BBC Travel

We're getting reports of an accident on Oak Road in Cowthorpe near the Tockwith Road junction.  Expect some delays in the area.

BBC Radio York

Paramedics across North Yorkshire are struggling to reach the most seriously ill people quickly enough because of long waits in transferring patients into the care of hospital staff.

Handover delay times at Scarborough, York and Harrogate hospitals have more than doubled over the past three years, according to a BBC investigation.

The total number of "wasted hours" for 2015-16 at hospitals across our county is almost 8,000.

A spokesperson for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: "It's well documented Scarborough Hospital was exceptionally busy for an extended period last winter, with high rates of attendances in the Emergency Department. 

"The hospital experienced a high level of norovirus for many weeks which resulted in beds being lost due to the closure of wards in order to stop the spread. This demand on services meant that some patients experienced a delay."

"Year on year, there's been an increase in attendances at A&E and patients needing admission to hospital. We work closely with partners including Yorkshire Ambulance Service, primary care, social care and our commissioners to reduce delays across all parts of the system."

BBC Sport

York City are set to sign veteran striker Jon Parkin on loan from Newport County with a view to a permanent move.

Image source, Getty Images

Boss Gary Mills confirmed Parkin's return to the club after last night's 1-1 draw with fellow National League strugglers Guiseley at Bootham Crescent.

The Minstermen have yet to chalk up a victory under Mills, but had chances to go ahead in the first half through Aidan Connolly, who was making his return from injury.   

The draw extends City's run without a win to 17 matches.

BBC Travel

A couple of sets of roadworks are currently causing problems for motorists in North Yorkshire:

• There's queuing traffic and delays on the A64 in both directions between Barton Hill Crossroads in Harton and the Barnygate Lane junction in High Hutton due to roadworks
• There are also delays near the roadworks on the A59 Roman Road in both directions in Upper Poppleton between the Newlands Lane junction and the Marston Lane junction

Nathan Turvey
BBC Radio York News

The top stories from the York newsroom so far this morning include:     

• A BBC investigation finds a big increase in the amount of hours ambulance crews are wasting queuing outside hospitals in North Yorkshire to transfer patients into A&E
• An investigation continues after a 31-year-old man shot by police in Hull yesterday dies in hospital
• Services at York's St Leonard's Hospice are rated "outstanding" by the health watchdog the Care Quality Commission

BBC Weather

After a cold start it'll be a dry day in North Yorkshire, but with more cloud than of late. 

Some good spells of sunshine are likely to develop by the afternoon, though, and it'll become breezier.  

BBC Travel

It seems to be generally trouble-free in most places on North Yorkshire's roads this morning, but the roads are slippy so take care.

You'll also need to allow a few minutes extra to de-ice your vehicle.

There are no major problems on the trains either at the moment, it seems. 

However, the 07:08 to Newcastle is currently delayed by about 33 minutes.

Here's the live departure board at York Railway Station, external so you can keep a check on things. 

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

I'll be with you until 14:30 with all the latest news, travel, sport and weather from across North Yorkshire.   

It's another frosty start to the day for us, following a clear, crispy, evening.

The benefit of the colder weather is that we get sent lots of pictures of glorious skies and sunsets, like this one of Osmotherley from BBC Weather Watcher Seamus Breen:

A former boarding school teacher who sexually abused teenage pupils at two schools is jailed for 12 years.

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

That's it for me today, but updates will continue throughout the afternoon and evening.

Meanwhile, here are five things we've learned about our county so far today:

1. Plans to ask obese people in the Vale of York to lose weight and smokers to quit or face delays to routine operations have been approved by NHS England
2. An investigation is under way after a man was left seriously injured following an attack by a group of people in York
3. Visitors to North Yorkshire's rural beauty spots are being warned to take extra care when leaving their vehicles after three cars were broken into and property stolen last week
4. The hills and valleys of the Yorkshire Dales may be about to sprout more trees if landowners respond to a new initiative by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust
5. There's been a dramatic drop in the number of people swimming in North Yorkshire

We've had a few stunning sunset pics today, so let's squeeze in another.

This golden sun beginning to dip below the horizon in an orange haze at Scarborough was sent in by BBC Weather Watcher Ant. 

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

The people responsible for ensuring fracking is carried out safely are in York today to explain their work.

The process of fracking involves the extraction of shale gas from underground rocks by injecting liquid at high pressure.

Today's event, at York's Merchant Taylors' Hall (pictured), comes six months after Ryedale Council approved an application to frack at a site in Kirby Misperton.

Image source, Google

Representatives from the Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive, Oil and Gas Authority, and Public Health England, will explain how they work together to assess the impact of the oil and gas industry and to ensure any exploration and development is done safely.

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

Plans to ask obese people in the Vale of York to lose weight and smokers to quit or face delays to routine operations have been approved by NHS England and will start in January.   

Under the proposals, Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) will ask patients with a body mass index of at least 30 to lose weight or face a 12-month delay for elective surgery. 

Meanwhile, smokers will be asked to quit for two months or face a six-month postponement.

Doctor Shaun O'Connell, clinical lead for the CCG, explains the thinking behind the measures:

YorkMix

Gigs by Al Goodwin and Dave Freeny - aka Rough Mix - were sell outs, labels were chasing them and they got a double-page spread in International Musician and Recording World.

They were tipped for great success. What could possibly go wrong?, external

Image source, Al Goodwin

BBC Weather Watchers

Our BBC Weather Watchers were quick to snap the ice, mist and frost across the county today.

The swirl of early morning mist over Brandsby and Crayke came from Weather Watcher Davester.

From left to right across the bottom: Woody captured a frosty start in Wheldrake, Burtersett Brian snapped the frost in Hawes and Pram sent in the pic of a pooch and early morning sun in York. 

Abbie Dewhurst
Weather Presenter, BBC Look North

It'll be a dry but cold afternoon. 

Cloud will build a little in the north through the afternoon, remaining sunny elsewhere. 

The top temperature will be about 4C (39F). 

The top stories from our York newsroom this lunchtime include:

• Health bosses approve plans in York to delay routine surgery for smokers and obese people
• An investigation is under way after a man was left seriously injured following an attack by a group of people in York
• Visitors to North Yorkshire's rural beauty spots are being warned to take extra care when leaving their vehicles after three cars were broken into and property stolen last week

A man in his 20s was knocked to the ground and punched and kicked into unconsciousness, external in York city centre.

The victim was attacked by four males who were part of a group of males and females on the riverside walk near Rowntree Park between 20:00 and 20:30 on Tuesday 22 November.

One is described as being about 18-years-old, of a stocky build, wearing a blue hooded top with the hood up.

Anyone with information or who witnessed the assault is being asked to contact police.

Moving Christmas cards sent from the trenches of World War One to families across Yorkshire and the entire country are being given the 21st century treatment by York Castle Museum:

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

Politeness costs nothing...

What a diplomatic way with the written word the members of this Yorkshire Ambulance crew have:

The second part of a documentary following workers at Kellingley Colliery in North Yorkshire, the last deep coal mine in Britain, as it prepared to close in December 2015 was broadcast last night.

Kellingley stopped production in December 2015 with the loss of 450 jobs.

Known locally as the Big K, it was the largest deep pit in Europe and was hailed as the new generation of coal mining when production started there in 1965.

As part of the programme, Kellingley miners Sheldon, Jonesy and Kev reflected on what could have been on the last day of the mine: