A prison escapee will serve two extra years after his capture in a counterfeit cigarette factory

A Bradford credit union offers those whose finances have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic a £500 interest-free loan.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A 20m-high 5G phone mast could be installed in front of a landmark city centre building in Bradford, if plans are approved.

Image source, Google

Telecoms company Three UK is planning to install a mast on Princes Way – on the street in front of the National Science and Media Museum - according to proposals submitted to Bradford Council.

The mast would also be just yards from the statue of famous Bradford author and playwright JB Priestley.

The company is seeking approval from the council for the structure to be installed and says the mast is needed to fill a 5G "coverage hole" in the city centre.

Other potential mast sites in the area are "extremely limited", the firm says.

"There is an acute need for a new telecommunications installation to deliver the required community coverage", it adds.

The mast would "not overly detract from the character of the existing streetscape", according to Three.

Warrington's Ben Murdoch-Masila and Leilani Latu go virtual to get their rugby league fix during the coronavirus shutdown.

Volunteers who would usually be rescuing injured or lost people from the countryside have been helping deliver vital medicine to people in need during lockdown.

Image source, Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team

Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team have been giving up their time to deliver prescription drugs to patients who are shielding throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Working with local surgeries, the team has been helping vulnerable people in Penistone, Silkstone and parts of West Yorkshire.

One garage in Penistone gave the volunteers free fuel as they carried out the deliveries, using a van that was donated to them by South Yorkshire Police.

An ambulance driver and passenger have been injured after a car being pursued by police collided with their vehicle in Doncaster.

A silver Audi A4 crashed into the ambulance and two other vehicles at about 17:40 on Sunday while being followed by officers after failing to stop in Balby.

Following the crash the occupants of the Audi - one man aged 19 and two men aged 20 - abandoned the vehicle before being arrested in Hooton Roberts a short time later on suspicion of dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.

South Yorkshire Police said the ambulance driver and passenger suffered minor injuries.

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact police.

Wellbeing pods, designed to help reunite families who've been kept apart during the coronavirus lockdown, are to be introduced at care homes in West Yorkshire.

Image source, Kirklees Council

The two £25,000 buildings will allow families and residents of two care homes to see each other face-to-face while remaining socially distanced.

Kirklees Council says social workers and other healthcare professionals could use them to speak to residents safely.

Councillor Musarrat Khan, from Kirklees Council, said: "We recognise the mental health impact of the coronavirus lockdown and how it has been particularly difficult for our elderly residents in care homes.

"Face-to-face contact was halted to prevent the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable residents from becoming ill.

"These pods will enable residents to see their loved ones again in a safe manner, which will be a huge boost to their mental wellbeing.”

It's hoped Claremont House in Heckmonmdwike and Castle Grange in Newsome will benefit from them by August.

Thomas, 15, said being "hidden" behind a computer screen meant teachers could not see him struggling to speak.

A Scarborough takeaway has removed a sign asking people to not wear a mask when inside the shop following the introduction of new rules over the wearing of face coverings in shops due to coronavirus.

Image source, Aaron Vasey

The sign appeared in the window of Mama Mia's Pizza And Kebab Takeaway on Seamer Road, saying masks are for "hooligans, vigilantes, superheroes, criminals and asbestos workers".

It then asked people to remove their mask before entering.

As of last Friday, face coverings are mandatory in enclosed public spaces, including when buying takeaway food and drink, although they can be removed in a seating area.

A photo of the sign was posted on social media.

When contacted by the BBC, the takeaway said the sign has been removed, adding it was "inappropriate".

A rainbow crossing has been installed in Sheffield city centre to mark the city's postponed Pride event.

Image source, Sheffield City Council

The council installed the crossing on Saturday and also raised a rainbow flag above the town hall.

The crossing has been installed on Pinstone Street near the Peace Gardens in a "semi-permanent design".

Councillor Bob Johnson, from Sheffield City Council, said: “As with so many events planned for this summer, it is unfortunately not possible to gather in person to celebrate Sheffield Pride this year, a festival that is usually a highlight of Sheffield’s social calendar.

"It’s important to us that we still mark this celebration, and so to complement this year’s Digital Pride event we have installed a Pride crossing in the heart of Sheffield."

Image source, Sheffield City Council

A man was assaulted and his car was stolen after he was flagged down by a group of men in Halifax, police have revealed.

Image source, Google

The attack happened at about 23:50 on Monday 20 July on Battinson Road, when the 33-year-old man stopped his car.

The victim was assaulted by three or four males who then made off in the man's grey Audi S4 estate with the registration number MD66, according to West Yorkshire Police.

He was not seriously injured in the attack.

The first suspect is described as white, about 40, approximately 6ft tall, of medium, lean build and wearing a balaclava, a white polo top, a black zip-up hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms.

The second suspect is described as skinny, wearing all black clothing and a balaclava.

The third suspect is believed to be white, wearing all black clothing and a balaclava and he is thought to speak with a Scouse accent.

Anyone who saw what happened, has information about the attack, or who saw the Audi at about the time of the incident, is being asked to get in touch with police.

