A vicar who described LGBT inclusive education in schools as "a form of child grooming" has stepped down as a school governor.

Image source, Google

The Reverend Peter Hughes, of St Alban's, Wickersley, near Rotherham in South Yorkshire, had made the comments in a parish magazine in June.

Mr Hughes was a school governor at St Alban's CofE Primary School.

Alison Adair, the school's headteacher, said Mr Hughes resigned in June after the school began an investigation.

Ms Adair said: "Mr Hughes has expressed deep regret for the unwelcome attention the school received and the distraction caused."

"The school accepted his resignation immediately but also formally recorded our appreciation for the several years of unwavering support he had given the school in his time of governor."

Salford forward George Griffin will join fellow Super League club Castleford at the start of the 2020 season.

Mark Stoneman's century sets the platform for Surrey to establish a narrow first-innings lead over Yorkshire at Scarborough.

Prop Craig Huby leaves Wakefield Trinity, but back-rowers Jordan Crowther and Tinirau Arona sign new deals.

Do you recognise this man? Police want to speak to him about an assault on a woman in Huddersfield.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

The victim, who's in her 40s, was attacked on Spaines Road in Fartown as she was walking from the Love Music Festival at about 20:30 on Sunday 26 May.

She was approached by a male who had recently got out of a vehicle nearby and she was then assaulted.

The victim ran away into the garden of a nearby property where a couple then came to her assistance.

The man police want to speak to is described as Asian, aged in his early 20s, about 5ft 9ins tall, of slim build and with short hair, shaved at the side and longer on top.

He had blackened/dirty stained teeth and he was wearing a dark hooded top, police say.

The couple who helped the victim are also being asked to come forward as witnesses.

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Contactless donations are being considered to help tackle street sleeping and begging in Harrogate.

Harrogate Borough Council wants residents to make donations at a card machine, rather than giving to rough sleepers.

The council believes the number of visible beggars and street sleepers has increased in recent years and it says a similar project in Cambridge has been successful in driving down numbers.

If approved by councillors, a contactless terminal would be installed in the town centre in August.

It would enable people to donate a suggested £3 in a quick and easy transaction using a debit or credit card.

Police in York are appealing for help identifying this woman after a reveller celebrating her 21st birthday was attacked at a bar in the city centre:

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Police say the suspect jumped onto the victim's table at Revolution on Coney Street at about 16:30 on Monday 25 March, punching her in the head numerous times

Officers want to speak to a woman, described as white with long blond hair, black jeans and a white and leopard print top.

She is also thought to have had balloons in the shape of the number 18 attached to her, police say.

Drivers are being warned to expect delays and road closures on the M18 in South Yorkshire from next week as 26 miles of the motorway are set to be resurfaced.

Image source, Google

The road, which runs from the M1 near Rotherham to the M62 at Goole, is getting a new surface layer as part of a £2m investment.

Work is due to start next Monday, with overnight road closures expected until September, Highways England said.

The first phase of work will take place on the southbound carriageway between Doncaster and Armthorpe, with the road being closed between 21:00 until 06:00.

A taxi driver who may have witnessed a two-vehicle crash in North Yorkshire is being asked by police to come forward.

The crash happened at a crossroads near Hampsthwaite at about 15:20 on Sunday 23 June at the junction of the A59 and Burley Bank Road, known locally as Four Lane Ends.

A silver vehicle travelling west in the general direction of Skipton collided with a grey vehicle travelling from Burley Bank Road and turning right towards Harrogate, police say.

The driver of the grey car received slight injuries as a result of the collision.

A taxi was travelling on the A59 westbound and turning left into Burley Bank Road at around the time of the incident, police believe.

Any other witnesses to the crash are also being asked to get in touch with North Yorkshire Police.

A man who crawled under cinema seats to touch the legs of children has been jailed.

A woman has been criticised by West Yorkshire Police for ringing 999 to report a pigeon had got into her house.

Audio from three 999 calls has been released by the force, external as it appeals for members of the public not to abuse the emergency number.

The call handler responding to the pigeon "emergency" quickly ends the conversation, saying "You can't ring 999 for a pigeon" after telling her to ring the RSPCA or council.

In another audio snippet, a woman is heard calling police to ask for help removing a spider from her home, while a third woman claims to have an eagle in her house.

The audio has been released by the West Yorkshire force as part of a drive to reduce the demand on 999 emergency call handlers.

A number of properties in Goole have had their water shut off while essential repair works take place.

Yorkshire Water said the issue was currently affecting the Kingsway area of the town:

A car was left badly damaged after being targeted by a group of youths who kicked and punched it and threw cans at it in York city centre.

Image source, Geograph/Bill Boaden

The incident happened after three youths approached a woman and her partner as they collected their car from the Castle car park on Tower Street at about 02:30 last Wednesday morning.

Any witnesses, or anyone who saw a small blue car, possibly a Vauxhall Corsa, which the suspects are thought to have used, is being asked to contact police.

A new development dubbed Sheffield's "China Town" is nearing completion, with the project both on time and on budget, those behind the scheme say.

Offices, student accommodation and shops are planned for New Era Square, near Bramall Lane.

The area will be inclusive and not just for the city's Chinese community, according to managing director Jerry Cheung.

"We've had very encouraging inquiries from restaurants, because we want the square to have food and drink. It's China Town, you've got to have a food and drink square," said Mr Cheung.

"This is about being inclusive - the 21st Century, reflecting now and the future."

A total of 650 students are due to move into the development in September with the whole square expected to be ready next spring.

A "reckless" driver put pedestrians and road users at risk in the Wakefield district at the weekend, police say.

Two people were arrested after a "lengthy pursuit" through residential areas in Castleford, Pontefract and Featherstone yesterday.

The pursuit was "brought to a safe conclusion" by officers from the Road Policing Unit, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Leeds sign Man City's Jack Harrison and Brighton's Ben White on loan deals, as well as Liam McCarron on a three-year deal from Carlisle.

CCTV images have been released of a man police would like to speak to in connection with a sex attack in York earlier this year.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

The victim was assaulted in a house in the Fishergate area of the city on 14 January.

It's hoped the man pictured could help police with the investigation.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Anybody who recognises the man is asked to get in touch with North Yorkshire Police.

Students at a Bradford secondary school that has banned pupils from wearing skirts to be gender neutral have started a petition against the policy.

Image source, Google

All pupils at Appleton Academy in Wyke, West Yorkshire, will have to wear trousers from September this year.

The school says it "simplifies the uniform" and will prevent pupils from wearing "inappropriate length" skirts.

It said most parents and pupils had responded positively but a petition had begun to have the rule overturned.

The petition, external on change.org, started by Lesley Ellis's group The Real Student Voice Of Appleton, had received 186 signatures on Monday.

A man is in hospital with "serious and potentially life-threatening" injuries after being hit by a car in Wombwell at the weekend.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

The 75-year-old was loading shopping into his car on Melville Street, near the High Street, when he was hit by a woman who was trying to park her car behind him.

The 83-year-old woman's Astra then hit a wall and the front door of a house.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident which happened at about 10:30 on Saturday, especially those who might have dash cam footage.

Work is due to start today on a £2m project to repaint the underside of Scarborough's Valley Bridge.

Image source, North Yorkshire County Council

The project will take place in two phases, with faded paintwork removed and three fresh coats applied.

The first phase will last for 20 weeks from today and the second phase carried out next year.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, says: “When the repainting is finished it'll mark the end of a five year scheme to make it fit for purpose for the next 35 years,”

"By the end of the project it will stand proud as a fine historic landmark in Scarborough.”