People in West Yorkshire are being warned not to be taken in by scammers exploiting the coronavirus pandemic.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns Williamson, says criminals are offering shopping services as well as fake products such as sanitisers, face masks and swabbing kits.

Mr Burns Williamson says: "When communities are pulling together and supporting one another, for criminals to try to exploit the situation, hiding behind a shield of kindness, before trying to con people out of their money is pretty low."

A Bradford GP says he's "very worried" over the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) being distributed to surgeries.

Image source, Getty Images

Dr Amir Khan says GPs in the area are not being given the equipment they should be.

He told the BBC this morning: "We're still seeing patients and the only protective equipment we've been given, in very limited numbers, is a plastic pinny, a paper mask and a pair of gloves.

"We've got no eye-ware and bare arms as well, so really we're not being offered the protective gear we should be wearing when seeing patients with potential covid-19 symptoms."

He added: "We're told we're limited to 100 items per practice and we've got 25,000 patients, so you can imagine how long 100 masks and 100 pinnies are going to last."

Writing on social medial at the weekend, external Dr Khan wrote a message to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary, who have both developed symptoms of coronavirus.

He said: "I hope you make full recoveries, I also hope this makes you realise how contagious this virus is and how NHS workers need proper protective gear to treat patients safely.

"Please keep my family, friends and colleagues safe and give us PPE."

The supermarket is to increase food production to help restock food banks across the UK.

A woman from Leeds made use of her time during the coronavirus lockdown to get to know her neighbour’s cat - by exchanging messages using cue cards.

Image source, Sian Cosgrove

Sian Cosgrove, 24, wrote a sign that read “WHAT IS THE BLACK + WHITE CAT CALLED?” and taped it to her window.

The neighbour responded with a sign of their own that read “WALTER” and a relationship was born, going viral on Twitter with more than 750,000 likes.

“He’s an inside cat that lives over the road,” Ms Cosgrove said.

“Me and my partner had been calling him Eric because we didn’t know his name, but he was always sat in the window looking majestic.

“It was annoying me that we didn’t know his name but we see him every day - all day, every day now we’re in lock down - so I asked.

“I didn’t expect to get a response but they were really good sports about it.”

The messages between residences continued, with Ms Cosgrove writing another sign that read “GREAT NAME, WALTER IS A HANDSOME BOY” and the reply reading “HE SAYS THANK YOU”.

Image source, Sian Cosgrove

Bradford-based supermarket chain Morrisons says it will give away £10m worth of goods to food banks across the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief executive David Potts says food such as canned goods and pasta will be sent to local food banks via “community champions”.

Mr Potts says: "We know food banks are finding life very difficult and running our manufacturing sites for an extra hour each day to help restock them is the right decision at this time.

“For many people who use the food banks that’s their only store – so it is a very important part of society and we will play our part so that nobody is left behind,” he added.

Mr Potts said the plan is for food to be distributed to food banks by July.

Other big chains have also donated large sums to food banks and community charities.

Last week, the Co-op said it would donate £1.5m worth of food to the UK’s largest food redistribution charity, FareShare, to help boost stocks and support local communities struggling because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Toll booths on the Humber Bridge have been closed to protect staff and the public during the coronavirus outbreak.

Image source, PA Media

Motorists who use the bridge, which links Barton-upon-Humber with Hessle, will be told to drive through the Open Road Tolling lanes.

Drivers will have to pay to use the road by going to the Humber TAG website and inputting their car's registration number.

Cameras will record their crossing which then have to be paid for within 14 days.

The cashless system is being run to reduce contact between customers and staff on the bridge.

A man's been charged with assaulting an emergency worker after allegedly coughing at an officer and claiming to have coronavirus.

Image source, Google

The incident is said to have happened when officers attended a report of a disturbance in Sowerby Bridge, according to West Yorkshire Police.

While officers were there it is alleged that Jason Roberts, 45, of Athol Gardens, Ovenden, coughed at an officer, saying he had coronavirus.

Mr Roberts is due to appear at Leeds Magistrates Court later today.

West Yorkshire Police officer Martin Willis has a simple message for drivers.

In the video below the officer, who is often seens patrolling the motorways of the county, explains what essential and non-essential journeys are - and the difference you can make to keeping the nation safe by sticking to the rules:

Dr John Wright explains how Bradford Royal Infirmary is preparing for a "tsunami" of Covid-19 cases.

CCTV images of two masked men wanted by police in connection with a robbery in Doncaster have been released.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Two men entered a boutique on Bentley Road at about 13:50 on 19 March and threatened a member of staff before stealing her gold chain.

The suspects are believed to have left the scene in a vehicle parked nearby on Washington Grove.

Anyone who saw the men is being urged to contact South Yorkshire Police.

Police officers in South Yorkshire were "run ragged" by large groups on off-road bikes who were stealing fuel and scaring horses this weekend, they say.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

One group were seen in the north of Sheffield stealing petrol from a service station and "upsetting residents" near Deepcar, while another was seen near stables in Wharncliffe Woods.

