An appeal for witnesses has been launched following two ram-raid burglaries at business parks in South Yorkshire.

A dark coloured 4x4 vehicle was deliberately reversed into the security shutters at premises on Barnsley Retail Park, Wombwell Lane, just before 21:00 on Tuesday, police said.

About 30 minutes later, a dark coloured 4x4 was reversed into the security shutters at premises on Rowms Lane in Swinton, near Rotherham.

Burglers gained access to both sites during the raids, searching the Barnsley business and stealing items from the premises in Swinton, according to South Yorkshire Police.

Det Sgt Paul Woodruff said: "We believe the vehicle used by the offenders was a grey or black Land Rover which would now have significant rear end damage - missing a rear bumper and smashed rear tail lights.

"The two commercial premises were subjected to a ram-raid-style attack and both premises were closed for business at the time and no employees were on-site."

Anyone who saw a vehicle matching the description near the premises at the times of the raids is being asked to contact police.

Officers are also appealing for anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage which captures either incident to get in touch.

Leeds-based Zarach says it saw a surge in demand from desperate families before Christmas.

Medical students in Lincoln have cut short their Christmas holidays to help with the Covid booster programme.

Image source, Google

More than 50 undergraduates at the University of Lincoln will work across the county administering vaccinations.

Praising the students, Dr Runa Saha, from the university's medical school, said: "They're willing to come back sooner rather than wait until next term starts.

"It just shows how invested they are in helping the Lincolnshire population."

Daily reported Covid cases in the UK jumped to a record 183,037 on Wednesday.

And a total of 10,462 people were in hospital with Covid in England as of Wednesday morning, figures from NHS England show.

This is up 48% from a week ago and is the highest number of admissions since 1 March.

Two knife-wielding robbers have raided a shop in Leeds, police have said.

Image source, Google

The men arrived at the Best-One convenience store in Stanks Parade on a silver motorbike, both with their faces covered by helmets, shortly before 19:45 on Wednesday.

The suspects threatened staff with a knife and a handgun, which officers now believe was a replica, before stealing cash and a quantity of cigarettes and tobacco, according to West Yorkshire Police.

The men left the scene on the motorbike along Stanks Approach, officers added.

There are no reports of anyone being injured during the raid.

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

The men and women are charged with a variety of offences, including rape and false imprisonment.

Lucy Ashton
Local Democracy Reporter

The owners of a restaurant in Sheffield who installed security shutters following a series of attacks must now remove them because they are out of keeping with a conservation area, a council has ruled.

Image source, Time Architects

The shutters were fitted at Thyme Cafe on Glossop Road after several break-ins and vandalism caused £25,000-worth of damage.

The owners of the restaurant didn’t realise the shutters needed planning permission, so applied retrospectively.

But a Sheffield City Council report on the shutters said: “Relaxation of control could set a precedent for a widespread and serious impact on the character of Broomhill conservation area, particularly in the evenings when shutters are deployed.

“The shutter box detracts from the appearance of the building and also has a significant adverse effect on the visual amenity of the wider streetscene."

The report added: “We are sympathetic with both the impact of the pandemic and issues of security and vandalism, but do not feel these can outweigh the adverse impacts."

The restaurant's owners have lodged an appeal over the ruling.

Kelli Day, from Leeds, says the experience has made her appreciate the simpler things in life.

A coronavirus "surge hub" is to be set up in Leeds as hospitals across England prepare for a potential wave of Omicron admissions, the NHS has said.

Image source, PA Media

The temporary "Nightingale" unit at St James' University Hospital is one of eight units being set up across the UK.

Record Covid case numbers were reported in the UK on Wednesday and NHS medical director Prof Stephen Powis said the service was on a "war footing".

Prof Powis said the NHS "cannot wait to find out before we act" given the number of infections and uncertainty about Omicron's severity.

A series of hospitals sites named after the 19th Century nurse Florence Nightingale were set up in England during the first wave of the pandemic at dedicated locations such as the convention centre in Harrogate.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he hoped the new hubs "will not have to be used" but that it was right to prepare for all scenarios.

An email seen by the BBC from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to its staff said it was creating a 100-bed unit on the Millennium car park which could be "activated in extremis".

Police have released these CCTV images of a man they want to trace following an armed robbery at a bookmakers in Lincoln.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

The Coral Bookmakers on Boultham Park Road was attacked just before 15:30 yesterday, Lincolnshire Police said

No-one was injured during the incident, officers added.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

Anyone who recognises the man or who witnessed the incident is asked to contact police.

