Yorkshire: Latest news and coronavirus updates

Yorkshire: Latest news and coronavirus updates

Coronavirus outbreak hits prison staff and inmates

Tier 3 postponed ahead of national lockdown

Shot man found in critical condition

Car driver seriously injured after 'fail to stop'

River searches after woman falls from bridge

Ex-soldier facing amputation completes Poppy run

Woman struck by bin lorry suffers head injuries

Leeds station to close for engineering works

Swindon Town 2-1 Hull City

'Collaborative effort' needed to help gay players

Hundreds take advantage of York e-scooter trial

Local Democracy Reporting Service

About 1,000 trips have been taken by electric scooter in York in the first week of a year-long trial of electric scooters in the city.

Tier

The scheme was agreed last month by City of York Council as a way to give people "more environmentally friendly travel options".

The vehicles can be ridden on roads and cycle paths - but not on pavements - with rental hubs being set up at York Hospital and the University of York.

People hiring the scooters pay £1 to unlock the vehicle and 15p per minute travelled.

Fred Jones, from the company behind the scheme, said: “We are delighted with the positive response to e-scooters in York and our priority remains ensuring this new mode of transport is deployed safely and with care.

“Feedback from the public has helped us to correct any early issues swiftly, such as changing where e-scooters can be ridden and adjusting e-scooter lights.”

Two people were banned in the first seven days of the scheme for riding irresponsibly, it's been confirmed.

Tier 2: What are the new restrictions from Saturday?

With Hull, East Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire going into tier two - "high alert" coronavirus restrictions at the weekend, what does that mean for people living there?

It means that from 00:01 on Saturday, socialising between households in any indoor setting, including homes, pubs and restaurants, will be banned.

People are only allowed to mix indoors with their own households or support bubbles.

In other words, you can't go into your friend or relative's house - and you can't arrange to go for a drink or meal indoors with someone you don't live with.

This also applies if you travel outside of the affected areas.

Schools and workplaces are not affected.

BBC

One-parent children hospital visits 'heartbreaking'

Restricting visits to sick children in hospital to one parent is "heartbreaking" say those campaigning for the policy to be changed.

Charlotte Taylor

NHS hospitals in areas of higher coronavirus cases have restrictions in place, with some allowing only one parent to visit a child at any time.

But nearly 85,000 signatures have been garnered on a petition calling for both parents to be allowed visiting rights.

Anna Nham, from Sheffield, set up the petition last month after her eight-month-old premature baby son was admitted into a local hospital and then transferred to Leeds for treatment.

She said the visiting policy was confusing as every ward at the Leeds Children's Hospital had different rules, but nearly all meant only the same parent could visit or stay at any time.

Mrs Nham said it had been "torture" for her husband, William, and was "simply heartbreaking".

Charlotte Taylor (pictured above), 32, who lives near Bradford, said she, too, was the only parent allowed access to her five-month-old baby daughter Sophia at Leeds General Infirmary.

"It's just awful. There are no words to describe how it feels. I was there on my own dealing with it all," she said.

Leeds General Infirmary said its visiting policy was the "right approach to protect vulnerable babies, families and staff at the beginning of the pandemic".

NHS England said restrictions were at the discretion of the hospital trusts.

York bridge reopens as search goes on for woman in river

Lendal Bridge in York has now re-opened to traffic after it was closed earlier while emergency crews searched the River Ouse for a woman believed to have gone into the water there.

BBC

The woman is thought to have gone into the river at about 12:10 and the York Rescue Boat and Yorkshire Air Ambulance were both called in to help look for her.

Searches are continuing along the bank of the River Ouse and the underwater search unit is conducting investigations, according to North Yorkshire Police.

Officers are still trying to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, police add.

Anyone who saw a woman going into the river from Lendal Bridge is being asked to contact the North Yorkshire force.

'Too many people ignoring restrictions' - Health boss

Doncaster's director of public health has urged people to go "above and beyond the tier three restrictions" after warning some are ignoring the rules.

PA Media

Dr Rupert Suckling says "too many people" are still gathering together in the town despite a ban on household mixing.

His warning comes as the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 in South Yorkshire reaches 700.

Dr Suckling says the infection rate in the seven days to 23 October was 530 cases per 100,000 people.

"It's clear to me that too many people in Doncaster are still meeting up and not following the guidance to keep our distance, to wear face coverings and to wash our hands," he says.

"The infection is spreading very quickly we will need to stop it. If we do not put the fire out now, it will continue to flare up and continue burning.

"So I'm asking you all to go above and beyond the tier three restrictions to help keep everyone in the borough safe."

Lollipop lady celebrates 45 years on patrol

A school crossing lady who has helped three generations of children in North Yorkshire across the road is celebrating her 45th year of service.

North Yorkshire County Council

Mary Fisher, 85, has been helping pupils at Summerbridge Primary School since 1975.

She said: "One of the best parts of the job is that everyone recognises you – everyone always waves at me.

“I love being outside and active as well. I have to be out and about rather than sat inside. Not a day goes by where I think I don’t want to get up today and do it."

Ministers striving to avoid blanket rules - Raab

Tier 3: What are new rules for people in West Yorkshire?

As we now know, West Yorkshire will be moved into the highest tier of the coronavirus alert level - tier three - from 00:01 on Monday.

What does that actually mean?

This means people living in West Yorkshire will not be allowed to meet socially with anybody who is not part of their household, or support bubble, indoors.

People cannot meet in private or pub gardens, but can meet in parks, beaches, countryside or forests, as long as they are not in a group of more than six.

Pubs and bars must close unless they are serving substantial meals. Alcohol can only be served as part of a meal.

People are being advised not to travel into or out of tier three areas, other than for work, education, youth services or because of caring responsibilities.

Extra measures for tier three areas can be introduced, following discussions between central and local government.

The restrictions will be reviewed again within a maximum of 28 days.

BBC

Tree crash victims found several hours after collision

Two women were pronounced dead at the scene of a crash near Leeds after being discovered in a vehicle which is thought to have hit a tree several hours earlier, police say.

Google

The crash, on Carr Lane in Thorner, is believed to have happened at about 01:00 on Thursday morning, but wasn't discovered until some hours later.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Officers were called at 07:35 by the ambulance service to attend the incident in which a black Renault Clio had been in collision with a tree.

"Despite medical attention, two 30-year-old women died at the scene."

Det Insp Paul Conroy said: "I would like to appeal to anyone who was in the area yesterday morning from around 01:00 and who saw the vehicle to come forward and speak to us.

"We understand the vehicle was last seen at approximately 00:50 hours on Wyke Ridge Lane, travelling away from Leeds."

Anyone who saw what happened, or who has dashcam footage from around the time of the incident, is being asked to contact police.