Local Democracy Reporting Service

A former Calderdale councillor is throwing is hat into the ring to try and win his party’s nomination for next year’s first West Yorkshire Mayoral elections.

Image source, LDRS

Peter Judge, who used to represent Rastrick ward, has announced his bid to become Labour and Co-operative Party candidate aiming to become West Yorkshire’s first elected mayor next May.

He served as a councillor in the 1990s and worked in local government for 23 years of his career.

A devolution deal for West Yorkshire was confirmed in the March budget and is expected to unlock £1.8bn funding for the area.

The mayor will oversee policies such as transport and housing, working with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The Labour Party is expected to announce its preferred candidate in December, with former Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff and current Batley MP Tracy Brabin also vying for the role.

The Conservative and Liberal Democrats have yet to announce their candidates, while the Green Party's candidate is Andrew Cooper and The Yorkshire Party's is Bob Buxton.

The election for a mayor for West Yorkshire is expected in May.

Adverts in newspapers in Northumberland and Bradford wrongly said the areas are in the medium tier.

A six-year-old boy has already raised £17,000 for charity ahead of his latest challenge to commemorate the Battle of Britain.

Image source, PA Media

Jacob Newson, is due to walk 30 miles (48km) from RAF Manston in Ramsgate to the Battle of Britain Memorial in Folkestone, Kent, later this month.

He is raising money for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.

Jacob, from Leeds, previously climbed Yorkshire's Pen-y-ghent for the fund last year.

He will walk with his father Andy Newson and is due to complete the two-day challenge on 31 October - his seventh birthday and also the date the Battle of Britain ended 80 years ago.

A woman has appeared in court in connection with two shootings in the Arbourthorne area of Sheffield.

Image source, Google

Police were called to reports of shots being fired in Errington Avenue in Arbourthorne on the night of 30 June. More shots were then heard on Aylward Road.

Molly Mayer, 21, of Callow Drive, Sheffield, appeared at Sheffield Magistrates Court earlier charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life in connection with the incidents.

Following a brief hearing she was remanded into custody to appear at Sheffield Crown Court on 13 November.

Ms Mayer is the fourth person to be charged in connection with the incident.

Sheffield Wednesday sign Derby County forward Jack Marriott and Cardiff City defender Aden Flint on season-long loans.

A fifth man has appeared in court after a woman's car was stolen with her three young daughters inside.

Image source, Google Maps

The girls, aged four, five and seven, were in the car when it was stolen on Armley Ridge Road, Leeds, on 3 October.

Andrew Hall, 33, of Sixth Avenue, Rothwell was remanded in custody by magistrates to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 4 November.

Mr Hall is charged with robbery, kidnap and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The children were found safe nearby a short time later and the Ford Kuga was discovered set alight in Rothwell.

Four other people have already been charged in connection with the incident and are due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 4 November.

Archaeologists are working to exhume up to 19,000 bodies from a 237-year-old burial ground in Hull as part of a road widening scheme.

Image source, Highways England

Huge tents standing 7m (23ft) tall, and measuring 50m wide have been erected over the site.

Highways England said the bodies must be exhumed from Trinity Burial Ground, which was used between 1783 and 1861, before work can start on the A63 Castle Street scheme.

The mile-long upgrade includes lowering the road at the Mytongate junction, creating an underpass, widening the eastbound carriageway and building two footbridges.

It's hoped the scheme will lead to improved safety and create better access to the docks, city centre and marina.

Image source, Highways England

The process of exhumation, which is being done with permission from the Church of England, started this week and is expected to take just under one year.

Frances Oliver from Highways England said: “This delicate work is being done with the upmost care.

"The tents provide a private setting in which the team of experiences archaeologists can oversee this meticulous process in a sensitive way.”

Highways England say the remains will later be reburied in a part of the burial ground unaffected by the road scheme.

Work is due to start in the next few weeks on a £46m project to expand part of the Sheffield Parkway to three-lanes.

Image source, Google

The Department for Transport say the work along a mile-long stretch between the M1 and Advanced Manufacturing Park is aimed at reducing congestion and cutting journey times.

The money will be spent on transforming the existing road into a dual three-lane carriageway and improvements around Junction 33.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “The funding announced today will make a real difference to thousands of commuters’ journeys in the region every day, and further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to levelling up transport infrastructure in the North.

“By boosting the capacity on this vital A-road, and delivering this scheme in good time, we’ll help improve connectivity, cut journey times and boost local economies in South Yorkshire.”

The work is expected to be completed by Summer 2022.

BBC News Health

Coronavirus infections are continuing to rise rapidly, with an estimated 27,900 new cases a day in England, the Office for National Statistics says.

Image source, Getty Images

This is a 60% increase on the previous week, based on a survey of people in households with or without symptoms.

This figure is far higher than the number of confirmed cases announced by the government each day.

It comes as the highest level of restrictions are introduced in more of the UK.

The increase in people testing positive in recent weeks is being driven by high rates in older teenagers and young adults, the ONS survey, external says.

It found steep increases in infection rates in the north west, the north east, Yorkshire and the Humber.

The figures estimate that one in 160 people in England had the virus in the week to 8 October.

A Yorkshire fire service is asking people to respect fireworks as it prepares for a busier Bonfire Night than normal after many organised events were cancelled because of the coronavirus.

Image source, Scott Barbour/Getty Images

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) said people who decide to buy their own fireworks should remember how dangerous they are.

It added that the explosives in the wrong hands can "cause real misery".

Emergency services believe it may be a busier night than normal with more people celebrating in their own gardens.

NYFRS said people shouldn't throw fireworks, and stand back away from them once lit.

Station Manager Tony Peel from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Bonfire Night is usually a quiet night for us in North Yorkshire and we’d love it to be the same this year.

