HUNDREDS of photographs have been submitted backing the borough’s bid for city status.

The Mayor of Dudley said she was “overwhelmed” with the response after Dudley Council bosses called on residents to send in pictures of their favourite places in the borough just two weeks ago.

Councillor Anne Millward sifted through more than 500 entries and picked out 10 for special commendation.

A handful of those sent in will be displayed in the official submission bid document, due to go to Government chiefs next week.

The commended entries include pictures of the fountain in Dudley marketplace, Delph Locks, Bottom Church in Dudley, Mary Stevens Park in Stourbridge, Saltwells Nature Reserve, and St John’s Church in Halesowen.

Among the residents commended for their pictures were Sally Shillingford, Graham Furnival, Jane Fraser, Joanna Noble, Johanna Smart and Alec Longhurst.

Councillor Anne Millward, the Mayor of Dudley, said: "I was absolutely overwhelmed to see we had received so many submissions, and I’d like to thank everyone who took the trouble to enter.

"It clearly shows a great deal of pride in the borough we live in, and that will hopefully come across to the judges determining our bid for city status.

"The great majority of the entries were of a very high quality so it was very difficult whittling them down, but I’m really pleased we’ve been able to include a handful of them in the bid submission."

A bid will be submitted officially next week and Dudley will by vying with the likes of Reading, Guildford and Milton Keynes for city designation as part of a competition to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations next year.

A webpage has been launched giving detailed information about the bid, including frequently asked questions about the reasoning behind putting the borough forward.

The webpage – https://www.dudley.gov.uk/council-community/dudley-a-city-in-the-making/ – also includes an email address for people to make contact with their favourite things about the borough.

People can email cityinthemaking@dudley.gov.uk, and also use the taglines #CityofDudleyBid and #ACityInTheMaking to make submissions on social media.

The deadline for submission of bids is December 8, with the winners set to be announced next year.