Temperatures reached 15.8C in Somerset earlier and are expected to continue to rise across England.

The Whitby Brewery said it was closing until 10 January after a number of staff tested positive.

BBC Radio York

"There has definitely been a post Christmas surge in Coronavirus cases in York" - the city's director of public health has warned.

Sharon Stoltz told BBC Radio York: "Just in York alone yesterday's figures show we have over 2,700 new cases of Covid in the last 7 days, that's data up to 27 December. That's unprecedented, we've never had that number of cases before."

"I would expect to see a further surge after new year as well."

Ms Stoltz is urging people to "make choices about their level of risk while they're still sober" ahead of new year celebrations later.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the UK is in an "incomparably better" position now than this time last year but New Year's Eve revellers should remain cautious.

Yorkshire's Drax Power Station will project a Happy New Year message onto one of its 350ft high cooling towers tonight.

Image source, DRAX

The plant, near Selby in North Yorkshire, says 2022 will be the end of an era with its two remaining coal-fired units due to close completely in September.

Image source, DRAX

The new year’s message will be visible from 17:00 to 03:00 on New Year’s Eve and 17:00 to midnight on New Year’s Day.

Lincolnshire briefly recorded the hottest ever New Year's Eve temperature in the UK, the Met Office has confirmed.

The weather station at Coningsby measured a temperature of 15.3C at about midday on Friday.

The previous highest was 14.8C, measured in Colwyn Bay in North Wales in 2011.

That has now been surpassed by a temperature of 15.8C recorded in Somerset.

Temperatures will continue to climb across later in the day before falling slightly at night as the UK rings in 2022, according to forecasters.

The warm weather comes after what was described as Britain's "dullest December" since 1956 with less than 27 hours of sunlight across the country on average.

The Met Office said there had been just 26.6 hours of sunshine over 30 days - 38% less than the national average for this time of year.

The figure places this month in the running to become one of the 10 dreariest Decembers on record, forecasters said.

Britain's dullest December was in 1956, when 19.5 hours of sunlight was the national average, while the brightest was in 2001 with 64 hours recorded on average across the UK.

Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said the dull weather was linked to milder temperatures across winter generally, which are likely to be caused by global warming.

A man in his 20s has died after being hit by a car in Leeds, police say.

Image source, Google

The pedestrian was hit by a blue Vauxhall Crossland as he was crossing York Road near to the junction with Moresdale Lane at about 17:20 on Thursday.

Emergency services treated the victim at the scene. He was then was taken to hospital where he later died, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Anyone who saw the collision, or who has CCTV or dashcam footage from the area at the time, is asked to contact police.

Listen to BBC radio commentary from Sunday's action in the National League, National League North and National League South.

Three masked males armed with machetes threatened staff and stole cash and cigarettes in an attack on a shop in Leeds, police have said.

Image source, Google

Officers were called to the Co-op in Selby Road, Whitkirk, at about 18:50 on Wednesday.

Following the raid, the suspects left the scene in a car, police added

A 23-year-old man arrested on suspicion of robbery is being held in police custody, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact police.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The site of a former power station in east Leeds could soon become one of the area's major industrial estates, according to new documents submitted to the city council.

Image source, Harworth/Leeds City Council

New proposals from developers Harworth suggest what was once the site of Skelton Grange Power Station could soon become nearly 75,000 sq m of “industrial, storage or distribution” space.

The area was home to the former coal-fired power station which was demolished in the 1990s and has sat empty ever since.

Other parts of the site have seen approval for energy-from-waste and battery storage facilities, all expected to be up and running in the next couple of years.

According to the developers’ design and access statement, sent to council planners earlier this month, the development would consist of around 80% industrial use, with the remaining fifth of the site used for access and infrastructure.

The period for comments to be submitted to the council ends on 28 January, with a final decision expected to be made in mid-March.

A woman in her 90s suffered injuries described as "life-threatening" when the car she was a passenger in was hit after travelling the wrong way up the A64 onto the A1(M).

Image source, Google

A silver Volkswagen Polo and a red Vauxhall Combo van collided about a mile from junction 44 on the A1(M) northbound carriageway, in the Aberford area of Leeds at about 15:00 on Thursday, police said.

The injured woman, who was a passenger in the Polo, was taken to hospital with serious injuries, which are life threatening due to her age, officers said.

The drivers of both vehicles suffered minor injuries.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Inquiries suggest the Polo had travelled the wrong way along the A64 from North Yorkshire, before it joined the A1M carriageway, travelling southbound on the northbound carriageway."

Anyone who saw the Polo on the A64, or who has dashcam footage from the area at the time of the incident is asked to contact police.

A man who was stabbed to death in a pub on Boxing Day has been named by police.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Macaulay Byrne (pictured), 26, also known as Corey, was attacked in the Gypsy Queen pub in Beighton, Sheffield, at about 22:00, according to South Yorkshire Police.

A post-mortem examination showed he died from multiple stab wounds and the case is being treated as murder.

Det Ch Insp Mick Hakin, said his death was believed to be an "isolated incident with no risk to the wider community".

He added: "I continue to urge anyone who has any information that could help the investigation to contact us.

"If you are uncomfortable speaking to the police directly you can call Crimestoppers completely anonymously."

Visiting at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is being suspended.

Image source, Geograph/Terry Robinson

The temporary restriction which starts today is being implemented due to the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus in the local community.

In a statement , externalthe trust said: "The increase in cases now poses a greater risk of our patients acquiring the virus.

"A proportion of people with Omicron appear to have no symptoms and as a result we have seen some transmission in our hospitals which has been linked to visiting."

The trust says it has free wifi and digital tablets for patients to use to keep in touch with family and friends but will explore other options too.

A spokesperson said: "We will of course continue to monitor the situation with a view to reinstating visiting as soon as we can do so safely."

Tom Newhouse reflects on draining early starts and "euphoric moments" as his year-long project ends.

BBC Radio York

The traditional ringing of the bells of York Minster, external to bring in the new year will not be happening again this year.

Thousands of people usually gather outside the cathedral at midnight on New Year's Eve.

But, for the second year running, there will be no bell-ringing tonight.

It was cancelled last year because of concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

The Minster says it is "a matter of great sadness", but the decision will "help support public health measures aimed at controlling the spread of Omicron".

Police and public health officials have urged people to enjoy New Year’s Eve safely in smaller groups, and follow national guidance by wearing masks in crowded indoor and outdoor spaces.

BBC Weather

This morning will start overcast with light rain or patches of drizzle in places.

It will turn drier in the afternoon, with the cloud breaking to give some brighter spells. A mild day.

Tonight will start dry with variable cloud, and clear spells in places.

A band of rain will sweep in from the west overnight, but it will turn dry again towards dawn, with clear spells developing:

Police in West Yorkshire are appealing for help to find a missing 12-year-old boy., external

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Writing on social media yesterday evening, external officers said they're concerned for Francis Gavan (pictured) who's missing from Dewsbury.

He is described as having blond hair, is thought to be about 4ft tall and is slim.

When last seen he was wearing a black top with a red line on it, a grey parka with fur lining, black Nike bottoms and white Nike trainers, officers said.

Anyone with information about Francis is being urged to contact police.

Huddersfield’s third straight win strengthens their grip on a Championship play-off spot and condemns Nottingham Forest to back-to-back defeats.

The management group which runs the Saxton complex, RMG, says it is working to restore supplies.

Police say the 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction and kidnap.

The home secretary says she will make it mandatory to record child sex abuse suspects' ethnicity.