A Russian State Ballet and Opera performance in Harrogate has been cancelled following the invasion of Ukraine.

Image source, Google

Conservative councillor Richard Cooper told a meeting on Tuesday the event, due to be held at the council-owned Harrogate Convention Centre in October, would not go ahead as a result of the "terrible" war.

He said: "Although the company is registered and addressed in England, until we can verify the ownership is not Russian, the ban remains in place."

Performers from the Russian State Opera appeared at the Royal Hall in Harrogate last week just before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Similar performances have been pulled at theatres across the country, including at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, the Royal and Derngate Theatre in Northampton, and The New Theatre Peterborough.

Mr Cooper also said Harrogate stood ready to welcome refugees fleeing Ukraine if the district was called upon to do its part.

Four concerts, including a gig by Bradford's Gareth Gates, will take place at Odsal Stadium.

An attacker barged his way into a York hotel before launching an assault against a man.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Officers have released a CCTV image of the suspect who forced entry into the Lady Anne Middleton Hotel in Bishop Hill in the early hours of Wednesday.

He assaulted the victim multiple times by punching and pushing him and putting him in a headlock as if he was trying to strangle him, police said.

After the assault, he threw a computer monitor, keyboard, mouse, a sign in a metal frame and a chair at the victim, damaging furniture in the process.

The victim was severely shaken up by the ordeal, officers said.

Anyone who recognises the man in the image is asked to contact police.

A landslide has delayed the reopening of a famous North Yorkshire tourist attraction.

Image source, Mother Shipton's

Mother Shipton's Cave in Knaresborough is said to be the birthplace of a famous prophetess.

Its star attraction is the neighbouring Petrifying Well, which contains waters with an unusually high level of calcium. This gives everyday objects such as teddy bears a stone-like appearance if they are left there for several months.

A spokesperson said: "Unfortunately a landslide caused by the recent adverse weather and storms has now become impassable.

"Our team are working hard to get the site back on top form and completely safe for visitors to return from the third weekend in March."

A gang of masked men armed with machetes and bats stole cash and cigarettes in an attack on a Co-op store in West Yorkshire.

Image source, Google

Three suspects entered the branch, in High Street, Kippax, at about 21:45 on Tuesday, according to West Yorkshire Police.

A stolen silver Hyundai i30 believed to have been used by the raiders was found abandoned nearby in Lyndale a short time later.

Anyone who witnessed the robbery or saw the car being abandoned is asked to contact police.

BBC Weather

This morning, it will be largely dry with variable cloud and occasional rain.

During the afternoon, cloud will thicken, with further spells of light rain moving in.

Tonight, spells of rain will continue becoming more persistent as the night continues:

A man's been charged with murder following the death of a man fatally stabbed in a South Yorkshire pub on Boxing Day.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Macaulay Byrne (pictured), 26, also known as Coley, was attacked in the Gypsy Queen pub in Beighton, Sheffield, on 26 December.

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

Bovic Mupolo, 21, of Fluery Rise, Sheffield, was arrested on Tuesday and is due to appear at the city's magistrates' court later.

It brings the number of arrests in this case to five, said South Yorkshire Police.

Det Ch Insp Mick Hakin said: "The investigation team have been working tirelessly to ensure that all parties involved in the death of Macaulay are identified and dealt with accordingly.

"This most recent arrest and charge of a man for the murder of Macaulay is seen as a significant milestone in this particular case."

Claire Mercer is calling for National Highways to face corporate manslaughter charges.

Sir Edward Leigh says places like Lincolnshire have "done our bit for migration from eastern Europe".

Fire crews say three barbeques found on Marsden Moor at the weekend were "potentially devastating".

Richard Madden
BBC Radio Humberside

A series of 15ft (4.6m) magic wands belonging to characters from the Harry Potter series have appeared in Hull city centre as part of a new light and sound installation.

The 'Wizarding World Wands' are in Hull before heading to four other locations across the UK after a public vote to celebrate the release of the latest Fantastic Beasts movie.

Each of the nine wands will be illuminated at night, performing a light show which is being set to music from the film series.

Helen Thackery, from Hull City Council, says: "The detail on wands is incredible during the day and when they light up the buildings on a night it will be a really magical experience for everyone who comes to see it."

A pub near Elland Road has been temporarily renamed in honour of former manager Marcelo Bielsa.

Image source, Ossett Brewery

The Old Peacock, which is opposite the stadium, will be called ‘The Bielsa’ until the end of the football season in May.

Marcelo Bielsa won promotion with Leeds in 2020 and was sacked as the club’s head coach on Sunday.

