A man has appeared in court after a job centre in Mexborough had to be closed because of a "disgraceful act of vandalism".

Image source, Google

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the centre, on Adwick Road, had to be shut following the incident which happened on Saturday.

Mark Gardiner, 56, of Heather Court, Bolton upon Dearne, appeared at Doncaster Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with criminal damage, burglary and having an article in his property to damage items.

He was remanded in custody to next appear at Sheffield Crown Court on 24 June.

The DWP confirmed the centre would be closed until further notice, with no benefit sanctions for people who miss appointments while the office is being refurbished:

Wakefield Trinity winger Lee Kershaw signs a new one-year deal which will expire at the end of the 2020 season.

If you're travelling to London Kings Cross in July or August, you may need to plan a different route as the East Coast Main Line is set to undergo its biggest revamp in 20 years.

Image source, PA

Managing Director for Network Rail, Rob McIntosh, said: "We know this work will have an impact on people who use the line.

"We’re doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum, but passengers will need to plan ahead and check before they travel."

Over 24 and 25 August, operators have said to completely avoid London Kings Cross., external

There will also be a reduced service on 13 and 14 July.

Among engineering works, the upgrade will see an extra 10,000 seats added.

Dozens of trays of food donated by Hull KR and Hull FC fans are being handed to primary schools in the city today.

Image source, Hull FC

The rugby league sides got together for the Teaming up for Families project to help people in the city who are struggling.

Leader of Hull City Council Steven Brady (pictured above right) said: "It's about the great people of Hull and what they're doing for other people - it's wonderful to see and is typical of both of the rugby league clubs, their heart is in the community."

Image source, Hull FC

Brad Fash second-row forward for Hull FC and winger Bureta Faraimo (pictured) got stuck in too, sorting through 78 trays of food donations made by supporters of both clubs.

More police officers will be recruited in South Yorkshire as the force looks to cut the number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

There are almost 200 PCSOs working across the county at the moment, but this will drop to 116 following a public consultation.

PCSOs do not have powers of arrest, cannot interview prisoners or carry out the high-risk tasks of police officers, but were brought in to provide back-up to police forces.

More than 100 police officers will be recruited instead, all of whom will have more powers compared to a PCSO.

It's thought there will be no redundancies, with some PCSOs going on to become PCs and others leaving the force through "natural wastage", South Yorkshire Police said.

It was a "paws"-itive result for crews at one West Yorkshire fire station as they took their search and rescue pooch abseiling.

Image source, WEST YORKSHIRE FIRE SERVICE

The training exercise saw crew member John take Jessie the spaniel up the station's drill tower.

Image source, WEST YORKSHIRE FIRE SERVICE

She continued her exercise "unfazed" and to a "brilliant standard", said the crew.

"Significant disruption" is expected on the East Coast Main Line later this year as a £1.2bn upgrade is carried out, passengers are being warned.

The revamp, the first of its kind in 20 years, will allow 10,000 extra seats for passengers and faster services, according to Network Rail.

There will be a reduced service running across 13 and 14 July, and over the bank holiday weekend on 24, 25 and 26 August.

Train operators Grand Central, external, Great Northern, external, Hull Trains , externaland LNER , externalwill be affected.

Passengers hoping to travel from Doncaster, Leeds, York and Wakefield into Kings Cross are being advised to avoid using the route on those weekends.

Students in Hull are being given special pink bags so they can donate leftover items to charities as part of a scheme to cut waste as they head home for the summer.

The Pink Bag Scheme is targeting students moving out, encouraging them to bag-up items such as in-date food and furniture which can then be given to charity.

Flyers have been put through doors saying: "Every year, tonnes of waste is left behind on Hull's streets, most of which could be reused, recycled, or donated."

The daughter of a caver who died during a 17-hour rescue operation in the Yorkshire Dales at the weekend has paid tribute to the team who tried to save her dad.

Image source, Swaledale Mountain Rescue

Harry Hesketh, 74, who was from Skipton area is said to have broken his leg in a fall deep within a cave at Curtain Pot, on Fountains Fell in North Yorkshire, on Saturday.

He died before being brought to the surface, according to the Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO).

The narrowness of the passages in an unmapped part of the cave caused difficulties for rescuers, the CRO said.

Mr Hesketh's daughter, Wendy Uchimura, said the team had made "tremendous efforts" to try and save her father.

