Ecologists have surveyed a Sheffield reservoir to assess how many water voles may be living there.

The survey took place around Redmires Reservoir and nearby Hammond’s Field, as a team of volunteers helped look at drains and ditches to check for signs of the water vole such as droppings, burrows and, occasionally, a swimming water vole.

Image source, Gez Robinson

The species is under serious threat from habitat loss and predation by the non-native American mink.

Found along waterways, it is similar to the brown rat but with a blunt nose, small ears and furry tail

At Redmires, it is being supported by Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership, external, which was granted permission for the survey from Natural England earlier this year.

Landowners Sheffield City Council, Yorkshire Water and Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust also supported the survey, and say they will look at the results and work out how the habitats can be improved.

Image source, Julie Riley

PA Media

Around 135 jobs are set to be saved after creditors approved a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) for tapas restaurant Iberica, which has a branch in Leeds.

Image source, Google

The chain's four London sites, and the one on East Parade in Leeds, will stay open, but those in Glasgow and Manchester will close, the firm said.

The firm's chief executive, Marcos Fernandez Pardo, said: "We're pleased to have reached an agreement that's in the interest of all parties."

Gordon Thomson, of restructuring experts RSM, said: "It's hard to overstate the unpredictability and nature of the challenges that this sector faces, especially in central London, which continues to suffer from low footfall."

More than 1.4 million people in South Yorkshire are the latest to move to tier three restrictions.

Britain's Kell Brook is a "monster with self-belief" as he prepares to face WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford with a trainer he met on Instagram.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans to demolish a derelict warehouse in Scarborough are being opposed, as it was designed by the same architect as the now bulldozed Futurist theatre.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Lloyd Kelly has applied to the town council to demolish the old Scarborough Carpets building in Albemarle Crescent.

Image source, LDRS

It was designed in 1926 by Frank Tugwell, who also designed the interior of the Savoy Theatre in London and the Theatre Royal in York.

Mr Kelly plans to submit a further application to use the land for residential and commercial premises.

Scarborough resident Tony Freeman has asked the council not to allow the demolition.

“We have already lost the Futurist Theatre, also designed by Tugwell, and it is important that we do not lose another one of his buildings,” he said.

The plans are out to public consultation.

Mobile testing units for people with symptoms of Covid-19 will be at several locations in North Yorkshire this week.

Units will be in Selby, Harrogate, Skipton, Northallerton, Whitby, Sherburn in Elmet and Thornton le Dale.

More information about the locations and times is available on the North Yorkshire County Council website.

A 30-year-old man has died after the car he was travelling in hit a tree in South Yorkshire.

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Police were called to the incident on Goose Carr Lane, Todwick, at about 09:15 GMT on Sunday.

Officers believe the silver Toyota Yaris crashed at some point overnight from 23:00 BST on Saturday, and are appealing to witnesses to get in touch.

Anyone with dashcam footage is also being urged to contact them.

Hate crimes against people with disabilities are leading to an increase in social isolation, according to Humberside Police.

The force said a large number of hate crimes go unreported, especially for the visually or hearing impaired.

Officers believe many people have learned to live with the abuse, but it’s still unacceptable and should be reported.

PC Danny Fleming said: "People won't want to go out. They are stuck between four walls, in the fear that when they do go out they will be subjected to more hate crime again.

"It needs to stop before we get to that stage."

A peregrine falcon died after eating bait laced with poison, forensic investigations have confirmed.

The juvenile bird of prey was found poorly in the Fish Dam area of Barnsley on 4 July, and sadly died a short time later.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Police said an investigation by the Wildlife Investigation Scheme confirmed the bird had been poisoned with Bendiocarb, a highly toxic substance.

Peregrine falcons are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

PC Fran Robbs De La Hoyde said: “This was a deliberate act that caused the death of a beautiful and protected bird.

"I am saddened by this and I am asking for your help to bring those responsible to justice.”

Tom Grose from the RSPCA added: “Bendiocarb is one of the most commonly-abused substances for killing birds of prey and we have sadly seen it used for this purpose on many occasions.

"It is illegal to kill these birds, and we urge anyone with information to come forward.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact South Yorkshire Police.

Car owners in York are being warned about a spate of catalytic converter thefts across the city.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Thieves have been working overnight to cut the parts from cars in the Acomb, Fulford and Tang Hall areas.

Police believe they are being stolen not to be used again, but for the high scrap value of the precious metals found inside.

Hybrid vehicles (whose catalytic converters tend to contain more precious metals) and 4x4s (whose higher chassis make them more vulnerable) are particularly at risk.

Owners are urged to take extra precautions to protect their vehicles.

Police in North Yorkshire have urged people from areas with the highest Covid-19 infection rates not to travel to the county in the October half-term.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Officers are also asking parents to make sure they know where their children are during the break.

The force said those in tier three areas such as South Yorkshire, Manchester and Lancashire should not travel for leisure reasons.

Supt Mike Walker said they were asking for help in dealing with Covid-19.

"North Yorkshire is notorious for providing a warm welcome to visitors," he said.

"But at the moment, we would ask residents from tier three locations to please stay in their own area and help us with the containment of this virus."

Officers said they had responded to several reports of young people being in breach of the "rule of six" in recent weeks, and that no enforcement action was needed.

But with the half-term break approaching, they are highlighting the threat these types of gatherings pose to public health.

Supt Walker said: "It's a trying time for everyone, including parents and children, but it's key that we remember the guidance and ensure that we don't have a momentary lapse in our resilience to beat this virus.

"I would ask parents and carers to speak to their young people and remind them about the importance of following the guidance over the school holidays."

Leeds United fans have raised £88,000 to help food banks in the city.

The club has already pledged to match the £25,000 donated by its squad to Marcus Rashford's campaign for free school meals during holidays.

Fans raised the money over two years, with more than £56,000 raised in the last seven days after the Leeds United Supporters' Trust called on people to boycott the pay-per-view fee for each game - and instead donate the cash to the cause.

Graham Hyde, vice chairman of the trust, said: "Leeds United's fanbase is amazing, they are generous caring people, who are really bothered about looking after the wider community."

Former Great Britain half-back Sean Long will join Leeds Rhinos as assistant coach before the 2021 Super League season.

Covid's second wave has hit one part of south Bradford badly, and residents have an idea where the problem began.

Showers and cloud are likely for a time this afternoon, flowing in with brisk north-westerlies.

The showers could be quite heavy. Drier and brighter conditions are expected to develop later.

An isolated shower and patchy cloud will linger for a time, and may persist in some areas.

Where skies clear, it will feel quite chilly as winds will ease overnight.

A pedestrian was killed when he was hit by a car on the M1 motorway.

Image source, Google

The man, aged 33, was reportedly hit by a white Toyota Hiace about 19.00 on Saturday, said South Yorkshire Police.

It happened on the northbound carriageway south of junction 38, said the force.

The motorway was closed in both directions for several hours.

Officers are asking for anyone who saw what happened or who has dash-cam footage to come forward.