A new science-based course to help people get happy - and stay happy - is now being taught in West Yorkshire.

The eight-week long course is being taught in Pool-in-Wharfedale, is non-religious and is run by national charity Action for Happiness, which has the Dalai Lama as its patron.

Life coach Kalyani Ma Mukti says: "It's for people to explore what happiness is about and how we can all find ways to increase that in our lives - there are always ways to be happier."

Ken Dodd, famed for his version of the song Happiness, would surely approve...

Police officers are asking for help in finding a missing 15-year-old girl from Rotherham.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Cerys Griffiths, who was last seen at about 20:40 last night in Greasbrough, could now be in the Arbourthorne area of Sheffield.

Cerys is described as about 5ft tall with long brown hair. She was wearing blue jeans with rips, a pink soda black jacket and a green vest top with black Nike trainers.

South Yorkshire Police described their search for Cerys as "urgent".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Organisers of a balloon festival which brought York "to a standstill” last year and caused “gridlock” in the city centre say an improved plan will be in place for the festival's return later this year.

York Balloon Fiesta, which attracted 40,000 visitors, was thrown into doubt as a result of the chaos, a council meeting heard in December.

At the meeting, former council leader Ian Gillies said it was a big success but the local authority had to take some responsibility for the transport problems.

It's now been confirmed the festival will return to Knavesmire between 27-29 September, with organisers saying a “better plan” for traffic during the weekend will be rolled out.

A spokesman said: “An event like York Balloon Fiesta takes a huge amount of planning and work is going on behind the scenes to create an event of which York can be proud and, of course, this involves better traffic management.”

The council says it is also looking at “lessons learned” from last year's festival.

Plans have been submitted to redevelop Hull's House of Fraser which would see part of the building given over to apartments, offices, restaurants and other shops.

Image source, RFD

The 1 Paragon Square development would see House of Fraser remain on two floors, with upper levels becoming "a dynamic mix of retail, restaurant, residential and office space".

Redefine are the freeholders of the building and say they want to turn it "into a 24-hour hub of activity".

Police in Doncaster are looking for this man who's wanted in connection with 10 shoplifting offences:

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

They're asking people to be on the lookout for Darren Anderson who officers believe could be in the Armthorpe area.

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

Bradford City sign centre-back Ben Richards-Everton after his release by League One club Accrington Stanley.

Suspected gang members thought to have been involved in robberies and assaults across Yorkshire were arrested in dawn raids earlier.

Image source, Greater Manchester Police

Greater Manchester Police led an operation at seven properties in Oldham as part of a crackdown on an organised crime group.

Five men – aged 22, 28, 28, 30 and 38 – have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit burglary.

Image source, Greater Manchester Police

The gang are thought to operate in West and South Yorkshire and are being investigated in connection with 120 offences, including aggravated burglary, robbery, car theft, assault, violent disorder and criminal damage.

Police forces in Yorkshire have been working with Greater Manchester Police as part of Operation Hansford.

Image source, Greater Manchester Police

All five men remain in police custody for questioning.

A burst pipe and flooded pump room leaves Bradford's mirror pool out of action for a month.

The teenager who was filmed being attacked by pupil in a school playground is seeking £100,000.

A skate park in Hull has fallen into "a state of dilapidation" with rubbish and dirty water around the ramps, according to one local resident.

Image source, Colin Cooper

Photographs show the facilities at Shaw Park - between Orchard Park Road and Hall Road - which have been described as "unusable and unsafe".

Colin Cooper, who took the pictures, said: "It's a shame as it's recently been built and it's now in an unsafe state for the kids over school holidays."

Image source, Colin Cooper

Hull City Council said the relevant department would be looking into the state of the facilities.

Jacqueline Wileman was run over and killed by a stolen lorry which then ploughed into a house.

A tricolour flag has been raised at Yorkshire Air Museum to mark 75 years since two French bomber squadrons made it their home in World War Two.

Image source, Yorkshire Air Museum/Neill Watson

The squadrons were based at the RAF Elvington bomber base, which is now home to a well-known aviation museum.

Elvington hosted a unique French enclave in Bomber Command - the only French Air Force heavy bomber squadrons of the Allied air forces during the war.

Ian Reed, Yorkshire Air Museum director, commented: "Exactly 75 years ago today the first crews of the two famous French heavy bomber squadrons within Bomber Command formed up here at RAF Elvington in their British Halifax bombers.

