The Thatcher government feared a "witch hunt" if a public inquiry were held into policing of the 1984-5 miners' strike, declassified files show.

Minutes of a meeting in 1985 show Leon Brittan then home secretary, wanted to avoid "any form of enquiry" into policing of the picket lines.

Andy Burnham, Labour MP and critic of South Yorkshire Police, has given his reaction to the latest findings:

Thirsk-based David "Dandy" Nicholls, known as the "Sprint King", has announced he has given up training .

Image source, PA

The 60-year-old former jockey took up training in 1992 and won a host of sprint races, both in the United Kingdom and France.

Among his wins were the Nunthorpe Stakes, July Cup, Haydock Sprint Cup, Prix de l'Abbaye and the Ayr Gold Cup.

He faces trial in the summer on two charges of sexual assault, which he strenuously denies.

Among his horses were Ya Malak, who created his own piece of history when he dead-heated with Coastal Bluff in the Nunthorpe at York in 1997.

Almost 300 guns, knives and rounds of ammunition have been handed in during a weapons amnesty by West Yorkshire Police.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

The force says 110 guns, 158 knives and 29 lots of ammunition - equating to about 300 rounds - were handed in.

This is the third time West Yorkshire Police has done this, and more weapons were handed in this year than last. 

A West Yorkshire farmer has been targeted by abuse after he shot a dog which had attacked some of his pregnant ewes.

The National Farmers Union says attacks by dogs on sheep are a growing problem.

Some viewers may find the phone call featured in the film distressing.

Andy Kershaw
BBC Radio Sheffield News

Two Rotherham men have officially broken the Guinness World Record for the world's smallest mobile nightclub, measuring just 6ft 7ins by 3ft!

The mini-mobile, in Sheffield, is a proper club, with a sound system, dancefloor and even a bouncer. 

I paid my 50p entrance fee, slipped on my dancing shoes and just about managed to squeeze onto the dance floor.

But you don't want to see that, so instead here's some pics of the mini-mobile instead:

It looks like North Yorkshire Police's Road Policing Group are taking a trip back in time today.

Here's hoping they don't use these vehicles to get there.

Can you believe these were once the very height of criminal-catching technology?

Police in Rotherham have seized quite a few cannabis plants after they executed a warrant on Fitzwilliam Road.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

The occupants had bypassed the electric meter, with the police saying they potentially caused a fire risk.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the find.

A cyclist is in a "serious condition" in hospital in Leeds after she was hit by a lorry in York yesterday morning.

Police are appealing for information after the woman was hit by a blue Jewson's lorry at about 08:00.

The lorry was turning left from Hazel Court onto James Street and the cyclist was travelling along James Street towards Lawrence Street when the collision happened.

A 25-year-old woman from the York area suffered serious injuries and was taken by air ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary.

The road was closed until 13:00 to allow police to examine the scene and the vehicles involved.

Following earlier problems with the overhead lines in Bradford, it looks like things are getting back to normal between Forster Square and Shipley:

The Independent Police Complaints Commission says there's "no case to answer" into alleged misconduct by police officers handling child sex abuse complaints in Rotherham.

Image source, Getty Images

The police watchdog has finished looking at nine cases, and found no evidence of misconduct.

There are 53 more cases still under investigation involving a total of 91 officers.

The IPCC also confirmed that "at least one" police officer has been interviewed under criminal caution. 

The South Yorkshire Police Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, described the time the investigations are taking as "intolerable" and "unfair" on both officers and victims.

Image source, Nasa/Bill Ingalls

With the news that the spacecraft which carried British astronaut Tim Peake to and from the International Space Station is to go on display at the newly-renamed National Science and Media Museum in Bradford , here are some key facts about the vehicle:

• Tim Peake set off for his mission to the International Space Station in December 2015, and within a few weeks he became the first British astronaut to walk in space
• The craft is designed to protect the crew from the harsh conditions at launch and re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere
• It was from within this 2m high, bell-shaped vehicle that Major Peake witnessed the wonders of space
• The Soyuz TMA-19M has been refurbished, but is still slightly singed from re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere
• Maj Peake was the first person to fly to space under the UK banner since Sheffield's Helen Sharman in 1991 and made the first spacewalk by a UK astronaut

BBC Business News

Bradford-based Morrisons, the UK's fourth-biggest supermarket chain, has reported rising sales and profits as its turnaround strategy continues to bring results .

