Animal rights protesters have set up a blockade at what they say is the UK's only McDonald's burger factory.

Image source, Animal Rebellion

Animal Rebellion activists have erected tents and bamboo structures outside OSI Food Solutions in Scunthorpe.

According to an online brochure, OSI Food Solutions UK is "the exclusive supplier of red meat products to McDonald's Restaurants in the UK".

The group said it was demanding that "McDonald's switch to a fully plant-based food menu by 2025".

Image source, Animal Rebellion

Humberside Police say about 50 people are taking part in the protest.

A spokesperson said: "Officers are in attendance to allow people to go about their lawful business and to protect the right of individuals to take part and exercise their right to peaceful protest."

McDonald's and OSI Food Solutions have been contacted for a comment.

A murder investigation has been launched after a man was stabbed to death in Boston.

Image source, Google

Lincolnshire Police were called to an address on Portland Street at about 12:15 on Wednesday.

The force said the man had suffered "a serious knife wound" and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A woman in her 20s has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is being held in police custody.

Det Ch Insp Richard Myszczyszyn, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “We are appealing for anyone with any information, no matter how small, to please come forward and get in touch with us."

Only six teams can now become county champions this summer at the end of the competition's initial group stage.

A group in Ripon is making a difference by selling takeaways made from leftover food - with proceeds going back to the food bank - in what they call 'Waste-Not Wednesdays'.

Image source, Spires Foodbank

Volunteers at Ripon Community House started a food bank 16 months ago and every Wednesday use food left from their supermarket collections to offer takeaways to anyone who wants to buy it.

Caroline King, food support co-ordinator at the group, said: "What we can't give to people, another volunteer - another Caroline - cooks it up into soups, puddings, all sorts of things.

"We offer that to anybody for a donation, and that money goes back into our food support project."

The left foot found by a dog walker belonged to a woman and may be clinical waste, police say.

South Yorkshire's mayor, Dan Jarvis, has ordered the use of face coverings to continue in the county's bus stations even after national restrictions are lifted.

It follows a similar move by West Yorkshire's mayor, Tracy Brabin.

Image source, Google

Mr Jarvis has said masks are to remain mandatory in the 11 bus stations and interchanges that the Mayoral Combined Authority operates.

England will move to the final stage of easing Covid restrictions on Monday when almost all legal restrictions on social contact will be removed.

Mr Jarvis said: “With Covid case numbers continuing to rise rapidly, now is not the time to remove the legal requirement to wear face masks on public transport and in enclosed public spaces.

"This why from Monday, at the bus stations and interchanges we control in South Yorkshire, wearing face coverings will continue to be mandatory.

"We wear masks to protect each other from the virus, and the mixed messages from this government risks making public transport a no-go area for the vulnerable and young people who haven’t yet had both vaccinations."

The policy will apply to Barnsley Interchange, Meadowhall Interchange, Rotherham Interchange, Sheffield Interchange, Doncaster Interchange, Adwick Mini Interchange, Dinnington Mini Interchange, Hillsborough Mini Interchange, Swinton Mini Interchange, Woodhouse Rail Station and Arundel Gate Mini Interchange

Tracy Brabin says she hopes the mask-wearing order will "give comfort to people" in West Yorkshire.

Steve and Glenda Hardy say they were turned away despite assurances they would be OK to travel.

Taxi drivers in Bradford have made more calls to scrap the planned clean air charging zone in the city.

Image source, Getty Images

Bradford council wants to bring in a daily fee for taxis and lorries to enter the most polluted parts of the city from the start of 2022.

Nadeem Ahmed, who represents hundreds of cabbies in Bradford, said the charge should be scrapped altogether or if that was not possible then it should be kept at a "bare minimum".

"We do think the charge should be cancelled," he said.

"If the council is determined to bring it in, if they feel they have no other option, then keep it to a bare minimum - £5 a day or so.

"Anything more and we see serious problems."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The deaths of a pedestrian and a motorcyclist in a crash last week have prompted calls for safety measures to be improved on one of Hull's busiest roads.

Image source, Humberside Police

Neil Wallace, 43, (pictured) died when he was struck by a motorbike on Beverley Road on 8 July. The motorcyclist, who has not yet been named, also died.

The city council's Lib Dem opposition group is set to table a question on Labour-run Hull City Council’s plans for road safety measures at a meeting tomorrow.

Opposition group leader Cllr Mike Ross, who represents the ward where the accident happened, said: "We’ve pushed previously for changes there, including a crossing close to the site of the accident before.

"But when we did we were told the data didn’t back up the case for putting one in.

