Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00
Live updates for Leeds and West Yorkshire have finished for today, but we'll be back from 08:00 on Friday 4 December with the latest news, sport, weather and travel updates from across the county.
Summary
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 on Friday
Updates on Thursday 3 December 2015
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00
West Yorkshire's weather: Cloudy with heavy rainpublished at 17:53
Paul Hudson
Weather presenter, BBC Look NorthIt's going to be cloudy with outbreaks of heavy rain this evening. It will turn drier allowing for clear spells later with temperatures dipping as low as about 4C (39F).
Tomorrow will be a drier and much brighter day with spells of sunshine. However, there will be a few light showers in the west.
Temperatures could reach highs of about 10C (50F).
More news from West Yorkshire: Coming up on BBC Look Northpublished at 17:47
BBC Look North, YorkshireJoin us on BBC One at 18:30 for Look North as we ask why a trust which runs three West Yorkshire hospitals has again been told it must improve.
The health regulator, the Care Quality Commission, went into Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, Pontefract General Infirmary, and Dewsbury District Hospital.
It found nurse staffing levels at the hospitals, run by the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, "continued to be a problem".
The sweet history of Pontefract's secret ballot boxpublished at 17:41
Ros Ball
BBC ParliamentPutting an "X" on a ballot paper in a private booth and posting it into a box is something you and I take for granted.
Image source, Wakefield CouncilBut before 1872, the fifth of the adult male population lucky enough to be able to vote had to do so very publically until the Ballot Act introduced the ballot box to counteract bribing of voters.
Did you know Pontefract was the first town to vote in private, in the face of opposition from those who considered secret voting to be "unmanly"? I've been finding out more...
MyBradford: 'As a Muslim, I love Christmas'published at 17:36
Jenny Eells
MyBradford Producer, BBC Radio LeedsI have the pleasure of working with Isma Almas - a Bradford writer, social worker, comedian...and a Muslim who loves Christmas.
Image source, MyBradfordIsma is a regular contributor to our MyBradford.org, external website and her latest blog explores her love of the festive period and her own unique take on ironing., external
Quote MessageBeing a Muslim, I absolutely love Christmas. And being a punctual person, I like to have my Christmas trees (three of them), up early and ready for business in November. As a kid, we didn’t celebrate Christmas, but now that I have my own home, my own family and my own rules, we enthusiastically embrace and go all out at Christmas."
Isma Almas, Bradford writer and comedian
Travel update: Heavy traffic in Leeds affecting busespublished at 17:28
Bus passengers are being warned to expect delays to services through Leeds this evening as heavy traffic in the city continues to cause disruption.
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End of twitter postDisabled Keighley woman fears being 'prisoner in her home'published at 17:25
A Keighley woman fears she will become a prisoner in her home after having her right to a disabled bus pass removed, external.
Image source, Keighley NewsLeeds United: Evans waiting for Byram to sign new dealpublished at 17:18
BBC SportLeeds United head coach Steve Evans has said full-back Sam Byram will be "at the front of my thoughts" if he signs a new deal with the club.
Image source, Getty ImagesByram, 22, is out of contract at the end of the season and has not started a game since 29 October.
Evans has told BBC Radio Leeds the player has been offered new terms this week.
Quote MessageI'm looking to build here. If somebody is building a house and you say, 'that is a dodgy brick', then you won't put it in the middle of your house. You'd use a different one. I'm a little bit confident, for the right or wrong reasons, that that offer might be enough for him."
Steve Evans, Leeds United head coach
Travel update: Heavy traffic on the A629 in Ellandpublished at 17:12
BBC TravelDrivers are being warned to expect delays owing to heavier than usual traffic on the A629 Halifax Road inbound in Elland between the Wistons Lane junction and the A6026 Wakefield Road junction.
Latest headlines: Funeral held for Leeds transgender prisoner and West Yorkshire hospitals trust 'must tackle staff shortages'published at 17:08
Liam Ward
BBC Local Live, LeedsThe top stories in Leeds and West Yorkshire this afternoon include:
- The funeral is held for Leeds transgender prisoner Vikki Thompson
- Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust is told it 'must continue to tackle staff shortages'
- Up to 50 firefighters have tackled a large fire involving batteries at a recycling centre in Halifax
West Yorkshire hospitals trust 'must continue to tackle staff shortages'published at 17:05
More must be done to tackle staff shortages at the Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust, according to a health watchdog official.
