Local and National News

An emotional moment at the Derian House Children’s Hospice charity ball saw the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen purchase a painting created by 22-year-old Francesca McCaigue and return it to her grieving family.

The Government has approved the massive Green Hill Solar Farm development despite objections over the loss of agricultural land, its impact on wildlife and the surrounding countryside.

Hundreds of police officers carried out 20 warrants during a major operation targeting suspected serious criminal activity, resulting in 20 arrests and nine people facing a combined 49 charges.

Inspectors have highlighted strong relationships with young people, excellent education support and positive progress in reducing reoffending, although Calderdale's Youth Justice Service has been rated as requiring improvement.

A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after deliberately ramming a police vehicle with two officers inside, causing more than £6,000 worth of damage.

Hounslow Council has fallen into no overall control after Labour suspended councillor Gurbachan Singh Athwal following a fraud charge linked to his former role at a major Sikh charity in Southall.

Manchester City Council is offering grants of up to £400 to help community groups organise local events marking Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.

A major redevelopment at Keighley Association for Women and Children’s Centre has created new facilities to support more women, children and families, including a dedicated skills hub and improved accessibility.

A 33-year-old man from Leeds has been sentenced to 19 years in prison after being convicted of serious sexual offences, coercive and controlling behaviour, and admitting stalking.

A 24-year-old man from Bletchley has been convicted of a series of terrorism offences, including membership of the proscribed terrorist organisation Daesh.

More than 130 workers at Leeds Bradford Airport are set to take strike action later this month in a dispute over pay, although the airport says it currently expects near-normal operations.

Young people from across the Bradford District will take part in a morning of cooking and learning at Darley Street Market as part of World Food Day 2026.

Four men have been charged with a number of offences following a series of police warrants carried out in Rochdale.

A 33-year-old Oxford man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after being convicted of a series of serious and violent offences against a woman.

The first phase of major improvements to Brighouse town centre has been completed, with work already under way on the next stage of the regeneration programme.

Leeds, Wakefield and Kirklees councils have launched new lane rental schemes aimed at reducing disruption caused by roadworks on some of their busiest routes.

Two men in their 20s have been taken to hospital after being stabbed during an altercation in central London.

Work is getting under way on a new railway station in Cheadle, more than 100 years after the Greater Manchester village lost its original station.

Police have seized hundreds of tablets after stopping a man they said was acting suspiciously in an area of Halifax town centre known for drug-related activity.

A Bradford teaching assistant has been jailed for 16 months after admitting offences involving a teenage girl he was responsible for supporting.

Londoners are being asked for their views on plans for a new 18.5km Overground route between Hendon and Hounslow which could support 25,000 new homes and thousands of jobs.

Police are warning residents, particularly students and young adults, about a growing trend in which criminals offer people money to receive parcels that could contain drugs, weapons or stolen property.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is proposing an investment of more than half a million pounds to speed up the removal of dumped waste and strengthen enforcement against fly-tipping.

West Yorkshire Police recorded 1,559 anti-social behaviour incidents involving fireworks over a 12-month period, while figures show just 10 arrests were made for fireworks offences.

A 12-year-old Milton Keynes boy who decided to take a Mensa test after being called “dumb” by another pupil has qualified for membership of the international high-IQ society.

Police have seized around £6,000 worth of suspected drugs after plain-clothed officers investigating what they initially thought could be a robbery interrupted a suspected drug deal in Manchester city centre.

Residents in Mixenden and parts of Illingworth are being asked to help decide priorities for £20 million of Government investment due to be spent in the area over the next decade.

A neglected former allotment site in Girlington is being transformed into a new community park featuring growing spaces, play equipment, exercise facilities and areas designed to support wildlife.

Three men have been jailed for a combined 25 years for their roles in an organised crime operation believed to have exported around 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China.

Plans to transform Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens have been approved, paving the way for major works to begin in November and create a greener, safer and more family-friendly city centre space.

