A councillor said his family is "lucky to be alive" after petrol bombs were thrown outside his home in West Yorkshire while his grandchildren were asleep.

Image source, YAPPAPP

Arsonists set fire to a car parked on Masood Ahmed's driveway in Pentland Road, Dewsbury as well as another vehicle on the street, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The Labour cabinet member of Kirklees Council said CCTV showed four people arriving in a car.

They got out carrying petrol bombs which were thrown at the vehicles.

Image source, LDRS

Ten members of Mr Ahmed's family, including two grandchildren aged eight and four, were in the house when the cars were set alight.

He said he didn't know why his home had been targeted and his family had been left "shaken up and scared".

Image source, YAPPAPP

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fires were being treated as deliberate.

Police said officers were examining the CCTV and carrying out house-to-house inquiries.

Police officers have thanked the parents of Hull student Libby Squire.

The student disappeared earlier this after a night out in Hull.

The body of the 21-year, from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, was found seven weeks later.

Image source, Humberside Police

Pawel Relowicz, 25, from Hull, has been charged with murder and rape in connection with Miss Squire's death.

Senior Investigating Officer, Det Supt Martin Smalley, said: “My heartfelt thanks go out to Libby’s parents for their continued understanding and patience throughout the investigative process.

“They have been updated on all of the developments in the investigation and we will continue to support them moving forward and throughout the court proceedings.”

Mr Relowicz has been remanded into custody and he is due to appear before Hull Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 30 October.

A Hull man has been charged by police in connection with the death of Hull student Libby Squire.

Image source, Humberside Police

The 21-year-old, originally from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, disappeared after a night out in Hull on 1 February and she was found seven weeks later.

Today, Humberside Police has said it has charged Pawel Relowicz with the rape and murder of Miss Squire.

Mr Relowicz, from Hull, is due to appear before Hull Magistrates’ Court Court on 30 October.

He is in police custody.

A man is set to be charged on suspicion of rape and murder in connection with the death of Hull student Libby Squire.

A suspected poacher whose 4x4 became stuck in mud has had the vehicle taken off him.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

It happened in Strensall, near York, on Tuesday evening, after members of the public reported suspected poaching activity to police.

Officers searched three vehicles on Sheriff Hutton Road, two of which had become stuck.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “Local residents who suspected poaching did exactly the right thing by contacting us."

A former Leeds Rhinos player will receive a special honour in recognition of his sporting career and charity work later today.

Jamie Jones-Buchanan will receive a Leeds Award at the City's Civic Hall, one of the highest honours the council can give.

Jones-Buchanan, from Bramley, is one of the most decorated players in rugby league.

Over a 20-year career with the Rhinos he made 421 appearances and won honours including seven Super League titles, one Challenge Cup, three World Club Challenges and three League Leaders titles.

Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake said: “He's been such an inspiration to our city, he's a role model.

"He has not only performed on the pitch for Leeds Rhinos, but the real reason I have got to know Jamie so well is the incredible work he has done as an ambassador for Leeds as a child-friendly city."

A sound and light installation is transforming York Minster's cavernous nave with images and audio inspired by the medieval cathedral's stained glass and stone.

Image source, Chapter of York

Northern Lights has been put together to raise funds to protect the cathedral’s 128 ancient windows.

Image source, Chapter of York

The Minster has the largest collection of medieval stained glass in the country.

The display opens to the public later and runs until Halloween.

A "viciously brutal" rapist with a record of violence against vulnerable women has been given a life sentence.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Andrew Delsol, 55, of Bradford, was accused of offences of physical and sexual violence against two women between 1985 and 2001. He was told he must serve a minimum of nine years in prison.

Both women, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, read out impact statements detailing the psychological impact of Delsol's crimes.

On Tuesday Bradford Crown Court heard one woman tell of how she was beaten and raped by Delsol, whom she described as a "Jekyll and Hyde".

Delsol, who was found guilty of all charges on Tuesday, tried to get her touch an electrical socket with her finger while she was still wet, the court heard.

A second women who was raped said Delsol poured petrol over her and began flicking a lighter before making a threat to kill her if she went to the police, the court heard.

The jury found Delsol guilty of offences including four rapes, wounding with intent, two indecent assaults, two threats to kill and living on the proceeds of prostitution.

Dame Judi Dench is backing the Bronte Parsonage Museum's bid to buy a rare early book written by one of the famed literary sisters.

Image source, Bronte Museum

Charlotte, the eldest of the three sisters, wrote one of her "little books" in 1830 when she was 14.

The tiny manuscript, which features three hand-written stories, is one of six written by Charlotte, with five known to survive. Now the book is up for auction and is expected to sell for at least £650,000

The book has been in private hands since it left the Brontes' home in Haworth, West Yorkshire, following Charlotte's death in 1855 at the age of 38.

