Local Democracy Reporting Service

People in East Yorkshire should not “rush” into the easing of coronavirus restrictions, the county's health boss says, warning it could jeopardise later reopening dates.

Image source, Reuters/Paul Childs

East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s public health director Andy Kingdom says people should treat today's easing of restrictions "like driving on an icy road", urging a cautious approach.

He adds that the “wall of protection” coronavirus rules and vaccinations have built around the vulnerable could still be breached if infection rates begin to climb again.

Today sees the return of the "rule of six" for outside gatherings, while outdoor sports venues where people can distance can also reopen.

Mr Kingdom says: "Residents should remember that just because they can do something doesn’t mean they have to.

"It’s like driving on an icy, dark road, you wouldn’t drive to the speed limit you’d drive to the conditions."

He adds: "As we gradually begin to open up society, we need to get the balance right between allowing people to do more and stopping infections getting out of control.

"The virus doesn’t take a holiday. It’s an infectious disease that will be still be there waiting."

Mr Kingdom says he's confident East Yorkshire residents will stick to the rules based on their compliance so far.

But he says: "If we don’t get this right then we’re going to have to look again at plans to ease further on Monday 12 April.

“I worry we’ll rush, or that we risk sending out the wrong message.I’m concerned we haven’t learned the lessons from last summer."

The men are charged with breaching Covid-19 restrictions at the rally in Bradford on Saturday.

BBC Weather

After a fine evening with some late sunshine, tonight will remain dry.

It will become cool under mainly clear skies.

One or two patches of fog or low cloud are possible by dawn with gentle winds.

Ghost-hunters from West Yorkshire are among those who've been fined for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules after they met at a spooky derelict building.

Image source, PA Media

Police found 12 people gathered inside an "incredibly dangerous" building in the countryside near Chester on Saturday night.

Most admitted they were "paranormal activity investigators" while some claimed to be "urban explorers".

The ghost-hunters had travelled from West Yorkshire and Derbyshire, said a Cheshire Police spokesman.

"There were no permissions granted for anyone to be in the building which was in a poor state of repair," he added.

"As a result, it was an incredibly dangerous place to be, with parts of the building subject to collapse."

Coronavirus restrictions were eased on Monday morning with six people from different households now allowed to mix outdoors across England.

BBC Radio Bradford

Young people in Bradford are being urged to enter a competiton to design a new mural in the city centre.

Image source, Bradford 2025

The mural will be part of Bradford's 2025 City of Culture bid and should represent the "joy or hope" inspired by the city, organisers say.

The winner of the competition, which is open to 11 to 18-year-olds in the district, will work with a professional street artist to make the design a reality.

Entries should also include information about the artist, according to organisers, external.

Sarah Manning, young ambassador for Bradford's UK Capital of Culture bid, says: "We thought of creative and imaginative ways to be a voice for young people, so their ideas and thoughts can be heard throughout the bid when we apply.

"Because Bradford is one of the youngest cities in Europe, we thought it's really important that all our voices are heard."

Four men have been arrested in connection with a man's shooting in Sheffield earlier this month.

Image source, Google

The 18-year-old man suffered serious injuries as a result of the shooting which happened on Queen's Road in Sheffield on Thursday 18 March.

Officers carried out two warrants this morning at addresses on Kelham Street in Kelham Island and on Preston Street in Sharrow, according to South Yorkshire Police.

Two men aged 19 and 48, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and drugs offences, while two other men, aged 28 and 45, were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences, police say.

Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to contact the South Yorkshire force.

A man's being treated in hospital for "serious injuries" following an attack in Lincolnshire yesterday evening, say police.

Image source, Google

The man, in his 40s, was assaulted in Boston Central Park at about 17:00, according to Lincolnshire Police.

The park has been closed to the public while an investigation into the incident continues, officers said.

"No arrests have been made at this stage," a spokesperson for the force added.

Anyone who witnessed the assault is being asked to contact police.

Yorkshire-based train operator Grand Central has restarted some of its services after a three-month suspension during the coronavirus lockdown.

Image source, Grand Central

The company, which runs trains from Bradford and Sunderland to London King's Cross, stopped its services for the third time in 12 months on 9 January, but they restarted at the weekend.

The firm's managing director Richard McClean said the return of services would be gradual but hoped they would be "back for good" after a year of disruptions.

The York-based company operates as an "open-access" service, so it receives no government subsidy but relies on income from ticket sales.

"This is something positive for our customers following a really tough year," he said.

"Other than a few months of relative normality during the summer, the disruption from Covid on society made it financially unviable for us to run services.

"While it's going to be so good to see Grand Central trains heading out again, we have to make our return a measured, gradual and sensible one.

"This is very much about rebuilding passenger confidence and ramping up services when the time is right."

Mr McClean added the services would operate socially distanced seating and passengers would have to wear masks while onboard.

All tickets have to be booked in advance.

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a woman found dead at a house in Hull.

The body of Klaudia Soltys, 30, was discovered at her home on Lambert Street, in the west of the city, on Saturday morning.

Amadeusz Sekula, 20, also of Lambert Street, appeared before magistrates in Hull on Monday morning.

Mr Sekula was remanded in custody and is next due to appear at the city's crown court on Tuesday.

People in Lincolnshire are being warned to stick to social distancing rules for "as long as possible" as Covid-19 restrictions begin to be eased from today.