"We still support a crossing and lowering the speed limit to make it safer, more could be done to help.

"That part of Beverley Road is used by people coming in and out of Hull. If you know the area it’s not so bad, but it’s one of the busiest roads in the city at times and not everyone using it does."

A Hull City Council spokesperson said their thoughts were with the bereaved families and added they were waiting for the outcome of Humberside Police's investigation into the crash and declined to comment further.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has ordered that the wearing of face coverings remains mandatory in local bus stations – despite the lifting of restrictions nationally.

Image source, PA Media

Ms Brabin has mandated people keep wearing face masks in all the stations run by West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

These include Bradford Interchange, Keighley, Batley, Brighouse, Castleford, Cleckheaton, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Ossett, Pudsey and Pontefract.

She also urged the government to mandate the use of masks across all public transport networks to help passengers feel safe on their journeys.

Ms Brabin said: "The past 18 months has been incredibly hard for our West Yorkshire communities – no more so than for the vulnerable and for people who have tragically lost loved ones.

"With that in mind, and with 71% of the public supportive of the continued use of face coverings, I am today mandating the use of face coverings across bus stations in West Yorkshire.

"Whilst I would like to go further to include buses and trains, we are doing what is in our power."

She urged people across the region to continued to wear a face mask on all public transport networks.

"While the vaccination roll-out is impressive, we still have further to go with infections across West Yorkshire still high," she said.

"We have come so far. Let’s stick together, support each other so places like West Yorkshire can recover and thrive."

The Roses match between Yorkshire and Lancashire is abandoned with part of the ground still deemed unsafe.

Image source, Stephen Craven/Geograph

Open water swimming is to be made available at Leeds Dock from next month.

It is the first time people have been given the chance to swim in the River Aire at the Leeds city centre dock.

Paid-for tickets have to be booked for the one-hour sessions, which start on 7 August.

Organisers said those taking part should be able to swim at least 750m non-stop in a pool before taking part in open water swimming.

A lifeguard will be present, but swimmers will be required to sign a safety waiver beforehand.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A man who deliberately started three fires in his shared house has been jailed.

Thomas Bailey, 28, set fire to a pair of curtains in a communal living room and also started fires in a man's bedroom and in a cupboard on the landing of his house on Comyn Gardens, in St Ann's, Nottingham, in February 2021, police said.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Nottinghamshire Police also said one man, who was asleep when the smoke alarm woke him up, managed to escape and reported the fire. Other residents also fled their home.

Bailey, who left the city but was arrested in South Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether the life of another would be endangered.

He was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Det Con Michelle Whitham said it must have been a "terrifying ordeal" for the residents living in the property.

"They quickly evacuated their accommodation but it is incredibly lucky no-one was physically harmed," she said.

"Bailey showed little regard for the safety of others by deliberately starting these fires which could easily have spread to neighbouring properties and put lives in danger."

Calderdale Council said it's "really sorry" that some bins aren't being collected on time because an increase in coronavirus case among its crews means staff have had to self-isolate.

Image source, PA Media

A spokesperson says waste and recycling collections are being delayed.

They added: "Some recycling collections will be running a day behind this week, but our crews will be working over this weekend to try and catch up.

"If your waste hasn't been collected by the end of Sunday, it will be collected on your next scheduled collection day."

BBC Weather

Today will be a dry day with sunny spells and cloudy intervals, although the best of the sunshine is expected during the afternoon. A gentle to moderate northwesterly breeze.

Tonight, it will start dry with widespread clear spells. During the early hours, it is expected to become cloudier for many, but it will stay dry.

Australian police have issued a fresh appeal for help to find the remains of Peter Falconio, the British backpacker murdered in the outback 20 years ago.

Image source, PA Media

The 28-year-old, from West Yorkshire, was shot dead when he and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were ambushed near Alice Springs in 2001. His body was never found.

Australian man Bradley Murdoch was found guilty of his murder in 2005.

Despite pleas, he has refused to tell authorities where he disposed of Mr Falconio's body.

The Northern Territory police renewed their search appeal on Wednesday, the 20th anniversary of Mr Falconio's disappearance.

They urged "anyone out there with any information" to come forward to police to help "assist Peter's family in gaining some sort of closure".

"We are thinking of Peter's family and friends on this anniversary and remain hopeful that such a milestone may jolt some information and progress the investigation," said Det Snr Sergeant Karl Day.

Some remain in hospital for years due to a lack of community support, a leading charity says.

Crossbreed Bill was left outside in freezing conditions after his owner thought he had died.

York's public health director Sharon Stoltz warns health services are already under lots of pressure.