We visited a friendly Sandwell neighbourhood that survived Second World War bombings and is big on community spirit

The main industries of the area were coal mining and stone quarrying and it became a centre for industries such as iron and brick manufacture, while Tividale Tram workshops opened along the main Tividale Road in 1907 and operated until 1930, before the tramway closed in 1939, as trams were phased out in favour of motorised buses.

The opening of the Birmingham New Road in 1927 provided a more direct route through the area, having been divided along the Dudley and Tipton sections, and Tividale began to expand more with the creation of a number of housing estates such as the Grace Mary Estate and, following the Second World War, the Tividale Hall Estate.

The area was also massively affected by the war, with several air raids by the Luftwaffe destroying homes and killing 27 people. The Luftwaffe are believed to have targeted these areas of Tividale due to their proximity to the "Big Bertha" anti-aircraft gun which was located near City Road.

Modern-day Tividale shows little sign of the scars of war, with new-build estates still being built, including in the Tividale Hall Estate where Tividale FC built its ground The Beeches in 1974 and has remained a big part of the community.

There are plenty of places to find shops around the community, as well as numerous hair and beauty salons and the very unique Tivi-Ale Micropub, which has become a popular spot for a pint and a chat.

Among those who call Tividale home are 88-year-old Pauline Edwards, who said she and her family had moved to the area from Yorkshire when she was young and she'd never felt the need to move anywhere else.

She said: "I lived on the Grace Mary Estate through my 20s and then I got married and was on the waiting list for six years for a house, and then they gave me the one I live in on Tower Road, so I've been living here for 66 years.

"It's changed quite a lot and it isn't like it used to be, but I think there are worse places when I read the paper, so I like it here and I think it's the people who make it.

"When I first came to this area, it was part of Rowley Regis, but it's Tividale and it's all I've ever known and I like to say that it suits me well."

On Tower Road, which is where Pauline calls home, the Best One Goshal's general store was one of the shops keeping busy with a steady stream of customers.

It was being run and managed by Lakee Vaneswaran, who said he had moved to the area from Sri Lanka and said he had always felt very welcome.

He said: "I've been living here for three years now and I've always found the area to be nice and quiet.

"The people are also really nice and I have a lot of customers coming in, so I think this is a nice area to work and live in."

Someone who was keen to talk about the community spirit was 28-year-old Josie Brookes, who said she was born in Tividale and said the people would be there for anyone in need.

She said: "I think it's nice around here and I'm always close to family and I don't think it has changed all that much over the years.

"I will say that I lost my mum in December and the community who knew my dad growing up around here all pulled together and did a lovely collection for her, so I think it's a very close knit community and there's lots of lovely people around here."