A West Yorkshire woman is running around her village every day in fancy dress to "cheer up children" in the run-up to Christmas.

Mary Taylor, from Silsden, started running around the village in Christmas-themed fancy dress at the beginning of December and will run in a different hand-made costume each day until Christmas Day.

She also decided that if "everybody can play 'Elf on the Shelf' at home, then Silsden can play 'Elf on the Shelf' too".

So, every morning she hides Cobby, the village elf, somewhere in Silsden for the children to find.

Mary has promised that the children who find Cobby first will get a special present delivered to them by her on Christmas Day:

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The government's decision to keep South Yorkshire in tier three - very high alert - coronavirus restrictions is the "right" one, the leader of Rotherham Council has said.

Image source, Reuters/Hannah McKay

It was confirmed earlier that the whole of South Yorkshire would remain in tier three following a review on Wednesday.

Labour councillor Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said the town's Covid-19 infection rate was rising "alarmingly".

"The hospital is still very busy, certainly a couple of days ago they still had 120-some Covid in-patients, the peak earlier in the year was was in the low 70s," he said.

"I think probably at this point in time, it’s right for the government to exercise caution and to maintain restrictions in Rotherham."

Mr Read added that he though the government had "gone a bit too far" in relaxing restrictions for a five-day period over Christmas.

Mariam Shah, a Muslim woman who wears a hijab, is learning the ropes at Rotherham in South Yorkshire.

A shipwrecked vessel off the Irish coast which becomes visible at low tide has been identified as a boat which sailed from Whitby 250 years ago.

Image source, Department of Heritage

The skeletal remains of the vessel on Streedagh Strand in County Sligo can be seen as the tide goes out.

It is a tourist attraction, known locally as the butter boat, but its origins were previously a mystery.

Research has now identified it as the Greyhound, a coastal trading ship out of North Yorkshire.

It had been thought the remains of the boat were part of the fabled Spanish Armada in the 16th Century.

But new archaeological and archival research by Ireland's National Monuments Service ruled that theory out and the identity of the ship was uncovered, as reported by the Irish Times, external.

Forensic examination of timbers and research into 18th Century historical accounts has identified the vessel as the Greyhound, a trading ship owned by a Mrs Allely which sailed from Whitby.

Twenty people died when it sank on the night of 12 December 1770 in a storm off the coast of Mayo.

Whitby Museum has been contacted for a comment.

Leaders in West and South Yorkshire criticise the government as tough restrictions remain in place.

Hull and East Yorkshire remaining in tier three - very high alert - coronavirus restrictions over the Christmas period was to be expected, local leaders have said.

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

The response comes after the government confirmed East Yorkshire would remain in tier three following a review.

Chris Blacksell, from the Humber Local Resilience Forum, said: "I suppose it's what we expected, but given the massive reductions in the area, which have been really good, there was some thinking we may have come down to tier two.

"But we started at such a high place, we probably expected we were still going to be in tier three."

The rules will be relaxed for five days over Christmas before another review is due in two weeks' time.

John Greechan, 37, will be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court in the new year.

Three cannabis factories, all next door to each other, have been discovered in a raid in Hull, police say.

Image source, Humberside Police

The houses on Belvoir Street had been converted into "sophisticated cannabis factories" filled with plants with an estimated street value of £150,000, according to Humberside Police.

Three men were arrested following the raids yesterday on suspicion of production of cannabis and abstracting electricity, police said.

All three are being held in custody while an investigation takes place.

Leaders in North Yorkshire have urged residents to do everything they can to drive down coronavirus infection rates as the government announced today the county will remain in tier two - high alert restrictions.

Image source, PA Media

Rates in North Yorkshire are still below the England average, however the county council says the rate of reduction has "slowed significantly since the end of the latest lockdown and there's concern in some districts, especially Scarborough, the rate is beginning to rise markedly again".

And Richard Flinton, chair of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, says: “We know there will be some disappointment in areas where rates are lower, but we can see rates of reduction have flattened out and in some areas have risen again.

“We want people to be free from Covid - for businesses to operate more freely, for schools to remain open, and for public services to operate as normal.

"That has to be our ultimate goal and if we have to stay in tier two to achieve it, then we must work to the government’s tiering plan. So, please minimise social contacts and keep safe."

Relive Friday's EFL action as Portsmouth beat Hull to go top of League One and Preston beat Bristol City in the Championship.

Moving out of tier three - very high alert - coronavirus restrictions at the current time would have put the lives of vulnerable people in South Yorkshire "at risk", Barnsley's health boss has said.

