Shoppers will be able to park for free on council car parks on the last two Saturdays before Christmas.

Council bosses have announced charges will be suspended on all local authority car parks across the borough on Saturday December 15 and Saturday December 22.

In addition, parking will also be free during Christmas light switch-on events. It will apply in Halesowen on November 17; Dudley on November 24; Stourbridge on December 1; Sedgley on December 2; and Kingswinford on December 8. Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member for environmental services, said:

"We are delighted to be able to offer free parking on the last two Saturdays before Christmas, which are traditionally the busiest two shopping days of the year.

"The lights switch-ons also attract big crowds to our towns, so hopefully this will get tills jingling and give a big boost to our shops and traders in the town centres.”

Dudley Council is already offering two hours of free parking in town centres during the daytime, and bosses have just announced plans to scrap charges to park at night. It is hoped the move will boost night-time economies in the borough towns.