The Scottish government has warned people not to visit parts of West Yorkshire and other areas of northern England affected by new local lockdown rules.

Image source, Reuters/Phil Noble

It said travel between Scotland and Calderdale, Kirklees, Bradford in West Yorkshire, as well as Greater Manchester and East Lancashire, should only be undertaken if "absolutely essential".

Anyone currently in the affected areas does not need to return to Scotland early, the Scottish Government added.

But it said they should be "extra vigilant" in monitoring for symptoms - even after they return home.

Millions of people in parts of northern England are now facing new restrictions, banning separate households from meeting each other at home after a spike in Covid-19 cases.

The gold medal winner will join the nine-year-old fundraiser as he completes a marathon in Sheffield on Saturday.

The 2020 World Snooker Championship is under way in Sheffield today - with a limited number of fans being able to watch the game despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Defending champion Judd Trump is taking on Tom Ford in the opening first round match at The Crucible.

This year's tournament has been selected by the UK government as the first indoor sporting event to allow spectators.

It comes as some coronavirus restrictions have been relaxed, but fans are being asked to stay socially-distant.

Some players including Ronnie O'Sullivan have expressed doubts about players' safety.

Anthony Hamilton, who has severe asthma, withdrew on Thursday, while O'Sullivan has said players are being treated like "lab rats" over the decision to allow a limited of number of spectators into The Crucible.

The timing of new coronavirus lockdown restrictions which have been introduced in parts of northern England will have a major impact on Eid celebrations, an organisation representing Muslims in part of West Yorkshire has said.

Image source, EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY

The restrictions, which ban separate households in areas including Calderdale, Bradford and Kirklees, from meeting each other at home after a spike in Covid-19 cases, were announced last night and came into force at midnight.

The changes come as Muslim communities celebrate Eid, and nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England - allowing people to meet indoors for the first time since late March.

Yunus Lunat, from the Indian Muslim Welfare Society in Batley, has criticised what he calls a "lack of awareness" at the government level.

He says: "The problem for the Muslim community, certainly that I represent in Batley, with it being Eid today, is what data became available so late in the day last night for this to be announced at three hours' notice?

"Would they do this on Christmas Eve? On the government website it refers to Muslims celebrating Eid this weekend. No, we're celebrating Eid three hours after the announcement."

A boxer from Sheffield will be one of the first people to step back into the ring on live TV as coronavirus restrictions are eased when he fights this weekend.

Super-lightweight Dalton Smith is taking on Liverpool's Nathan Bennett tomorrow in the grounds of promoter Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing HQ in Essex.

No members of the public will be allowed to be present to watch the behind-closed-doors bout.

It's to be the first live boxing event to be broadcast on Sky Sports since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with new measures in place to keep boxers safe from the virus.

Tests for the boxers and their teams, no spitting and a quarantine hotel are some of the measures designed to limit the risk of the virus spreading.

The unbeaten Sheffield boxer said: "It's going to be a massive occasion. All the fight fans are wanting the boxing back.

"For Eddie to put me on the show, it shows he wants to get me out there and to get me fighting."

Image source, Reuters/Peter Cziborra

James Vincent
Political Editor, BBC Look North

We knew something might be coming - but not this...

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Media

Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale in West Yorkshire have been closely watched for weeks.

Bradford had even asked the government to think about whether there should be any more easing of restrictions there.

But this Tweet just after 21:00 last night changed it all:

The government is being criticised for the timing and style of the announcement - tweeted out less than three hours before the new rules were meant to come in - and just before Eid.

The government says it needed to happen.

Matt Hancock said contact tracing pointed towards transmission between people visiting friends and family.

That's now off the cards - indefinitely - in some parts of Yorkshire.

A man has died following a crash last night involving a pedestrian and a car in Doncaster.

Image source, Google

The victim, a 34-year-old man, was crossing Wheatley Hall Road at about 23:15 when he was hit by a silver Jaguar XF.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man's family has been informed, South Yorkshire Police said.

The force is appealing for anyone who saw the crash, or those with dash camera footage, to get in touch.

There is a lack of clarity on the new local lockdown rules being imposed for West Yorkshire, according to one MP representing an affected area.

