Local Democracy Reporting Service

Sheffield's Supertram is to get a second wave of government funding to keep the service running for another two months, it has been revealed.

Image source, Getty Images

The Department for Transport will give support to the tune of about £2.6m to keep services in operation across Sheffield and Rotherham.

The cash will allow the service to keep operating until the beginning of August, according to Sheffield City Region's deputy managing director Ruth Adams.

The government gave the service £1.3m back in April and the new wave of funding is being given to increase capacity as coronavirus restrictions are eased and more people return to work.

It comes after a £167m fund for bus companies in South Yorkshire was announced recently to ensure they can offset massive reductions in passenger numbers due to the lockdown and could cover their costs on essential services so key workers could still get to work.

Ms Adams said: "The additional grant will allow an increase in capacity as lockdown restrictions are eased and more people return to work and it will give revenue support through to 3 August.

"Without the funding, the tramway would not be able to operate due to loss of revenue caused by the Covid-19 restrictions."

A man from Bradford has been arrested after another man was stabbed and stamped on during an attack in a North Yorkshire market town.

The victim is thought to have been followed by a group of people in a black BMW 3 Series car on Cumberland Street, Skipton, at about 16:40 on Tuesday.

The 49-year-old man suffered a minor stab wound to his arm, as well as face and head injuries, but declined treatment from paramedics, according to North Yorkshire Police.

A BMW was later stopped in West Yorkshire, with a 32-year-old man from Bradford being arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent.

He has since been bailed, police say.

Anybody with information about the attack is being asked to get in touch with the North Yorkshire force.

A 20-year-old woman who spent her day picking up litter at a West Yorkshire beauty spot is asking people not to scapegoat young people over the amount of mess left there.

Image source, Olivia Evans

Olivia Evans and her boyfriend Alex Midgley, 19, from Yeadon, say they went to the River Wharfe in Ilkley at the weekend to enjoy a day in the sun.

However, the pair spent some of their time filling dozens of bags with rubbish which had been left behind by others.

She says photos then appeared online blaming young people for creating the mess, labelling them "selfish morons", which she says is unfair.

She says: "It was so frustrating. We'd spent time picking up rubbish and people thought we were scruffs. People came down to take pictures of [young people] just to say we're disgusting."

After picking up the litter, she says they left the bags to be collected by the council as the bins were full.

Image source, Olivia Evans

"It upset me a little bit because we had gone to that effort and the majority of people had helped.

"We went to the Co-op and bought bin liners and started handing them out to people the next day. The people we spoke to were really happy and wanted to do something about it.

"I wanted to make the area where we live look nice. The attitude in many Facebook groups is anti-young people and the narrative really winds me up."

After seeing the photos the next day, the couple went back to the "beach" to make sure the rubbish had been collected.

Ms Evans added that she wants to continue litter-picking to protect the "beautiful scenery" where they live.

Rough sleepers in Rotherham are being given mobile phones and tablets to help local services keep in touch with them during the coronavirus pandemic.

It's part of a package of temporary measures put in place by Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust for around 40 people who normally attend the specialist Shiloh homeless centre at Masbrough.

They say while the centre is closed they are providing the remote support services to try and keep vulnerable people safe.

People at risk of becoming homeless can also access the mobile phones and tablets.

A large crowd has turned out in a West Yorkshire town to pay their respects to a father whose son died during the miners' strike.

Image source, Paul Winter

Striking miner David Jones died in March 1984, aged 24, hours after being hit by a brick while on the picket lines at the Nottinghamshire town of Ollerton.

His father, Mark Jones, died last week, with people from former coalfield communities turning out to say goodbye today.

People lined the route between Fox Funerals and the South Elmsall cemetery to pay their respects to Mr Jones.

A driver from Bolton clocked at 136mph on the M62 in West Yorkshire told police he'd just popped out for a burger - 42 miles away in Bradford.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

The man was stopped in the early hours of this morning when police spotted his Mercedes near Huddersfield and the vehicle was seized when it turned out he was not insured.

Writing on social media, external traffic officers said the driver believed he was covered by third party insurance and "has been reported to court".

The man in charge of Yorkshire's tourism body says the amount of litter left by people heading to North Yorkshire's beauty spots at the weekend was "disgraceful."

Image source, Other

James Mason from Welcome to Yorkshire has called for "stronger action" on litter louts and says he's "very angry" about the state some areas have been left in.

Mr Mason says: "It's disgraceful, it's unacceptable and we won't stand for it.

"The big headline a few years ago was 'Keep Britain Tidy', well it needs to be brought back as 'Keep Yorkshire Tidy'.

"If you want to come and visit our countryside and our coastline show some real respect, take all your rubbish home with you," he added.

Garry Monk says plans to restart the Championship season on the same weekend as the Premier League are "unfair".

Officers investigating the death of a woman found at a house in Sheffield say they are no longer treating the incident as suspicious.

Image source, Google

Police were called to a property on Salisbury Road, in Crookes, at about 07:00 yesterday after a call to the ambulance service saying a woman had died.

However, South Yorkshire Police say that following enquiries "officers are no longer treating the woman’s death as suspicious" though investigations are continuing to "understand the circumstances".

A 55-year-old man who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder has now been released under investigation.

