Work on Harrogate's 500-bed NHS Nightingale hospital should be finished by the end of the Easter Weekend, according to the construction company working on the project.

Image source, Sarah Mills

BAM Construction says it's working round the clock, together with medical staff and the Army, to convert eight halls at Harrogate Convention Centre into a facility for treating coronavirus cases.

Once the work is complete BAM says it will stay involved, to maintain the new hospital and support its staff where needed.

A similar emergency field hospital built at London's ExCel centre opened last week and other facilities are due to open in Birmingham and Bristol.

John Brayshaw is appealing for anyone with information about how it came to be there to get in touch.

The owner of a cafe in West Yorkshire which was hit by Storm Ciara earlier this year says the business has been "totally sideswiped" by coronavirus.

Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged when heavy rain caused flooding in the Calder Valley.

In the two months since, businesses in Mytholmroyd have worked hard to reopen.

Lisa Thwaites, whose cafe The Blue Teapot had been back open for a week when she had to close because of coronavirus restrictions, said: "We've just been devastated all over again."

"I survived the flood, we worked so hard to get back up and running again and in such a short space of time and now this has totally sideswiped us," she added.

Ms Thwaites has furloughed two employees but has been unable to get government wage grants for her part-time workers as the cafe was still closed on 28 February, which is the cut-off for the scheme.

She has applied for a £10,000 grant and is considering reopening as a delivery service with a skeleton staff, depending on the outcome of a review of the UK's lockdown.

Retired doctors and nurses are being retrained and drafted in to help hospitals in Hull as they prepare for a surge in coronavirus cases.

Image source, PA Media

The move comes as Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust announces how it is preparing for an increase in hospital admissions, which will also see critical care capacity triple and extra beds and equipment being brought in from a private hospital.

The trust, which looks after Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, says it's looking at increasing testing of staff showing symptoms so they can return to work quicker.

Teresa Cope, the trust's chief operating officer, said: "Each and every member of staff at the trust will be called on to go above and beyond our normal duties in the coming weeks and months.

"Although we have our plan in place and we are ready to act, the public has a major role to play in helping us all through this," she added.

People are being urged to stay at home over the Easter weekend, with one Yorkshire MP saying he's “appalled” at the number of people seen visiting Yorkshire's coastline during the coronavirus lockdown.

Image source, PA Media

Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, together with Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and North Yorkshire county councillor Joe Plant, have issued a statement saying "The Yorkshire Coast is closed".

Mr Goodwill said: “I continue to receive really alarming emails and letters from residents and workers who are seeing visitors coming to the area to stay in their second homes or, amazingly, come on holiday.

"These selfish individuals seem to believe there is nothing wrong with making a trip from elsewhere in North Yorkshire or beyond.

“My message to those people is – there is, and you must stay away."

The message comes after police said people in Harrogate were showing a "blatant disregard" for the stay-at-home advice, with police receiving numerous reports of picnics, street parties, and people meeting up with friends for a walk.

The sentiment has been echoed by the leader of Leeds City Council, Judith Blake, who urged people to "do your part and follow the rules to help save lives".

A North Yorkshire MP is calling for a council to reverse its decision to suspend funeral services at its crematorium during the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, Google

York's Labour MP, Rachael Maskell, says City of York Council has stepped "way beyond government guidance" which determines 10 people should be able to attend a funeral, with social distancing provisions put in place.

Ms Maskell says she's been contacted by "many distraught families wanting to be able to say goodbye to their loved ones".

The MP has raised her concerns with the council and asked them to overturn the decision and she says she's also written to the government about the move.

"I will do everything possible to ensure the rights of families and the wishes of the deceased are supported at this time. The council must understand the pain they're causing and change their policy today," she says.

City of York Council says it's made the change after "new stricter and clearer government guidance relating to social distancing at funerals".

Sharon Stoltz, director of public health at the council, said: “This has been one of the most difficult decisions. We know this is going to be really difficult for many people who've lost their loved ones."

