Mike Kemp
Reporter, BBC Radio York

A new £17m leisure village looks on course to open in Scarborough within the next six months. 

Work on the development, which includes a 2,000-seat community stadium, is due to be completed by early summer. 

Derek Bastiman, Conservative leader of Scarborough Borough Council, says it's a real boost to the resort:

The new community stadium, which will be home to Scarborough Athletic Football Club, is just mud at the moment, with diggers piling earth in one corner but the shape is there.

The development will also include a sports hall with room for four tennis courts, a large fitness suite, a multi-use games area and an eight-lane, 25m swimming pool.

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

Businesses hit by flooding in Tadcaster last winter say they're struggling to get insurance cover. 

They want a national government scheme that helps homeowners in flood risk areas get policies to be extended to include businesses.

Dr Andrew Inglis, from the town's medical centre which flooded, says their insurance policy runs out in one week and so far he hasn't been able to get cover:

Abbie Dewhurst
Weather Presenter, BBC Look North

The day starts off brightly, but cloud will increase from the west later in the day.

Watch my full forecast here:

BBC Radio York

The top stories from the York newsroom this morning include:    

• There are calls for more help for North Yorkshire businesses to get insurance in flood-risk areas
• A school bus driver whose vehicle became stranded in floodwater with 23 pupils on board had ignored two "road closed" signs, a court hears
• Eight people are arrested in North Yorkshire during a police crackdown on cross-border crime

BBC Weather

After some early brightness cloud will increase from the west, where extensive fog and drizzly rain will develop over the Pennines.

BBC Travel

Travel across the county is off to a good start this morning.

The roads are running freely and there are no delays posted on the trains.

Here's the liive departure board at York Railway Station, external for you to keep a check on things.

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

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

What a great pic we've got to start the day with.

BBC Weather Watcher Paul W sent us this many-layered pic of the sun setting through swirls of mist along the edge of the Vale of Pickering. 

It seems especially apt given today is the 64th anniversary of the end of the famous Great Smog of 1952, which is where London got its nickname the "Big Smoke". 

The Great Smog lasted four days but, eventually, on 9 December the sun finally broke through. 

Your pictures are always welcome. You can send them in via Twitter, external, Facebook, external or email. 

A school bus driver whose vehicle became stranded in floodwater with 23 pupils on board ignored two "road closed" signs, a court hears.

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

That's it from me today, but you can keep across updates from North Yorkshire through the rest of the afternoon and evening right here.

Meanwhile, here are five things we've learned today:

• A huge sinkhole in Ripon has been filled with 50 tonnes of concrete a month after it opened up on Magadalen's Road in the city
• A voluntary 12-month ban on smoking in some playgrounds in North Yorkshire has come into force in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough
• Part of York's city walls, which were closed last week due to fears of subsidence, are due to be reopened on Saturday
• Volunteers in Scarborough have sent 9,000 Christmas boxes to children in Belarus
• Northallerton has been hit by snow today, but thankfully, it's falling behind glass

I'll leave you with this BBC Weather Watcher pic sent in by Gary Gimmick. 

It's a very artistic shot of the weather which suggests to me he thinks the weather is a "pane"

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

Panto season officially starts in York tonight - oh yes it does! - with York Theatre Royal's production of Cinderella.

But this year the show is without actor and BBC Radio York presenter Martin Barrass, as he continues to recover from a serious motorbike crash earlier this year. 

Martin was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary after the accident, which happened near Skipton.

He had an operation to stop internal bleeding around his liver, suffered a collapsed lung and was put in an induced coma for five days to improve his chances.

Martin has since made what's been described as a "remarkable" recovery and is hoping to back on stage in February, playing the Lord Mayor of Hull in a production about the Civil War called The Hypocrite.

He also fully intends to be back with panto dame Berwick Kaler in next year's Theatre Royal pantomime.

You'll be able to listen to an interview with Martin here tomorrow, so watch this space...

Paul Hudson
Weather presenter, BBC Look North

This afternoon will be rather cloudy with a risk of some patch rain for a time.

There'll be brighter spells too with a top temperature of about 13C (55F).

