Councillors in York lobby for improvements to flooding measures in areas surrounding the city.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for a statue of the Queen to be installed at York Minster have been approved by the council, which says the sculpture will "enhance" the cathedral.

It will be installed in an empty niche at the west front of the Minster to mark her Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Although approved, the council wants to see the final design once it has been selected by the Queen.

Image source, Reuters/Toby Melville/Pool/File photo

The details of the sculpture are a closely guarded secret and will be revealed at a public event next year.

It will be carved by York Minster's own stonemasons and has been described as a "symbol of hope" in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.

Two different images have been released of a man police want to speak to in connection with an armed robbery at a newsagent’s in Bradford.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Christopher Ryder, (pictured), 28, is also wanted in connection with a domestic incident.

The robbery took place a newsagent’s in Town Gate in March 2020 while the domestic incident happened in April this year.

The photos show Ryder with and without a beard.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Officers say he is known to change his appearance by growing a beard and then shaving it off.

Ryder is described as a white male with mousey brown hair, of slim build and 5ft 7ins (172cm) tall.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact police.

Leeds Rhinos have called for the postponed Rugby League World Cup to come back "bigger and better".

Image source, PA Media

News that the competition had been put back to 2022 following the withdrawal of champions Australia, and New Zealand was confirmed earlier.

The tournament, featuring men's, women's and wheelchair events, was set to start in Newcastle on 23 October, with matches due to be played at venues in Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Doncaster, Hull and York in the following weeks.

The Rhinos were due to host three matches at their Emerald Headingley Stadium, including two featuring New Zealand men's team.

Writing on social media, external the club said: "Our challenge now is to make the tournament even bigger and better in 2022 for all our men, women and wheelchair athletes but also every single RL fan."

A prison officer who failed to make checks on an inmate who took his own life after just a few hours in prison has been sacked.

Robert Waller, 48, was found hanged in his cell at HMP Leeds on 14 July 2018.

A Prison and Probation Ombudsman report, external found one member of staff had not conducted mandatory hourly checks on Mr Waller.

The officer also falsified a record to show a check had happened. Following an investigation he was dismissed.

Hull FC sign Huddersfield Giants winger Darnell McIntosh on a three-year deal.

The family of a 46-year-old man who died after being attacked in Lincoln have described him as "irreplaceable".

Image source, Family photo/Lincolnshire Police

Darren Munnelly (pictured), was found with a serious head injury at a property on Carr Street early in the early hours of 25 July, but died a short time later in hospital.

A man has appeared at Lincoln Crown Court charged with his murder.

Paying tribute to Mr Munnelly, external his family spoke about his charity work, which included cooking and delivering meals for people during the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns.

In a statement they said: "Darren was such a friendly, popular and sociable man who was so kind to others.

"He’d play snooker with his son Sean, and won several titles including the junior championship of Lincoln two years in a row - we're honoured the league is considering naming a trophy in his honour.

"He will always be missed. He was irreplaceable."

Plans showing what two new hospitals in Leeds could look like have been revealed.

Parts of Leeds General Infirmary are being demolished to make way for a new dedicated children's hospital and a new adult hospital.

Designers say they propose a hospital structure shaped like the contours of the Yorkshire fells and dales, with a large island garden and play deck at its centre.

Julian Hartley, chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The building of our two new hospitals is the most important development in Leeds city centre for a generation.

"In terms of hospital-based healthcare, it’s the most important development in the city centre since 1868, when Leeds General Infirmary was first built."

He added: "These inspirational designs will see not only the creation of world class medical and research facilities, but also the creation of a landmark public building, of real architectural quality, of which Leeds can truly be proud."

The construction of the new hospitals is part of the government's £3.7bn commitment to create 40 hospitals by 2030.

BBC Weather

After a dry, bright and sunny start, it will cloud over with heavy, showery rain, pushing in later in the afternoon.

This evening, the rain should gradually clear away with only a few showers lingering in places:

This year's Rugby League World Cup in England has been postponed until 2022 after the withdrawal of champions Australia, and New Zealand.

Image source, PA Media

The two countries pulled out of the tournament citing "player welfare and safety concerns" related to Covid-19.

The World Cup, featuring men's, women's and wheelchair events, was set to start in Newcastle on 23 October, with further events due to take place in Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Doncaster, Hull and York in the following weeks.

"It became unfeasible and irresponsible for us to carry on," said Jon Dutton, chief executive of the tournament.

"I think it will take some time for international rugby league to recover from this. I hope we can be a beacon of light.

"Certainly we've prioritised player voice and player choice, we know the players want to play, we took our responsibilities very seriously, and we are determined to stage the biggest and best ever rugby league World Cup.

