Jonathan Pritchard

Six people—five men and one woman aged between 27 and 56—were arrested during raids at six addresses in Leeds areas including Belle Isle and Kirkstall as part of an investigation into cargo thefts from HGVs across the UK. Police seized suspected stolen goods, drugs and weapons. The Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit said the operation targeted organised acquisitive crime and highlighted the national scale of HGV theft, estimated at nine offences a day costing £65 million last year, along with its effects on drivers, supply chains, deliveries and consumers.

Andrew Mearns, the former director of Knaresborough-based Gmund Cars Ltd, was jailed for two and a half years after admitting 14 counts of fraud. He had agreed to sell customers' Porsche and other classic sports cars on commission but sold the vehicles and kept the proceeds. The offences occurred between October 2017 and July 2019, and North Yorkshire Police said victims suffered severe financial and emotional harm while pursuing the return of their vehicles through civil cases.

Cleveland Police are investigating two incidents in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, in which vehicles were deliberately driven into homes shortly after 11:30 p.m. One vehicle was abandoned and its occupants fled; the second property was empty. No one was injured, but both homes will be assessed by structural engineers. Police believe the incidents were targeted and linked and are seeking witness accounts, doorbell footage, dashcam recordings and CCTV.

West Yorkshire Police are investigating the unexplained deaths of a 52-year-old woman found at a property in Keighley and a man found at a business premises on Tong Park Industrial Estate in Baildon. The two people were known to each other, and detectives and forensic officers are examining the circumstances. Police are not currently seeking anyone else in connection with the deaths and have appealed for information.

Zain Khan and Nahid Ali, both 19, lured a classmate into woodland at Aireville Park in Skipton, assaulted him, threatened him with a knife and forced him to transfer more than £800. They filmed the attack and shared it on social media. Khan received suspended sentences totalling two years for robbery and knife possession, while Ali received a suspended 20-month sentence; both were ordered to complete unpaid work. Two other teenagers involved were dealt with separately, and North Yorkshire Police said the victim had suffered physical and lasting psychological trauma.

Justin Swaddle, a 20-year-old from Meanwood, Leeds, has been jailed for two years after coercing 117 children worldwide into sexual activity and self-harm. He used online aliases, private information, threats and intimate images to control victims, and attempted to incite abuse of a younger child. Swaddle admitted multiple child sexual abuse and blackmail offences at Leeds Crown Court. He will also be subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders’ register. The National Crime Agency said the case highlights the severe and lasting impact of online “com groups” and the need for coordinated law-enforcement and safeguarding responses.

A five-day Georgian Festival in York features military displays, dancing, talks and historical activities. More than 100 participants in Georgian and Regency clothing joined a promenade led by members of Pulteney’s 13th Regiment of Foot, with additional displays in St Helen’s Square and talks at York Mansion House. The gallery presents photographs by Yorkshire Post photographer James Hardisty.

A photo-led report showcases the 2026 Driffield Steam Fair in Yorkshire, where hundreds of visitors viewed steam engines, vintage vehicles, tractors, motorcycles and other historic machinery alongside fairground attractions, stalls, craft displays, food and live entertainment. Photographs by James Hardisty focus on the machines, their owners and visitors attending the two-day event.

Nine-year-old Minnie Merriman from West Yorkshire was found seriously injured at the Elliot industrial estate in Arbroath while her family was camping nearby and later died in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. Her family paid tribute to her as beloved, incredible, beautiful and brave. A 35-year-old man has been charged in connection with her death and is due to appear at Forfar Sheriff Court; Police Scotland said officers are not seeking anyone else and that enquiries remain ongoing.

The entrance and tearoom at Studley Royal will close from 7 September for 12 months while the National Trust carries out the £5.8m “Studley Revealed” project. The scheme will create a more accessible arrival point, larger tearoom, new café and improved toilets, while removing temporary buildings, fencing and overgrown planting to restore historic views and reconnect the deer park with the water garden. The visitor centre and West Gate will remain open, and the Studley car park will continue serving deer-park visitors. Harrogate-based The HACS Group is the principal contractor, with Feilden Fowles and RankinFraser contributing architectural and landscape expertise.

Staff and volunteers from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway will take part in a 42-metre bungee jump from Whitby’s Larpool Viaduct to raise funds for repairs to historic Bridge 42. The bridge, which runs between Whitby and Pickering, requires an estimated £800,000 repair programme for the 2026/27 off-season, with supporters having already raised about half the target. Temporary supports have allowed trains to operate during the 2026 season, while the planned works aim to restore the bridge’s long-term structural integrity.

A 17-year-old girl died after suffering a medical episode at the Kendal Calling festival near Penrith in Cumbria. Emergency responders performed CPR but pronounced her dead at the scene. Cumbria Police are investigating and are seeking witnesses who were near the Calling Out tent and Big Wheel around 2 a.m., particularly a group of women who alerted first responders. The girl's family has been informed and is receiving specialist support.

Photographs document Whitby's annual traction engine rally, held over the weekend in the shadow of Whitby Abbey. The event features vintage traction engines, cars and tractors from across the country and beyond, with a fireworks display scheduled for the evening of August 1. The gallery includes participants and vehicles such as Andy Ward's rare 1905 two-ton Yorkshire Steam Wagon and a 1927 Fowlers Showmans engine.

Eckie, a popular Eclectus parrot at Sewerby Hall and Gardens in Yorkshire, died peacefully on July 15 after an untreatable liver tumour was discovered. The parrot had lived at the attraction for 14 years and was widely known for greeting visitors and speaking in a Yorkshire accent. Keepers provided palliative care and extra attention during his final days, while his partner Nellie remained by his side.