BBC Local Live: Leeds and West Yorkshire

Join me and Amy Garcia at 18:30 for BBC Look North as we report on figures which show the massive scale of job cuts at councils across Yorkshire.

Stephen Craven/GeographCopyright: Stephen Craven/Geograph

Local authorities across the region have lost nearly 17,000 jobs in the last five years, with West Yorkshire's councils losing the highest number of jobs - 7,365 in total.

Castleford have signed Wakefield Trinity Wildcats hooker Paul McShane on a two-and-a-half-year deal, with Scott Moore going the other way on loan until the end of the season.

SWpix.comCopyright: SWpix.com

McShane (pictured), 25, has been ever-present for the Wildcats this season, scoring three tries in 22 Super League games.

Police say they are increasingly concerned for the welfare of 46-year-old woman who has gone missing from her Cleckheaton home.

Residents wanting to fight plans for 190 houses near Ainley Top have a battle on their hands as council officers signal their support for the development.

Huddersfield ExaminerCopyright: Huddersfield Examiner

More on the police appeal over Mahboob Bostan who fled the UK before facing trial over three rape charges in West Yorkshire in the late 1990s, but who's now thought to be back in the county.

Det Supt Mark Ridley says: "Clearly these are extremely serious crimes and it is important Mr Bostan is found and put before the courts to be tried by a jury.

"I would like to hear from anyone who may have information about his whereabouts in the Batley area or elsewhere in West Yorkshire."

A man who faced three rape charges in West Yorkshire in the late 1990s, but who fled the UK before being brought to trial, is believed to be back in the county, police have revealed.

West Yorkshire PoliceCopyright: West Yorkshire Police

Mahboob Bostan, now 45, was arrested on suspicion of carrying out serious sexual assaults in Batley in January 1997 and February 1998, as well as a serious sex assault in Bradford in July 1997.

He was charged with rape for the three offences but fled abroad after being bailed. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact police.

The top stories in West Yorkshire today are:

• West Yorkshire councils cut 7,000 jobs since 2010
• Mystery illness closes city centre office
• Club boss 'stunned' at post-match clashes

Leeds United striker Billy Sharp left the club's pre-season camp in Austria after training this morning to fly home to the UK, BBC Radio Leeds understands.

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It's for talks with a club which is believed to be Sheffield United. Sharp was left out of the squad which lost to Eintracht Frankfurt earlier this week.

I've learned that hundreds of staff at Lloyds Banking Group's West Bank office on Water Lane have been sent home after some staff members fell ill with a mystery illness.

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Lloyds has told me it's carrying out a deep-clean of the building after it closed it yesterday lunchtime.

We're expecting a statement from the firm about the situation in the next hour.

Police investigating the death of Bradford man Leroy Vanzie have just released a photo of him.

West Yorkshire PoliceCopyright: West Yorkshire Police

Leroy, 32, was found with head injuries outside his home on Corban Street at about 19:35 on Tuesday. He died a short time later in hospital.

Two men, aged 25 and 36, who were arrested in connection with the incident, remain in police custody.

People in Bingley are being reminded they have just one week left to have their say on whether they'd like to have a parish or town council set up to represent their views.

GoogleCopyright: Google

A public consultation seeking the views of people who live in the town and surrounding areas such as Cottingley, Crossflatts, Eldwick, Gilstead and Micklethwaite ends on 31 July.

This consultation's taking place because Bradford Council received a petition signed by nearly 2,000 residents requesting a parish council be set up.

The boss of a German football team whose fans were involved in clashes with Leeds United supporters after a match in Austria on Tuesday says he was left "stunned" by what took place.

European Photopress AgencyCopyright: European Photopress Agency

Eintracht Frankfurt boss Heribert Bruchhagen has told German newspaper Die Welt: "It was obvious that on both sides there were people who wanted confrontation."

Mr Bruchhagen added he's not sure what action his club should take: "I don't know right now. First we have to wait for the police report and look at who's been named."

Huddersfield Giants coach Paul Anderson says he won't hesitate to throw Kruise Leeming back into the fray in the Super Eights after revealing a season-ending injury for Kyle Wood.