"It's a real shame that it cannot be this year but leadership is about making tough decisions, it's about being responsible, and we've done this in the best interests of not just the tournament but of the sport of rugby league."

The fleet of surveillance aircraft - based at RAF Waddington - are due to be retired this year.

Keely Hodgkinson praises Leeds Beckett University, where she and other Team GB athletes have trained.

Clive Settle
BBC Radio Leeds News

Lorry companies in Bradford can now apply for money to convert their vehicles ahead of the district's Clean Air Zone being introduced early next year.

The money's to help them fit pollution-reducing equipment or replace their trucks altogether.

Haulage firms have until Wednesday 1 September to submit bids online, external for up to £16,000 per vehicle.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, who oversees environmental policies, said: “When it is up and running, the zone will make a massive difference to levels of air pollution in the district.

“But we do recognise that it will involve significant changes for businesses who need to drive through it. So we are doing as much as we can to access funding to assist these businesses to make their vehicles compliant. We hope that HGV operators will take up this valuable opportunity.”

The zone will include Bradford city centre, extending up the Canal Road corridor and Manningham Lane into Shipley and Saltaire.

Prof Van-Tam highlighted the role of education in combating the pandemic as he accepted an honorary doctorate.

Thirty organisations have joined forces to warn people of the dangers of swimming in open water after recent hot weather led to a spate of tragic incidents in Yorkshire.

Six people died in drowning incidents across Yorkshire in one week last month.

Organisations including the county's fire, ambulance and police services, local resilience forums, Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency, are all backing a campaign to increase awareness of the dangers of open water swimming for inexperienced people.

Richard Flinton, chair of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, said: "Open water can look very tempting, particularly on warm summer days, but it will often hide a multitude of hazards we cannot possibly see from above.

"Understanding those risks and taking a few simple steps, like knowing where is safe, sticking together, not jumping into cold water and making a point of reading any warning signs, could be the difference between life and death."

Dave Walton, from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and co-chair of West Yorkshire Prepared, said: "Seeing that hot weather is coming actually makes me feel quite apprehensive.

"Some days it feels there's almost an inevitability that crews will be called to some sort of water rescue.

"If you're in any doubt about how safe water might be don't do it - if in doubt, stay out."

Relatives remember Patrick Casey who was riding his motorbike at the time of the crash on 18 July.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A number of refugee families from Afghanistan who served alongside British forces as interpreters during the near two-decade conflict are to be given homes in Doncaster.

Image source, PA Media

The council will receive £104,000 from Migration Yorkshire, external in order to provide homes for three families who will be housed in two borough communities.

The first family has recently arrived in Doncaster with the remaining two families coming later this month.

Joanne Evans, from Doncaster Council's health and wellbeing team, said: “As British and US Forces are leaving Afghanistan the situation for the Afghan nationals that were employed, mainly as interpreters, has become dangerous, with them being at increased risk.

"Under the scheme, those current, or former, staff, assessed to be at serious risk of threat to life, are being offered priority relocation to the UK, regardless of their employment status, rank or role, or length of time served.

"They will receive a five year visa which includes the right to work, social housing and free access to health services; they will apply for habitual residency status on arrival."

Tracy Gee
BBC Radio Leeds

A Leeds-based charity has been awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service for its work tackling period poverty.

Image source, Freedom4Girls

Freedom4Girls helps women and girls who struggle to afford sanitary products.

Its campaign came to prominence four years ago, when BBC Radio Leeds revealed that some girls were skipping school because of a lack of access to the products.

Founder Tina Leslie said: “We are delighted to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our volunteers, supporters and partners, without whom none of our work would be possible.

“As a small grassroots charity in Leeds, we hope that the award will present a great opportunity to shine a light on the menstrual health of women and the serious issue of period poverty, both here in the UK and elsewhere in the world.”

Hull's biggest summer music event has been cancelled for 2021 due to "insurmountable obstacles and difficulties", organisers have said.

The Humber Street Sesh, which attracts crowds of more than 32,000 people, was due to take place on 17-19 September.

Festival organisers said the decision was made due to on-site flood barrier work, insurance problems and staffing self-isolation concerns.

They also blamed a "lack of government clarity" regarding large-scale events.

Organisers said the festival, which is held at the city's marina, would return for 2022, with ticketholders receiving refunds "in due course".

Firefighters are tackling a blaze at derelict building in South Elmsall.

Image source, Snapchat

Fire crew were called to the scene in Langthwaite Lane at about 10:00.

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS) say the building is approximately 20m by 30m.

At its height crew from South Yorkshire also attended, but the number of firefighters on scene has been scaled back to about 30.

WYFRS is advising people to avoid the area due to a number of road closures and anyone living nearby have been advised to keep their doors and windows closed.