Local Democracy Reporting Service

Leeds is “heading in the right direction” to move into tier two - high alert - restrictions before Christmas, the leader of Leeds City Council has said.

Image source, PA Media

However, Judith Blake warned people needed to be vigilant as the city comes out of the second national lockdown and enters tier three - very high alert - restrictions.

The new measures mean non-essential retail is allowed to reopen. However, the restrictions still mean hospitality venues, such as bars and restaurants, will remain closed.

The government is understood to be reviewing the restrictions in mid-December, and Ms Blake says she's hopeful Leeds is on the right track to move to a lower tier.

She said: "There are five criteria which involve looking at the data and looking at the more vulnerable and looking at the rates of people going into hospital and intensive care.

“Looking at the data, we are definitely going in the right direction and other councils are talking to government actively about what other measures we can take to go down to tier two.

“We are conscious of the impact tier three is having on hospitality businesses – people are suffering from not being able to work at the moment," she added.

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BBC Weather

A windy and cloudy day with a band of rain moving across the region this morning.

It'll turn bright and dry in the afternoon with only a few patches of cloud.

Tonight will be clear at first, becoming cloudy later on with the chance of a few showers:

People across Yorkshire are waking up this morning to new coronavirus restrictions following the end of the latest England-wide lockdown.

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

At midnight, the national lockdown ended, with new and local "tiers" being introduced instead.

The three tiers, medium, high and very high alert, will be reviewed every 14 days, the government has said.

In tier two, people are not allowed to mix with anyone outside their household or support bubble indoors, although they can socialise in groups of up to six outdoors.

In tier three, people must not mix with anyone outside their household or support bubble indoors, or at most outdoor venues.

Tier two - high alert - areas from today are:

• York
• North Yorkshire

Tier three - very high alert - areas from today are:

• East Riding of Yorkshire
• Hull

• South Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire

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People across Yorkshire are preparing for the latest england-wide coronavirus lockdown to end, with new rules expected to come into force across the county from tomorrow.

Image source, PA Media

At midnight, the national lockdown will end with new, local rules starting at 00:01, providing MPs vote to approve the rules later tonight.

The three tiers, medium, high and very high alert, will be reviewed every 14 days, the government has said.

In tier two, people are not allowed to mix with anyone outside their household or support bubble indoors, although they can socialise in groups of up to six outdoors.

In tier three, people must not mix with anyone outside their household or support bubble indoors, or at most outdoor venues.

Tier two - high alert - areas from Wednesday are:

• York
• North Yorkshire

Tier three - very high alert - areas from Wednesday are:

• East Riding of Yorkshire
• Hull

• South Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire

Hensall railway station was the least used station in Yorkshire in the past year, according to newly published figures from the Office of Rail and Road

Image source, Google

The station, near Snaith, in North Yorkshire, had just 170 passengers using it between April 2019 and March 2020.

The next least used were Rawcliffe (330 passengers), Whitley Bridge (502), Arram (878) and Broomfleet (864).

The most heavily used station in Yorkshire was Leeds, with more than 31m passengers, followed by Sheffield and York with 10m.

Berney Arms in Norfolk had just 42 passengers between April 2019 and March 2020.

More than 1,000 people have now died in Leeds after testing positive for coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, according to Leeds City Council.

Image source, PA Media

The latest figures provided by the authority show 1,003 Covid-related deaths have been registered in the city.

Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “This tragic and sobering milestone demonstrates the virus continues to take a profound toll on the lives of residents and families in Leeds, a sad fact which should be foremost in all of our minds when we think about our actions in the coming weeks."

From Wednesday, when the England-wide lockdown ends, West Yorkshire will be in tier three, the very high alert level.

The authority said the infection rate in the city has fallen from 422.9 cases per 100,000 people on 3 November to 200.8 as of Monday.

Mrs Blake said: "It is imperative we do not squander the positive steps we have made and put further lives in jeopardy by failing to do everything in our individual and collective power to protect ourselves and each other.”

