Andrew Barton

West Yorkshire Police found firearms and drugs in a blue BMW X5 and a silver Toyota Corolla recovered from an alleyway between Lilycroft Walk and Farfield Terrace in Bradford. The vehicles had reportedly been parked there for several weeks and may have been used in criminal activity. Police are appealing for information from anyone who saw the vehicles or people interacting with them.

Eighty-two-year-old Ilkley resident Valerie Appleton completed an aerobatic wing-walk featuring loops and barrel rolls above East Leeds Airfield to raise money for repairs and maintenance at the Ilkley Musical Theatre Society’s Operatic House. The challenge follows earlier fundraising stunts including an abseil, a zipline, a tandem skydive and a previous wing-walk. Inspired by the 1933 film Flying Down to Rio, Appleton says her adventurous outlook comes from her parents and encourages others to overcome fear and pursue challenges.

West Yorkshire Police have renewed their appeal for information on the 21st anniversary of the death of James Tomlin, who died from smoke inhalation after his Shipley home was deliberately set on fire in 2005. His pregnant fiancée and two sons were rescued. Police hope that changing relationships, new witnesses and advances in forensic science may help identify those responsible.

Bradford Council has formally confirmed the cancellation of the £32.9m Squire Lane sports and leisure centre in Girlington after a cross-party scrutiny review. Rising costs and the need for up to £5m in additional borrowing led council leaders to conclude that the project no longer offered value for money. The cancellation means £20m in government funding must be returned and £5.4m already spent will be written off. Green councillors criticized Conservative and Reform UK members for allowing the decision to proceed without challenging the executive, while Conservative councillor Debbie Davies defended the move and cited escalating costs and the withdrawal of health partners. The council says alternative swimming provision and transport options will be explored.

Rehan Ali, 24, of Bradford, was sentenced to six years in prison after admitting five child sex offences committed between October and November 2024. He befriended girls aged seven and eight online and used Facebook and WhatsApp to engage in sexual communications and attempt to encourage sexual activity. A further target was an online decoy profile operated by a child abuse prevention group. Ali was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the sex offenders register.

Four West Yorkshire motorists—Sarah Hanif, Ajmal Khan, Shahad Aljammoor and Naheed Razaq—received suspended prison sentences after admitting they used the identity of a man who died in 2001 to avoid prosecution for five traffic offences committed between 2020 and 2024. The offences included speeding and a red-light violation in Leeds and on the M1. The sentences ranged from six to 15 months, all suspended for two years, with Hanif also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. West Yorkshire Police said the defendants had wasted police and court resources and had been brought to justice.

John Samuel Kwedi, 21, has been charged with indecent exposure and knowingly or recklessly trespassing on premises with intent to commit a relevant sexual offence following an incident in Bradford’s Bierley area. He appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court, was remanded in custody, and is due to appear at Bradford Crown Court on 8 September.

A portable barbecue started a fire at Wykeham Forest in the North York Moors near Scarborough, damaging about 20m by 20m of trees, bushes and undergrowth. Five fire engines and specialist equipment attended after a passing cyclist raised the alarm, and crews brought the blaze under control. Forestry England said the fire risk remains high despite overnight rain and urged visitors not to use barbecues or light any type of fire, citing risks to communities, businesses, wildlife and emergency services.

Police increased patrols in Sheffield’s Page Hall after two disorder incidents on Monday and Tuesday that officers said were connected. A woman suffered minor injuries in the first incident involving people carrying wooden bats, while two men were seriously injured in a second alleged assault involving metal bars. One man was arrested and released on bail, and temporary Section 60 stop-and-search powers were imposed until Wednesday evening as investigations continued.

South Yorkshire Police issued 30 traffic offence reports after officers attended a car meet involving more than 500 vehicles at Drakehouse Retail Park in Sheffield. Offences included heavily tinted windows and missing number plates. Police seized three vehicles—one for having no insurance and two for dangerous driving—and prohibited two drivers from driving because of their vehicles’ condition. Officers warned that poorly maintained or dangerously modified cars at such events could put lives at risk.

A portable barbecue sparked a fire in Wykeham Forest in the North York Moors National Park near Scarborough. Five fire engines and specialist equipment were deployed after a cyclist reported the blaze, which damaged about 20m by 20m of woodland. Forestry England said the incident, along with evidence of wild camping and discarded glass bottles, highlighted the continuing high fire risk and reiterated that barbecues and fires of any kind are prohibited.

A large grass fire near the M1 on Woodhouse Lane in East Ardsley, West Yorkshire, was extinguished after several hours. Fifteen fire crews attended at the height of the blaze, while nearby residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed because of smoke and to avoid the area. The cause of the fire and whether anyone was injured had not been established.

Former Heartbeat actor Tricia Penrose has become co-owner of The Goathland Hotel in North Yorkshire with two local businessmen. The pub served as the exterior location for the Aidensfield Arms in the long-running ITV drama, in which Penrose played Gina Ward for 18 years. The Richardson family, who ran the hotel for more than four decades, announced the ownership change after navigating the challenges of operating a hospitality business around television filming. Penrose plans to share updates through a YouTube channel and meet supporters at the pub.

An elderly man suffered severe head injuries after being forced off the road and violently assaulted by driver Lee Symonds near Skipton in 2023. Symonds admitted dangerous driving and grievous bodily harm with intent and was jailed for 12 years, banned from driving and required to pass an extended test. The victim’s family described lasting physical and emotional damage, while police praised their resilience and the witnesses who intervened.