Seb Cheer

Labour MP Alison Hume says the 2025 Langdale Moor wildfire in North Yorkshire, which burned for more than 40 days across 10 square miles, received less national media and government attention than more recent fires in southern England. She welcomes funding for the North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and £3.2m for moorland recovery but says farmers and businesses affected by losses still lack adequate support. Hume is urging ministers to improve post-wildfire assistance and automatically mobilize national resilience resources when fires threaten critical infrastructure such as RAF Fylingdales. The government says it is supporting affected areas nationwide, making almost £1.95bn available for fire services and investing £97m in national resilience capabilities.

North Yorkshire Police are investigating racist, sexual and misogynistic graffiti reported along a ten-mile stretch of the A64 between West Knapton and Staxton Hill. The incidents have occurred sporadically over six months, with similar graffiti investigated over several years. Police believe further cases may have gone unreported and are asking witnesses to report incidents promptly and provide photographs where possible.

Two North Yorkshire Police officers suffered minor injuries when their unmarked Peugeot 308 collided with an HGV on the A64 at Barton Hill. The officers were taken to hospital after responding to an operational matter, while the HGV driver was uninjured. The road between York and Malton was closed for recovery and investigation work, and police appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage.

York’s last surviving D-Day veteran, 100-year-old Ken Cooke, is set to receive the Freedom of the City at a special council meeting on 16 July. Conservative councillor Martin Rowley nominated him in recognition of his wartime service and long-standing commitment to veterans’ welfare and remembrance efforts. Cooke, who landed on D-Day at age 18 and was later wounded, has spent decades sharing his experiences at public events and schools. The award is a rare civic honour requiring a full council vote and is expected to pass unanimously, with a large public turnout anticipated.

A report from the University of York Students' Union warns that affordable university-owned student accommodation is rapidly declining, with rooms under £200 per week projected to drop sharply. The union says rents have risen faster than maintenance loans, creating financial strain for students, while the university disputes some figures but acknowledges cost pressures. Several students describe difficulties affording accommodation and concerns over accessibility and maintenance issues. The university maintains that rents reflect rising operational costs, denies using accommodation income to subsidise teaching, and says it is willing to discuss financial details with campaigners.