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Media

Last night, health secretary Matt Hancock said that following a spike in coronavirus cases in Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees, those areas would be subject to extra rules.

Designed to slow the spread of the virus, separate households living in those areas have been banned from meeting each other indoors and in their gardens.

But Holly Lynch, Labour MP for Halifax has criticised the government's announcement saying there was a lack of clarity.

She said: "I am calling on government to provide more information and further clarity about these new changes as quickly as possible.

"People understand the seriousness of the situation, but there are some ambiguities and inconsistencies in this information."

From midnight, people living in the affected areas can't visit other homes or gardens, but can meet up with people in outside spaces like public parks, government guidelines say, external.

A West Yorkshire Imam is urging people to "remain safe and vigilant" during Eid al-Adha celebrations, as new coronavirus measures come into force banning members of separate households meeting each other indoors in parts of West Yorkshire.

Image source, Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

The measures were introduced last night following a spike in coronavirus cases in parts of northern England, including Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees.

Usually during Eid, Muslims will go to special prayers at their local mosque and have a day of celebrations with family and friends.

But Leeds Imam Qari Asim says festivities at home are "just as effective as those in larger groups".

Mr Asim says: “I, along with Imams across the country, advise people to continue to be vigilant and respectful in their celebrations.

“There has been a sense of deflation and disappointment as restrictions have been placed on Hajj for the first time in such a manner, but we are not alone.

"Other faith communities have had to make sacrifices. We hope these spiritual sacrifices will enable us all to defeat Covid-19 together."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A walk-through coronavirus testing centre has opened on Forge Island in Rotherham town centre in a bid to make testing accessible for everyone.

Image source, Reuters/Carl Recine/File Photo

The site, operated by the Department of Health and Social Care, will be open to the public from between 08:00 and 20:00 seven days a week for the next 12 weeks.

Anyone with coronavirus symptoms, or those who are concerned that they have been in contact who is Covid-19 positive, is urged to get tested.

Appointments are preferred to make sure everyone who needs a test can get one as soon as possible.

Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "Forge Island is a central location for the testing site and will be accessible for everyone who needs to use it.

"We have already had a fantastic response from people across Rotherham getting tested at mobile test centres in Herringthorpe and at Midland Road over the past two weeks.

"Now we are continuing our commitment to reducing the transmission of the virus with the new walk-through centre."

Richard Cullen, chair of the Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "By getting tested, you are helping to highlight areas in the borough which may need vital support. Please, if you have symptoms, get tested. And, if you are tested positive you must self-isolate."

BBC Weather

A dry and hot day for most with plenty of sunshine.

Later in the afternoon, some patchy cloud will build up, with the small chance of some showers.

This evening cloud will thicken, with the possibility of further showers moving in:

Separate households have been banned from meeting each other indoors in parts of West Yorkshire following a spike in coronavirus cases.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the increase in transmission was "largely due" to people not observing social distancing.

The new local lockdown rules come nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England, allowing people to meet indoors for the first time since late March.

More than four million residents of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Greater Manchester, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale, will be affected by the tightening of restrictions.

Mr Hancock, who tweeted, external the announcement at 21:16 on Thursday, said: "From midnight tonight, people from different households will not be allowed to meet each other indoors in these areas."

The measures mean different households will not be allowed to meet in homes or private gardens. Individual households will still be able to go to pubs and restaurants but not mix with another household.

The government acknowledged the measures would "come as a blow" to Muslim communities preparing to celebrate Eid this weekend, although places of worship remain open subject to social distancing rules.

A Sheffield-based author has won a national book prize for her "classic whodunnit" for children.

Image source, Sharna Jackson

High-Rise Mystery is a story about young sleuths who search for the killer of their school's art teacher.

Author Sharna Jackson's tale was picked by Waterstones as the "Best Book for Younger Readers".

She said: "I am absolutely thrilled to have won the prize — to be sitting between [other winners] Look Up and Bearmouth is absolutely fantastic.

"This award is chosen by the children’s booksellers at Waterstones and I’m so delighted they’ve enjoyed High Rise Mystery and have passed it on to the kids I wrote it for."

A 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl were involved in the attack at Holmfirth cricket club.

