A DUDLEY man has denied carrying out a raid that took a Stourbridge based radio station off the air.

Jason Pettit pleaded not guilty to burgling the Black Country Radio studios in St John's Road and he was further remanded in custody when he appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on October 20.

The trial of the 38-year-old, of Stourbridge Road, is scheduled to take place on March 6 next year.

It is alleged Pettit took broadcasting equipment including mixing desks, amplifiers and keyboards in the raid which was discovered when Black Country comedy group turned up to present the breakfast show.

Lewis Perry, defending Pettit, told the court he would be maintaining he was at home at the time of the burglary which was carried out sometime between 11.25pm on September 8 and 6.40am on September 9.

The radio station launched an appeal after the incident to help raise £10,000 to buy replacement equipment - and bosses at the popular community station were overwhelmed with messages of support from listeners and members of the public.