Image source, Reuters/Molly Darlington

The comments by Julia Burrows, director of public health for Barnsley Council, came after the government confirmed South Yorkshire would remain in tier three following a review.

Announcing the results of the tiers review, Matt Hancock said the UK had "come so far" during the Covid-19 pandemic and "mustn't blow it now".

Ms Burrows said while the overall rate of coronavirus infections had reduced and started to "level out" across South Yorkshire, "we're now seeing signs the overall rate is starting to increase again".

She added: "By moving out of very high restrictions at this time, we would put South Yorkshire’s hospitals at additional risk as well as the lives of vulnerable people.

"It is vital that we do all we can to keep the virus under control as much as possible."

The Professional Footballers' Association is called in to offer advice after Sheffield Wednesday failed to pay its players on time.

Leeds could "safely" have moved down a tier in coronavirus restrictions and the fact it's to remain in tier three - very high alert - over Christmas is "disappointing", the council leader has said.

It was confirmed earlier that the whole of West Yorkshire would remain in tier three following a review on Wednesday.

Labour's Judith Blake, Leeds City Council leader, said a move to tier two "would have been a welcome relief before Christmas".

"We understand this decision will be difficult to hear, but which tier Leeds falls into is ultimately the government’s to make," she added.

"Our view due to falling infection rates as well as the extensive plans we have in place is that Leeds could safely be moved to tier two."

However, Ms Blake added that "now more than ever, we can't overstate the importance of continuing to adhere to the rules for a little longer".

Leeds "could find itself in a better position" in time for the next planned review on 30 December, she said.

With the news that West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Hull and East Yorkshire are to stay in tier three - very high alert - coronavirus restrictions, while York and North Yorkshire are to stay in tier two - high alert - here's a reminder what the different tiers mean:

The announcement South Yorkshire is to stay in tier three - very high alert - coronavirus restrictions is "the last thing communities and businesses wanted to hear", the mayor of the Sheffield City Region has said.

Image source, UK Parliament

Following an announcement by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Hull and East Yorkshire will remain in tier three.

Meanwhile, York and North Yorkshire will remain in tier two - high alert.

Reacting to the news, Labour MP and Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis said: "This decision is absolutely the last thing our communities and businesses wanted to hear, another hammer blow to follow so many others.

"After the endless hardship of this extraordinary, terrible year, simply having an ordinary Christmas would have been a huge relief."

Mr Jarvis said lockdowns have brought the rate of new infections down, but warned "we are going into Christmas in a perilous position".

He said: "A surge in cases over Christmas, combined with the normal pressure on hospitals from winter flu, could put our NHS at a tipping point. We simply can’t risk the needless danger to our loved ones that would bring."

Yorkshire's coronavirus tiers will remain the same as they currently are, the government has confirmed.

Image source, Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

This means that West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Hull and East Yorkshire will remain in tier three - very high alert restrictions.

Meanwhile, York and North Yorkshire will remain in tier two - high alert.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced the outcome of the latest review of the three-tier system, after government officials met on Wednesday.

He said the UK has "come so far" and "mustn't blow it now".

NHS bosses had earlier warned against easing restrictions "prematurely".

Huddersfield winger Innes Senior returns to Wakefield on a season-long deal after a previous loan spell last term.

Police searching for a man who went missing in West Yorkshire nine years ago and who was believed to have been murdered say they've found a body.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

The remains of 44-year-old Dariusz Michalowski, who went missing from Huddersfield, in March 2011, were found at land in Mixenden, Calderdale, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Over the last nine years, five men have been arrested in connection with the investigation and have been released under investigation, police said.

Mr Michalowski was last seen at his home in Birkby on Sunday 13 March 2011.

Det Ch Insp Tony Nicholson said: "This is a key breakthrough in the disappearance of Dariusz and I’m glad that after nine long years, we have found his body and can bring him back to his family to be laid to rest.

"Dariusz was a husband and father who was working to provide for a young family who deserve to know what happened to him.

He added: "His family are now keen to see justice for Dariusz’s murder and urge anyone with information to come forward."

A 90-year-old pedestrian is in a "critical" condition in hospital after being hit by a car in Wakefield, say police.

Image source, Google

A Lexus IS 300h car hit the man in the city centre on Cliff Parade, near the junction with Wood Street, at about 13:10 on Tuesday, according to West Yorkshire Police.

A spokesperson for the force said: "The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

"He remains in hospital, where his condition is described as critical but stable."

Anyone who saw the collision, or what happened leading up to it, is asked to contact police.

Joyce Dowd, 94, says she will soon be able to meet her great-great grandchild for the first time.