Government ministers have praised a regional daily after it helped create or safeguard 600 jobs on its patch.

Wolverhampton-based daily the Express & Star has won plaudits for its Green Shoots Plus project, which has created 400 new jobs and protected another 200 across the West Midlands.

The £4m campaign, funded by the government’s regional growth fund and run in association with the University of Wolverhampton, has provided grants of between £10,000 and £150,000 to small and medium-sized businesses to help them buy new equipment, win new contracts and create new job.

The funding covered up to 30pc of the costs of their plans.

Local Growth Minister Andrew Percy, pictured above left, said: “This scheme has created almost 400 jobs for local people and safeguarded almost 200 more, thanks to the Express and Star and the University of Wolverhampton.”

Business Secretary Greg Clark added: “Local newspapers make a vital contribution to the success of local business, and I am delighted to hear about the initiative that the Express & Star is promoting.”

Express & Star editor Keith Harrison said he was “delighted” the newspaper had played a part in helping to stimulate the local economy.