"I'd like to thank everyone involved, the caving organizations, and the whole caving community for their tremendous efforts to evacuate my dad," she wrote on Facebook.

"He will be truly missed, but his family and friends know you all did your best. Thank you."

Almost 100 volunteers were involved in a huge operation to try and save him.

The organisation said the attempt to rescue the man had taken 1,600 volunteer hours and "virtually every piece" of caving equipment in its stores.

Ex-Salford forward Jansin Turgut making "remarkable progress", his mother says, after falling from an Ibiza car park.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 60-year-old man was assaulted in his own home in Doncaster last month.

Image source, Google

It happened at the victim's property on Chelmsford Drive, Wheatley, at about 18:30 on Wednesday 15 May.

Police say there was a loud banging on the man's front door and when he opened the door four men entered the property and assaulted him.

The victim suffered serious head injuries and a ruptured spleen.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses to the incident, or anyone with any information, to contact them.

A court confiscates a £100,000 diamond watch from a convicted drug dealer.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The refurbishment of a crematorium in West Yorkshire is likely to cost £750,000 more than originally planned because the cremators are too big for the existing building.

Image source, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Bradford Council had initially planned to spend £2m on a refurbishment of Oakworth Crematorium.

But in a report released by the council this week, it was revealed the works are now likely to cost £2,750,000.

The changes are needed because the existing building is too small to fit new cremators, the report says.

It adds: “Following receipt of standard dimension details from manufacturers it became clear ceiling heights within the existing crematory were inadequate to house new cremators.

“Analysis of the required structural change to lift both ceiling and roof heights determined demolition and rebuilding of the crematory would be more cost efficient.

"However, the extent of this additional building work has increased the project costs.”

Hundreds of people have taken part in a protest in Sheffield against US President Donald Trump's state visit to the UK after he arrived in the country yesterday.

Crowds gathered in Barker's Pool yesterday evening, with some holding placards denouncing the visit by President Trump.

However, among the crowd were some supporters of Mr Trump holding flags and wearing red "Make America Great Again" hats, which became synonymous with his presidential campaign.

An arts and drama school in Hull has been broken into with thieves stealing money, charity boxes and equipment over the weekend.

Image source, Geograph/Jthomas

A crowdfunding page has now been set up to help the State of the Arts Academy on the city's High Street (pictured).

The school says it "delivers professional, inclusive and affordable performing arts training for all ages and abilities".

Hull is one of the most congested cities in the UK, according to figures published today.

Image source, Google

It means in rush hour a 30 minute commute will take about an hour.

The city has been ranked joint third highest - together with Bournemouth and Belfast - behind London and Edinburgh.

Motorists in Hull can expect to spend 34% extra travel time stuck in traffic, according to data collected by navigation technology company TomTom.

Hull City Council say they're "investing more than £30m into the city's transport network, building on a three-year programme to improve 30.5 miles of public highway".

Muslims across Yorkshire are celebrating the festival of Eid - this was the scene at Ellesmere Green in Sheffield earlier today:

Eid al-Fitr, which means "festival of breaking the fast", is a religious holiday and a day of celebrations when Muslims will give thanks to Allah and exchange small gifts and cards.

Zulfiqar Karim, general secretary of the Bradford Council for Mosques, says: "Outdoor events are becoming more popular, especially since the month of Ramadan is moving into summer.

"Also it's because some of the smaller mosques can't actually cater for large congregations, so it's much easier to be in an open space."

More than £10,000 has been raised to help replace equipment, medical supplies and food used or damaged during a 17-hour rescue operation in North Yorkshire.

Image source, Cave Rescue Organisation

The Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO) said 1,600 man hours were spent trying to help the man after he fell deep within a cave at Curtain Pot, on Fountains Fell, on Saturday.

He died before being brought to the surface, the organisation said.

In a statement posted on Facebook the CRO said it had used "virtually every piece" of caving equipment in its stores and appealed for help in replacing some of the items.

Image source, Cave Rescue Organisation

Since issuing the appeal more than £10,000 has been donated to the organisation, with the CRO saying the "generosity has been overwhelming".

Much-travelled striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher announces his retirement from playing football at the age of 38.

Lisa Gallagher
Weather presenter, BBC Look North

There will be a lot of cloud around this morning with showers and some heavier rain spreading in from the west this afternoon.

But the rain will clear away northwards as we head through the evening leaving it clear and dry: