Nottingham Forest sign midfielder Luke Freeman from Sheffield United on a season-long loan with the option of a permanent move.

The RFL cannot guarantee clubs' survival in the midst of coronavirus despite a £16m government loan, CEO Ralph Rimmer says.

This colourful mural, called Workings of Sheffield, has just been completed on the walls of the city's Orchard Square Shopping Centre:

Image source, Joe Horner

The work, by artist Will Rea, external, was commissioned by the shopping centre in collaboration with the Museum of Sheffield.

Image source, Joe Horner

Working to a brief of what Sheffield means to him, Mr Rea said he wanted to show "the can-do attitude of the people that live here, while also referencing the industrial heritage of the city".

Image source, Joe Horner

The 30ft x 50ft mural was started in March, but work was put on pause during the height of the coronavirus lockdown.

A cat was rescued from aboard a yacht that had become snared on lobster pots north of Scarborough earlier this week.

Image source, Row Heale/RNLI

Artie, pictured above in his feline lifejacket, was helped to safety along with owners Tim and Row Heale, despite sleeping throughout the rescue.

Tim and Row contacted Scarborough RNLI to thank them for their help on Monday morning.

They said: "We can’t thank you enough for all your help at silly o’clock in the morning.

"We contacted the coastguard with our position when we found ourselves immobilised, as our radar showed large commercial vessels approaching us, albeit at a distance."

The well-travelled cat spends time with his owners sailing around Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the UK.

Image source, Row Heale/RNLI

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Rugby league fans have snapped up the chance to get up close and personal with some of the sport’s major trophies when they go on display in Huddersfield this weekend.

Image source, Kirklees Council

In what has been described as “an unprecedented collection”, the likes of the Coral Challenge Cup, the Betfred Super League Grand Final Trophy, and the Men’s and Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup trophies will be displayed in St George’s Square on Saturday.

However demand to see the silverware has outstripped available places at the exhibition, which has been organised to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the formation of the Rugby League in Huddersfield in 1895.

That took place within the town's George Hotel (pictured), which is in the early stages of being refurbished after being bought by Kirklees Council for an undisclosed sum in order to transform it into the first-ever National Rugby League Museum.

The exhibition also marks the beginning of Kirklees’ journey to the World Cup, with the town’s John Smith’s Stadium hosting a quarter-final match on 12 November 2021.

Kirklees Council leader Shabir Pandor said: "The exhibition is a first and provides an opportunity for us to thank all those who supported our successful bid to host the National Rugby League Museum and celebrate with local rugby league fans by inviting them to have their photo taken with the cups.”

A CCTV image has been released of a man police want to speak to in connection with an attack on another man in Leeds which left him with a fractured skull.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

The victim, a 19-year-old man, was assaulted with a bottle and "seriously injured" at an address in Cardigan Lane in Headingley in the early hours of Saturday 4 July, police say.

Anyone who recognises the man in the image is being asked to contact the West Yorkshire force.

Coronavirus restrictions on households mixing in parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees will be lifted from next Wednesday, it's been confirmed.

Image source, Phil Noble/Reuters

The move has been announced following discussions with local leaders, the Health Secretary, NHS Test and Trace, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and the Chief Medical Officer for England.

From Wednesday 2 September the restrictions on two households mixing which were introduced last month will be lifted in:

• Parts of Bradford, excluding Bradford city and Keighley town
• Parts of Calderdale, excluding Halifax
• Parts of Kirklees, excluding Dewsbury and Batley

It means next week people in those areas where restrictions have been lifted will be able to mix with family and friends from outside their household, in line with national social distancing rules, for the first time since 30 July.

Areas in Bradford where restrictions are being lifted from Wednesday are: Worth Valley, Craven, Ilkley, Baildon, Bingley, Bingley Rural, Shipley, Wharfedale and Windhill and Wrose.

Areas in Calderdale where restrictions are being lifted from Wednesday are: Brighouse, Calder, Elland, Greenland and Stainland, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe, Luddendenfoot, Rastrick, Ryburn and Todmorden.

Areas in Kirklees where restrictions are being lifted from Wednesday are: Golcar, Greenhead, Heckmondwike, Holme Valley South, Lindley, Liversedge and Gomersal, Mirfield, Newsome, Cleckheaton, Dalton, Denby Dale, Almondbury, Colne Valley, Crosland Moor and Netherton, Holme Valley North, Kirkburton, Ashbrow and Birstall and Birkenshaw.

