Harrogate sign former Dover Athletic captain Kevin Lokko on a two-year contract before the 2020-21 League Two campaign.

Police are concerned raves and other unlicensed events are being organised for the bank holiday.

A new local test and trace scheme is being introduced in the Calderdale area of West Yorkshire.

Hull's Challenge Cup sixth-round tie with Castleford is postponed after six Hull players tested positive for Covid-19.

The number of coronavirus cases has risen and remains high in parts of the North West and Yorkshire.

This weekend's Mothership Festival in York could not go ahead because it did not meet the "robust" safety measures needed during the coronavirus pandemic, city officials have explained.

Image source, Mothership Festival

The music event was due to go ahead on Sunday, but was cancelled last night after council officers changed their mind over Covid-19 rules, organisers say.

Matthew Boxall, chair of the York Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which includes North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire Service and York council’s public health and public protection departments, said: "While previous festival plans have met the safety requirements at the time, plans for this summer’s event during the pandemic did not.

"The organiser sent SAG a document three days before the event which did not meet the robust safety measures needed.

"We appreciate that this is disappointing for everyone."

He said other outdoor events were being held in the city after "very careful planning to mitigate risk for all involved" and York SAG continued to work with organisers to establish all necessary safety precautions.

The fire service has started reducing the number of appliances at the scene of the Richmond petrol station fire.

Stuart Simpson, group manager at North Yorkshire Fire Service, said: "We’ve now got eight engines on site and we’re beginning to win the battle.

Image source, Mandy Franklin

"I imagine we’ll be there for a while and may well keep a watching brief overnight.

"The fuel tanks at the garage are not involved and there are no casualties.

"But I would ask people to stay away from the area."

Rotherham midfielder Ben Wiles extends his contract at the newly-promoted Championship club.

The petrol station fire in Richmond has prompted a major response from the emergency services with fire appliances being sent from towns across North Yorkshire and Co Durham.

Fire engines from Richmond, Colburn, Leyburn, Reeth, Bedale, Helmsley, Ripon, Darlington and Barnard Castle are all involved, said North Yorkshire Fire Service.

An aerial ladder platform from Harrogate, an incident command unit and a water bowser were also sent to the scene in Victoria Road.

Due to petrol and diesel being on the site, a number of nearby buildings have been evacuated and a cordon put in place.

Stoke City sign free-agent Scotland international striker Steven Fletcher after Sheffield Wednesday exit.

This is the scene of a blaze at a petrol station store room in Richmond, where more than 50 firefighters are tackling a major fire.

Image source, Mandy Franklin

The fire service described it as "a large incident" with more than 10 fire appliances a the scene in Victoria Road.

Heavy smoke can be seen over the area and North Yorkshire Police force is urging residents to close windows and doors.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

A cordon is in place and people have been told to avoid the area.

No injuries have been reported.

Firefighters are currently dealing with a blaze at a petrol station store room in Richmond, where residents have been urged to keep windows and doors closed.

Image source, JACKIE STUBBS

Crews are dealing with the blaze on Victoria Road, where the fire is causing "heavy smoke" to plume, said the fire service.

North Yorkshire Fire Service said they would be at the scene "for some time".

Some neighbouring properties have been evacuated, but North Yorkshire Police said no injuries had been reported, said the force.

A cordon is in place and people have been told to avoid the area.

Firefighters are currently at the scene of a fire at a property in Richmond and "a number of nearby buildings have been evacuated", North Yorkshire Fire Service says.

Image source, North Yorkshire Fire Service

Crews dealing with the blaze on Victoria Road have requested more resources attend and say they will be at the scene "for some time".

Meanwhile, a cordon has been put in place and people have been told to avoid the area.

We will bring you more information as we get it.

An official portrait of West Yorkshire's Captain Sir Tom Moore has been unveiled at the National Army Museum in London.

Image source, Alexander Chamberlin

The oil painting of the 100-year-old Keighley-born Army veteran who raised more than £32m for NHS charities was created by artist Alexander Chamberlin.

It has been hung at the museum as part of commemorations to mark the 75th anniversary of VJ Day on Saturday.

Mr Chamberlin said Capt Sir Tom had been "incredibly accommodating" and he was "hugely proud" to have painted it.

