Police patrols along canal towpaths have been stepped up in Skipton, North Yorkshire, following a spate of boats being broken into.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Day and night time patrols are being increased after reports of four boats being burgled on different days recently.

Insp Steve Breen said: "Being the victim of any sort of theft can be very upsetting, but for a lot of people who use the waterways their boat is also their home.

"We’ve increased patrols in areas around the canal to provide a high-visibility deterrent, as well as extra security for boat owners and anyone else who uses the waterways.

"These patrols will take place during daylight and hours of dark."

The strike in Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield will end on Wednesday as drivers vote on an pay deal.

Government safety inspectors will visit firms in South Yorkshire after a rise in serious incidents.

Oliver Woodcock
BBC Radio Leeds

A new mental health service for children and young people is opening in Leeds this week.

Image source, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Red Kite View in Armley cost £20m to build and it means fewer teenagers should have to travel outside of the area for specialist inpatient care.

The site, which is run by the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, external, will include 22 inpatient beds and educational facilities for children and young people across West Yorkshire.

Aimee Brew, an ambassador for the MindMate, external website, said: “My hope for Red Kite View is that young people will have a place where they will actually be listened to.

"It will be a place where you can do activities and carry on with normal life, so when you go back out into the community it’s not like you’ve been away from the world."

Red Kite View will replace the current eight bed inpatient unit at Little Woodhouse Hall in Leeds.

Dr Alan Mackintosh says his operation was cancelled at short notice due to Covid-related pressures.

Police patrols in villages in the Selby district of North Yorkshire are being increased after four properties were broken into during one day.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Villages on the borders between South, North and West Yorkshire were targeted by burglars suspected to be from West Yorkshire, police said.

Two burglaries were reported in Biggin, one in Sherburn in Elmet and one in Hambleton on Friday 7 January.

A grey VW Golf linked to the burglaries was found abandoned in West Yorkshire on Sunday 9 January after it failed to stop for police.

This vehicle has now been recovered by West Yorkshire Police and inquiries are taking place.

Sgt Robert Campbell said: "I'm aware residents who live in rural villages in the Selby District may be alarmed following an increase in burglaries.

"I want to reassure people in these villages that we’re carrying out increased patrols day and night to try and intercept the criminals who are responsible."

"I'm also aware our colleagues in neighbouring forces have also seen an increase in incidents reported of a similar nature from villages near to or just over the border."

Anyone who witnesses any suspicious activity is urged to contact police immediately.

Officers are also asking residents to be vigilant and where possible increase security around their property and vehicle.

The M62 near Leeds has reopened following a fatal collision between a van and a lorry, National Highways has said., external

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Emergency services including West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service were called to Lofthouse at about 19:00 on Monday.

A 34-year-old man who'd been driving a Fiat Dulco van died at the scene, police said.

All lanes at junction 29 on the eastbound carriageway were closed following the incident.

One lane reopened at about 08:00 on Tuesday.

Writing on social media, external National Highways said: "The police led incident is now over and traffic has been released in both directions.

"Thanks for your patience and have a safe onward journey."

The annual events remember the Hull fishermen who died in 1968's triple trawler tragedy and beyond.

Independent businesses in Leeds have rallied round to help raise money to save an artist's pet dog.

Signwriter Kieran Hadley set up the raffle after his dog Alfie lost the use of his back legs.

Image source, Kieran Hadley

Raising about £4,000 so far, the raffle has prizes donated by Kirkstall Brewery, photographers Painted In Frames, prints from Goods In General Stores and doughnuts from Glazed and Confused.

Mr Hadley said: "Alfie lost the use of his back legs on Christmas Day after a few weeks of decline.

"Five vet and physiotherapist visits made no difference, and he was referred to Torrington Orthopaedics where he's going for MRI and surgery tomorrow.

"A few local independents asked to contribute and it snowballed into a prize pool of over 35 contributions all from independents worth over £2,000.

"Between tickets, direct contributions and GoFundMe, people have raised around £4,000 in three days."

