A motorcyclist who left a 12-year-old girl lying in the road with a fractured skull after crashing into her in York has been jailed.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Nathan Lofthouse (pictured), 30, of Askham Croft, York, hit the girl in Boroughbridge Road in June last year before fleeing the scene.

The girl suffered life-changing injuries and underwent extensive medical treatment but is still unable to return to school, according to North Yorkshire Police.

After leaving the scene Lofthouse hid the clothes he was wearing and his motorbike, which was later found to have drugs in one of the compartments.

He was jailed for two years and 10 months at York Crown Court on Wednesday having pleaded guilty earlier this year to failing to stop after a collision, perverting the course of justice, having no licence and no insurance and possession of class B drugs, with intent to supply. He was also banned from driving for two years and five months.

Speaking after sentencing the girl’s family said their lives have been “changed forever”.

Insp Jeremy Bartley said: “This is one of the most serious criminal collisions we have investigated recently, and one of the most complicated to investigate.

“Rather than acting like a grown man, Lofthouse did the most cowardly thing possible – he left a young girl laying on the road with a fractured skull, made his getaway and tried to hide the evidence that he knew would incriminate him."

Scott Windass, 27, from Hull, has been living and working in Daqing, northern China, during the pandemic.

An appeal to the public to help find a man wanted over a domestic violence offence has been issued by police in West Yorkshire.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Mark Hopkins, 48, from Pontefract, is wanted on suspicion of assault.

Police say despite extensive inquiries and checks on a number of addresses they've been unable to find him.

The force says Mr Hopkins is known to the South Kirkby area and may have travelled to the Louth area of Lincolnshire.

Anyone who knows where he is or with any information which could help find him is asked to contact police.

A five-year-old boy who hand-reared an orphaned bird while shielding at home during the coronavirus lockdown has been thanked for his efforts by the RSPB.

Image source, North Yorkshire County Council

Dylan Simpson (pictured), from Whitley, North Yorkshire, rescued the week-old baby starling after it became trapped in his sister's bedroom.

He named the bird Jack, fed it until it was strong enough to fly and released it into his back garden.

Mum Sarah Simpson said caring for the bird helped Dylan, who has respiratory problems, cope during the pandemic.

The RSPB heard about Dylan’s efforts and sent him a gift through the post to say thank you for all the care he gave to his feathered friend.

Mrs Simpson filmed Dylan opening the present which included a starling pin badge, some copies of the RSPB magazine and a note thanking Dylan for all his hard work and care in looking after Jack.

Martin Fowlie from the RSPB said: “Our wildlife needs all the help it can get, so when we saw the amazing story of Dylan and his adopted starling we wanted to say thank you for his brilliant work."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Ambitions have been set to extend the tram-train service to all parts of South Yorkshire, giving access for thousands of people along existing railway lines.

Places in Sheffield like Beighton, Stocksbridge, Heeley, Totley, and Handsworth are some of the places that could all in future become part of the tram-train network using existing rail routes.

Places like Meadowhead and other stops along the A61 Chesterfield Road could also be used if needed, according to plans from the Sheffield City Region (SCR).

SCR bosses are keen to expand the service to Barnsley and Doncaster - two places where councils pay a levy towards the network without directly benefiting.

Mayor Dan Jarvis has previously said that there is an ambition to roll the network out from Waverly towards Mexborugh before a terminus at Doncaster Sheffield Airport and also towns in the Barnsley Dearne Valley area.

Plans in the SCR Transforming Cities Fund scheme and Integrated Rail Plan for tram-train also include a 300-space park and ride at Parkgate in Rotherham by 2021 and a station at Magna by 2022.

The 98th Archbishop of York is due to be confirmed into the role later today.

Image source, PA Media

Bishop Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell (pictured above) is succeeding Dr John Sentamu (pictured below) as the second most senior cleric in the Church of England.

The married father-of-three, who has previously called on the CofE to shed its middle class "Marks and Spencer" image, said he was "humbled and excited at the prospect" of becoming the new Archbishop of York.

Coronavirus restrictions mean the usual ceremonies surrounding the election and the enthronement of a new archbishop have been delayed and simplified.

The confirmation is taking place on the 36th anniversary of a devastating fire at York Minster, caused by a lightning strike on 9 July 1984.

The 700-year-old building suffered serious damage to the south transept, but the famous Rose Window survived.

It took four years and £2.25m to repair the damage.

Three men have been jailed for killing a father-of-one in a fight following a football match.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Danny Dix, 38, was attacked by Kyle Beech, Brock Playforth and Liam Green in Rotherham on 9 March last year after a match between Rotherham United and Sheffield United.

CCTV footage showed Beech punching Mr Dix to the ground before Playforth and Green were seen kicking him as he lay unconscious on the floor.

He died in hospital a week later.

The three men were convicted of manslaughter after a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in March.

In sentencing on Tuesday Beech, 27, of Landsbury Avenue, Maltby, was jailed for nine years. Playforth, 26, of Ambleside Walk, North Anston, was sentenced to eight years in custody and must serve an additional three years on licence.

Green, 23, of of Rotherham Road, Maltby was jailed for six years.

Wakefield Trinity half-back Danny Brough signs a two-year deal with Bradford Bulls and will join them for the 2021 season.

After months of lockdown horse racing is set to return to York today.

Image source, Google

The meeting is the first of five this month taking place “behind closed doors” at the city's Knavesmire course.

William Derby, Clerk of the Course, says: "As we're seeing on our screens with the football, sport behind closed doors is certainly different.

"But we're delighted to be back in some form and look forward to the crowds returning to the course when it's safe to do so."

Talking about the effect of lockdown on horse racing in York, Mr Derby said: "About 100 people work at the course, so there's been a huge impact on staff - at one point there were just four of us not furloughed."