Four Keighley town centre shops will be able to continue selling alcohol until February while they appeal decisions to revoke their licences following concerns over illegal goods and alleged criminal activity.

Campaigners and local councillors have raised concerns over proposed changes to night-time flying restrictions at Leeds Bradford Airport, while the airport says its plans would maintain existing noise limits.

Two men have been arrested after a 52-year-old man died following an alleged assault in Rochdale town centre in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Leeds city centre is set for a festive transformation this November, with a revamped Christmas market showcasing Yorkshire traders alongside the return of Ice Cube at Christmas.

A Barnsley man has been jailed after a shop worker was stabbed more than 20 times during a robbery in which around £50 was stolen.

A Bradford man has been jailed after driving while under the influence of nitrous oxide and crashing into multiple vehicles on Halifax Road, leaving a woman seriously injured.

Three men have been charged after police recovered around 500kg of ketamine in Upton, Pontefract, in what is believed to be the UK’s second-largest single seizure of the drug.

Police have seized a Volkswagen after officers say it was spotted weaving through traffic and accelerating aggressively on Senior Way in Bradford city centre.

Detectives are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man was found with serious injuries near the Pagoda in Manchester’s Chinatown in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police say a man has died following an emergency services response on Midsummer Boulevard in Central Milton Keynes, with his death being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses and dash-cam footage after a man in his twenties reported being raped in an alleyway in Slough.

A convicted drug dealer who sold Class A drugs to undercover police officers, including from a private hire office at Keighley railway station, has been ordered to repay £170,000.

A West Yorkshire Police staff member has been given an extended six-year custodial sentence after being convicted of a series of child sex offences and other online offending.

Cyclists will be required to walk their bikes through parts of Leeds city centre during the day, while new restrictions on street traders will also be introduced under plans designed to improve pedestrian safety.

A £9.7 million Government award will fund an extension of Bradford’s heat network, with 255 homes, a hospital and seven schools and colleges expected to benefit.

Sukhdev Singh has been returned to prison after failing to pay a confiscation order imposed following his conviction for defrauding a vulnerable Harrogate man.

The Bradford-based housing association has received accreditation recognising its work to ensure LGBTQ+ residents feel heard, respected and supported in their homes and communities.

West Yorkshire Police is warning people, particularly students and those who may be financially vulnerable, not to accept parcels on behalf of strangers in return for cash.

Tributes have been paid to Peter Kara, a former Buckinghamshire High Sheriff and long-serving Milton Keynes Community Foundation trustee, following his death.

A Sowerby Bridge construction company has been fined £300,000 after a 24-year-old labourer fell through an unprotected stairwell opening onto concrete.

Thirty-eight young musicians from across the Bradford district have returned from a successful six-day concert tour of Germany's Harz Mountains.

A 50-year-old man is due to appear in court charged with six counts of causing death by dangerous driving following a collision on the A61 between Barnsley and Wakefield in 2024.

A councillor is calling for a new bus service across western Milton Keynes, arguing public transport needs to keep pace with significant housing growth.

Plans to restrict a popular West London cut-through using ANPR cameras have sparked opposition from Hounslow Council amid concerns traffic could be pushed onto surrounding roads.

Eight men have appeared before magistrates in Bradford facing dozens of charges linked to alleged illegal animal fighting, with the case now being sent to the Crown Court.

A man who fled the country after being linked to a major Class A drugs conspiracy has been jailed for 14 years following an investigation by specialist West Yorkshire Police detectives.

Stockport Council says culture will play a central role in the town’s regeneration as major transformation projects continue across the borough.

A new exhibition showcasing contemporary South Asian artists is opening at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford.

A new programme aimed at improving men’s mental health and wellbeing has been launched in Blackburn with Darwen.

A former teacher has been charged with a number of alleged child sexual offences dating back to the 1990s in the Wakefield district.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is calling for tougher penalties for fly-tipping after court fines were found to be lower than the council’s own enforcement penalties.