The trust, which runs hospitals in Dewsbury, Wakefield and Pontefract, has been told to improve after its safety was rated as "inadequate" following an inspection by Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The CQC found nurse staffing levels "continued to be a problem", despite the trust having recruited an extra 100 nurses since its previous inspection.
Quote MessageWhen we inspected the hospitals, we saw that the trust had made some clear improvements to improve the safety and quality of services since our previous inspection. However, there is still work for the trust to do to ensure that people using its services consistently receive good quality care and treatment."
Prof Sir Mike Richards, Care Quality Commission's chief inspector of hospitals
Disability hate crime awareness campaign is launchedpublished at 16:49
Victims of disability hate crime in West Yorkshire speak out, external on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, as part of a police campaign to help combat the issue.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities, external is backed by the UN and has been promoting action to raise awareness about disability issues since 1992.
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End of youtube videoArmed robbery in Bradford sparks urgent appealpublished at 16:24
Police in Bradford trying to trace a shotgun-wielding armed robber have released a photo of the suspect, external.
Image source, West Yorkshire PoliceAt about 16:30 on Wednesday, a man carrying what's believed to be a shotgun walked into a bank on Fair Road in Wibsey and demanded money from the female cashier. No money was taken and no one was injured.
The suspect, who was wearing a motorcycle helmet and a balaclava, and another male, who's described as Asian and believed to be in his 20s, left the bank in a black 4x4 type vehicle, possibly a Dacia Duster.
Leeds kickboxing champion aims for Olympic glorypublished at 16:12
Leeds kickboxer Macy Wood is eyeing an Olympic gold, she's told BBC Look North.
The 12-year-old, from Outwood, has already collected four world titles over the course of her sporting career so far.
However, Macy tells BBC Look North's Danny Carpenter she has her eyes on a bigger prize - the Olympics in 2020.
Transgender prisoner Vikki Thompson 'shouldn't have been in a male prison'published at 15:59
Vikki Thompson, the Leeds transgender prisoner who died while in Armley Jail, "shouldn't have ever been in a male prison", her close friend says.
Vikki, 21, died at the all-male jail on 13 November. She had said she would kill herself if sent to a male prison.
Vikki's funeral was held in Keighley earlier and among those mourning her passing was her friend Abbie Jay, who spoke to BBC Look North's Ian White.
Latest headlines: Firefighters tackle big blaze in Halifax and Leeds transgender prisoner funeral heldpublished at 15:52
Liam Ward
BBC Local Live, LeedsThe top stories in Leeds and West Yorkshire this afternoon include:
- Firefighters tackle a big blaze on an industrial estate near Halifax, external
- The funeral is held for Leeds transgender prisoner Vikki Thompson
- Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust "requires improvement"
Haworth Fire Station campaigners confident of successpublished at 15:34
Campaigners fighting for a planned safety hub in Haworth are hopeful the scheme will get the green light next month, external.
Image source, KevupnorthLeeds teenager receives second kidney transplantpublished at 15:14
Leeds teenager Akash Suryavansi is recovering in hospital after receiving a second kidney transplant from his parents.
Akash, 17, who's from Harehills, received his mum's kidney during his first transplant 10 years ago.
That kidney failed and now Dad Aki has donated his kidney to his son. Despite it not being a match, Aki can donate the organ due to advances in medicine.
Akash and Aki are both recovering well after a successful operation and have recorded a video diary for BBC Look North.
Safety work at Bridgewater Place 'could start in February'published at 14:38
Safety work to calm strong winds around Yorkshire's tallest building could start in early 2016, Leeds City Council has confirmed.
Image source, Lad 2011Doctor Edward Slaney, a 35-year-old environmental engineer from Sowerby Bridge, was crushed to death by a lorry as high winds blew near the Leeds skyscraper in 2011.
Two years ago a coroner said more lives were at risk unless the safety work was completed quickly.
Judith Blake, the leader of Leeds City Council, has told BBC Radio Leeds that the vital work should start in the new year:
Quote MessagePlanning permission is in place, they're working on the contracts as we speak. We're hoping that they will be on site in February, implementing the scheme. This is what we understand. We want to hold them to that. It's a very important scheme and the safety is absolutely paramount and it has to be right."
Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council
Severe weather warning issued for Keighleypublished at 14:12
A severe weather warning has been issued by the Met Office - with heavy rain likely to hit the Bradford district this afternoon, external.
Image source, Keighley News
