Daisy Couture

Tong Street Post Office in Bradford reopened in July after being closed for nine months, though Post Office Limited has only attributed the closure to operational reasons. Labour MP Judith Cummins welcomed the reopening and said the branch is a vital community lifeline. Green councillor Matt Edwards criticized the Post Office for leaving residents uninformed and excluding local councillors from the reopening ceremony. The Post Office said it had considered a temporary or mobile service but could not find a suitable operating location. New postmaster Rizwa Patel said residents, particularly older people and families, were pleased to regain convenient access to mailing and parcel services.

Armed West Yorkshire Police officers conducted warrants at properties on Westfield Drive, Nearcliffe Road, Jesmond Avenue and Hartman Place in Bradford’s BD9 area during the early hours of 18 August. Police said the raids were part of an ongoing operation but provided no further details.

Two women aged 87 and 59 suffered serious injuries after being struck in a road traffic collision on High Street in Queensbury, Bradford. Both pedestrians were taken to hospital, and West Yorkshire Police attended after being called by ambulance services. A white Nissan car remained inside a police cordon while officers gathered evidence and diverted traffic.

Police in Keighley seized a Mitsubishi L200 parked on Sun Street after noticing that its front number plate was missing. Checks found the vehicle insecure and displaying false plates, while its VIN identified it as an outstanding stolen vehicle from the Todmorden area. West Yorkshire Police recovered the vehicle.

A fundraiser has been launched for five-year-old Forrest Domanski of Thornton, who was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy last year and now uses a wheelchair as his mobility declines. His family hopes to raise money for treatment, mobility aids and positive experiences, while describing the emotional impact of his progressive condition. DMD has no current cure, although treatments include steroids, gene therapy and physiotherapy.

Adam's Building Construction Ltd and its director, Mohammed Adam Azhar, were fined after construction work on a Bradford home extension covered existing gas pipework and left a boiler flue terminating inside the new extension. The defect created risks of gas leaks, fire, explosion and carbon monoxide poisoning for a mother and her two children. Bradford Council identified the problem during an inspection, and Northern Gas Networks deemed the installation immediately dangerous, disconnecting the gas supply for several weeks; repairs cost the residents about £4,000. The Health and Safety Executive said the company had ignored repeated warnings, failed to prepare required construction-phase plans and did not comply with an improvement notice. The company was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £4,263 in costs, while Azhar was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay a £400 surcharge. Despite pleading guilty, Azhar claimed the company was not at fault.

Residents in Keighley say bins have gone uncollected for up to 10 weeks, causing overflowing rubbish, foul smells and blocked pavements on East Avenue near Thorpe Street. A local resident says the conditions prevent them from opening windows or allowing children with asthma and eczema to play outside, while Muhammadi Masjid trustee Shohab Ali reports impacts on worshippers and wheelchair users. Councillor Vaz Shabir blames staffing changes and repeated council explanations, including hot weather and staff shortages. Bradford Council says only a small number of residents are affected and attributes pressure on collections to increased waste volumes, roadworks, traffic, vehicle breakdowns, access problems and staff absence. The collection point is due to be moved across the street, but the change has not yet taken effect.

Wyke Cinema Day has been cancelled indefinitely after Bradford Council accidentally double-booked Wyke Community Sports Village for the free outdoor cinema event and a national cycling competition. Organiser Big TV says the cancellation has cost it about £7,000 and disappointed local families and community groups, while the council offered Wyke Park as an unsuitable alternative because of potential noise affecting nearby residents. Bradford South MP Judith Cummins criticised the council, and Big TV says it is unlikely to attempt the event again.

A burglar broke into A Reyt Good Sarnie sandwich shop on Cavendish Street in Keighley by smashing a front window. The thief took Mars bars and about 25p in change, while a charity box contained only 10p. Owner Nichola Crabtree said she was relieved not to keep more money on the premises and plans to install a security shutter. West Yorkshire Police are investigating and have appealed for information.

Three men aged 23, 25 and 35 appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court following a suspected armed robbery on Leeds Old Road in Heckmondwike. Adam Haigh and Alfie Bruce face robbery and weapons-related charges, while Matthew Ellis is accused of assisting an offender and possessing firearms and an offensive weapon. A man in his 20s reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Four other people were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and released on police bail. The three men are due to appear at Leeds Crown Court, while West Yorkshire Police continue to appeal for information.

Residents at Quarry Dene retirement home in Wibsey said waste had been left overflowing for almost a month, creating unpleasant smells and forcing some residents to remove excess rubbish themselves. Bradford Council said collections take place fortnightly but attributed the problem to persistent excess waste and said the management company needed to arrange additional trade-waste collections. Anchor Housing said the rubbish had since been removed and that additional bins had been ordered.

Bradford resident Gary Hoyland marked the first anniversary of his life-saving stem cell transplant with a German-themed party honouring the anonymous 28-year-old German donor who provided a full match. Hoyland had been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and leukaemia, and he and his wife Rachel used the celebration to thank supporters and encourage younger people to join the stem cell register. They hope to contact the donor after the two-year waiting period and are calling for greater awareness of stem cell donation, particularly because many patients struggle to find matches.

Bradford tailor Imran Khan has opened the Duke of Gloucester Library above his IK School of Fine Tailoring shop on Westgate. The library is open to everyone and aims to encourage young people and other community members to read, while Khan hopes it will help improve local reading levels. Khan, who has dyslexia, emphasized that even looking at pictures can help people engage with books. The opening was attended by John Robbins and MP Imran Hussain, and the library has reportedly received a positive response as a safe and welcoming community space.

An Ofsted inspection of Appleton Academy in Wyke found that early years provision, attendance, behaviour, personal development, inclusion and pupil wellbeing were strong, but identified three areas needing attention. Pupils in Years 7 to 11 were underachieving against national averages, secondary teaching and the checking of pupils' knowledge were inconsistent, and leaders and governors had not acted quickly or precisely enough to address weaknesses. The academy said it has begun significant changes, while Exceed Academies Trust expressed confidence that improvement work will raise outcomes.

Bradford Council’s proposed sale of the land occupied by Dobrudden Farm Caravan Park in Baildon has been referred back to officers for reconsideration. The Lawrence family, which has run the park for four generations and 70 years, argues it should have had a fair opportunity to buy the freehold after its initial bid was overtaken by a higher offer. Councillors raised concerns about the effects on elderly and vulnerable residents, potential rent increases, unused plots and the risk that a new owner could displace the family. A scrutiny committee majority voted to send the decision back to the council’s officers, amid arguments that the highest financial offer may not represent the wider public interest.

Eight-year-old Rose Dinnewell of Birkenshaw will walk 30 miles and cycle 70 miles during August to raise money for Scope, inspired partly by her 14-year-old brother Jack’s learning disabilities and autism. Her family says the challenge was Rose’s own idea, and more than £500 had already been raised through JustGiving before the August 1 start.

The Corn Dolly, a family-run pub on Bolton Road in Bradford, is competing in the Bradford Telegraph and Argus’s Best Pub 2026 contest. Owned by the Dunkin family for 37 years and now run by Anthony Dunkin and his father Neil, the pub emphasizes its community atmosphere, quality beer, regular live music and diverse clientele. Anthony says the nomination is an honour and invites customers to vote.

Bradford’s Homeless Outreach Partnership has helped 99 rough sleepers move into accommodation since January, supported by a 12-person team led by Horton Housing. Despite the progress, several tents remain in the city centre, including an encampment outside Bradford Magistrates’ Court that HM Courts and Tribunals Service has ordered people to leave. Bradford Council, Hope Housing and other agencies say homelessness figures are improving and are expanding support, including five new bedspaces through a partnership with Waythrough. The council aims to bring homelessness as close to zero as possible by 2027.

A large police cordon remained on Leeds Old Road in Heckmondwike after two masked men allegedly entered a home, threatened a man in his 20s with a bladed weapon and stole property. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police also recovered what they believe was a cartridge from a blank-firing weapon and are searching nearby drains. Kirklees CID is appealing for witnesses, footage and information about the suspects.

Outdoor Adventure Girls will host an eight-kilometre women’s hike in Haworth on August 1 to mark International Friendship Day. Founder Sophie Davis created the group after experiencing sexual assault, PTSD, trauma, anxiety and isolation, finding that time outdoors supported her recovery. The organization now has 14 regional groups and between 2,000 and 4,000 members, with safety measures including identity checks, qualified instructors, and first-aid and mental-health training for event hosts.

Sally Hare, 38, from Lane End Farm Shop in Tong, won the Commercial Breeding Ewe competition at the Great Yorkshire Show with two sheep she bred herself. Four more of her sheep earned runner-up places, and the winning pair also became Commercial Breeding Female Reserve champions. Hare and her father, Martin, described the result as an emotional reward for the year-round work involved in farming and said they plan to compete again.

Bradford West MP Naz Shah paid tribute to Shelina Rahman and her 15-year-old daughter, Sameeha, who died after entering the sea at an Essex beach to rescue a struggling seven-year-old boy. The boy, believed to be Rahman’s nephew, remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Shah highlighted the family’s strong connections to Bradford and urged the community to provide support while respecting their privacy.