Wolverhampton, at the heart of the industrial revolution, has never been known for its beautiful landscape. The story goes that when Queen Victoria passed through she asked for the curtains in her carriage to be drawn because she was so offended by the sight of the town.
Writer, Sathnam Sanghera grew up with a railway running through his back garden and an industrial estate running alongside his street. For this edition of Open Country he returns to his home town, now a city, and finds a burgeoning natural scene, he goes birdwatching at Smestow Valley, discovers why otters are thriving along a particular patch of the Staffordshire and Worcester canal and even canoes in a thriving local waterway.
The producer is Perminder Khatkar.