Three people have been arrested following an evening of disorder in Sheffield last night.

A video was shared online apparently showing a teenager carrying a BB gun.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of a firearms offence, police say.

Elsewhere, officers were called to Popple Street, Page Hall to reports of a large fight at about 19:45.

Two people were arrested on suspicion of affray and the group was dispersed, South Yorkshire Police added.

A girl has been rescued by a lifeboat after she was swept half-a-mile out to sea (800m) on an inflatable toy off the East Yorkshire coast.

Image source, Hornsea Rescue

The 12-year-old was spotted by the National Coastwatch Institution on Sunday who notified the coastguard.

The Hornsea Inshore Rescue was launched just after 16:20 BST along with a coastguard team and she was brought back and reunited with her family.

The coastguard advised holidaymakers "to not use inflatables on the sea".

Beach-goers should not try to rescue anyone swept out to sea but call for immediate help, HM Coastguard Hornsea added.

Hornsea Inshore Rescue was established as an independent charity in 1994 and operates from a purpose-built boathouse in the seaside resort.

A dead buzzard found on moorland had enough poison in it to "kill a child", the RSPB has said.

Image source, RSPB

It was found on Live Moor, near Swainby, North Yorkshire, in March, but forensic tests have only just been completed.

North Yorkshire Police said the high levels of toxin meant the bird could not have ingested it by accident.

The county is one of the areas with the highest number of crimes against birds of prey, according to RSPB data.

"Buzzards are a protected species yet continue to be relentlessly shot, trapped and poisoned in North Yorkshire," Howard Jones from the organisation said.

"Alphachloralose is a commonly abused product in the illegal killing of birds of prey. The amount of it found in this bird was enough to kill a human child."

A woman on holiday in southern Spain has described the speed with which quarantine was imposed on people returning to the UK as "quite shocking" and said she feels "incredibly safe" where she is.

Image source, AFP

The new coronavirus travel rule was announced on Saturday evening following a spike in the number of new cases in Spain this week.

Vyk Oliver, from Thurgoland, in South Yorkshire, flew out to Spain last week to stay at her second home near Murcia.

She said: "The guidelines here are so strict. Nobody is going out without a mask on and it's being heavily policed.

"You're only allowed to actually take your mask off in a public place if you are sat in a restaurant eating or drinking or doing physical exercise and that excludes walking, so even if you are just walking from your house to your car you've got to wear your mask.

"I feel incredibly safe here. It's quite strange the difference between here and England. They are taking it very, very seriously."

She said she would be flying back to the UK and would be able to work from home during the 14-day quarantine period.

"I can work from home, but what about all those people who are already here who can't do that, it's dreadful.

"And the speed at which this was applied people didn't have the ability to try and get home early."

Two 11-year-old boys have been detained after "devastating" damage was caused to a special school in Hull.

Police said the pair climbed "on the roof" of Northcott School, on Dulverton Close, when officers were called to the site at about 16:30 BST on Saturday.

Headteacher Katherine Johnson said the school could ill afford the £15,000 worth of repair costs and its 128 pupils "will suffer as a result".

Hull North MP Diana Johnson said it was "totally unacceptable".

Northcott School supports students, aged between five and 16, with autism, speech, language and communication needs.

Three people have died in separate crashes in North Yorkshire in the space of 24 hours.

Image source, Getty Images

The first happened at about 21:20 on Saturday when the 60-year-old driver of a red Lexus coupe was killed when his car crashed on the A61 near Skipton-on-Swale

Then, at about 03:00 on Sunday, a 26-year-old man died when the Frod Transit van he was driving crashed on Kirby Road, between Sutton Grange and Azerley, near Ripon.

The final collision happened at about 12:50 on Sunday, when a black and white motorbike crashed on the B6160 north of Kilnsey.

The 52-year-old motorcyclist died at the scene.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed any of the incidents or has any dash-cam footage taken in the area at the time to come forward.

A mother has been able to visit a bench in memory of her son for the first time since lockdown restrictions were eased.

Image source, Julie Spence

Julie Spence, from Leeds, travels to Scarborough on the anniversary of her eight-year-old son Callum's death each year.

This year she was not able to go and a number of residents decided to lay flowers on the bench for her.

The family were finally able to travel to Scarborough on Saturday on what would have been Callum's 24th birthday.

"We had a lovely day, it was just really good to be there. It was a little bit emotional seeing his bench and things, but we had a little party for him," Julie said.

Callum Lister (pictured above) was hit by a vehicle on 12 May 2005 and died in hospital the next day.

The family chose to erect a memorial bench in Scarborough because it was where they had been for their last family holiday.

League Two side Bradford City sign Scotland Under-21 midfielder Elliot Watt for an undisclosed fee from Wolves.

BBC Weather

Outbreaks of showery rain today, accompanied by gusty winds. Rain may be heavy at times, with a slight chance of some thunder and lightning.

Windy this evening, with a few showers passing through, clearing eastwards. It will then turn largely dry and clear overnight, although the odd shower will blow in from the northwest.