Hull Trains is to restart its services this week after it was forced to stop because of the second coronavirus lockdown.

Image source, PA Media

The open-access operator stopped its rail services in November due to expected passenger numbers dropping so low it wasn't financially viable.

Hull Trains, which operates between Hull and London, also stopped running services during the first coronavirus lockdown.

From Thursday, some services will start again as the firm anticipates more passengers as the second England-wide lockdown ends.

A man has been arrested following the death of another man at a property in Bradford.

Officers were called to Airedale Road at about 08:40 yesterday morning to reports of an assault.

A 59-year-old man was found with a serious head injury, police say. He died at the scene.

A murder investigation was subsequently launched by West Yorkshire Police.

A 24-year-old man was later arrested in connection with the man's death and remains in police custody, officers say.

Police are appealing for information after a red kite was found poisoned in woodland in North Yorkshire earlier this year.

Image source, Steve Parsons/PA Media

The bird, which police believe was "deliberately targeted", was found seriously ill near the A64 between Scampston and Rillington in April and was put to sleep by a vet due to its "terrible condition".

What police describe as a "lethal cocktail" of Brodifacoum and Bendiocarb were found to have contributed to the bird's death, according to a post-mortem examination.

Although Brodifacoum is found in rat poison, officers say there is "no way" the bird could have accidentally eaten the substance.

Anybody who has any information into the illegal use of pesticides is being asked to get in touch with North Yorkshire Police.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after three men assaulted a mother while she was out with her child in Hull.

The woman was walking with her young son in a pram along Laytham Grove on Tuesday 3 November at about 09:20 when she was approached by three men.

They threatened her and then assaulted her, police say.

Anybody who saw anything suspicious in the area at the time is being asked to get in touch with police as part of their investigation.

Windows in shops, homes and schools in Leeds are being decorated ready to light them up as part of a "living advent calendar" project.

Image source, CA Spaces

Two windows in Chapel Allerton will be revealed each day during December, creatively decorated and lit between 16:00 until at least 22:00 each night.

By Christmas Eve, there will be 48 windows artistically lit around the area for people to explore, with all those taking part marked on a map.

The project is being co-ordinated by CA Spaces, a not-for-profit project to brighten up Chapel Allerton, while benefiting local residents and independent businesses.

Pictured here are the first windows to be lit at Pinche Pinche Mexican restaurant (above), and at a house on Dominion Avenue (below):

Image source, CA Spaces

Artefacts and sites "significant for the history of Hull" have been found during road scheme works.

A cat from Sheffield has survived a "callous attack" in which it was shot in the face with an air rifle, the RSPCA has said.

Image source, RSPCA

The cat, called Buddy, was found on Gregg House Road, Shiregreen, on Thursday after neighbours spotted the stray bleeding from the head.

An air gun pellet fell from the wound as they inspected his injury.

He is now recovering, but RSPCA officers say they want to find the person responsible.

Liz Braidley, from the charity, says: "It is very concerning that someone has deliberately targeted an innocent animal like this by shooting it to the front of the head.

"It is such a callous attack on a defenceless animal. To aim between the eyes suggests someone was trying to kill him."

An "absolutely underwhelming" artificial Christmas tree, thought to be one of the country's oldest, is back on display for its 100th year.

Image source, Kay Ashton

Kay Ashton, 66, from Sheffield, says the tree, which is being held together by sticky tape, survived being bombed during the Blitz.

The "battered" tree cost two shillings when it was first purchased in 1920.

She says her grandmother would be "absolutely flabbergasted" to hear it was still going strong.

"It's actually just a bit of a family joke now," she said.

"Even my sister says, 'have you got that twig out yet?' and I go, 'yep'. She asks, 'does it look any better?' and I go, 'nope'".

The 2ft-high tree was hit by shrapnel during the Blitz in Sheffield in 1940, with sticky tape being used to repair it.

"It still is absolutely underwhelming," Ms Ashton said.

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