South Yorkshire Police said the groups "thoughtless actions" were in breach of strict rules in place to slow the spread of coronavirus.

One bike was seized by police as a group tried to get away.

Adam Clarkson
BBC Tees

I've been speaking to one man doing his best to keep to a routine amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Ben Lawson-Green wakes up at 06:30 every day. He has a shower, makes a coffee and gets dressed into his suit.

He then walks "about five steps" into his home office, located in the kitchen of the "caravan-sized cottage" where he is self-isolating due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Image source, Ben Lawson-Green

Pretending "it's just a normal day" is a big part of trying to continue his training as a wealth manager.

The 25-year-old, from near Whitby in North Yorkshire, returned from Poland this week, following advice from the British Embassy.

Image source, Ben Lawson-Green

Despite not being able to interact with family and friends face-to-face, Ben said he is loving his new way of working.

"It's a bit different but we'll get there. My 'office' is a lot smaller than what I'm used to, but I can turn around and pretty much reach the kettle, which is good.

"My parents have been dropping stuff off for me outside the door but really it's business as usual.

"I had a conference call with my boss this morning - he appreciated the suit."

You can hear more on the The Self-Isolation Podcast available on BBC Sounds.

About 60 firefighters have tackled a blaze at a West Yorkshire nightclub overnight.

Image source, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue

West Yorkshire Fire Service say the blaze broke out at the four-storey building on White Horse Yard, off Westgate, in Wakefield at 17:15 yesterday.

The fire is believed to have started on the ground floor

At its height 10 fire engines were on scene and Market Street and Westgate were closed while crews battled the fire.

The fire service says no one was injured in the incident.

A women's football club has reacted with "dismay and disbelief" after it was announced that their league would finish with results expunged.

Image source, Getty Images

Barnsley Women's FC, who currently top Division One North, say the FA's decision to stop all football and write off the results would "take away the dreams" of players this season.

The decision means there will be no promotion or relegation in leagues below the three divisions that make up the National League in the men's game and below the Women's Super League and Championship level in the women's game.

It added it would be asking the FA to reconsider their fate and to treat their league systems like the men's game.

It said: "We are asking everyone in football to get behind every possible action to get the FA to change its mind and to stop this discrimination against women and women's football."

BBC Weather

A cloudy day, with showers and sunny spells is expected, but feeling a little less cold than during the weekend.

Tonight will be cloudy with occasional showers and a moderate northerly breeze:

Pat Midgley, who had been a Labour councillor for 33 years, died on Sunday.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman was stabbed to death in Barnsley yesterday.

Image source, Google

Emergency services were called to Windsor Crescent, Middlecliffe just before 17:00 after a 31-year-old woman had been stabbed.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 40-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and currently remains in police custody.

There will be an increased police presence in the area today, South Yorkshire Police said.

Anybody with information into what happened is asked to get in touch with police.

It seems not everyone is getting the #StayHomeSaveLives message.

A special constable working in West Yorkshire tweeted the message above over the weekend.

His tweet follows on from an incident in Derbyshire over the weekend where police broke-up a party.

Image source, DERBYSHIRE POLICE

Police there say they were left "in absolute shock" after finding 25 adults and children having a "massive party".

Everyone was dispersed and the hosts "dealt with" after social-distancing rules.

York's Labour MP says she's due to speak to businesses later that are still selling non-essential goods despite restrictions in place because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Rachael Maskell says she's concerned some employees are being "put at risk" because they're being forced to work.

She also says some people have told her that they're not being give personal protective equipment and social distancing is not being observed in their workplaces.

Ms Maskell told the BBC: "Last Monday the prime minister said 'essential work' and I think we all had a clear idea of what 'essential' was.

"But we've seen a rolling back of that through the week and its now time the government, who've put this provision in place where 80% of wages will be paid, enforce that on employers."

The government has announced millions of items of PPE would be delivered to NHS staff – as well as dentists, pharmacists, care homes and hospices.

Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: “We simply cannot and should not ask people to be on the front-line without the right protective equipment.”

More about coronavirus:

• A SIMPLE GUIDE: What are the symptoms?
• NEW GUIDANCE: What must I do?
• NEW RESTRICTIONS: What are they?
• LOOK-UP TOOL: Check cases in your area
• MAPS AND CHARTS: Visual guide to the outbreak

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A long-standing Sheffield councillor has died after being admitted to hospital with coronavirus.

Image source, LDRS

Pat Midgley, a Labour councillor for 33 years, was taken to hospital earlier this week and received oxygen but died yesterday.

Council leader Julie Dore said: "Her death has shocked and devastated all those who knew her.

“I am heartbroken, it’s just so awful - this makes coronavirus all the more real, please keep safe and take comfort from your family and friends.”

Sophie Wills, Pat’s great niece, also paid tribute: “They say Sheffield women are made of steel and my Auntie Pat was the true, unflinching embodiment of that phrase.

“When she became poorly, we all said if anyone could beat it, it was her.

"She was tough as, as anyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting her, will well know.

Mrs Midgley was elected in 1987 for Nether Edge and represented it for eight years before moving to Manor ward.