Capt Sir Tom had initially set out to raise £1,000 for NHS charities by repeatedly walking an 82ft (25m) loop of his Bedfordshire garden.

But he eventually raised £32,794,701 from more than one-and-a-half million supporters.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Divers in Sheffield have warned of the impact that keeping the Ponds Forge sports centre closed will have on hundreds of athletes and its staff in the city and beyond.

Image source, Google

It follows the announcement earlier this week that venues run by Sheffield City Trust will open from 25 August apart from Ponds Forge, Sheffield Arena and City Hall as coronavirus restrictions are eased.

A total of seven clubs, including swimming, diving and water polo, operate from Ponds Forge, with a total of 14,000 competitive members who train alongside recreational users.

The City of Sheffield Diving Club has been based at the site since 1991, when it first opened.

It has 22 members of staff and trains hundreds of people including those targeting the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games next year.

Tom Owens, the director of the club, said the closure was "devastating" and warned there was a risk a "generation of athletes will lose their opportunity to chase their dreams".

Chief executive of Swim England, Jane Nickerson, also expressed “extreme disappointment” at the decision.

She said: “Ponds Forge is one of a very small number of bespoke diving facilities in England. For our diving community, the situation looks frustratingly dire," she added.

Sheffield City Trust declined to comment.

It's been done to spread joy during the coronavirus pandemic as a random act of kindness.

Coronavirus lockdown measures which are in place in parts of West Yorkshire will continue for the moment, the government has confirmed.

Image source, EPA/Andy Rain

People living in Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees cannot currently mix with other households - apart from those in their support bubbles - in private homes or gardens.

The measures, which were introduced in July, will be in place for at least another two weeks in a bid to combat rising coronavirus infections, the Department for Health said.

Ministers said the national easing of restrictions planned for tomorrow, including the reopening of venues including casinos, bowling alleys and indoor play areas, will not apply in Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees.

Pools, indoor gyms and other leisure facilities as well as nail bars, spas and beauty salons will continue to remain closed in Bradford.

Minister for Health Edward Argar said he "knows it hasn't been easy".

"It is essential we all remain vigilant, and I urge everyone in these areas to follow the rules – wash your hands regularly, follow social distancing, get yourself a free test as soon as you get any symptoms and isolate if NHS Test and Trace tells you to," he added.

A 69-year-old woman's died after being hit by a vehicle in Leeds, police have confirmed.

Image source, Google

Officers were called to Back Athlone Grove in Armley at about 10:15 on Thursday after reports the woman had been hit by a van.

She was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.

The driver of the Ford Transit van, a man in his 50s, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by driving without due care and attention.

He was later released under investigation, police say.

Anyone who saw what happened, or who saw events leading up to the incident, is being asked to contact the West Yorkshire force.

Police in Sheffield have praised local residents for their actions after armed officers dealt with a "frightening" knife incident in the area earlier this week.

Image source, Google

The firearms officers responded to reports of a man carrying a knife on Abbeyfield Road at about 23:00 on Tuesday.

A 47-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of threats to kill, robbery and possession of a bladed article.

The incident was witnessed by several members of the public who officers praised for their conduct "in the face of a frightening situation".

Ch Supt Una Jennings said: “Officers on the scene have described the actions of the men and women who saw this unfold on their street as extremely helpful.

“They stayed calm and helped prevent any escalation of what could have been a very different incident."

The organisers of a music festival planned for this weekend in York say they've now been told the event can't go ahead, just two days before it was due to start.

Image source, Mothership Festival

Organisers of the Mothership Festival, which was due to take place at at Acomb Sports Club on Sunday, say City of York Council had given them permission to go ahead, but the authority has now changed its mind because of coronavirus safety fears.

The festival was set to be held at Acomb Sports Club on Sunday after the council gave the event the go-ahead and government guidance changed to allow outdoor performances.

The festival would be a sixth of its normal size, with organisers saying they'd cut the number of tickets from about 3,000 to just under 500.

However, according to the event's Facebook page, organisers say City of York Council has now informed them they are now "not prepared to support the event".

They say: "We have worked hard to put on a safe event, to give the community something to look forward to after the terrible year we've had.

"Sadly we are unable to do so. We are gutted beyond belief and don't know what else to say."

Mothership Festival organisers say all tickets will be refunded.

City of York Council has been approached by the BBC for comment.