Exports from the West Midlands have almost doubled in six years as the region continued to buck a falling trend.

New data shows the region exported £28.6 billion worth of goods last year, up from £27 billion in 2013 .

The West Midlands enjoyed its sixth consecutive year of export growth in 2014, while UK-wide, there was a fall from £299 billion to £287 billion.

It now exports more than all UK regions but the South East and London. Such has been the growth, while the capital shipped almost £15 billion more products abroad than the West Midlands three years ago, the difference is now just £405 million.

Paul Noon, regional director for UKTI West Midlands said: “These are once again extremely impressive figures for exports from the West Midlands. Our companies continue to lead the way in terms of breaking into new markets around the world and we are well on our way to meeting the national economic challenge of doubling the value of exports by 2020.

“The EU remains the largest single market for West Midlands goods with sales over the last 12 months, worth £11.4 billion. However the opportunities provided by China continue to be enormous, with the Beijing-Birmingham flights making this market even more accessible for local firms.”

The HMRC figures show that West Midlands exports also continued to grow to Asia and Oceania: trade worth £7.8 billion; EU: £11.4 billion; Middle East and North Africa: £1.8 billion; and North America: £4.8 billion.