Image source, Kieran Hadley

Normal traffic conditions are not expected to return on the M62 near Leeds until after 11:30 following a fatal collision between a van and a lorry, Traffic England has said., external

Image source, Crown Copyright

Two lanes are closed at junction 29 on the eastbound carriageway following the incident.

Traffic is queuing for two miles with congestion to junction 27.

Image source, Traffic England

Emergency services including West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service were called out at about 19:00 on Monday.

A 34-year-old man who'd been driving a Fiat Dulco van died at the scene, police said.

Traffic is being diverted via the exit and entry slip roads with drivers advised to allow extra time for their journeys.

A North Lincolnshire health boss has warned against describing the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as mild and said unvaccinated people are suffering more.

Image source, European Pressphoto Agency

Recent studies suggest that Omicron is less likely to make people seriously ill than previous Covid variants.

But the record number of people catching it has left health systems under severe pressure, according to the World Health Association.

Dr Kate Wood, the medical director for hospitals in Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole told BBC Radio Humberside those who think Omicron is just like a cold are wrong.

Dr Wood said: "For people across the general population who are vaccinated and have had the booster, that's the proportion of patients who're finding the symptoms are quite mild.

"However, patients who are unvaccinated, or who have not yet had the opportunity to have the booster, are patients that are suffering more severe symptoms."

She added: "Encouraging people to get vaccinated has to be our principle route through this at the moment."

A man has died in a collision between a van and a lorry on the M62 near Leeds, police have confirmed.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

A Fiat Ductao van and white and blue HGV, both travelling eastbound, collided just before junction 29 at about 19:00 on Monday evening.

Emergency services including West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service attended the incident.

The driver of the Fiat Ducato, a 34-year-old man from the Castleford area, was confirmed dead at the scene, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Sergeant Mick Kilburn of the Major Collision and Enquiry Team, said: "We are continuing to investigate this very serious incident on the M62 in which a man has sadly lost his life."

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has dashcam footage from the area at the time of the collision is asked to contact police.

Two lanes remain closed at junction 29 on the M62 following the incident.

BBC Weather

This morning will become increasingly fine and dry as cloud clears.

There will be lengthy spells of sunshine through the afternoon with little cloud, and winds will be light.

Tonight will continue dry with lengthy clear spells and little cloud:

Two lanes are closed on the M62 in West Yorkshire at junction 29, external following a serious collision.

Image source, Crown Copyright

Emergency services including West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service were called out at about 19:00 on Monday evening, according to Traffic England.

Traffic is being diverted via the exit and entry slip roads. Drivers are being advised to allow extra time for their journeys.

Image source, Traffic England

Normal traffic conditions are expected to return in the area at about 09:00, National Highways, Yorkshire said.

A couple receive an apology and "very significant" payout from a council over a failed adoption.

Strike action by bus drivers is suspended in Barnsley and Rotherham, but will continue in Sheffield.

A councillor in Grimsby says the problem has worsened during the pandemic and again over Christmas.

Yorkshire are set a deadline by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to regain their international status for this summer.

A wily wallaby who hopped it from a farm six days ago remains at large after dodging two attempts to capture him.

Image source, Tiny Steps

Ant, who shares an enclosure with pal Dec, went solo when he disappeared from Tiny Steps Petting Farm near Bourne, Lincolnshire, last week.

Despite numerous sightings in the local area, the escaped marsupial has eluded a team of volunteer wallaby wranglers.

Farm owner Tracey Hall said she and her husband noticed Ant was missing on Wednesday morning, but haven't managed to figure out how he escaped.

Despite 15 volunteers standing by to swoop on the fugitive macropod, "there just wasn't enough" of them to round him up, said Ms Hall.

The pouched runaway even managed to elude an RSPCA specialist called in to work alongside the volunteers.

Meanwhile, Dec, described as the "more cautious" of the pair, "doesn't seem to be upset at all, he's quite happy", Mrs Hall said.

Both are Bennet's Wallabies, and were born in the UK before they arrived at the farm in December.

Hartlepool sign defender Jake Hull on loan from Rotherham and Southport striker Marcus Carver on a permanent deal.