A North Yorkshire student says he can now go to drama college, thanks to help from film star Russell Crowe.

Image source, Lidia Crisafulli

Harry Pritchard, from Harrogate, said it was a "dream come true" to be offered a place at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

But the costs of tuition, as well as living in London, meant he'd need almost £14,000 to be able to make it work.

After an appeal on social media, Gladiator star Russell Crowe shared Harry's story to his 2.7m followers:

More than £12,000 has since been raised, with Harry saying he's been "overwhelmed by the generosity, kindness and support".

He wrote to supporters saying: "You have made my dream into a reality. I will never stop saying thank you and I will never stop smiling.

"We have raised enough to cover my deposit and nearly four out of five monthly payments. This is astonishing and I never ever expected to get here.

"Last week, I was sat staring at a blank GoFundMe page thinking nothing would come of it. What an incredible journey the week has been."

The mother of a dead newborn baby who was found wrapped in a towel in Bradford is being urged to come forward as it's thought she may need urgent medical attention.

The baby girl, wrapped in a pink towel featuring the island of Fuerteventura, was found last week on Bowling Back Lane.

The girl is believed to have been stillborn and there's renewed concern for the health of the mother, police say.

Officers believe it's likely this may have been a concealed pregnancy, with the mum needing urgent medical attention.

Sara Hollins, head of midwifery at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are renewing our appeal today to urge mum or her relatives to come forward and speak to us.

"We are incredibly concerned for the welfare of the mum, as the birth of the baby would have been extremely distressing and there may have been physical complications and we want to ensure you are OK and get access to the help you may need.

“We are also appealing to the public for any information about anyone you thought may be pregnant, or perhaps may have concealed their pregnancy. I would urge you to come forward with any information, which may prove vital to help us with our inquiries."

Police investigating an unlicensed music event in Huddersfield last weekend are appealing for anyone with information about it to come forward.

Officers say they're continuing to investigate the event which took place in Deighton on the evening of Saturday 22 August.

A group of "several hundred" people who were gathered at an igloo-style tent with a sound system was dispersed by police, according to the West Yorkshire force.

The music was "quickly turned off" when police arrived and officers also removed sound equipment from the location, police say.

Two men from Huddersfield, aged 29 and 42, who were arrested earlier this week on suspicion of public order offences in relation to a breach of Covid-19 legislation have since been released under investigation, officers add.

Anyone with information about what happened is being asked to contact West Yorkshire Police.

Sheffield City Council said messages circulating on social media were "false rumours".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Scarborough councillor has praised borough street cleaners for their efforts in tackling gull mess that's been blighting the town’s pavements.

Image source, LDRS

The authority's hired a new high-pressure washer to clean the mess from the high street following complaints from residents and businesses.

Councillor Tony Randerson said street cleaners had been doing a “cracking job” using the hot water cleaning machine.

Image source, LDRS

He said: “This equipment will be used all year round and not just for the summer months in order to ensure the street scene is pleasing to the eye.”

A grant funding scheme to help private building owners and tenants with the cost of purchasing and installing gull-proof material was recently opened by Scarborough Borough Council.

Image source, LDRS

The authority says it will contribute 50%, up to a maximum of £2,000, towards the costs of gull-proofing any private buildings in defined areas of Filey, Scarborough and Whitby.

Museums in Leeds are ready to welcome back visitors in person as they reopen with the easing of coronavirus restrictions, according to the city council.

Image source, Malcolm Morris/Geograph

Museums and galleries run by Leeds City Council closed earlier this year due to the lockdown, going online instead with "virtual" exhibitions, events and workshops.

The sites now have new safety and social distancing measures in place in line with government guidance and have been awarded Visit Britain's Good to Go certification, the authority says.

Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery (pictured), the Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall and Leeds Industrial Museum are just some of the sites which have now re-opened.

Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Our wonderful museums and galleries are a cornerstone of our city’s cultural offering and we know how much people in Leeds have missed being able to pay them a visit.

“Throughout the time these historic sites have been closed, there has been a tremendous amount of effort and imagination gone into not only preparing the sites for reopening but into ensuring people have still had the opportunity to engage with and explore our world class collection digitally."

Each Leeds Museums and Galleries site has social distancing and hygiene measures in place and booking in advance at some sites is "essential", according to Leeds City Council.

A bar in Halifax has been temporarily closed for "persistently breaking rules" relating to coronavirus, it's been confirmed.