This was the scene on part of the M62 in West Yorkshire earlier today after a lorry caught fire, with reports of explosions heard by people living nearby:

Image source, Rob Collinson/PA Wire

The M62 eastbound between Junction 28 Tingley and Junction 29 Lofthouse was closed for several hours as fire crews tackled the blaze, which started in the early hours.

Kriss Waite, who lives close to the scene, said: "We started hearing bangs at about quarter to four. They were very loud, they rattled the windows."

Image source, Rob Collinson/PA Wire

Ms Waite said the driver seemed OK and appeared to have managed to separate the trailer from his cab.

According to West Yorkshire Fire Service, the explosions had come from the vehicle's tyres bursting due to the heat of the blaze.

Image source, Rob Collinson/PA Wire

Five crews - from Ossett, Hunslet, Normanton and Leeds - were called to the blaze which led to the road being closed for nearly six hours.

A comedy poster showing Sir Bruce Forsyth asking people to observe social distancing guidance has popped up on a Sheffield street.

Image source, Luke Ulas

A picture of the late BBC presenter and entertainer, who died in 2017, is sandwiched between a spin on his famous catchphrase: "Nice 2 metre... 2 metre, nice."

The posters have gone up on lampposts and telephone poles on Machon Bank Road, Sheffield according to Luke Ulas, who took the photo.

It comes as the government asks people to keep 2m (6ft) away from one another to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

A burst water main sent water shooting almost 30ft (9m) into the air and closed part of a road in Mirfield, West Yorkshire.

Video taken near the scene shows the pipe, which is on Knowl Road, sending water high into the air.

Contractors are on site, with part of the road closed as repair work is carried out.

A 12-year-old boy has scaled the equivalent of Mount Everest without leaving his house by going up and down stairs 2,507 times in under 24 hours.

Image source, Rachael Charles

Seth Charles, from Sheffield, set himself the challenge after the virus outbreak meant he had to rethink a planned climb of Scafell Pike.

He was hoping to fundraise outdoors for a boxing training trip in the US later this year.

Image source, Getty Images

Seth's mum, Rachael, said the keen boxer, who trains at Sheffield Boxing Centre, started the stair climb at 05:30 on Tuesday and finished 04:45 the following day.

"I just couldn't believe that he carried on going, I was just dead on my feet just being there and helping him count. But he did it," she said.

Funeral services will no longer take place at York Crematorium from today, it's been announced.

Image source, Google

Until now services have been going ahead, but with no more than 10 mourners present.

Some families say they've been left distressed by the decision to stop services.

David Heywood from York says he was supposed to attend his partner's mother's funeral today, which has now been cancelled.

He says: "I don't see how ten people going to a funeral who are observing social distancing would matter.

"It seems a bit dystopian to say the least, especially as it's a bit short notice."

Sharon Stoltz, Director of Public Health at the council said: “This has been one of the most difficult decisions, we know this is going to be really difficult for many people who've lost their loved ones.

“We have to ensure we’re doing everything we can to reduce the risk of spreading Coronavirus, sadly, that includes attending funeral services."

The council said booked cremations would continue adding that it is also exploring other possibilities such as holding services of remembrance at a later date when government restrictions have been lifted.

Staff at Barnsley Hospital have been left "scared and frightened" after discovering some of the Personal Protection Equipment they have been issued is out of date, a union has said.

Image source, Google

The GMB union says some of the items have a sticker on them, covering up the use-by date and says some of the masks should have been used by 2001.

Martin Jackson, the union representative at Barnsley Hospital, says: "Members found these labels were put on and were scared and frightened and felt they'd been duped into using the equipment.

"It's totally unfair to expect people who've been trained for years and years to take notice of use-by dates, to just disregard it."

Image source, GMB

The BBC has approached Barnsley Hospital for a statement.

NHS England said: “It is vital NHS staff get the protective equipment they need to stay safe.

"Where there are any issues with supply, staff can raise them through a dedicated hotline, which is open 24/7.”

Over 225 firearms were seized by West Yorkshire Police over the last year - an increase of 100 from the previous year, the force has revealed.

Image source, Getty Images

A total of 228 firearms were seized by officers in the past 12 months, with the number of firearms discharges falling by 9 to 42 when compared to the previous year, the force says.

The seizures were made as part of an ongoing crackdown on serious and organised crime, West Yorkshire Police said.

Det Ch Supt Pat Twiggs, from the force, said: "The reductions we have seen in the last 12 months and the increase in the seizure of firearms is a testament to the hard work of officers and staff across the whole force and the very valuable work being undertaken by our partners.

"These efforts are clearly having an impact, but we will never stop in our pursuit of those involved in this type of serious criminality."

A man who died after being found injured in his South Yorkshire home had suffered a head injury, police said.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Stafford Garner, 46, was found at his property on Monsal Street in Thurnscoe, near Barnsley, on 2 April and he died in hospital three days later.

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Detectives said Mr Garner's family were "devastated" and appealed to anyone who "know something about what happened" to him to get in touch.

South Yorkshire Police said a post-mortem examination revealed the preliminary cause of death but was subject to further investigations.

Two men, aged 29 and 41 have been bailed pending further enquiries, while two others, aged 28 and 31, remain in custody, officers said.

The M62 eastbound has reopened after a lorry caught fire in the early hours of this morning.

People living close to the motorway said they were woken by a series of loud blasts which made their windows rattle at about 04.15.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the sounds of explosions had come from the vehicle's tyres bursting due to the heat from the blaze.

The road has reopened between Junctions 28 Tingley and 29 for Lofthouse, though one carriageway remains shut for recovery, Highways England says.

A minor injuries unit in Sheffield is to close to allow staff to be redeployed to help those affected by coronavirus.

Image source, Google

The unit, which is based at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, will close from Thursday evening, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has said.

People with minor injuries such as cuts or wounds are asked to go to the walk-in centre in Broad Lane while broken bones can be treated at the Northern General's A&E department.

The unit is expected to reopen once the outbreak is over.

It will stay dry today with some bright or sunny intervals at times. However, there will be a good deal of cloud.

Temperatures a bit lower than yesterday with highs of 14C

Tonight it will be largely dry and cloudy, although there is the chance of a few showers developing during the early hours.

A man doing a spot of gardening while at home during the coronavirus outbreak has unearthed what is believed to be a Ford Popular car from the 1950s.

John Brayshaw, who lives in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, said: "It's not something you find every day - it is literally in the middle of my garden.

"It's just weird how it's down there."

Mr Brayshaw is appealing for anyone with information about how it came to be there to get in touch.

He said the car, grey in colour, was mostly intact, with its engine and registration plate.

"I'd love to be able to get the car out, but I don't think it is possible by hand," he said.

The M62 eastbound is closed between junctions 28 and 29 because of a lorry fire in the early hours of this morning.

Image source, Highways England

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue were called to the scene at about 04.25 this morning after the trailer of an HGV caught light.

The service said a number of people reported hearing "explosions" coming from the vehicle but said the noise was the sound of the "tyres of the vehicle that were exploding due to heat".

The eastbound carriageway remains closed this morning between the exits for Tingley and Lofthouse.

West Yorkshire Police say the road is likely to be closed through rush hour, external.

Image source, Highways England

A total of 26 fines have been issued in just 24 hours to people flouting coronavirus guidance in South Yorkshire, police say.

Image source, PA Media

The on-the-spot fixed penalty notices are the "next step" in enforcing Covid-19 restrictions as a response to "persistent or blatant breaches", according to the South Yorkshire force.

Among those fined were three occupants of a vehicle stopped in Rotherham who had "no reasonable excuse for being away from home, telling officers they were 'bored'", said police.

Fixed penalty notices have also been issued during patrols in Page Hall, Parson Cross and Burngreave, the force says.

Supt Paul McCurry says the response to the lockdown has been positive from the "overwhelming majority", but a "small minority" is still flouting the law.

"This is understandably frustrating for many, and our action reflects calls from members of the public for restrictions to be legally enforced," he added.