A West Yorkshire mum is tackling a challenge to run around her town for 100 days wearing 100 different costumes.

Mary Taylor wears a striking costume each day as she enjoys a seven-mile run around Silsden.

After doing it as a way to make people smile during the coronavirus lockdown, she's now planning to do it for 100 days:

A York MP says she's not going to vote in Parliament until the current system changes because she doesn't think it's safe.

Image source, UK PARLIAMENT/ JESSICA TAYLOR

MPs voted to return to voting in person earlier this week after using a "hybrid" system during the coronavirus lockdown which saw some MPs in the Commons chamber and some appearing via video link.

Some votes were held remotely for the first time in Parliament's history.

Votes on Tuesday saw MPs queuing up outside the Commons chamber before walking to the Speaker's chair to say their name and which way they were voting.

York Central Labour MP Rachael Maskell said: "I looked down on groups of MPs in Westminster Hall who were standing, laughing in little groups and not observing social distancing.

There was a "long snake of MPs" going into vote, many of whom "weren't following distancing rules", she added.

"I'm being asked to either sacrifice my vote, or potentially sacrifice the life of a colleague or member of staff. I certainly won't be voting until the voting system changes," she said.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A mobile coronavirus testing centre returns to Harrogate today for anyone with symptoms who is aged over five.

Image source, Reuters/John Sibley

The drive-through centre is being set up at the Harrogate Hydro car park on Jenny Field Drive and runs from 11:00 until 15:00.

However, people are being warned to not just turn up but to make an appointment first.

Anyone aged five and over who is showing coronavirus symptoms is being asked to register for a test on the NHS website, external.

People who don’t have access to the internet, or who have difficulty with the digital portals, can ring the new 119 service to book.

Key workers and members of their household are being asked to register for a test on the government website.

A fire at a Sheffield woodland is now "under control" after rain fell overnight, the fire service has said.

Image source, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

Crews were called to Wharncliffe Woods on Monday afternoon after reports of a fire having broken out.

Firefighters have spent the last two days tackling the blaze, which is now under control as a result of their efforts and a change in the weather, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said.

Image source, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

Up to 25 firefighters have been at the scene, but this is to drop to 10 as the service pulls back resources.

Crews are expected to be there for most of the day, the fire service added.

Image source, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

Police have released dashcam footage showing a driver with five children in the vehicle speeding at 125mph on the M1.

In an audio conversation following the car being pulled over, an officer reprimands the man for "driving at a great rate of knots".

West Yorkshire police released the footage, from 20 May 2020, as part of a new anti-speeding campaign.

In the film the officer tells the driver, who has been reported to court: "You've got five children in the car and you're travelling at 125mph - If you have a blowout, all your kids are dead."

Graffiti, murals, chalk drawings, statues and even grass paintings pay tribute to NHS staff.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was seriously injured in a crash on a Sheffield road yesterday.

Image source, Google

The 45-year-old pedestrian was seriously injured when he was hit by a blue Ford Fiesta on St Mary's Gate in the city centre at about 11:40.

The driver of the Fiesta, a 21-year-old man, was uninjured, police say.

Any witnesses to the crash, especially those who might have dashcam footage, are asked to come forward.

Bradford council has apologised for producing a promotional poster celebrating the city's communities but featuring only white staff.

Image source, City of Bradford Council

The pictures used on social media showed seven council mangers holding signs saying #TogetherBradfordCan.

It was part of a campaign to help the area recover from the Coronavirus lockdown.

Labour councillor Mohammed Amran said he was "extremely disappointed and ashamed" by the council's action.

Another Labour councillor, Ralph Berry, said the image had left him "fuming".

Bradford is recognised as being one of the most racially diverse districts in the country. The 2011 census recorded that more than 30% of the city's residents are from BAME groups.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council has removed the image and apologised.

Two cyclists who cracked their helmets during a suspected hit-and-run said they believe the head gear "saved our lives".

Image source, Nicola Pearson

Friends Tom Outram and Jimmy Pearson, from Sheffield, were cycling near Bradwell in the Peak District on Sunday when Mr Outram was knocked off his bike by a passing car.

Mr Pearson, who was cycling behind, then crashed into Mr Outram's bicycle and fell.

Police confirmed it was investigating a crash in which a car failed to stop.

Mr Outram said: "We were coming down a hill, going about 40mph, as a car came past us on a straight road, with nothing coming the other way."

He said the car then pulled back in before it had fully passed them, causing the side of the vehicle to collide with him.

The 33-year-old recalled his head hitting the ground "extremely hard", damaging his helmet.

"If I had not been wearing the helmet, I would not be here," he added.

Image source, Nicola Pearson

Carers at a Huddersfield residential home moved in to protect residents from coronavirus.

A man who died after being hit by his own car has been named by police.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Clyn Beaumont (pictured), 44, suffered fatal injuries when his vehicle, a black Range Rover Sport, was "in collision with him", South Yorkshire Police say.

The incident happened on Viking Lea Drive, in Sheffield, shortly after 23:00 on Saturday.

The full circumstances of the collision are being investigated, but it's not thought the vehicle had anyone inside at the time of the collision.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw the vehicle prior to the collision is being urged to contact police.