Jamie Lawson, co-owner of Ossett Brewery, said: “We were very sad to see Marcelo Bielsa exit the club last weekend and we felt it was right that we rename The Old Peacock for the rest of the season as a tribute to his great achievements in bringing the club back to life for all Leeds fans across the world."

As Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, a peace vigil is to take place at Bradford Cathedral with faith and civic leaders.

Image source, Reuters

The Rt Rev Toby Howarth, Bishop of Bradford, said: "This is an event that is open to anybody and everybody and we'd love to see as many people as possible there and it's also possible to watch it online if you want to do that

"We gather, with members of the Ukrainian community in Bradford, to pray for peace in Ukraine."

The vigil begins at 18:00 on Wednesday. The service will also be streamed on YouTube, external.

Image source, Bradford Cathedral

The RFL and Super League will recommend clubs vote to realign the two bodies at a meeting later in March.

Two properties in Leeds were damaged by shotgun blasts in targeted attacks, police say.

Image source, Google

A group of males armed with weapons damaged a house on Bismarck Street and a car parked nearby on Tuesday night, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Police then received information a group had damaged and started a fire at a house in Town Street.

Offices said damage had also been caused to that house the day before by a shotgun.

Det Ch Insp Sharron Kaye, of West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team said they were treating the incidents as "linked attacks."

She said extra patrols were being stepped up to reassure the community and urged anyone with information to contact them.

Pupils from schools in York form a half-mile-long line stretching across the city centre

Health bosses are looking to close nuclear medicine services in Grantham.

BBC Radio York

Thousands of school pupils have formed a human chain across York today.

The "prayer for peace" in Ukraine stretched from York Minster to the Bar Convent, a distance of more than 1km (0.7m).

Image source, Google

The children linked arms and carried blue and yellow ribbons to symbolise the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

Sally Lynam, assistant head teacher from All Saints Roman Catholic School in York told BBC Radio York: "One of our young ladies in Year 10 contacted the head of Key Stage 4 and said as a Christian school we have a responsibility to do something here and she is of course absolutely right.

"We will be doing practical things in school as well, to raise money for charities, but we do also feel like we have an obligation, as a Christian school, to stand up for justice."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

An unauthorised mural painted on the side of an 18th Century building which faced being removed has been given a reprieve after attracting more than 3,000 signatures of support.

Image source, Google

The mural in Richmond, North Yorkshire, features a sheepdog looking over a dry stone wall alongside six sheep in a meadow and a signpost to several local landmarks.

It was commissioned in 2019 by Christine Swift who owns the Georgian York House Antiques shop in the town.

Council officers said the mural damages the appearance of the the Grade II-listed building and had recommended the council refuse retrospective planning permission.

However, 3,100 people signed a petition urging the authority to keep the 16ft (5m) by 5ft (1.5m) art work.

On Tuesday, Ms Swift told Richmondshire District Council her store was "a true destination shop, one they should be proud of" and the mural had made a "very dull entrance" into the town centre more welcoming."

Responding to criticism the artwork didn't relate to Richmond, artist Jackie Stubbs explained how key sheepskin dealers had been to the town’s development in becoming an important centre for the wool trade.

Richmond councillors said while Richmond’s heritage needed to be preserved, the town’s buildings and businesses needed to be given leeway to adapt sensitively to the future.

They said the mural was clearly in the public interest, emphasising how much joy it had brought since it was painted nearly three years ago.

Firefighters have issued a warning against lighting barbecues on moorland after dealing with three "potentially devastating" fires on Marsden Moor near Huddersfield at the weekend.

Image source, West Yorkshire Fire Service

Barbecues and fires are banned on the moors all year round to protect the landscape, with anyone breaching the ban liable to face a fine of up to £2,000.

A man who started a mile-long blaze on Marsden Moor in April 2021 was jailed for 12 months.

More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze after Viktor Riedly lit a firecracker at Black Moss Reservoir.

West Yorkshire Fire Service issued the latest warning after crews from Slaithwaite attended barbecue fires next to moorland on Mount Road, Marsden, on New Hey Road in Scammonden, and at Brun Clough car park on Sunday 27 February.

Wildfire lead officer Richard Hawley said; "We want to stress the seriousness of the public spaces protection orders in place in rural districts across the region, which include a ban on moorland fires, barbecues or fireworks."

National Trust area ranger for Marsden Moor, Ian Dowson, said "It’s frustrating barbecues are being used on the moors again this spring.

"Especially after the fire last April caused so much damage to wildlife and precious peat habitat."