A HOUSING group is stumping up the money to enable Blackheath Library to open an extra day each week.

The Black Country Housing Group is providing an undisclosed amount of cash to open the High Street library on Thursdays allowing public access to its books and other resources every day of the week except Sundays.

The funding is part of the group’s investment in the local community and a spokesman said it would continue for the “foreseeable future”.

Staff at the state-of-the-art library, which opened three years ago, celebrated the news and also the 40th anniversary of Sandwell Library Service at a special event.

The Blackheath Ukulele Collective were on hand while projectors showed images from the 40 year history of both the housing group and Sandwell Libraries.