'Goodnight Your Majesty': Heartfelt messages for the Queen left across Black Country
Flowers have been laid, candles lit and heartfelt notes left as residents across the Black Country and Staffordshire pay their respects to the Queen.
For many, the news of her death on Thursday sunk in when the flag was lowered to half mast outside Buckingham Palace.
Organisations across the Black Country have followed suit; Union flags could be seen flying at half mast outside the Wolverhampton Civic Centre, the South Staffordshire District Council Offices in Codsall and the Sandwell Council House in Oldbury.
Wolves also flew their Molineux flag at half mast for the Queen, who famously visited the football ground on May 24, 1962, to present colours to military units.
Her visit has gone down in Wolverhampton history and is fondly remembered by fans of the club.
Not far from Molineux, a digital sign on Waterloo Road was heart-rending in its simple message: "Thank you for everything."
Ordinary people left their houses across the region, compelled to express their loss in a physical form.
Flowers have been left at sites across the Midlands, with heartfelt messages of thanks to the late Queen, and some of the most emotional tributes have come from children.
In Stafford, Ayreen Kalathingal, aged six, and two-year-old Alizay Kalathingal left flowers outside St Mary’s Church, where a short service remembered the life of the Queen.
The sisters took flowers and Ayreen wrote a message, hand-written on a piece of card, which said: "Dear royal family, I will really miss the Queen in my future years. Love from Ayreen. Thank you for your service."
Their mum, Henna Kalathingal said: "For me personally, Queen Elizabeth is my icon, my role model for work ethic, for her dedication and devotion.
"It was only after she passed away we realised how deep her influence was.
"We all had an emptiness, a void in our hearts and that’s what brought us here today.
"She has been a huge influence in our lives and we want to make sure our kids know that and remember her in their future and that there was this great leader in our country."
After the service, Patrick Farrington, leader of Stafford Borough Council, said: "Like many people I have grown up throughout my whole life knowing only Queen Elizabeth ll as our monarch and it is so so important to recognize everything she has done for our country and Commonwealth."
Local councils and churches have also opened their doors to provide a place for residents to sign books of condolence.
Throngs of people have written messages at Wolverhampton Civic Centre, Sandwell Council House, and Walsall Civic Centre - among many others.
Birmingham Cathedral was also filled with people wishing to pay their respects by signing the book of condolence and lighting a candle in memory of the Queen.
A spectacular array of flowers had also been left outside the Cathedral, with roses, carnations, and sunflowers adorning the Cathedral grass with a rainbow of petals.
The thoughts of the region were perhaps best summed up in a message left outside the Lady Wulfrun statue in Wolverhampton.
It read: "Good Night, God Bless Your Majesty. From Residents of Merry Hill."
