Grace Wood

Twenty people have been killed and 180 seriously injured in West Yorkshire over the past five years in incidents attributed to drug driving, while more than 800 drug-driving arrests were recorded in the past year. The figures accompanied a West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Department for Transport awareness campaign. Carol Coleman, whose son Dean Miles was killed by a driver over the cannabis limit, called for greater public awareness and stronger consequences, criticizing the failure to bring charges. Roads Minister Justin Madders said a new road safety strategy would consult on tougher measures, while Deputy Mayor Alison Lowe urged motorists not to drive under the influence of drugs.

Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore has asked Attorney General Ellie Reeves to consider reviewing the suspended sentences given to Zain Khan and Nahid Ali for robbing and attacking a teenage classmate at knifepoint. The pair, both 19, admitted robbery at Bradford Crown Court after luring the victim from Craven College to Airedale Park in March 2024, forcing him to transfer more than £800 and sharing footage of the attack online. Khan also admitted possessing a knife. The Attorney General's Office has received multiple requests and has 28 days from sentencing to decide whether the case qualifies for the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

Valerie Appleton, an 82-year-old member of the Ilkley Musical Theatre Society, completed an aerobatic wing-walk featuring loops and barrel rolls at East Leeds Airfield to raise money for repairs and maintenance at the society’s 1903 venue, Operatic House. The stunt continues a long history of daring challenges, including an abseil, zipline ride, skydive and earlier wing-walk for a children’s charity. Inspired by the 1933 film Flying Down to Rio and encouraged by her adventurous upbringing, Appleton says she is already planning her next challenge.

Leeds-based international freight company Malcolm Wright Associates has been wound up by the High Court after accumulating nearly £700,000 in debts to freight businesses in the UK, United States and Europe. The Insolvency Service said the company incurred unpaid costs with at least 16 members of the JCTrans network between August and October 2024, failed to cooperate with investigators, could not be located at its registered office, had no current director or person with significant control, and failed to file its latest accounts. The agency said the closure would protect suppliers and prevent further harm.

Andrew Mearns, a 57-year-old former supercar dealer who ran Gmund Cars in Knaresborough, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to two years and six months in prison after pleading guilty to 14 fraud offences involving more than £1m. He sold customers’ Porsche vehicles without their knowledge and kept the proceeds to support his struggling business. The fraud, which began in 2015, left owners without their cars or money and was uncovered after some checked vehicle registration details with the DVLA. The court noted Mearns’s remorse, lack of previous convictions and non-lavish lifestyle, but emphasized the serious financial and emotional harm suffered by victims.

Kirklees councillor Dave Rowan has been suspended from Reform UK pending an investigation into non-recent social media posts that reportedly included a call for former Commons Speaker John Bercow to be hanged, as well as homophobic and Islamophobic comments. Rowan was elected for the Colne Valley West ward in May, while Reform became the largest group on Kirklees Council. The council said he remains a councillor despite being suspended from the party group.

Crowds across Yorkshire gathered to watch a major solar eclipse, described as the most significant visible in the region since 1999. Astronomical societies in York and Leeds, along with physicists at the University of York, provided telescopes and safe viewing equipment, while families used solar glasses, pinhole cameras and other improvised devices. Thousands attended events, highlighting the eclipse’s scientific appeal and its role in bringing communities together.

West Yorkshire Police officer PC James Barnes has been charged with actual bodily harm after a man allegedly lost consciousness when kicked in the head during an arrest in Leeds on 28 September 2025. Barnes, 30, is due to appear at Sheffield Magistrates' Court, while the Independent Office for Police Conduct investigates the incident.

Residents near Grimethorpe, Barnsley, have been urged to keep doors and windows closed while firefighters tackle two wildfires. Eight crews are responding to a blaze near the A6195 and Grimethorpe Nature Reserve, while six crews are attending another fire off Springvale Road. Park Spring Road is closed in both directions between Grimethorpe Colliery Roundabout and Houghton Main Colliery Roundabout because of smoke and emergency operations.

Former West Yorkshire Police officer Jenade Yamin admitted five offences involving unauthorized access to police information, offering to supply police batons and arranging assistance for another person to access police information. He pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court, with remaining misconduct charges to be dealt with at sentencing. His sentencing was adjourned until 6 November so he could attend the birth of his child, and he was warned to expect a custodial sentence.

Photographer Laura Slater is inviting women who have had breast cancer to contribute portraits and personal stories to the month-long Abreast exhibition at Ilkley’s Tinker Gallery in October. The project, organized with gallery owner and breast cancer survivor Joanne Tinker and artist Roberta Heslop, will include images showing scars as well as traditional portraits. Slater also plans to publish a magazine combining the photographs with interviews, aiming to help participants accept their bodies and feel less isolated.

A hay bale fire believed to have been started deliberately spread across 15 acres near Milford Road in South Milford, North Yorkshire. Four fire crews and local farmers extinguished the blaze, which police said was part of an apparent increase in similar incidents. Authorities warned of the risks to people, property, livestock and the countryside, and asked witnesses or anyone with CCTV, dash-cam or mobile footage to come forward.

Organisers are reviving Bradford Mela 13 years after its previous version ended, with a free weekend event at City Park and Centenary Square. Royale Festivals plans to offer music, art, food stalls, traders and community activities, including performances by Sahara and Mumzy Stranger. Organisers Danyul Khan and Moss Sheikh hope the smaller city-centre event will restore the festival’s legacy and eventually grow into a larger park-based celebration.

Residents and local MPs in Bradford welcome a government consultation reviewing fireworks legislation, including potential restrictions on louder and more dangerous items. Campaigners highlight persistent noise, safety concerns, and the impact on pets, vulnerable people, and neighbourhoods, particularly around weddings. Several MPs describe year-round misuse as a growing problem, while some residents express concern that the consultation may be too complex and inaccessible for the wider public. A 12-week consultation will be led by Halifax MP Kate Dearden, aiming to address the ongoing disturbance caused by fireworks.

Twin brothers Adrian and Ainsley Dondo from Bradford graduated together from Keele University with matching 2:1 biomedical science degrees after studying and living side by side for four years. Their close bond, shared interests and friendly academic competition helped motivate their progress, and graduating consecutively during the ceremony made the day especially meaningful for them and their family. They plan to continue supporting one another as they begin internships in Milton Keynes.

Two young men driving past a house fire in Leeds helped evacuate a grandmother, her husband, and her grandson as flames spread from a garden fence toward the home. The men crossed a garage roof, broke through fences, and assisted the family to safety before fire crews extinguished the blaze, which began when a combustible item was placed too close to a controlled fire. The grandmother expressed deep gratitude, calling the men heroes, while the pair said they acted simply because it was the right thing to do.

A five-day operation in West Yorkshire resulted in seven arrests and the seizure of illicit cigarettes, drugs and vehicles as police targeted businesses linked to organised immigration crime. Officers identified workers living in poor conditions, working on expired visas and being paid below minimum wage. Authorities emphasised efforts to disrupt criminal gangs that exploit vulnerable people through illegal entry and unsafe labour conditions.

A Bradford animal rescue centre is overwhelmed with a surge of baby hedgehogs as hot, dry weather leaves mothers unable to find sufficient food and water. Hedgehog Emergency Rescue Bingley Yorkshire is caring for more than 80 animals and anticipates needing to quadruple its capacity to deal with increased births and rescues. Centre owner Stephanie Knowles attributes the problem to heat-related stress and parasite issues, while the British Hedgehog Preservation Society warns that hot spells make young hedgehogs especially vulnerable due to reduced availability of invertebrate prey. Residents are urged to leave out water and kitten food to support local hedgehog populations.

Two young men from Bradford rescued an elderly couple and their grandson from a fire in Kirkstall, Leeds, prompting widespread praise after family members shared their actions online. Both described the attention as unexpected, emphasising they acted simply to help. The fire service reported the blaze started when a combustible item was placed too close to a controlled fire. Family members expressed pride in the men and welcomed the positive response on social media, highlighting its uplifting effect on perceptions of young Asian Muslim men.

A Bradford developer plans to convert the Grade II listed Legram Mills into 130 residential and student units, highlighting both heritage preservation and financial challenges in mill redevelopment. Historic England identified the site as one of several with strong housing potential, emphasizing the need for partnerships and careful planning due to structural and regulatory complexities. While past mill fires and high costs hinder such projects, advocates argue that mills remain vital cultural landmarks and key opportunities for regeneration in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

A national maternity investigation led by Baroness Amos identified a significant gap between staff intentions and women’s actual experiences at Bradford’s maternity services, citing issues such as understaffing, administrative burdens, communication problems and inadequate facilities. Women reported feeling dismissed, coerced and unsafe, with personal accounts highlighting missed diagnoses and traumatic births. Bradford Teaching Hospitals’ chief executive, Mel Pickup, apologised and acknowledged the harm caused, noting recent improvements and Care Quality Commission ratings but stressing the need for continued reform. The report warned systemic shortcomings require urgent national change across maternity and neonatal services.