Championship side Rotherham United record 25 positive Covid-19 cases in the latest week of testing.

A cyclist has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a crash in Hunslet in Leeds this morning.

Image source, Other

The man was involved in a collision with a white van at about 05:30 on Low Road, according to West Yorkshire Police.

He remains in hospital with serious injuries, but they are not believed to be life-threatening.

The road was closed for a short time, but has since been reopened.

The van driver stopped at the scene and has been helping police with their inquiries, officers said.

Eroded mortar and broken stones on the Ribblehead Viaduct, which opened in 1875, will be repaired.

Visitors are urged not to come to the town after a rise in coronavirus infections.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Stuart Arnold

Redcar and Cleveland Council leader Mary Lanigan has described the further postponement of the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race as a “real shame”.

A section of the tour was due to take place in east Cleveland, finishing in Redcar, on 30 April, but it was postponed until 2021 due to the pandemic.

Race organisers have now confirmed it will not take place until 2022 at the earliest because of the continued uncertainty surrounding the outbreak.

Mrs Lanigan said: “It is a real shame that the Tour de Yorkshire, which is a hugely popular event, won’t happen next year.

Redcar was due to be the host town for the finish of stage one of the four-day event with cyclists setting off in Beverley and travelling through Bridlington, Filey and Whitby before crossing the Redcar and Cleveland boundary at Cowbar.

From there they would have passed through Easington, Loftus, Carlin How, Brotton, Saltburn and Marske before a sprint finish along the Stray in Redcar.

The Tour de Yorkshire will be back "bigger and better than ever in 2022" following the cancellation of the 2021 event, organisers have said.

Image source, Bradley Collyer/PA Media

The 2020 and 2021 events have both now been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive James Mason said the organisation had to focus on getting the industry back on its feet before planning a big cycling event which might not go ahead.

He said: "The uncertainty in front of us meant it was impossible to plan or commit the resource that the race needs.

"This has been a mutual decision made by Welcome to Yorkshire and the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and we will all now look forward to putting all our energies into bringing the race back bigger and better than ever in 2022."

Yann Le Moenner, director general of ASO, said: “This work is obviously not wasted and we will collectively do our best to relaunch the event in 2022 and give the chance to the world's best riders to be on the Yorkshire roads in front of one of the most enthusiastic audiences the cycling world has ever seen.”

The annual Tour de Yorkshire, which it's been announced has been cancelled for the second year running, is usually of huge economic benefit to the county, race organisers have said.

Next year's event has been postponed until 2022 because of uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

This year's Tour de Yorkshire was also cancelled due to the nationwide lockdown during the first wave of the virus.

The event, which was launched in 2015 as a legacy of the 2014 Grand Depart in Yorkshire, sees millions of people lining the road to cheer on the world-renowned riders.

Organisers Welcome to Yorkshire have said the race is usually "of huge economic benefit to the county", with the 2018 event boosting the Yorkshire economy by almost £100m.

Welcome to Yorkshire said the 2019 edition of the race was watched by a record 28 million TV viewers in 190 countries.

Next year's planned Tour de Yorkshire cycle race won't now go ahead, organisers have just confirmed.

Image source, PA Media

This year's Tour, the sixth edition of the race which was scheduled to take place across the county from 30 April to 3 May, was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Welcome to Yorkshire, which organises the prestigious event, says the uncertainty surrounding the next few months has prompted the postponement of the 2021 event as well.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s chief executive James Mason said: “During these uncertain times, Welcome to Yorkshire needs to focus on the immediate needs of the industry without committing both financial and human resources towards any activity or event we cannot be certain of.

"While it is very disappointing that we will be bereft of this wonderful race for another year, the decision we have made is the right one and perhaps the only one we could make.

"The uncertainty in front of us meant it was impossible to plan or commit the resource that the race needs," he added.

The Tour de Yorkshire has been staged as a legacy event after the county hosted the Grand Depart for the Tour de France in 2014 and features a four-day men's race and two-day women's race.

Two dogs were found dead in a wood in Rotherham at the weekend, their bodies completely skinned.

The RSPCA is investigating after the animals were found by passers-by in a small area of trees near Treeton Dike, on Washfield Lane on Saturday.

Image source, RSPCA

The dogs were found alongside a skinned rodent - thought to be a rat - next to a black bin liner.

RSPCA inspector Jennie Ronksley said: “What’s not clear is whether the bodies have been dumped together in the bag and then dragged out and predated on by wildlife, or whether they were skinned before being dumped in this area.

“It’s a really shocking sight and I’m extremely concerned that these animals may have suffered before their untimely deaths so I’d like to hear from anyone with any information.”