Image source, Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Two households or groups of up to six people are now able to meet outside as the "stay at home" Covid order comes to an end.

Outdoor sport facilities in England, including tennis courts and golf courses, are reopening and organised outdoor sports can now resume.

Weddings attended by up to six people are also allowed.

But professor Derek Ward, director of public health for Lincolnshire, has warned: "Unless you are living in a household or bubbled up with somebody you must keep to your 2m-plus social distance all the time."

He added: "I would suggest people keep that going for as long as possible as we come out of lockdown, because that's how we'll minimise the risk of passing it on to each other."

A 25-year-old man has been arrested after another man was stabbed in York, say police.

Image source, Google

Emergency services were called just after 22:20 on Saturday after the 33-year-old victim went into a takeaway on Heslington Road to ask for help, according to North Yorkshire Police.

The man was was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition, police said.

Anyone who saw the incident, or who has CCTV images they think might help the investigation, is being asked to contact police.

Golf club members in South Yorkshire have been praised for their part in keeping a club afloat during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Image source, Google

From today, outdoor sport facilities including golf courses are open to the public.

Eased restrictions also mean two households or groups of up to six people can meet outside in England again as the stay-at-home Covid order comes to an end.

Dan Dean, one of the directors of Rotherham Golf Club, in Thrybergh, says during the Covid lockdowns over the past year, things have been "dreadful" for the club.

"We do budgets and projections like any other business and they've basically gone out of the window this year.

"But we've had a lot of support from the government and a massive amount of support from our membership.

"They've had to pay a full year's subs and have only had nine months of golf - and everybody's done that so the finances are sound," he says.

Challenge Cup holders Leeds are drawn against reigning Super League champions St Helens in the third round of this year's competition.

The suspended Bishop of Lincoln has returned to his role after the conclusion of a 20-month safeguarding inquiry.

Image source, UK Parliament/Crown Copyright

Bishop Christopher Lowson, who was suspended in 2019, faced allegations he "failed to respond appropriately to safeguarding disclosures".

The Church of England said he had accepted a misconduct penalty over his handling of a disclosure about a member of the clergy in 2019.

After returning to his post, Bishop Lowson told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: "It was an error and I've apologised for that.

"I don't want to start pointing fingers at other people, that would not be a graceful thing to do.

"I hope one of the good things resulting from my experience is that no one in the future will have to experience the things which we experienced."

An urgent warning's been issued after morphine bottles containing "deadly" bleach were stolen during a burglary in West Yorkshire.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Numerous items were stolen during a burglary at York Crescent in Bingley including four vials marked "prescription medicine," say police.

A spokesperson for the West Yorkshire force said: "Two of the vials containing morphine were unopened – but the other two had bleach in them to disinfect them."

The bottles, similar to the one pictured, were taken between 01:20 and 02:00 on Tuesday 23 March, officers said.

Insp Phil Dodsworth, said: "We are urgently appealing to anyone who may be offered these vials not to do anything with them.

“Our concern is that someone may inject themselves with the bleach believing it to be morphine. But the consequences of doing that could be life-threatening.

“I would urge anyone who has these vials or is offered them not to do anything with them – the contents could be deadly."

The government has rejected a request for £170m in financial support for Liberty Steel.

Concerns over the company have grown after key financial backer Greensill Capital went bust.

The firm's founder Sanjeev Gupta sent a letter last week asking for help to pay day-to-day operating expenses and absorb recent losses.

More than 1,400 people are employed by Liberty in Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

Government sources told the BBC last week they had concerns about the "opaque" nature of Mr Gupta's empire, which employs 35,000 worldwide.

Any assistance was more likely to come following an administration process, the sources indicated, to support UK jobs as opposed to the corporate entity that owns it.

GFG, a holding company for Mr Gupta's assets, was the biggest recipient of finance from Greensill.

A man's been charged with murder after a woman was found dead at a house in Hull, say police.

The 20-year-old man has been charged with murder after Klaudia Soltys, 30, was found dead at a property on Lambert Street, shortly before 06:00 on Saturday, according to Humberside Police.

He's due to appear at Humberside Magistrates' Court later today.

Det Ch Insp, Rhod Troake, said: “Our thoughts at this time remain with Klaudia’s family and loved ones and we are supporting them with specialist officers and they have asked for privacy at this time.

“This is an isolated incident and there is no wider risk to members of the public."

BBC Weather

Cloudy and dull this morning with low cloud and hill fog, and some patches of drizzle in places.

Widely dry this afternoon with winds easing and temperatures rising to the high teens as cloud starts to break up.

Cloud will gradually clear this evening, leaving the night dry and clear:

An East Yorkshire GP is urging people to stick to the Covid rules which are changing today.

Image source, PA Media

Two households or groups of up to six people are now able to meet outside in England again as the stay-at-home Covid order comes to an end.

Outdoor sport facilities including tennis courts and golf courses are also reopening, and organised outdoor sports can resume in the latest easing. Weddings will also be on again, attended by up to six people.

Dr Zoe Norris who works in Bridlington says everyone needs to do their bit to stop the virus getting out of control again and is concerned about the way people interpret the rules.

Dr Norris said: "We know people don't follow the rules and that as soon as you say you can meet up with six people, instead people meet up with eight, or 10, or 12 - or meet up with six in the morning and another six in the afternoon.

"But we've seen many times over the last year that things change with new variants, with spreads changing, so we need to remember that this hasn't finished yet."