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A cloudy day with a mix of showers and dry spells.

Cloud cover and showers will continue into the evening, with with some clear spells towards the end of the night:

This footage shows the moment an ambulance's path was blocked by a new cycle lane in Sheffield.

Paramedics had to leave the vehicle to move the bollards out of their way on Shalesmoor in the city centre.

The temporary cycle lane has now been criticised online as a result.

Councillor Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport at Sheffield City Council, said the temporary link was created to give people the space and infrastructure to walk and cycle.

"We will continue to monitor the temporary cycle lane scheme and ensure that, if required, necessary changes are made so it operates as effectively as possible."

Preston North End come from behind to beat Sheffield Wednesday and move within three points of the play-off places.

John Egan scores with a dramatic 93rd-minute header to give Europe-chasing Sheffield United victory over Wolves at Bramall Lane.

Jamie Paterson scores one and makes another as Bristol City begin life without Lee Johnson with victory over Hull City.

Officers trying to find a missing Rotherham man have released a CCTV image from the day he was last seen.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Corey Mitchell, 24, from Brinsworth was seen on CCTV on the junction of Duncan Street and Whitehall Lane on Sunday, 5 July at about 07:20. He hasn't been heard from since.

He was wearing a dark coloured hoodie, dark tracksuit bottoms and black or grey wellies. He was also carrying an orange rucksack, police say.

Det Insp Joanne Kemp said: “Our concerns for Corey’s safety are growing and his family are desperate for information about where he is.

“As well as this confirmed sighting on Duncan Street, we also know that Corey often goes walking along the train track at Brinsworth, down the back of Halfords and towards the Parkway.

“I would urge anyone who knows that area or who has been in that area over the last few days to think about whether they’ve seen him.”

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The temporary closure of a road and pop-up cycling lanes are among the first “active travel” measures implemented in Bradford in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, PA Media

Bradford Council has received £614,000 from the government to implement a number of temporary measures to support social distancing.

The money will be used to install pop-up cycle lanes and make more of the district’s pedestrian crossings automatic.

And one of the more drastic measures will be the closure of part of Shay Lane, in Heaton, to traffic.

The council says the narrow road has become a popular route for people taking their daily walk and cyclists during lockdown – and closing the route to traffic will make it safer for this to continue.

Bradford’s share of the first wave of funding was announced on Monday, and the council says the schemes will start this week and continue to be introduced in the coming weeks.

Goole could be in line for a £25m investment boost after the council announced it's asking the government for money to fund transport and town centre improvements.

Image source, Trevor Littlewood/Geograph

The Goole Town Deal hopes to upgrade roads and cycle routes in the town, along with bringing vacant properties back into use and money spent on improving the town centre.

The money will come from the government's Towns Fund, a £3.6bn pot of cash that local councils can bid for to improve areas.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council says it's creating an investment plan for the town which will be submitted to the government by 2021.

Goole is one of 101 towns that have been invited to apply for a slice of the money.

Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole Andrew Percy said: "Within the Town Deal, I am very keen to see that we address issues in the town centre, access to training and employment, and the improvements that really matter to the people and businesses of Goole."

Many lives have been ruined because officials failed to hear the concerns of women given drugs and procedures that caused them or their babies considerable harm, says a review, external.

More than 700 women and their families shared "harrowing" details about vaginal mesh, pregnancy test Primodos and epilepsy drug sodium valproate.

Review chair Baroness Julia Cumberlege said she was shocked by the "sheer scale" and "intensity of suffering".

Bonita Barrett, from York, said the pain she experienced after having a vaginal mesh procedure in 2015 felt at times like "barbed wire" cutting into her and said it had had a "devastating" effect on her and her family.

"it was like someone had dropped a hand grenade in the family, she said.

"It wasn't just physical [pain] it was emotional, it was financial. I was literally laid up on the sofa on some really strong drugs unable to function as a mother, as an employee, as a wife. It was devastating.

"It's easy for doctors to be dismissive, especially when you're in your 40s 'It's hormone problems, it's the menopause, it's in your head'," she said.

"[But] we've seen women that are on the brink of suicide over this because they are not listened to."

She described the review as "brilliant" and "vindication that we have been heard".

Health Minister Nadine Dorries has said the government will give the review the "full and careful consideration it deserves before setting out our full response".

PA Media

A search is on for the descendants of three builders whose 190-year-old banter has been found in the roof of a Rotherham stately home.

Image source, Wentworth Woodhouse

The hidden wisecracks were found during the £5m roof repairs ongoing at Wentworth Woodhouse, which was once Britain's largest private house.

They were written on a roof timber in 1830 (pictured above) by three craftsmen repairing the area over the gilded state room where the 4th Earl Fitzwilliam kept his paintings by Flemish artist, Anthony van Dyck.

Jack Falding, Jack Vickers and Jack Wragg had worked through a March cold snap and decided to boast about their drinking and poke fun at their boss, William Peak.

The inscription on the wood (with some faded parts which are illegible) reads: "This roof repaired March 1830 when it was cold and frosty Jack Falding Jack Vickers Jack Wragg They all liked drink but none to be had The ... name was William Peak And he had a belley like a ... "

The words have been digitally enhanced to make it clearer to read (pictured below).

The trust, which now owns the Grade I listed mansion, are searching for men's descendants.

Image source, Wentworth Woodhouse

Facilities manager Julie Readman said: "We think the three Jacks and William were carpenters and probably local.

"Since the 1700s many skilled trades people from South Yorkshire worked here.

"Many secretly left their mark in similar style. Since we began major roof repairs in 2018 we've found numerous messages and even handprints dating back to 1806. It's really an old form of graffiti."

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Media

York received about 200 fewer laptops than it needed, the city council said.