Image source, PA

After taking out one-off costs, profits jumped 11.6% last year to £337m, the first increase for five years.

Like-for-like sales grew 1.7%, while total revenue rose 1.2% to £16.3bn despite recent store closures.

Morrisons, which is now the fastest-growing big four supermarket, said it was confident of improving further.

It warned, though, of "uncertainties" ahead, particularly of price rises of imported food if sterling stays at lower levels.

David Rhodes
Journalist, BBC Yorkshire

South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, has told the BBC he's hoping to publish files held by South Yorkshire Police regarding the 1984-85 miners' strike.

Dr Billings says he's working with Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, so the files can be made public.

A total of  18 declassified documents seen by BBC Yorkshire  show Margaret Thatcher’s government did not want an inquiry held into the policing of the miners' strike. 

Police in Scarborough are appealing for information after a teenage girl was seriously sexually assaulted in the town last week.

The attack took place near the William Street car park in the Lower Clark Street area at about 21:30 on Friday 3 February.

The victim, a girl in her mid-teens, is now receiving support from specialist officers, according to North Yorkshire Police.

Anyone who was in the area between 21:00 and 22:00 on that day is being asked to contact police.

There are currently delays of about 10 minutes on the M18 heading away from the M1 after a multi-vehicle crash.

Police and recovery services are moving the cars to the hard shoulder and then the carriageway will be reopened.

There's queuing traffic from junction three back to junction two, as can be seen on this shot from a nearby traffic camera:

Image source, Highways Agency/Crown Copyright

Police in Leeds say they're "very concerned" over the disappearance of a man from Beeston who's been missing since yesterday afternoon.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Morris Wilson, 41, was last seen at about 14:00 on Wednesday.

He's described as white, 5ft 9ins tall, of stocky build, with receding dark hair and wearing Adidas tracksuit bottoms, a light blue top and a dark blue coat.　

Det Insp James Entwistle says: "We urgently need to find Morris and check that he is okay. 

"We are carrying out various enquiries to trace him and would like to hear from anyone who has seen him or who has any information that could assist in tracing him."

If you're on the M62 near Morley just now, police are warning you to take extra care and keep a look out:

BBC Radio York

An investigation is to be carried out after BBC Radio York uncovered what's believed to be an illegal tobacco-selling operation. 

We have been following an online chat room for several months and discovered that thousands of tobacco products are being sold online. 

We passed the information to David Miller, a Trading Standards officer in North Yorkshire:

In April 2016, North Yorkshire County Council commissioned a survey evaluating the prevalence of illicit tobacco in the county. The survey indicated that in North Yorkshire:

• A total of 31% smokers have tried illicit tobacco
• Illicit tobacco makes up 9% of the tobacco market
• A total of 18% of non-smokers and 48% of smokers have encountered the sale of illicit tobacco
• A total of 16% of smokers are comfortable with the sale of illicit tobacco

Abbie Dewhurst
Weather Presenter, BBC Look North

A mostly fine and dry day with some decent sunny spells, though it'll be windy through the morning and early afternoon.

Watch my full forecast here:

David Rhodes
Journalist, BBC Yorkshire

Margaret Thatcher's government feared a "witch hunt" if a public inquiry were held into the policing of the 1984-5 miners' strike, declassified files show .

Image source, Steve Eason

Minutes of a meeting in 1985 show Leon Brittan then home secretary, wanted to avoid "any form of enquiry" into policing of the picket lines.

Miners say the files show successive governments "never wanted the truth to come out" over the events.

But the Home Office said there were few lessons to be learnt from 30 years ago.

Eighteen new files have been released to the National Archive, after current Home Secretary Amber Rudd promised  30 previously unreleased files  connected with the strike would be published.