The "huge generosity" of people from Harrogate has been praised by the town's Mayor, Councillor Nick Brown, after a ball held to mark the close of his year in office raised £125,000 for five local charities.

The Mayor’s Magical Spring Ball, at the Old Swan Hotel, was attended by more than 340 people, with what's been described as "fierce bidding" for auction items.

Image source, Harrogate Borough Council

The Ball had an Alice in Wonderland theme, with characters from the story popping up and tables named after events in the story.

The auction was conducted by Charles Hanson, from the BBC’s Bargain Hunt and the Master of Ceremonies was Harry Gration of BBC Look North. 

Proceeds from the event will go to the Harrogate Homeless Project, Saint Michael’s Hospice, Harrogate Choral Society, the Cathedral Concert Society and the Ripon and the Northern Aldborough Festival.

Prosecutors say Craig Preston was beaten to death by a love rival, his partner and three teenagers.

A pregnant British woman from Leeds who was arrested in Rwanda on suspicion of plotting to undermine President Paul Kagame is back in the UK.

Image source, Uwamahoro

Violette Uwamahoro was granted bail last month by a court which ruled that her detention over charges of spreading state secrets was not warranted.

Her arrest while in Rwanda for a family funeral caused an uproar, with rights groups calling for her release.

Her family wanted the UK to intervene, saying she faced an "unfair" trial.

Yorkshire Post

Six senior members of Ryedale District Council - including its leader - have resigned from the controlling Conservative group after threats of suspension from the constituency party association., external

Image source, Kathryn Bulmer

Today's protest outside the Templeborough Biomass Plant in Rotherham could be followed by further action, according to unions. 

The demo by Unite and the GMB is over the alleged use of underpaid foreign workers at the site and others across the UK. 

About 100 union members demonstrated this morning. 

Chris Weldon from UNITE says action won't stop until agreement is reached:

About 12 horses were seen running loose on a main road in Bradford on Tuesday morning.

A drug which can turn people violent or make them comatose is being used by homeless people in Leeds.

That's according to a West Yorkshire charity, which says the former legal high known as Spice is cheap and easy to get hold of in the city.

The Simon On The Streets charity says Spice is cheaper than cannabis, costing anything between £10 and £20 a bag. 

Ryan Felton, who works at a Leeds city centre hair salon, says he frequently sees Spice users collapsed in his doorway: 

The Duke of Kent has officially named Scarborough's new lifeboat in what was the first naming ceremony for 25 years. 

The lifeboat has been named after Frederick William Plaxton, the father of the person who left enough money in his will to pay for it.

It cost £2m and began service in December. 

Mark Byford, a trustee of the RNLI, says it's a continuation and celebration of 200 years of history:

BBC News Travel

Some great news from the M62 finally: it looks like the broken down tanker which has been causing terrible delays has been moved.

However, those 10-miles queues won't disappear instantly:

BBC News Travel

There are now 10 miles of queues on the M62 westbound - from before J24 all the way to J22 because of a broken down tanker taking out two lanes and causing three-hour delays.

Highways England says the tanker has "brake issues" which might suggest they're having a tough time getting it moving.

Here's a depressing image of the queue...in the rain:

Image source, Highways England/Crown Copyright

How do you train for the fight of your life? Now you can find out...

We've had behind-the-scenes access to World Heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, as he prepares to defend his titles at the end of this month.

Joshua, who trains at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, has allowed a BBC film crew to follow his preparations for his upcoming fight against Wladimir Klitschko:

Anthony Joshua: The Road to Klitschkowill be shown on BBC One on Tuesday 25 April at 22:45.

You may have seen reports this morning of a sinkhole in Leeds:

I've called the police to clarify what the situation is. It turns out that there is a sinkhole, but it's in Hawksworth, not Horsforth as stated in the above tweet.

Officers say the hole is four to five feet deep and a skip lorry got its rear wheel stuck in it last night, but there's no indication the road is shut.

We'll let you know if the story (and indeed the hole) gets bigger...

BBC News Travel

Here's the situation on the M62 towards Manchester between J24 and J22.

Highways England says it's all being caused by a broken down vehicle.

The are eight-and-a-half mile queues to the incident, one to avoid if you can

Image source, Highways England/Crown Copyright

BBC News Travel

We are now seeing delays of more than an hour on the M62 westbound:

Fourteen rare ducks and their eggs have been stolen from a farm at Escrick in North Yorkshire.

They're easily distinguishable from your average mallard.

Police are asking for help finding the birds and their valuable eggs.

There's a large police presence outside Kirklees Magistrates' Court this morning as 29 people are due in court charged with historical child sex offences.

The offences are said to have occurred over a seven-year period and relate to 18 women, who were between 11 and 17 at the time of the alleged offences which it's claimed took place in Huddersfield.

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, Yorkshire

Earlier I told you the surprising news that a 6ft snake had been found in Scarborough.

I've since been in touch with the RSPCA, who rescued the boa constrictor from woodlands near the town, and they say they want anyone who knows anything about it to contact them.

Image source, RSPCA

Officers from the organisation say they don't know whether it was dumped or is an escaped pet from a home nearby.

A spokesperson for the animal charity says the snake would have died in the woodlands if it hadn't been found.

It's now being looked after by specialists, whilst the RSPCA investigate what happened.

Andy Kershaw
BBC Radio Sheffield News

Members of two unions are protesting in Rotherham today. 

The demonstration, by the Unite and GMB unions, is outside Templeborough Biomass Plant, and concerns what they say is the use of underpaid foreign workers at the site and others across the UK. 

The company behind the plant denies the allegations.

Bob McNeil, from the GMB union, says workers are being exploited:  

Police say they're "growing very concerned" for the safety of a Leeds woman who's been missing since yesterday.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Susan Carr, 59, was last seen at about 10:30 on Tuesday morning on Potternewton Lane and was reported missing yesterday evening.

She's described as white, of medium build, about 5ft 9ins tall and was last seen wearing green boots, dark green trousers, a green shirt and orange jacket, with a brown and pink rucksack.　

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is being asked to contact police.

There's been a slight increase in unemployment in Yorkshire, according to the latest statistics.

Figures show there were 5,000 more people out of work in the Yorkshire and the Humber region between December and February - taking the total to 139,000.

Nationally, unemployment has fallen by 45,000.