From traces of fur left on the dogs it is thought one was black and the other was cream in colour.

Anyone with information is urged to call the RSPCA.

Former England and Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman has joined a campaign asking people in Rotherham to stay safe from coronavirus.

Image source, Rui Vieira/PA Media

'Safe Hands' Seaman, who is from Kimberworth, has filmed a video which is set to tour the borough on a digital display van, asking people to follow the guidelines to reduce the risk of infection in Rotherham.

Rotherham, which is in the tier three - very high alert level saw the infection rate per 100,000 people rise from 354 in the week up to 16 October to 482 in the week up to 23 October.

“My mum asked me to do it [the campaign], and you can’t say no to your mum, can you?”, Seaman said.

He added: “I’ve got a lot of great memories in Rotherham. It’s a place I know is really friendly and people all love to go out. But trust me, this is going to be a long winter and we all need to get through this together so stick to the rules.”

Image source, Rotherham Council

People are being encouraged to follow the key guidelines, which are:

• Keep two metres apart
• Don’t mix with other households
• Wash your hands regularly
• If you’ve got coronavirus symptoms, you must get tested
• Wear face coverings

The digital display van is touring Rotherham this week.

An investigation is under way in North Yorkshire after a "violent incident" in which man armed with a hammer allegedly assaulted police officers and a member of the public.

Image source, Google

Officers were called to Delaney Court in Settle at about 20:30 on Sunday evening.

A police spokesperson said: "PAVA spray and Taser were used to control the suspect, but it is alleged that he continued to make threats and forced the officers away before following them out onto the street while carrying a hammer.

"After discarding the hammer, it is also alleged the man assaulted the driver of another car after entering the vehicle on Duke Street.

"At this point, the police officers restrained the suspect and placed him under arrest."

The man was initially taken to hospital for assessment before being transferred into police custody for questioning, where he allegedly assaulted another officer, according to North Yorkshire Police.

Witnesses or anyone with information about the incident are being urged to contact police.

More than 50 MPs have written to the PM calling for a "clear road map" out of lockdown restrictions in northern England, warning the region risks being "left behind".

Image source, Peter Byrne/PA Wire

The letter from the newly formed Northern Research Group said the pandemic threatened Boris Johnson's pledge to "level-up".

They also called for an economic recovery plan for the region, arguing it had been hardest hit by the virus.

No 10 said it was "committed to levelling up across the country".

All the areas under the strictest restrictions of the government's three tier system, including South Yorkshire, are in the North or the Midlands.

BBC Weather

Rain spreading in from the southwest this morning will move through into the afternoon keeping things dull and wet, but it will begin to clear in the late afternoon.

Tonight will see largely clear skies after some early lingering cloud in the evening clears:

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Seven residents have died following an outbreak of Covid-19 at a care home in Huddersfield.

Image source, Go

A total of 24 residents recently tested positive for the virus at the Bupa-run Cleveland House in Edgerton.

Bosses said 20 members of staff were also affected and "have immediately isolated away from the home".

It said the majority of residents testing positive "do not have symptoms", and are receiving dedicated care in line with official guidance.

Rachel Spencer-Henshall, director of public health at Kirklees Council, said: "We take all outbreaks incredibly seriously, and together with the care home and Public Health England we're doing all we can to make sure people are safe.

"The safety of residents comes before anything else, particularly those who are vulnerable and rely on support," she said.

Bupa has confirmed the home is now closed to admissions, including from hospitals.

Luke Gale helps Leeds overcome Castleford with a try against his former side after the Tigers' Oliver Holmes is shown a first-half red card.

A total of 24 residents and 20 members of staff tested positive at Cleveland House in Huddersfield.

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals trust is treating more than 200 patients.

A suspected drug driver drove his car the wrong way down the A64 near York to avoid being pulled over by police.

Image source, Google

The driver was eventually stopped after police used a 'stinger' device to puncture the tyres of the car, officers say.

The incident began at 00:08 today after North Yorkshire Police were called by a customer at the McDonald's at Bilbrough Top on Tadcaster Road, reporting concerns about a fellow diner.

The diner, a 35-year-old from Bradford, drove off and failed to pull over when a police vehicle approached.

He pulled into a nearby hotel car park but was spotted by police and headed onto the A64 - travelling the wrong way along the carriageway.

Police halted their pursuit over fears for the public's safety.

Eventually, the vehicle was tracked by CCTV in York and police brought it to a stop on Shipton Road.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of drug driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop for the police, being a disqualified driver and having no insurance.

Police say they believe the car was stolen and cloned number plates were being used.

The juvenile peregrine died as a result of ingesting a highly toxic pesticide, police say.