BBC Radio York

The five people who want to be North Yorkshire's next Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) are being challenged to make young people's safety a priority.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Dozens of young people have sent an open letter to candidates in this month's election for a new commissioner following the resignation of former PFCC Philip Allott.

It follows concerns about a recent rise in cases of young people having their drinks spiked while on nights out across Yorkshire.

Kelly Balmer, an official at the University of York Students' Union, who is also one of the people who's signed the letter, told BBC Radio York: "A big over-arching thing with this letter is just to interact with young people on a more positive nature, not just coming to them to tell them off, not just coming to arrest them.

"I think having a more positive interaction with your community liaison officers will build a foundation of trust which makes a lot of young people feel able to go and report really sensitive crimes like spiking or sexual violence."

You can see the details of all those standing in the election here.

Bradford based supermarket chain Morrisons has announced it's part of a three-year trial to find out whether feeding cows on seaweed could reduce the amount of methane they produce.

Image source, Reuters

The supermarket is conducting the trial with Queens University Belfast.

In a statement, external, the company said: "Within agriculture, beef farming is the most carbon intensive - generating 45% of carbon emissions for only 5% of products sold. Nearly half of this is down to methane produced by cattle."

Head of agriculture at Morrisons, Sophie Throup, said: "Previous trials have been done in Australia looking at a different type of seaweed and that found cows belch out about 82% less methane."

"There is a little bit from their bottoms, but mainly from their burps," she said.

Methane is the second most common greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2).

It is responsible for a third of current warming from human activities. Individual methane molecules have a more powerful warming effect on the atmosphere than single CO2 molecules.

At the recent COP26 environmental conference in Glasgow the US and the EU agreed to cut emissions of the gas by 30% by 2030. More than 100 countries have also signed up to the initiative.

As well as monitoring the reduction in methane, Ms Throup said the trial would assess the health of the cattle and the taste of the meat.

Former MasterChef contestant Elizabeth Cottam says violence is getting worse in Leeds' Kirkgate.

An HGV became wedged under a railway bridge in Wakefield for three hours yesterday afternoon after crashing into the structure.

Image source, Damian Cameron

It happened when the driver attempted to drive under a low bridge on Denby Dale Road (A636) at the junction with Thornes Road on Tuesday.

Damian Cameron, from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the recovery involved "stabilising the HGV, winching it backwards from under the bridge onto its wheels, making the scene safer so the bridge could be checked".

Image source, Damian Cameron

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "An HGV was in collision with the bridge on Thornes Road yesterday at about 15:23.

"It was removed and the road was re-opened at about 18:37."

There are no reports of anyone being injured in the incident.

Rina Yasutake's mother and siblings will not face trial over failure to bury her, a court hears.

An ambulance service in Lincolnshire has been rated as inadequate after inspectors found dirty vehicles putting patient safety at risk.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has warned Mobile Medical Cover, an independent service based in Grimsby, to make urgent improvements.

It said an August inspection found two ambulances "visibly dirty" and highlighted concerns over staff training.

Mobile Medical Cover said it had been working "diligently" to make changes.

The service, which has a workforce of 300 mostly self-employed staff, provides patient transport and emergency care cover at events and has previously served an NHS hospital.

In its report following the unannounced inspection, external, the CQC said the company had to take urgent action after the ambulances were flagged as "ready to use" when they were not clean.

There was also no evidence the firm was checking the competency of its staff and their skills, which was "putting people at risk", the CQC said.

Yorkshire are to investigate after their head of human resources called a fan a "coward" in an email row.

It is hoped Ravenser Odd, lost about 600 years ago, will give clues to coastal erosion trends.

Tim Daley
Journalist, BBC Radio Leeds

A main post box in Leeds city centre has been sealed up and taken out of use because drug users have been using it to discard used syringes and needles.

The Royal Mail took the decision to protect staff at the New York Street Post Office, near Kirkgate Market, the BBC has learned.

Postal staff have also had trouble gaining access to the pillar box, which is frequently urinated on, because rough sleepers often position themselves in front of it.

The move to seal up the post box comes as concerns grow about anti-social behaviour in the area.

On nearby Kirkgate (pictured above), business owners say groups are gathering to buy and take drugs, and to drink on the street.

Chef Elizabeth Cottam says she has moved her high-end restaurant, Home, to a new location this week after four years of anti-social behaviour and violence on the street outside.

Ms Cottam (pictured below) told BBC Radio Leeds: "We see drug dealing on a daily basis. We’ve witnessed two deaths between the inhabitants of the street where they’re fighting and it all goes wrong."

Hear more from Ms Cottam below:

West Yorkshire Police has told the BBC it is aware of the issues and has arrested a number of people for a variety of offences. The force adds that “more work is planned”.

Leeds City Council says it is committed to tackling the problems around Kirkgate and finding “long-term solutions”. It also says that “all available legislation is being carefully considered”.

An appeal for witnesses has been launched after a four-year-old boy suffered "life-threatening" head injuries after being hit by a car in Bradford.

Image source, Google

The boy was struck by a Vauxhall Corsa when he ran across Thornhill Place, at about 14:20 on Sunday, West Yorkshire Police said.

The force said the boy suffered "serious head injuries" and was taken to hospital.

Officers say they are looking for witnesses following the incident and are appealing for anyone with dashcam footage from the area at the time to get in touch.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested after a man was taken to hospital with serious injuries following an attack in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, police said.

Image source, Google

A 32-year-old man was assaulted near Thirsk Industrial Estate just after 17:30 on Monday 1 November, according to North Yorkshire Police.

The victim's condition is described as "serious but stable".

Anyone with information about the incident, including motorists with dashcam footage or residents who have doorbell or CCTV camera footage along York Road, is being urged to contact police.

An historic East Yorkshire fishing trawler has been dry-docked for the first time in more than 25 years for restoration work.

Arctic Corsair, Hull's last sidewinder trawler, is to be repaired as part of the city's £30m maritime regeneration project.

Restoration work on the 61-year-old trawler will take about 12 months.

A spokesman for Dunston's said it took about five hours to drain the dock ahead of inspection, but that the process "went very well".

The renovated trawler is to be part of a visitor attraction opening in 2023 at North End Shipyard in the city centre, along with the refurbished Spurn Lightship.

The Arctic Corsair, which previously opened as a visitor attraction on the River Hull in 1999, was caught up in the Cod Wars with Iceland in the 1970s.

There's six miles of traffic queuing on the M62 eastbound in West Yorkshire, external following an accident.

Image source, Highways England

Highways England says the problem is between J30 (Oulton) and J31 (Normanton)., external

One of three lanes is closed.

Image source, Highways England

Normal traffic conditions are expected between 10:00 and 10:15 Highways England says.

A poppy seller in Rotherham shares her story explaining the importance of Remembrance Day.

The boxes were among a treasure trove of items stolen from the stately home in Leeds in 1981.

Playwright Nana-Kofi Kufuor was working in a pupil referral unit when a teenage boy pulled a knife.

Papa John's Trophy holders Sunderland top their group despite losing to Bradford and Portsmouth leave it late to go through.

Ryan Clarke is discharged from a psychiatric hospital after a campaign by his mother.

A former Yorkshire academy player has given BBC Sport a detailed account of experiencing alleged racism from team-mates at the club as a 14-year-old.