cars, and families flit in and out of shops that are selling bowls of fruit, colourful fabrics and sizzling kebabs.

Every few metres a Palestinian flag is pinned in a shop window or draped off a lamp-post.

Meeting WHO guidelines would avoid many cases of diseases and save the NHS millions, research shows

A study has revealed that cleaning up the air in the West Midlands could prevent the early deaths of about 2,000 people a year.

If the region were to meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for air pollution, it could also avoid 2,000 new asthma cases, 770 new cases of heart disease, 170 new lung cancers and 650 strokes annually, the study found.

Brick Fest Live promised lifesize models and rare collectibles but disappointed visitors of all ages

An event advertised as the “UK’s biggest Lego festival” has been called a “complete rip-off” by attendees who described it as a half-empty room with piles of bricks.

Brick Fest Live, which took place at the NEC in Birmingham over the bank holiday weekend, was promoted by organisers as “the world’s largest hands-on Lego event” with more than a million bricks on display.

Brum Rocks, born out of community musical groups, will bring together dozens of performers to play a new anthem for Birmingham

When Steve Groome started learning to play guitar after retiring, he never expected he would end up in a band.

“At 66, I’m not going to get a phone call from Mark Knopfler or Eric Clapton. I might not even get in an averagely rubbish covers band,” he said. “But I don’t need to with this, we have fun. I just let rip.”

Behind the painted curtains of BRB’s The Sleeping Beauty lies a universe teeming with whimsy, dedication and a dash of eccentricity

As I step through the stage door, Tom Rogers, a former soloist turned creative digital producer, becomes my guide through this theatrical labyrinth.

“This half is like where we live, and the other half is the theatre,” Rogers says, a grin lighting up his face as we navigate the corridors, which start to feel like a maze. “Try and remember this bit of the journey in case you need to come back to the office.”

All of a dancer’s possessions are stored in a single box on tour