Huddersfield GiantsCopyright: Huddersfield Giants

Leeming (pictured) impressed earlier this season when he was handed his chance and has maintained his form since.

Anderson has told BBC West Yorkshire Sport he has "no doubts, no qualms" in letting Leeming play.

A Keighley hairdresser recalled first aid training from 15 years ago to start resuscitating a man who had collapsed in the street.

Keighley NewsCopyright: Keighley News

Two gravestones dating back to the 18th Century have been stolen in a series of thefts at Leeds Minster.

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Thousands of pounds worth of Yorkshire stone, which was being used to renovate the precinct around the church, has also been taken.

Thieves returned on Wednesday night but were chased off by contractors.

Yvette Cooper, Labour leadership candidate and MP for Pontefract and Castleford, is urging one of her competitors to stay in the race.

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She's been speaking after Liz Kendall dismissed calls for her to quit the contest in a move to help stop Jeremy Corbyn from winning the election.

Ms Cooper says the more women on the ballot the better: "It's time to smash that last glass ceiling. It'd be great to have a Labour woman leader, and more importantly a Labour woman PM."

The boss of German football team Eintracht Frankfurt says he "regrets" the violence which took place in Austria on Tuesday between his team's supporters and Leeds United fans.

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Police in Salzburg, where the clubs had been playing a pre-season friendly, made 25 arrests, including three English people, who have since been released.

Eintracht boss Heribert Bruchhagen has told German newspaper Die Welt: "I don't know what it has to do with football. I regret this has happened. It's not in the tradition of Eintracht."

There'll be variable cloud this afternoon, with some bright or sunny spells and isolated showers, though most places staying dry.

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The top temperature will be about 18C (64F)

The sister of a man killed in Bradford has set up a fundraising website to help meet the costs of his funeral.

Telegraph and ArgusCopyright: Telegraph and Argus

Two lanes are currently closed and there's queuing traffic on the M1 southbound between J42, M62 (Lofthouse) and J40, A638 (Flushdyke), because of an accident.

There's currently queuing traffic on the A653 Leeds Road northbound in Dewsbury between the Chidswell Lane junction and the B6124 Soothill Lane junction in the roadworks area.

The top stories in West Yorkshire so far today are:

• West Yorkshire councils cut 7,000 jobs since 2010
• Thai murder victim awarded degree
• Honorary degree for Olympic champion Adams

The family of a Leeds University student who was murdered on a Thai island have collected their son's posthumous first class degree.

Foreign and Commonwealth OfficeCopyright: Foreign and Commonwealth Office

David Miller, 24, from Jersey, had been travelling with Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk. Their bodies were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014.

Leeds University awarded Mr Miller a degree in civil and structural engineering.

A burglary at the home of an elderly woman in Bramley has sparked an appeal for information by police.

The burglary took place between 18:00 and 22:00 on Tuesday 7 July as the woman, in her 80s, watched TV with headphones at her home in Ashby View.

Thieves stole jewellery, a chequebook, passports and personal documents from a bedroom before leaving unseen.

The first women's Olympic boxing champion, Leeds' Nicola Adams, is being awarded an honorary degree by her hometown university today.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Adams, who's since won gold at the European Games in Baku, becomes a Doctor of Laws at Leeds University.

She says: "It's a huge honour to be recognised for my achievement and contribution to sport and doing what I'm passionate about."

A retired firefighter says a Haworth man's death in a house blaze could have been avoided if the village fire station was still open.

Keighley NewsCopyright: Keighley News

Concerns are growing for the welfare of a 46-year-old woman who's been missing from her home in Cleckheaton since yesterday.

West Yorkshire PoliceCopyright: West Yorkshire Police

Tracey Bamford is said to have left her home without warning during the early hours of Wednesday and hasn't been seen since.

Police say Tracey's disappearance is "completely out of character" and are urging anyone who believes they may have seen her to get in touch.

More on the figures obtained by BBC Yorkshire which show 7,365 posts have been axed at councils across West Yorkshire since 2010.