A man who sexually exploited a vulnerable teenage girl in Stockport has been jailed after being convicted of rape and sexual assault.

Milton Keynes’ popular free Midsummer Festival will return this summer, bringing live music, entertainment and family activities to Campbell Park.

Leeds City Council has outlined plans for a major year of investment and development, with several large regeneration, transport and housing projects expected to move into delivery.

Detectives investigating the murder of Suhail Choudry in Keighley have made further arrests as enquiries continue into the fatal assault in February.

Calderdale Council is considering new enforcement powers to tackle poor housing standards and improve animal welfare, with proposals due to be discussed by Cabinet next week.

Plans to convert Blackburn’s former St John’s Church into a digital and cyber business hub have taken a major step forward after councillors approved the appointment of a contractor.

Tributes are being paid to one of the country’s oldest hospital radio broadcasters, Patrick Murphy, who has died in Bradford at the age of 95 after more than a decade on air.

Bradford Council’s Executive is being updated on improved financial stability, following a major increase in government funding and progress on long-term recovery plans.

Two Bradford-area nurseries are among 37 Partou settings nationwide to be awarded the prestigious Reputation ‘900 Club’ status, recognising exceptional customer satisfaction and trust.

Three people have been arrested following a stabbing outside Dewsbury bus station which left a 17-year-old boy seriously injured. Police say the incident was targeted and enquiries are continuing.

Public realm improvement works are set to begin on Darley Street in Bradford city centre this week, aiming to better connect key regeneration areas and improve walking and cycling access.

Plans for a new state-of-the-art sports and leisure facility at Squire Lane in Bradford have moved a step closer after the planning application was approved.

Muslim Aid has launched its annual UK Winter Programmes, aiming to support thousands facing homelessness and poverty during the coldest months of the year.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a serious road traffic collision on Canal Road in Bradford during the early hours of Tuesday (30th Dec) morning.

Nearly 3,000 volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association marked 30 years of nationwide New Year clean-ups by clearing litter across more than 75 UK towns and cities.

Police are investigating reports of criminal damage at a takeaway on Saltaire Road in Shipley on New Year’s Day.

Police appeal for information following the death of a man found seriously injured in Burmantofts, Leeds, and the arrest of a 51-year-old on suspicion of murder.

From 27 October, new housing safety rules known as Awaab’s Law come into force — compelling social landlords to fix emergency hazards within 24 hours and protect millions of tenants from dangerous conditions like black mould.

Bradford Council is expanding its successful Housing First programme — inspired by New York and proven in Finland — to offer ten more places, helping more people with complex needs move from homelessness into stable, supported housing.

A major new exhibition, The Last Princesses of Punjab, will open at Kensington Palace on 26 March 2026 to celebrate the 150th birthday of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh — the trailblazing Punjabi royal and suffragette — exploring the lives of the remarkable women who shaped her story.

A celebration of creativity and belonging, The Leap’s SENDIVERSE Festival brought together over 1,700 people across Bradford for a series of inclusive arts and cultural events designed with and for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Police are appealing for information after a man in his 20s was seriously injured in a crash on Crown Point Road, Burnley.

A weapons amnesty in Bradford led to 93 knives and weapons being taken off the streets, contributing to a major drop in youth knife crime.

Leeds has unveiled a £20 billion economic plan aiming to create 100,000 new jobs and boost key sectors including finance, tech, and health.

Bradford Royal Infirmary has renamed the Listening for Life Centre after pioneering ear surgeon Professor Chris Raine MBE, who has restored hearing for hundreds across the North of England.

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust nurse Chloe Taylor has been named a finalist for Neonatal Nurse of the Year, recognising her work supporting families through trauma-informed care.

A new town square has opened in Sowerby Bridge, transforming the former market site into a welcoming space for events, markets and community life.

Following strong opposition to proposed parking changes in Ilkley, Bradford Council has put forward a revised plan that keeps a free one-hour option in parts of the town.

