A new community stadium for York could finally be completed in 2019, several years after its original planned opening.

Image source, City of York Council

Contracts have now been signed on the project, meaning construction work is due to begin at Monks Cross before Christmas.

The stadium development has suffered a number of delays since it was first proposed in 2009.

It's since been dogged by delays, including the discovery of great crested newts in 2013, a budget over-run in 2015 and a legal challenge by a cinema chain early this year.

City of York Council said Greenwich Leisure Ltd had now taken possession of the site, enabling its building contractor to start work.

Full construction works, site security and compounds will arrive on site within the next few weeks.

Once complete, the new Community Stadium Leisure Complex will comprise an 8,000 all-seat community sports stadium to host professional football and rugby league games.

Children in Need

Look at the crowds in Brighouse to welcome Harry and Paul on their BBC Children in Need challenge.

They're walking from from Huddersfield to Halifax tethered together at the ankle.

To keep up-to-date with their progress, you can click here, external.

It's BBC Children in Need Day and thousands of people all over Yorkshire are doing their thing to raise money.

Last year about £3m was donated in our county.

Naveed Mushtaque, from Horton Park Primary in Bradford, says Children in Need funding means the school's able to keep children entertained, even during the holidays:

Chris Arundel
BBC Radio Humberside

A York woman's had to pay £150 after the man she paid to take away her rubbish dumped it on a country lane near Driffield in East Yorkshire:

Image source, East Riding Council

Marie Greenwood, from Barkstone Road in York, has pleaded guilty at Beverley Magistrates' Court to failing to check she was using an authorised waste carrier.

Black bin bags, an old printer, a vacuum cleaner and other household waste were dumped by the side of the road in Sandy Lane, Harpham, back in March.

Miss Greenwood hadn't checked if the man had a valid licence and didn't get a receipt.

Police in West Yorkshire are warning people to make sure their security is up-to-scratch in the run-up to Christmas.

Mother-of-two, Natalie Starr, is helping the force to highlight how distressing burglary can be, after she returned home from a family dog walk to find her house had been turned upside down.

The 35-year-old was out with her two young children, aged four and five, when she received a call from her neighbour to say she'd seen Natalie’s car being driven away from the property:

Ice Hockey team the Sheffield Steelers are on their way to the rink at Copenhagen in Denmark as they prepare for their opening game in the Continental Cup.

Image source, Sheffield Steelers

This afternoon, the Steelers play the Belarusian side Yunosk Minsk.

There's live commentary on the BBC Radio Sheffield Facebook page from 15:00.

Workers on Virgin's East Coast railway line are to be balloted for industrial action in a dispute about pay and terms and conditions.

Image source, PA

The RMT union has accused the company of trying to create what it calls a "two-tier" workforce, with new employees being told they aren't entitled to sick pay for their first year.

A Virgin Trains spokesman said: "We have not yet received formal notification from the RMT, but we are disappointed if this is true.

He added: "We have offered members what we believe is a very fair 3.2% pay increase and we remain open to discussions with them."

BBC News Travel

Not sure exactly what's going on in Harrogate.

It's a bit early for the Friday getaway:

Wakefield's most famous son, football pundit Chris Kamara, became the unlikely bystander in an incident last night.

We'll let his tweet tell the story:

And the reply from West Yorkshire Police is priceless:

The rider of a motorbike was left seriously hurt following a collision in Sheffield last night.

Image source, Google

At about 18:30, a blue Yamaha motorbike was travelling along Penistone Road, towards the city centre, when it was involved in a collision with a blue VW Polo, close to Bastock Road.

At the time of the collision, the Polo was beginning to turn right out of Bastock Road.

The rider of the motorbike, a 20-year-old man from Sheffield, suffered serious and potentially life-changing injuries as a result of the collision.

Travellers at Harrogate, Scarborough and York railway stations are being entertained by a whole host of musicians throughout the day.

It's all part of this year's fundraising for Children in Need by BBC Radio York.

Here's a short clip of the big voiced Leon Marshall on the platform at Harrogate:

Andy Kershaw
BBC Radio Sheffield News

An investigation's been launched into the cause of a fire at a disused training centre in Rotherham. Fire crews spent much of the night at the Millside centre on Dalton Lane.

Image source, SYFR

The owner has told BBC Radio Sheffield he fears it was arson.

Children in Need

Wow look at the response Harry and Paul are getting in Elland right now!

They're walking from Huddersfield to Halifax tethered together at the ankle for BBC Children in Need:

their next stops are Rastrick, Brighouse, Hipperholme and then it's a walk up the dreaded Shibden Wall, reaching Halifax's Piece Hall at about 17:00.

Visitors to Sheffield's Moor Market today are being greeted by stallholders dressed in pyjamas to raise money for BBC Children in Need.

Image source, Moor Market

Collection buckets are on the stalls and it is hoped anyone coming to the market will join in the fun and donate.

A 25ft tall Christmas tree has been erected at the famous Castle Howard in North Yorkshire.

It took 17 people just to drag it inside and is now decorated with about 3,500 baubles.

As you might imagine, the whole process took a while.

Here's a speeded-up version of events:

Police have released the name of a man who died after being hit by a car on Saturday night in Bradford.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Marco Sevilla died in hospital following the collision on Queens Road after being hit by a silver Vauxhall Vectra.

The 38-year-old was walking along the road and was left fighting for his life after the crash, but he died days later.

Police say they spoke to the driver of the Vauxhall at the scene but are asking for any witnesses to come forward by calling them on 101.

Kate Linderholm
BBC Local Live, Sheffield

A competition to name two new gritting vehicles in Doncaster is going down a storm on social media - and attracting some big names.

Image source, Doncaster Council

The town's council already has five named gritter vehicles: Brad Grit, Gritney Spears, The Subzero Hero, Mr Plow and Usain Salt.

Asking for suggestions for the new gritters, the council says entrants should keep suggestions clean and original so they don't have to trawl through hundreds of responses such as Gritty McGritface.

Suggestions so far include:

• Spready Mercury
• Basil Salty
• David Plowie
• Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti Slip Machiney

The humorous campaign has even now crossed the Atlantic, catching the attention of American singer Curtis Stigers who has his own suggestion:

A North Yorkshire MP says it's "unacceptable" that a North Yorkshire woman has been forced to live in her car after losing her home.

Wendy has told BBC Radio York she's been sleeping rough in her vehicle for months because she can't afford to buy or rent anywhere.

The Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, Kevin Hollinrake, says he's willing to step in and help:

For BBC Children in Need today, BBC Look North's Harry Gration and Paul Hudson are tethered together at the ankle as they totter from Huddersfield to Halifax, rattling buckets along the way.

Here's the moment of truth as they left St George's Square in Huddersfield at just after 08:00:

The tethered twosome now aim to wend their way through Elland, Rastrick, Brighouse and Hipperholme:

Image source, Ordnance Survey

And then it's a walk up the dreaded Shibden Wall, reaching Halifax's Piece Hall at about 17:00...

Kevin Larkin
Political reporter, BBC Radio Sheffield

A Sheffield hospital which looks after young people with mental health problems still needs to improve, according to the findings of a new inspection.

Image source, Google

The Care Quality Commission gave the Cygnet Hospital an overall rating of "requires improvement" after finding seats with ripped covers, walls covered with graffiti and holes in the plaster work at the site.

A set of airlock doors has seen 19 attempts to break through since July, inspectors also found.

The Care Quality Commission was also concerned that young people were being kept in seclusion until they were remorseful - something which the CQC says shouldn't happen.

Cygnet says it has made progress and is committed to acting on the recommendations in the report.