Officers are also appealing for anyone with dashcam footage from the area at the time to come forward.

BBC Weather

Today will be mild, breezy, cloudy and largely dry, with occasional showers in some areas.

Tonight is expected to be breezy and very mild, becoming overcast with further showers developing towards dawn:

Bradford, Doncaster and Scunthorpe have all made it into the top 20 places in the UK for house price increases this year.

Image source, Getty Images

Figures from the Halifax bank show average house prices increased by nearly 16% to £170,684 in Bradford; and by just over 14% in Doncaster (£201,824) and Scunthorpe (£176,186).

Taunton in Somerset was identified as the UK's top house price hotspot in 2021, with property values there increasing by almost 22% to £315,759.

It comes as part of the so-called "race for space" as people look for better value property where they can work from home.

Russell Galley, managing director at Halifax, said: "Places like... Bradford - where there are a broad range of property types and settings - all offer significantly better value than their more metropolitan neighbours.

"This shift echoes what we have seen from home-buyers over the last year - less focus on major cities and more demand in the suburbs and further afield."

The RSPCA say the bird was "in a flap" after getting stuck in a river drain on the River Aire.

Lincolnshire Police say they have seen a spike in incidents over recent days.

A man was seriously injured after a car crashed into him outside a Harrogate supermarket, police have said.

Image source, Googl

North Yorkshire Police reported that just before 09:00 on Tuesday a beige Renault Scenic collided with the male pedestrian outside Waitrose on Station Parade.

The man, in his 70s, suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries.

The road was closed for several hours as police investigated the incident.

Officers have now asked for the public's help to establish the circumstances of the collision.

A Yorkshire music venue say it “means the world” to see so many people heading out to party ahead of New Year’s Eve.

The Leadmill in Sheffield is preparing for a sell out night with 900 people in attendance.

Liam Walton, marketing manager of the venue, said: “It means the world to us to see so many people coming out after all of what’s happened. It was a really difficult time for us throughout the pandemic.”

Earlier this week Sajid Javid announced there will be no further Covid restrictions in England before the new year.

But the health secretary said people should "remain cautious" and celebrate outside on New Year's Eve if possible.

The H5N1 virus - which can destroy poultry flocks - was first confirmed in Lincolnshire on 11 December.

A boy was "grabbed" and dragged towards a car in an alleged attempted abduction in Rotherham.

Image source, Google

The 10-year-old reported he was followed home after walking to a shop on Browning Road, Herringthorpe, at about 19:00 GMT on Thursday.

The boy said a white man, wearing a face covering and gloves, tried to grab and drag him towards a red Toyota.

South Yorkshire Police said the report was "concerning" and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

The suspect is described as wearing a snood or a balaclava and asked the boy where he was going before trying to grab him.

Investigating officer Rachel Scott said: "This is a really concerning report from a young child and we are doing everything we can to trace the man and vehicle involved.

"We have officers in the area making inquiries, but I encourage anyone who was in the area at the time and saw anything suspicious to get in touch."

Organisers cancel the ancient face-off which sees rival villagers locked in a mass scrum for hours.

Press Association

Hundreds of people took to the streets of a Sheffield suburb to enjoy a festive dancing tradition.

A longsword dance has reportedly been performed after Christmas in Grenoside since the early 1800s.

The tradition, which now sees several sword dancing troupes perform alongside traditional morris dancers, usually takes place on Boxing Day, but was moved this year to Monday 27 December as Boxing Day fell on a Sunday.

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

A shopkeeper was faced with the barrel of a gun in an armed robbery at a Leeds store.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

West Yorkshire Police issued the picture above after the raid on the Richmond Hill Shopping Mart in Upper Accommodation Road in the Richmond Hill area of the city on December 27.

Detectives say the robbery took place at about 18:45 after suspects wearing dark clothing entered the store brandishing what appeared to be firearms and demanded cash and cigarettes.

They then made off with cigarettes leaving staff and customers shocked but unharmed, police say.

Det Insp Dan Bates of Leeds District CID said: “We are investigating this incident at which the suspects produced what appeared to be firearms or replica weapons, and are appealing for witnesses.

“We would like to speak with anyone who can help identify the persons pictured or who saw them enter or make off from the premises."

Image source, West Yorkshire Police