Inside secret Midland tunnels and chambers lying metres beneath our feet

A new book has been published showcasing the lost tunnels and canals lying hidden beneath the Black Country. Author Anthony Poulton-Smith takes readers on a journey through some of the lost places underground and the stories connected to them.

They include the allegedly haunted Gostly Hill Tunnel, where boaters have had paranormal encounters. Elsewhere, the book looks at the region's industrial heritage and showcases a sneak peak into the workings of Baggeridge Colliery.

These lost places explored in Poulton-Smith's book range across the four Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Sandwell. For centuries, the region was associated with coal mining and metal working before the industrial revolution began with heavier manufacturing.

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READ MORE: Inside the Black Country's secret tunnels and canals

Although the last coal mine closed in 1968, the region has a strong sense of identity towards its industrial heritage. Through his book Going Underground: The Black Country, Poulton-Smith explores natural and man-made caves, potholes, canal and railway tunnels, mines, hidden routes and cellars with a story to tell, passageways from houses, churches, hotels and pubs, former nuclear bunkers and old air-raid shelters.

It will be an ideal book for all those with a keen interest in local history. The book costs £15.99 online and can be bought from Amberley Publishing's website. The book is also available in Kindle, Kobo and iBook formats.