Shoppers in Leeds are currently queuing for over an hour to get their first taste of retail therapy since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.

Non-essential shops, which have been closed across the UK since 23 March, have finally been allowed to reopen today, although retailers have had to introduce strict safety measures.

Although food shops, pharmacies and other essential retailers have stayed open, swathes of the High Street, from bookshops to clothes outlets, have been closed for nearly three months.

Shaun and Sabrina, students in Leeds, are just two of the many people currently patiently queuing to get into the city's Trinity Centre:

This was the scene this morning in Sheffield as shoppers hit the high street for the first time since many stores closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

From today, non-essential shops are allowed to reopen providing they help keep people safe by introducing measures for social distancing.

Image source, @WinnerRobK

Image source, @WinnerRobK

Image source, @WinnerRobK

A rescue helicopter based in the Humber region and RNLI lifeboats from Scarborough and Bridlington have been deployed in the search for a US fighter jet which has crashed into the North Sea.

Image source, PA Media

In a statement, HM Coastguard said it received a report of a plane "going down into the sea" about 75 nautical miles (86 miles) off Flamborough Head.

It said that following a Mayday call other nearby vessels are heading to the area to help with the search.

The Us Airforce has said the F-15C jet, from RAF Lakenheath was on a training mission when the crash happened at about 09:40.

It said the pilot and jet have not yet been located.

A man was initially arrested on suspicion of affray and later on suspicion of terrorism offences.

Police are investigating after reports a man and a woman racially abused and attacked while walking past a city centre pub in Sheffield.

Image source, Google

South Yorkshire Police say the 55-year-old man and 19-year-old woman were walking along Cambridge Street, near Yates, when a large group of men began shouting racist remarks.

An altercation took place during which the man was punched in the face.

The incident left the man and woman feeling "extremely shaken", say police.

The force has released images of three men they want to speak to in relation to the incident (below), saying they may hold "vital information" about the incident.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

A 27-year-old man, from Sheffield, who was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated assault in connection with this incident and 27-year-old man, from Barnsley, who was arrested on suspicion of assault have both been released on bail.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says Dean Henderson is close to extending his loan deal from Manchester United until the end of the season.

The US Airforce has confirmed that one of its fighter jets has crashed into the North Sea off the Yorkshire Coast.

Image source, Andrew Parsons/PA Media

In a statement the USAF said the F-15C Eagle (similar to the one pictured above) from the 48th Fighter Wing, at RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, crashed at approximately 09:40.

It said the aircraft was on "a routine training mission with one pilot on board" at the time of the accident.

The status of the pilot and the cause of the crash are "unknown" at this stage, it added.

A search and rescue operation has been launched after a US F-15 fighter jet crashed in the North Sea off the Yorkshire Coast.

This year's "Three Peaks Race" in the Yorkshire Dales has been cancelled because of coronavirus.

The event should have been held in April but was postponed until September in the hope that conditions might return to normal.

Now, organisers say that despite spending over forty thousand pounds on the race, it cannot be held safely.

Image source, Yorkshire Dales National Park

Have you seen Zoe Zaremba? She's gone missing from her home in North Yorkshire and police say they're becoming "increasingly concerned" for her welfare.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Ms Zaremba, 24, was last seen at about 23:00 on Saturday at her home in Aiskew, near Bedale.

She's described as about 5ft 6ins tall, of slim build with brown hair which she usually wears in a ponytail and brown eyes.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

She is believed to be wearing the blue "Keep Calm" t-shirt pictured above, and possibly white and purple trainers, police say.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is being asked to contact North Yorkshire Police.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A sportswear store in Scarborough was closed by police yesterday after it opened a day early to allow NHS staff to shop - breaking the government's coronavirus restriction.

Image source, LDRS

The Sports Direct store, in Pavilion House, opened at 11:00, offering entry to only those with NHS identification to allow them to take advantage of a 50% off sale.

Scarborough Police stepped in to shut the store, which was open one day ahead of coronavirus restrictions being relaxed nationally.

At one time the queue to get in the store stretched as far back as Valley Bridge.

A post on the police’s Facebook page stated: "We are grateful to all the businesses in the town that are following the government guidelines and have remained shut until they can reopen [today].

"Disappointingly, our officers had to close down Sports Direct earlier today after it opened a day early.

"We are all working together to limit the transmission of this virus, and we will continue to enforce according to the law."

Sports Direct has been approached for comment.

Police say they found "suspicious chemicals" after an operation which led to 50 houses being evacuated in Barnsley.

Residents were moved on Friday after the Army bomb disposal team was called to check "suspicious items" at the address in Grimethorpe.

A 40-year-old man was arrested on Friday in connection with the incident in Coronation Avenue.

He has since been released while inquiries continue.

Police said a number of suspicious chemicals were recovered during the warrant search just after midnight on Friday.

The Army's EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) were called to the address and the cordon was lifted later on Friday with people urged to return to their homes rather than remaining with relatives, because of coronavirus regulations.

Barnsley chief executive Dane Murphy says an FA inquiry into a doping allegation against Bambo Diaby is taking "too long".

Primark, in Hull, had to reopen half an hour earlier this morning to cope with the queues outside while at the fashion chain's store in Leeds people are facing waits of up to an hour to get in this morning.

The Carr Lane store (above) had been due to open at 09:00 but started letting shoppers in from 08:30.

Meanwhile, in Leeds, people were queuing outside the shop from 07:15.

Three men have been arrested after a man collapsed and died in a street.

Image source, Google

Police were called to Thorne Road, Huddersfield, where the 41-year-old was found outside an address shortly after midnight on Saturday.

He was treated by ambulance staff but was pronounced dead at the scene. His death was being treated as unexplained.

West Yorkshire Police has not disclosed further details about the arrests and has appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.

A spokesperson said inquiries were continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the man's death and a cordon was in place at the site "for forensic examination".

Shoppers have begun queuing outside one clothing store in Hull this morning as non-essential shops begin to reopen for the first time in three months.

About 40 people were were waiting outside Primark, in Carr Lane, before it was due to open at 09:00.

The fashion chain is one of a number of shops reopening today across England.

Today will see a mix of patchy cloud and sunny intervals. However, scattered showers are likely to break out, which could turn heavy and thundery in places.

Any thundery showers will fade in the evening and it will then be largely dry overnight with clear spells and mist or fog patches forming.

Firefighters are tackling a blaze at a barn in East Yorkshire.

Image source, Humberside Fire & Rescue

Crews were called to the fire at a building on Carr Road, in Burton Pidsea, at about 04:45 this morning.

Humberside Fire and Rescue say about 200 tonnes of straw is on fire and crews will be in attendance "until at least lunchtime".

Shops in England selling non-essential goods can reopen today for the first time in almost three months.

Image source, John Lewis

While food shops, pharmacies and other essential retailers have been open throughout lockdown, non-essential stores have been locked since 23 March.

This includes retailers offering clothes, toys, books and electronics - as well as record shops, tailors, auction houses, photography studios and indoor markets.

The government says they must meet Covid-19 guidelines, external to keep shoppers and workers safe, but Boris Johnson has urged people to "shop with confidence".

He said he was "very optimistic" about stores reopening - although acknowledged that retailers did not know whether there will be a "huge wave of customers" or a "trickle".

The unlocking comes as face coverings become compulsory when travelling on public transport in England from Monday. Children under the age of 11 will be exempt, and the rules might be waived for people who have a legitimate health reason for not wearing one.

However, face coverings in shops will not be mandatory, with retailers hoping their introduction of an array of other safety measures will be sufficient.