YorkMix

Santa Claus is coming to town, but this one might not be as jolly as all those Christmas cards have led you to expect, external.

This Santa has swapped his "ho ho ho" for a harrumph, his plush red suit for mucky brown cords and his happy helpers for some distinctly miserable elves.

Image source, Yorkmix

Nathan Turvey
BBC Radio York News

It's hoped that more of the people still unable to return to their homes following the appearance of a huge sinkhole in Ripon could be back in their properties by the end of the week. 

Work is under way today on capping the hole with 50 tonnes of concrete, after it opened up in Magdalen's Road a month ago. 

Yorkshire Water has also been working on repairing a sewer damaged when the hole appeared. 

Alan Millburn, senior engineer at the site, says once work to repair the sewer is completed, people living in properties not affected by the sinkhole should be able to move back home by the end of the week:

It's not such good news for people living in the properties directly affected, though. We're told they won't be able to return home until February or March. 

BBC Radio York

The top stories from our York newsroom this lunchtime include:

• It's looking like more of the residents affected by the huge sinkhole in Ripon could be back in their homes in time for Christmas
• North Yorkshire Police receives a rating of "good" from the police watchdog for keeping people safe and reducing crime
• A trial ban on smoking has been launched in three playgrounds in North Yorkshire and could be rolled out in other places if it proves a success

Mike Kemp
Reporter, BBC Radio York

Thousands of shoeboxes filled with toys are about to leave Scarborough for children in eastern Europe.

Volunteers and "Community Payback" offenders in the town have loaded up 9,000 Christmas boxes which are being sent to Belarus. Community Payback involves teams of offenders on unpaid work orders supporting community projects.

Here's a short film of some of the volunteers taking part in the project:

The Operation Christmas Child appeal encourages people to fill boxes with items such as soft toys, games, crayons, hats, scarves and sweets for youngsters who might not otherwise get any presents. 

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

North Yorkshire's police force has received a rating of "good" for keeping people safe and reducing crime, external.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, the police watchdog, which carried out the inspection, also says the force is good at treating people with "fairness and respect".

The force has also been praised for "seeking and acting on feedback from the public".

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Assistant Chief Constable Lisa Winward (pictured) says the "good" rating "reflects the professionalism within North Yorkshire Police and the high level of service we provide to our communities".

"It is very pleasing the report confirms that we treat the people we serve with fairness and respect, and that our officers and staff behave ethically and lawfully," she adds.

Joanita Musisi
Reporter, BBC Radio York

Northallerton has been hit by snow today but, thankfully, it's falling behind glass.

Twenty shops in the town are taking part in a snowflake-themed, best-dressed window competition, raising money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. 

Here are  pics of a few of the displays - Chapterz Hairdressers (top) Natural Knitters (bottom left) and Lewis and Cooper.

Joanita Musisi
Reporter, BBC Radio York

I'm in Ripon at the site of a huge sinkhole which opened up behind houses on Magadalen's Road a month ago.

Today the hole is being filled with 50 tonnes of concrete.

Work started about an hour ago and one lorry load has gone in already with a second wagon standing by.

The hole should be full of concrete by the end of the day.

Here's the process in action:

Part of York's city walls, which were closed last week due to fears of subsidence, are due to be reopened on Saturday, City of York Council has confirmed, external.

Image source, YorkMix

A "detailed inspection" of the walls between Fishergate Postern Tower and Fishergate Bar Tower 39 has been carried out by a team of specialists, the council says.

Evidence of continuing movement in the roof arch and in the stone walls of Tower 39 has been found, so extra support to the roof will be provided and any movement monitored.

A detailed scheme for repair and restoration of Tower 39 will be drawn up in the new year, the council adds.

A spokesman says: "We don't like restricting access to the city walls, but our first priority is safety."

The Press

Pupils are aiming for the Christmas number one slot this year after releasing an album to support lifesaving heroes, external.

Children from Manor Church of England Academy, in Nether Poppleton, decided to pen the six-song festive collection to fundraise for the Air Ambulance after they helped one of their friends when he fell 15ft in the autumn.

Image source, The press