The number of stop and search checks carried out by police in South Yorkshire have fallen by more than 90% over the last five years, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Image source, Getty Images

The figures come after a recent surge this year in knife related murders and other incidents.

In 2013 officers conducted more than 22,000 searches on the streets which is just under 2,00 a month.

By contrast, for the six months ending in February this year, only 1,000 searches had been carried out.

Police bosses are now encouraging officers to return to carrying out more stop and searches because they are seen as a valuable way of identifying those carrying weapons and also to act as a deterrent.

Elizabeth Glinka
BBC Midlands Today

A midwife who has been reported missing had been planning a wedding for June but was recently single, police have said.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Samantha Eastwood was last seen leaving Royal Stoke University Hospital at 07:45 BST on Friday and did not return for her night shift later that day. Police said she had appeared happy at work.

Police say Ms Eastwood's car is still at her house and there's been no further activity on her finances since she disappeared.

They are searching several houses in north Staffordshire and have widened their appeal for sightings to include areas where she holidayed, including Whitby.

Yesterday, police said a 32-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and since released under investigation while inquiries continue.

New plans have been submitted for a £5m stadium in Sheffield that will host teams such as Sheffield United Women and the Sheffield Eagles.

Image source, Olympic Legacy Park

The 3,900 capacity stadium will have a grandstand built on the side of a current 3G sports pitch, that's currently used by UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park and Oasis Academy Don Valley.

Scarborough Group International have submitted the plans at the Olympic Legacy Park on the site of the former Don Valley stadium.

Did you know there is actually no law for a minimum or maximum workplace temperature?

The TUC would now like to see a legal maximum.

Hull East MP Karl Turner says the Government has to step in:

BBC Weather Watchers

It's been a bit chillier than we're used to of late.

That's good news for some of our region's wildlife though, like these horses in Belper.

Image source, Lindafrom Belper

This cow in Great Glen, Leicestershire.

Image source, junee

And this pair of swans in Misterton, Nottinghamshire.

Image source, duck60

Sometimes it just comes naturally and people running social media accounts write an authentic Tweet that connect with their audiences on an emotional level.

And other times this happens..:

The Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Magid Magid, has demanded an inquiry into Orgreave in the 'most Yorkshire' way he knows on Twitter.

Starting his letter to Home Secretary Sajid Javid with "Ey up Saj", Mr Magid goes on to say the miners and their families have "waited too long" for justice.

The letter goes on to ask for a "proper, decent and fair inquiry" after police officers and miners were involved in violent clashes at the coke plant in South Yorkshire during the miners' strike in 1984 .

It's Yorkshire Day and what better way to celebrate than trying to break a world record.

This lunchtime at Leeds Kirkgate Market, organisers were trying to beat the record for the highest number of people wearing the same kind of hat at the same time.

The topper of choice was of course the flat cap, and we can unoffically confirm that enough people were there to break the 250 people record.

Although we won't know officially for several weeks yet.

Hull is bidding to host matches during the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, external.

Image source, SWPIX.COM

If successful, two matches would take place at the KCOM Stadium including a quarter-final.

Hull FC and Hull KR are backing the bid.

A total of 21 taxi drivers in Wakefield have lost their licences over the past four years after being convicted of crimes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A Freedom of Information request found that most of the drivers were punished for motoring offences.

However one lost their job for dealing Class A drugs while another was found guilty of having indecent images of children.

Drivers operating with a licence from Wakefield Council must inform them if they receive a conviction, caution, warning or reprimand.

The local authority then decides whether or not to remove their licence.

Campaigners for the bronze statue raised £175,000 towards it in two years.

A man has pleaded guilty to 15 charges of possessing and disseminating terrorist publications.

Abdurahman Kaabar, 23, admitted distributing documents and videos, including one entitled 'How to survive in the West: Mujahid Guide'.

He pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court to three counts of possessing a record of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism and 12 counts of disseminating terrorist publications.

Kaabar, of Martin Street, Sheffield, is due to stand trial on Monday 6 August charged with two counts of sending money that he knew or suspected may be used for the purposes of terrorism.

Harrogate's to become the first place in the country to get a new parking system.

Image source, Google

An App will tell drivers where a space is available.

They'll also only be charged for the minutes they park, rather than the nearest hour.

It's been trialled in five streets, but is going to be rolled out across the town in November.

The scheme is costing £90,000 to set up which will be split evenly between Harrogate Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

Different parts of the system have been implemented in Westminster, Coventry, Islington and Reading, but Harrogate will be the first to have the complete system in place.

AFC Wimbledon sign left-back Ben Purrington on a season-long loan deal from Championship side Rotherham United.

Police in North Yorkshire have swiftly arrested a man they wanted to speak to about a sexual assault on a 19-year-old woman in York.

The force released CCTV footage this morning:

About 600 "strongly-worded" letters have been sent to people in Barnsley believed to have been involved in fly-tipping, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Image source, Barnsley Council

The letters are being sent out by the council as they change to the way it responds to the problem - it says staff are "moving up a gear".

That has meant increased social media activity to publicise the actions staff have taken against fly-tippers, to highlight the fact that those involved now stand an increased chance of getting caught.

Council officials have also started working alongside police - checking suspect vehicles and impounding those thought to have been involved in illegal dumping.

Paul Castle, Barnsley council's service director for the environment, says the letters were sent out at the start of the year.

"We have a plan set out and it really feels as though we have gone up a gear.

"Around 600 letters have gone out over quarter one (of the year). They are strongly worded."

BBC News Travel

A tractor, which caught fire earlier today, has closed a road between Huddersfield and Wakefield.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

The blaze closed the A642 Wakefield Road at the Grangmoor Roundabout.

Police are telling motorists to avoid the area.

Travellers who've spent three weeks on a park in Hull have now moved on.

A clean-up has begun in the area.

Hull City Council are also using trees to block access at Pickering Park after the travellers arrived last month.

The council took legal action to remove them, but the travellers chose to leave overnight.

Ever wanted to know what legendary BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration has for breakfast?

Then get yourself over to Twitter, he's taken over Look North's feed for the next hour:

Three people were taken to hospital with serious injuries after a car being chased by police crashed into another vehicle at the weekend.

Image source, Google

A red Audi A3 failed to stop in the Attercliffe Common area of Sheffield late on Sunday night and was chased by police towards Wincobank.

It then crashed into a red Skoda Fabia on Jenkin Road, leaving the 23-year-old male driver of the Skoda, with serious injuries.

The two men in the Audi also suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital under police guard.

A 21-year-old man and 27-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving causing serious injury.

The 21-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drugs, police say.

The case has also been referred to the police watchdog.