“Some people and animals are scared by firework noise so if you’re planning to let off fireworks please tell your neighbours, and avoid buying really noisy ones.”

A fourth person has been charged in connection with two shootings in the Arbourthorne area of Sheffield.

Image source, Google

Police were called to reports of shots being fired in Errington Avenue in Arbourthorne in the evening on Tuesday 30 June. More shots were then heard on Aylward Road.

Last night, Molly Mayer, 21, of Callow Drive, Sheffield was charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life in connection with the incidents, say police.

She is due to appear at Sheffield Magistrates Court today.

The arrest brings the total number of people charged in connection with the shootings to four.

Two men and one woman remain on remand awaiting their next court appearance.

Sir Keir Starmer is urging P&O Ferries to rethink its decision to scrap services between Hull and Belgium.

Image source, CHRIS MORGAN/GEOGRAPH

P&O announced earlier this month it was planning to cut the Hull-Zeebrugge service due to a sharp drop in demand because of coronavirus.

The Labour leader, however, said the loss of the route would be "profoundly hurtful" locally.

"I'm really concerned about this and I would urge them to reconsider the position," he said.

"It is a vital link [and] locally this would be profoundly hurtful so it's very important that we do everything we can to support it."

CCTV images have been released of a man police want to speak after two women were spat at and a man was punched to the ground at Dewsbury railway station.

Image source, British Transport Police

British Transport Police said the incident happened at about 08:30 on Saturday, 10 October.

The force said one woman was pushed over by a man and spat on before the suspect urinated on a station access ramp and then tried to grab a second woman's purse after asking for money.

When a man intervened he was followed out of the station and punched to the ground.

A third woman was spat at while she was trying to buy a ticket at the station's booking office.

Officers investigating the incident want to speak to the man in the picture about the incidents and are asking the public to get in touch if they have any information.

BBC Sport

Leeds legend Rob Burrow has been named as chief guest "in absentia" for Saturday's Challenge Cup final between the Rhinos and Salford at Wembley.

Burrow announced in December 2019 that he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

The 38-year-old won the Challenge Cup twice as a Leeds player, scoring a try in their 2015 win over Hull KR.

Last week he turned down an invitation to attend the final, which will be played behind closed doors, in person.

But Rugby Football League chairman Simon Johnson said Burrow remains "central to the day and in all our hearts as he and the rest of the rugby league community this year watch the final from home".

Johnson added: "Rob represents the best of the sport. An inspirational player, a dedicated father, husband and son, and now an inspiration as a campaigner, Rob is beloved by everyone in rugby league and by many, many friends of our sport.

"For this highly unusual Challenge Cup final - with no supporters in the ground, and no traditional presentation of the trophy - we are delighted that he accepted our invitation to be chief guest in absentia."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Students are not to blame for tougher restrictions being imposed in York, health bosses have said.

Image source, Google

From Saturday the city will be moved from medium to high risk category meaning households will be barred from mixing indoors and also in pubs and restaurants.

According to the latest figures the infection rate in York is 274.4 per 100,000 in the week to 12 October.

But, a City of York Council question and answer session heard, only about half of cases among people aged 25 or younger are from students.

The city is seeing an increase in cases among all age groups, director of public health Sharon Stoltz said, adding that some students will “inevitably” become infected.

Ms Stoltz said: "Even though it's true it’s young people aged under 25 that we’re seeing the largest number of cases with – we estimate only about half of those cases are actually students."

Patrick O’Donnell, student union president, said students have been “discouraged” from going to bars in the city centre and Covid-safe venues have been set up on campus.

Councillor Darryl Smalley said students “bring so much to our city, not just to the economy but also to all of our communities, from volunteering, working and then hopefully eventually living in our city long term.

“Students are an integral part of what makes York so special.”

Police say they're "concerned for the welfare" of a 12-year-old boy who's gone missing from Bradford overnight.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Calab Montaut was reported missing yesterday evening from his home in Undercliffe.

He's described as white, 5ft 2ins tall, of slim build and wearing light-coloured shorts and a cream jacket.

Anyone who sees him, or has any information about his whereabouts, is asked to contact police.

A man stabbed to death in Hull was an "integral part" of his local boxing gym, his coach said.

Image source, Humberside Police

Abdullah Balouchi was found seriously injured on Peel Street on 7 October and died later in hospital.

Tributes were paid to the 20-year-old victim who trained at Lionheart Boxing Academy, which sounded a 10-bell salute in his honour on Wednesday night.

Phil Knight, head performance coach at the gym, said Mr Balouchi's death was "absolutely devastating".

"He's been a massive integral part of the gym, a fantastic person who lived for the little kids.

"If the little kids didn't understand anything he'd stop what he was doing and help them. Everybody loved him."

Almost £8,000 has been donated to a fundraiser, which was started by a friend to support the family.

Organiser Danielle Key said the money would go towards "funeral arrangements and any additional help they may need during this difficult time".

Three men and a 17-year-old boy have been charged with murder and remain in custody, police said.

England all-rounder Adil Rashid signs a new one-year white-ball contract with Yorkshire.

BBC Weather

It will be mostly dull and overcast today, with some sunny spells possible at times and occasional showers.

Tonight will be overcast and quite chilly with some showers and fog patches:

The leader of City of York Council is writing to the Health Secretary to ask for urgent government help to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, PA Media

Tomorrow the city moves to Tier 2 (High) of the government's three-tier system introduced on Wednesday.

That means different households can't mix indoors, including in pubs and restaurants.

Keith Aspen, leader of the City of York Council, says support is needed on testing capacity and a local track and trace system.

He says: "It's going to be really important that everybody in York follows the latest public health guidance and that we work together to get the number of cases down in the city.

"But it's going to be a real challenge without further support from the government."