Image source, Google

Bar Rouge, in the town centre, has been shut until further notice because there was was a "serious risk to health" due to social distancing issues, Calderdale Council said.

Despite visits from council officials and advice given on how to remain Covid-secure, the bar had not complied, the authority added.

It will remain closed until Calderdale Council believes it can operate safely again.

Councillor Susan Press said: "We know that most businesses have been following the rules and going the extra mile to look after their staff and customers, and we are grateful for this.

"The temporary closure of Bar Rouge sends out a strong message that we take rule breaking very seriously. It puts us all at risk, so we won’t hesitate to use our enforcement powers if we have to."

The council said it had issued a "worrying" number of warnings in recent weeks, despite Calderdale being under enhanced coronavirus restrictions imposed by the goverment.

Sarah Barrass and her half-brother Brandon Machin strangled their sons Tristan and Blake last year.

Concerns are growing over a missing 31-year-old man who's gone missing and is believed to be staying in a tent in Kirklees, police say.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Officers say they're "keen" to trace James Meadows, who was last seen by family members in Holmfirth on Saturday 15 August.

He had a green tent with him and it's believed he may be camping on the moors in the Holmfirth, Hepworth or Holme Moss areas, as well as rural areas of the district.

He also had his violin with him, police say.

He's described as white, 5ft 9ins tall, of slim build and with brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a black woolly hat, brown boots and three-quarter length blue jeans.

Anyone who has seen him, or has information about his whereabouts, is being asked to get in touch with West Yorkshire Police.

People who knew the owner of a Greater Manchester takeaway whose body was found in a car in West Yorkshire a year ago are being asked to come forward.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Police found the body of Najeebullah Nekzad, 19, from Ashton-under-Lyne, on a remote moorland road in Huddersfield on Saturday 31 August 2019.

Mr Nekzad's body was discovered in a grey Fiat Punto on New Hey Road.

He died of neck injuries and his death is being treated as murder, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Officers are now appealing for people who knew Mr Nekzad to come forward.

Det Ch Supt Pat Twiggs said: “We believe that finding out more about his personal life could be the key breakthrough we need in this case.

"But we really know very little about Najeebullah. Anyone who has information about him could help to make all the difference.

"His social media contacts and friends may have known him by a different name or thought he was older than the age we have for him."

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Mr Nekzad was also known as Zargiya Lewanya, Yousaf Nekzad and Armanii Zargaii, according to Det Ch Supt Twiggs.

He also had contacts in Europe and possibly travelled in Germany and Budapest last year, he added.

Three men, aged 19, 28 and 36, who were arrested on suspicion of murder, have been released under investigation, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Doncaster Rovers sign Wolves defender Cameron John for an undisclosed fee after a loan spell last season.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A new track is being built in a Sheffield park to encourage more people to take up cycling.

Image source, LDRS

The floodlit path in Hillsborough Park was unanimously approved by the city council.

Access Sport, the charity behind the scheme, said it hoped to encourage more women, minority ethnic groups and disabled people to learn to ride.

There were 26 objections to the track from local residents who were worried about antisocial behaviour and noise.

The track will have an area where people can learn to ride and storage space and other facilities housed in shipping containers.

Joe McTague, of Access Sport, told the planning meeting: "We believe sport has the power to transform people's lives and we focus on cycling as it is a life skill.

He added: "This will be a free facility and will include a learn-to-ride area and an advanced section.

"There will be a community club and community outreach programme and special offers for women, girls and disabled people."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Police have so far not fined anyone in North Yorkshire for failing to wear a face covering in shops during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s been confirmed.

Image source, Liam McBurney/PA Wire

It became compulsory to wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces on 24 July.

The Department of Health and Social Care said those who failed to do so could be fined up to £100 by the police, and repeat offenders could be made to pay up to £3,200.

North Yorkshire Police has now confirmed it has not issued any fines since the rules were introduced.

Ahead of the rules coming into effect, the force said it would only use enforcement as a “very last resort”.

Supt Charlotte Bloxham, from North Yorkshire Police, said: "As with the policing of the previous coronavirus regulations, we know the vast majority of people will do as the government has asked, as they know how important it is to protect themselves, their families and other people.

"Demand on our service is almost back to normal pre-coronavirus levels, so we have to prioritise where we deploy our officers.

"We will take a sensible approach to enforcement and hope people understand we cannot attend every incident."