Wild West as clubs are quick draw
They dress up in stetsons, don their spurs and brandish their guns in the weekly shoot out competition. Welcome to the world of Westerners clubs which are seeing a surge in popularity in the Black Country.
Clubs celebrating country and western culture have long been a popular past time in the region. Some have died, but Sandwell has a number of clubs that are still going strong, with one even recently celebrating its 30th birthday. The Circle W Country and Western Club meets every week at two alternate venues, the Ex-Serviceman's Club in Smethwick and Smethwick Cricket Club.
With more than 120 members aged between 18 and 70 it is one of the biggest in the region and marked its milestone birthday in November.
Entertainment officer and father-of-four Tom Ralph, aged 71, who lives in Walker Avenue in Lye, said: "It's been so successful.
"We've had a couple of ups and downs and in fact the club nearly broke up because the attendance really fell off.