Image source, Getty Images

Called The Young Men's Magazine, its existence came to light in 2011 when it was auctioned at Sotheby's, but the Bronte Parsonage Museum, which owns the other four books in the series, was outbid.

York-born actress Dame Judi, who is president of the Bronte Society, said: "I have long been fascinated by the little books created by the Brontes when they were children.

"These tiny manuscripts are like a magical doorway into the imaginary worlds they inhabited, and also hint at their ambition to become published authors."

Legendary snooker stars are set to be in Hull over the next few days as they compete in a senior snooker competition.

Image source, Getty Images

Dennis Taylor, Cliff Thorburn and Jimmy White are some of the players competing in the ROKiT UK Seniors Snooker Championship.

The competition takes place at the Bonus Arena for the next two days.

A teenager has been arrested in connection with an arson attack in which a lorry, which had been driven into a house, was set on fire in Sheffield on Monday.

Image source, YappApp

The skip lorry was driven into the property on Shirehall Road at about 19:30 on Monday.

Police believe it could be part of a series of incidents related to an ongoing feud.

The 17-year-old boy was arrested by police yesterday on suspicion of arson and theft.

Four men, aged between 21 and 41, have also been arrested as part of targeted activity to disrupt suspected criminality.

They have been arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including being concerned in drug supply, theft and affray.

The four men and the teenage boy remain in custody.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Arsonists have targeted a Kirklees councillor by throwing petrol bombs outside his home.

Image source, LDRS

Masood Ahmed, who represents Dewsbury South for Labour on Kirklees Council, says he and his family are “lucky to be alive” following the incident yesterday.

Two cars were badly damaged in the attack in the early hours of the morning, both have been removed for examination.

Mr Ahmed said: “I'd got up and gone downstairs for a drink of water when I heard a noise, the next moment I heard a noise and both cars were on fire.

“My kids were in their beds overlooking the cars and my grandkids were in the next room.

“These people are gutless cowards – total scumbags."

Police are investigating the attack, which was caught on CCTV.

Sheffield could soon be home to Yorkshire's tallest building.

A £100m application has been submitted to build three towers, the tallest of which would stand at nearly 121 metres (400ft) tall.

If approved, the development would create more than 1,000 apartments just off Charter Row in the city centre.

Yorkshire's current tallest building is Bridgewater Place in Leeds, which stands around 112m tall.

BBC Weather

A cloudy start to begin with, gradually brightening through the morning, leading to an afternoon of sunny spells, showers and light winds.

Any showers will gradually diminish this evening, leading to a clear and cold night:

A 97-year-old veteran will join serving RAF members at the Yorkshire Air Museum today to mark the 80th anniversary of the Halifax bomber.

The Air Museum in Elvington in North Yorkshire is home to one of the last surviving bombers.

The model of plane was used in more than 80,000 operations during World War Two.

BBC News Travel

If you're making a journey on the rails in Yorkshire this Thursday morning, most services appear to be running on time.

For all the latest live updates from the county's main railway stations, click on the links below:

• York Station, external
• Leeds Station, external
• Sheffield Station, external
• Hull Station, external
• Doncaster Station, external
• Wakefield Westgate, external
• Bradford Interchange, external
• Bradford Forster Square, external

Smart motorways which use a hard shoulder at busy times are "too complicated for people to use", the boss of Highways England has said.

Image source, Gov.uk

Chief Executive Jim O'Sullivan said motorists did not understand them and there were no plans to build anymore. The design is already used on sections of the major motorways including the M1, and M62 in Yorkshire.

"Some hard shoulders on dynamic smart motorways are only open to running traffic during the morning and evening peaks, but this catches out some drivers when their routine changes," Mr O'Sullivan told MPs.

There are two types of Smart motorway in the UK: the first is where the hard shoulder is opened to traffic when it is busy, the second is where the hard shoulder is open all the time.

Image source, Gov.uk

Despite his comments about dynamic lanes, Mr O'Sullivan claimed smart motorways were at least as safe as conventional motorways. Opponents argue the removal of a permanent hard shoulder puts drivers at risk.

Jason Mercer, 44, died on the M1 near Sheffield, where the hard shoulder is an active lane.

He was involved in a minor collision but when he got out his car to exchange details he and the other driver were hit by a lorry. Both died at the scene.

His widow Clare said she was astounded Highways England had actually admitted there was a problem.

Huddersfield Town miss the chance to climb out of the Championship relegation zone as they are held by Middlesbrough.

Matt Crooks nets both goals at Portman Road as Rotherham United knock Ipswich Town off the top of League One.

Winger Chris Taylor's move to Bradford City is cancelled because of a registration issue.