Thinkstock/PA/BBCCopyright: Thinkstock/PA/BBC

Here's the breakdown of those stats:

• Bradford Council: 1,678 jobs (a 17.5% cut in the workforce)
• Calderdale Council: 681 jobs (20.6%)
• Kirklees Council: 1,415 jobs (17%)
• Leeds City Council: 2,500 jobs (17%)
• Wakefield Council: 1,091 jobs (18.1%)

Bradford City's surgeon Steve Bollen says patience will be the key to Filipe Morais' recovery from a serious knee injury.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The winger's set to miss the whole season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

Bollen will operate on Morais and says it's unlikely he'll return within eight months: "No matter how much rehab you do or how much you do it, you can't speed up the rate at which it heals."

The top stories in West Yorkshire so far today are:

• West Yorkshire councils cut 7,000 jobs since 2010
• City litter crackdown sees 4,000 fined
• Honorary degree for Olympic champion Adams

A crackdown on littering in Leeds has seen 4,024 people handed fixed penalty notices in the last 12 months, the BBC has learned.

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The figures, obtained from Leeds City Council, also reveal that in the last financial year 632 people were prosecuted for failing to pay their fines.

Mark Dobson, the councillor behind the campaign, says the fixed penalty notices are used only as a last resort when people have left "council officers with no other choice".

We've had an update overnight from West Yorkshire Police over a murder investigation which was launched in Bradford after a man died from head injuries earlier this week.

The victim has now been named as 32-year-old Leroy Vanzie, of Corban Street, Bradford, who was found injured outside his home at about 19:35 on Tuesday.

Two men, aged 25 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody.

A plan to convert two shopping units in Ilkley town centre to a restaurant is causing concern about the impact on the local economy.

Ilkley GazetteCopyright: Ilkley Gazette

Heavy traffic's currently being reported on the A644 Wakefield Road out of town in Brighouse at the M62 J25 Roundabout junction.

Thanks to Lee Ward for sending in this fantastic picture of this morning's sunrise from Woolley near Wakefield.

Lee Ward @ Law PhotographyCopyright: Lee Ward @ Law Photography

We like to feature the best pictures you've taken of West Yorkshire. Why not email or tweet your photographs to us?

Castleford Tigers forward Nathan Massey won't be risked against Warrington this weekend, despite returning to full fitness.

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The Tigers get a break for the Challenge Cup semi-finals before the Super Eights begin and coach Daryl Powell says he's holding Massey back.

"I don't want to risk him. I want him to be absolutely 100% and this will give him a further two weeks to get himself as fit as possible," says Powell.

Youngsters in Huddersfield were offered a free breakfast to set them up for the day this summer holiday - but not one turned up on the first morning at two of the three centres.

Huddersfield ExaminerCopyright: Huddersfield Examiner

The top stories in West Yorkshire so far today are:

• Thousands of West Yorkshire council jobs lost since 2010
• City litter crackdown sees 4,000 fined
• Honorary degree for Olympic champion Adams

Yorkshire councils have cut more than 18,500 jobs in the past five years, including over 7,000 posts at councils in West Yorkshire, figures obtained by the BBC show.

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The BBC asked all 20 councils in Yorkshire how many full-time jobs, excluding school staff, had been lost since 2010.

Peter Davies, from the GMB Union, has told the BBC it's a "miracle" councils were able to deliver "any resemblance of public service".

Queuing traffic's currently being reported on the A653 Leeds Road northbound in Dewsbury between the Chidswell Lane junction and the B6124 Soothill Lane junction in the roadworks area.

It'll be a chilly start, but mostly dry today with bright spells.

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A few showers are possible this afternoon, heading in from the west but the best of the sunshine will be in the east this afternoon.

The top temperature will be about 18C (64F).

Hello and welcome to BBC Local Live in Leeds and West Yorkshire on Thursday 23 July 2015.

I'll be with you until 18:00 with the latest news, views, sport, weather and travel updates from across the county.

Also please feel free to send me your news, pictures and comments via leeds.locallive@bbc.co.uk.