Memorial to murder victim

Friends of murdered Black Country pensioner Joshua Miller have paid for a memorial bench to go outside his favourite pub.

Punters at the Earl of Dudley - known to locals as The Tatters - clubbed together to buy the commemorative seating at the watering hole opposite the 66-year-old's Wellington Road home in the town.

Three Black Country men were jailed last month following his brutal killing in January last year.Philip Evans was convicted of murder and given a life sentence with a minimum of 18 years and Trevor Bate and Philip Tolley were both found guilty of manslaughter and received 10 and 12-year sentences respectively.

The pub just outside the town centre was one of a few in the area where Mr Miller would often DJ, and where he would spend many hours enjoying a drink and a game of his beloved dominoes.

One of his closest friends, and regular dominoes partner, was Galvin Thompson, aged 62. "We decided to get the bench to give us something to remember Joshua buy," he said. "Everyone at the pub knew Joshua."

Another regular at The Tatters, George Laird, 85, also paid tribute to Mr Miller. "I had known him for more than 30 years," he said. "We were all just shocked when we found out what had been done to him."