The creation of what's said to be the biggest zero emission park and ride bus fleet in the UK has got under way in York today.

The first three all-electric double decker buses have arrived at the city's Park & Ride network at Askham Bar.

First Bus and City of York Council have teamed up in an investment said to be worth more than £9m.

The Metrodecker EV vehicles, manufactured by Optare at Sherburn-in-Elmet, are the beginning of a 21-strong order which will replace existing diesels.

First says: "Each bus saves almost 1kg of carbon dioxide emissions for every kilometre travelled, which it's estimated will mean a saving of 1.6 million tonnes of CO2 a year when the fleet is complete."

The buses are the first new vehicles to be introduced by First Bus anywhere in the country since it announced it intends to achieve a zero carbon fleet by 2035.

Marc Bichtemann, managing director of First York, said: “This is an important stage in our shared ambition to expand sustainable transport in the city.”

Delivery of the fleet of 21 double-deckers is expected to be completed by the end of September.

PA Media

An East Yorkshire businessman has been jailed for three years for his role in a multi-million pound bribery plot to secure oil infrastructure contracts in Iraq in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces.

Image source, Yui Mok/PA Media

Stephen Whiteley, 65, from Beverley, was part of a conspiracy to pay out bribes totalling $6m (£4.9m) to politicians and state-owned companies after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

Executives at the Monaco-based oil company Unaoil hoped to secure Iraqi contracts worth $800m (£650.7m) as the new government tried to rebuild the country in the aftermath of the war.

Whiteley was convicted of one count of conspiracy to make corrupt payments alongside Ziad Akle, 45, from London.

Addressing Whiteley, who appeared via videolink at Southwark Crown Court earlier, Judge Martin Beddoe said: "I acknowledge you played a subordinate role to that of Akle."

He added: "There's only one way with dealing with you today, it's a way I'm sure you have known for a long time."

Drive-in and walk-in mobile testing units will be in place in Bradford this weekend to allow people showing symptoms of Covid-19 to be tested.

Image source, Reuters/Carl Recine/File Photo

Bradford council says a recent rise in infection rates in the city means it's now "an outlier on the Government’s watch list" and brings a "real concern" that any further rise could result in a local lockdown.

The authority is advising people to make an appointment, external before they arrive at the units, which will be in place between 10:00 and 16:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

One of the testing units will be at the Richard Dunn Main Car Park, near the Bradford Bulls stadium, on Saturday.

The second will be in place at the Whetley Mill Car Park, off Thornton Road, on both Saturday and Sunday.

People attending the units are being asked to wear a face covering and to adhere to social distancing.

The council says it's talking with the government as to whether to implement any further local easing of restrictions set to to take place on 1 August, including keeping venues like bowling alleys, boxing gyms and some other sports sites closed.

Hooker Brad Dwyer signs a new two-year deal at Super League side Leeds Rhinos, keeping him at the club until 2022.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

South Yorkshire’s political leaders have signed off a funding package to help the Welcome to Yorkshire tourism organisation.

Image source, PA Media

Sheffield City Region, along with contributions from Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley councils, agreed to hand the cash-strapped organisation £300,000 of public money.

The decision was made in private, with the public and press barred from listening listen to the debate and decision over the move, at a recent mayoral combined authority meeting.

Welcome to Yorkshire requested about £1.4m in a bailout package from the region’s councils due to financial problems.

Many have obliged, but three councils in North Yorkshire have refused.

Last year, Welcome to Yorkshire was criticised for a "spend now, worry later" culture, with former boss Sir Gary Verity being subject to a police investigation about expenses claims.

Police action was dropped last month following an investigation by West Yorkshire Police.

Sir Gary, who resigned in March 2019 on health grounds, has always denied any allegations of wrongdoing.

Two Highland calves have been born at a Barnsley farm:

Image source, Cannon Hall Farm

Dougal and Bonnie were welcomed into the world at Cannon Hall Farm earlier this month, with them appearing on a special Channel 5 TV show about the farm.

Image source, Cannon Hall Farm

Cannon Hall Farm said mum Fern was "one of the most breathtaking examples of her breed".

Image source, Cannon Hall Farm