West Yorkshire Police and Wakefield Council are intensifying efforts to crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour through a joint taskforce and new enforcement measures.

Bradford-based Manningham Housing Association has been named a finalist in three categories at the Housing Executive Awards, including Housing Association of the Year.

University of Bradford staff will strike for 10 days from 22 September in protest against planned redundancies, disrupting the start of the new academic year.

Two Bradford Teaching Hospitals teams have been nominated for prestigious HSJ Awards, recognising their innovation in staff wellbeing and patient care.

A Bradford property owner has been ordered to pay over £20,000 after failing to comply with a Planning Enforcement Notice for unauthorised works in a conservation area.

Preparatory work has begun at North Bridge for Halifax’s new £multi-million leisure centre, marking a major step toward delivering modern, inclusive and sustainable facilities for health, wellbeing and community life.

Two community parklets originally installed in Brighouse town centre have been relocated to Rastrick Juniors Football Club and Rastrick Bowling Club, ensuring the spaces continue to benefit local people after being moved to make way for the town’s new market.

West Yorkshire Police have arrested ten men in connection with child sexual abuse offences reported to have occurred in Bradford during the 1990s.

Todmorden Library is fully reopening, with a special event to mark the occasion and celebrate the Victorian history of the building.

Multiple illegal vehicles have been seized in an ongoing operation to reduce dangerous and illegal driving in Dewsbury.

Investigation into two serious incidents in Accrington continues, Lancashire Police want to speak to the three men pictured.

A man has been given a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order as part of ongoing work to tackle crime linked to motorbikes and quad bikes in Leeds.

A woman from Bradford has been sentenced after being found guilty of stabbing her ex-partner.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a burglary at a property in Bradford.

People in Calderdale are being asked to share their thoughts about how they feel connected to their local neighbourhood and the wider Calderdale area

Bradford City Hall is to be lit up in red, white, and blue on Thursday 6 June to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

The new link road on the A629 south of Halifax is now open, as part of work to improve the flow of traffic and make it easier to walk, cycle or take public transport.

one of the nation’s last surviving HMT Empire Windrush passengers and the city’s only remaining Caribbean Second World War serviceman received the Leeds Award in a ceremony at the Civic Hall.

A specialist team working to reduce violent crime has started a New Year by passing a new milestone after making more than 10,000 arrests.

A unique gift exchanged by two former Lord Mayors of Leeds more than 120 years ago could be about to help the city with unprecedented budget challenges.

Fourteen Calderdale Council employees have been recognised for a combined total of over 350 years of service at an event at Halifax Town Hall on Thursday 26 October.

A group of activists who caused £100,000 worth of damage to a service station on the M25 has been sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Friday (27 October)

Police are appealing for witnesses to a collision in Leeds in which a man later died.

A vehicle involved in multiple incidences of fly tipping across West and North Yorkshire has been seized by Bradford Council.

As part of the county-wide crackdown on anti-social behaviour (ASB) Lancashire Constabulary and Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden have announced a further eight areas set to benefit from additional resources to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Lancashire.

Leeds City Council’s Licensing Committee is to embark on a review of vehicle condition standards for hackney and private hire vehicles, following updates to national guidance.

Police have named the man who died after a road traffic collision on Leeds Road in Bradford last week.

Visitors to the stunning Van Gogh Alive UK exhibition in Bradford donated more than £4,000 to Mind in Bradford.

The Bradford Clean Air Zone has been live since September 2022 and is operating to improve air quality in the district by deterring the most polluting vehicles from entering the zone.

Lancashire: A paedophile who abused a young girl has today (Monday, February 6th) been jailed after being found guilty of a string of sexual offences.

Police are continuing to appeal for information to help locate a man who went missing in Leeds eight weeks ago.

Bradford Council arranged for 11 of the traders of the new Darley Street Market, to get a tour of the site, to give them an idea of where they will be trading from once the new market is complete.