"Just a few days later, they were to take part in the assault on their country's own coastline in Normandy on the night before D-Day.

"Many of their crews were destined never to set foot again on their homeland, yet their sacrifice to liberate France and the rest of Europe is a testament to all the 55,800 airmen of RAF Bomber Command who gave their lives in this task."

Emma Trim, BBC Radio York

Residents of a North Yorkshire care home are being sent postcards from strangers all around the world.

People living at Sycamore Hall in Ripon say the scheme reminds them of their own trips when they were younger.

Here's how the globetrotting correspondence started:

A £42m project to improve flood defences along the banks of the Humber in Hull is due to get under way later.

Image source, Environment Agency

Hundreds of properties were flooded in the city in 2013 after a major tidal event caused overtopping of the existing defences and water levels in the Humber estuary peaked to the highest ever seen.

Defences will now be upgraded along the waterfront between St Andrew's Quay and Victoria Dock.

It's hoped more than 100,000 homes and businesses will be better protected as a result of the work by the Environment Agency.

Environment Minister Therese Coffey is due in Hull later to mark the start of the project.

The Environment Agency said it expected the work to be completed by March 2021.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Alex Metcalfe

Image source, Evening Gazette

Police are investigating allegations a woman was assaulted at Yarm Town Council meeting on Tuesday.

She was reportedly “thrown down the stairs” by a man and had to go to hospital.

Yarm Town Council chairwoman Lyn Casey confirmed the meeting was suspended during the incident but denied allegations the lady was pushed.

Meetings at Yarm Town Council have turned fiery before.

In October, a protester was asked to leave a meeting no fewer than 12 times after a dispute over a memorial garden.

As of Wednesday, no arrests had been made in connection with the latest incident.

A man was rescued from a York river in the early hours of the morning.

Image source, Google

Fire crews from York and Acomb rescued the young male from the river Foss, near Carmelite Street in the city centre, shortly before 04:00 using a triple-extension ladder.

It's believed he fell in and was initially held on to by a friend and then by a police officer.

The man was checked over by paramedics at the scene and was then taken to hospital as a precaution.

Today's rescue follows the deaths of five people in York's rivers last month.

Firefighters are starting to come away from a fire which has been burning in Mirfield for almost two hours.

Crews were called at about 10:15 to reports of a fire at a garage on Huddersfield Road.

The A644 was closed for a short time while firefighters contained the blaze:

A woman from Sheffield has described the moment her £200 garden table "exploded".

Image source, Marlene Woodhead

Marlene Woodhead, from Intake, bought the glass-topped garden table from B&M Bargains two years ago.

Earlier this week, the table smashed, leaving her garden covered in broken glass.

"I heard this big bang and saw that it had just shattered all over my decking. It exploded. It took us about two hours to clean it up", she said.

The grandmother said she didn't want to think what could have happened if her grandson, Toby, had been near the table when it smashed.

She says she rang B&M's customer service to explain what had happened and was asked if the had the table in direct sunlight.

"You know when you buy patio furniture - where do you put them? Being in sunlight is the point of it", she said.

B&M said it was not recalling the product and reassured customers incidents like this were rare.

"All our products have to meet our high safety standards and pass extensive independent testing", a statement said.

“The Seville patio set is made using tempered safety glass, which is designed to crumble into small chunks when damaged instead of splintering into jagged shards like plate glass would.”

Yarm Town Council's chairwoman rejects allegations a woman was pushed at a meeting.

A man from North Yorkshire accused of threatening to carry out a terror attack at a football ground has been arrested.

Image source, Getty images

Messages posted on Twitter spoke of shooting supporters and bombing Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth FC.

The League One side is due to face Sunderland in the second leg of a semi-final play-off later.

A 22-year-old man from Northallerton, arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill, remains in police custody.

Tweets, which have since been deleted, referenced the May 2017 Manchester Arena attack in which 23 people died.

They also referred to "Fratton Park going bang" and shooting Portsmouth fans.

Hampshire Constabulary said: "We continue to work with Portsmouth FC and can assure the public that a sufficient policing response will be in place for tonight's match."

The club has advised supporters to allow plenty of to time to get inside the stadium as enhanced security checks will be in place.