BBC Local Live: York and North Yorkshire

I've been hearing about a fascinating trip to Venice by the Pickering Rotarians to take part in a boat race to raise money for the Marie Curie charity.

They'll be racing a Yorkshire Coble  - a rowing boat - in a seven-hour event called the Vogalonga against 1,600 other competitors.

They're on their way to Venice right now, but before they set off Peter Williamson from Pickering Rotarians told me about the tactics involved in what sounds like a very strenuous race:

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A motorcyclist is in a critical condition after colliding with a car near Richmond at the weekend.

The rider, a woman in her 20s from Lancashire, was travelling on a green Suzuki from Richmond along Reeth Road at about 13:20 on Saturday when she collided with a white Volvo C60 heading in the same direction.

The woman suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital in Darlington where she remains in intensive care in a serious but stable condition.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact police.

York City Knights' unbeaten run in League 1 ended at Barrow yesterday,losing 50 points to 12. 

Knights coach James Ford has told BBC Radio York he refuses to make excuses for a poor performance:

An 83-year-old woman remains in hospital with serious injuries five days after being hit by a vehicle in Harrogate.

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The pedestrian was hit by a white van at about 11:30 on Wednesday 4 May on Leyland Road near the junction with Knaresborough Road.

Police are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time and saw the collision or saw either the van or the woman before the incident to get in touch.

This afternoon in North Yorkshire will be dry, very warm and sunny. 

The top temperature will be about 24C (75F) with a moderate, locally fresh, easterly wind.

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The latest headlines from our newsroom in York include:

• A North Yorkshire restaurant owner who denies manslaughter after a customer died from a peanut allergy goes on trial
• York City Supporters' Trust says it would consider selling its 25% stake in the club if things don't improve on the field
• Enormous inflatable "planets" filled with helium have arrived at York Minster for this year's Mystery Plays

Nine huge helium-filled "planets" have arrived at York Minster for the Mystery Plays which are due to be performed in the historic building later this month.

This year's production opens on 26 May, 16 years since the plays were last staged at the Minster.

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York MinsterCopyright: York Minster

Performed in York since the middle ages, the Mystery Plays present a biblical history of the world.  

Community director Sophie Paterson says the arrival of the planets is "a very exciting time": "You see all the elements coming into play and you finally see the show in a more real way."

So-called "grot spots" in parts of Selby could be transformed as part of a new clean-up project just launched by the district's council.

Local residents are being urged to come up with projects to bring new life to neglected spaces in Brayton, Barlow, Barlby Bridge and Selby - with the successful projects being awarded £5,000 to make them happen.

Steve Shaw-Wright, from the Community Engagement Forum, says: "We want to help local residents do something engaging, eye-catching or different that will create a real buzz in these communities."

A North Yorkshire restaurant owner has gone on trial at Teesside Crown Court accused of manslaughter after a customer died from a peanut allergy. 

Paul Wilson, 38, had a severe anaphylactic shock after eating a meal from the Indian Garden restaurant in Easingwold. 

The prosecution say the owner, Mohammed Zaman, 52, of Aylesham Court, Huntington, knew the food he served posed a serious health risk.  

Mr Zaman denies manslaughter by gross negligence, perverting the course of justice and six food safety offences. The trial continues.

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Harrogate Town Football Club have missed out on the play-off finals, after drawing one-all with AFC Fylde. 

I've been speaking to Garry Plant, the club's managing director, and he told me just how close they came - and praised the incredible support from the fans who "took over the place".

School children have joined their inspirational head teacher by running a mile for charity - while she completed a marathon.

Fishergate Primary School's Tina Clarke is currently training for the London 2 Brighton Challenge, on May 28, where she hopes to run 62 miles.

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When bluebells first appear can vary depending on early spring temperatures, so when you see your first bluebells you can record them on the Woodland Trust's Big Bluebell Watch survey to help track their arrival across the country.

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It's day two of Yorkshire's County Championship clash against Surrey at Headingley - and the sun, by all accounts, is beating down as the match gets under way.

Get all the latest with our live commentary and also keep up-to-date with our live scorecard.

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The A1039 Main Street in Flixton, near Scarborough, is currently closed and there's queuing traffic in both directions between the North Street junction and Spital Farm Roundabout. 

The team behind York's fledgling Arts Barge project say they are thrilled to see their crowdfunding target reached ahead of schedule.

The volunteers had set a fundraising target of £23,440 and that was reached late on Thursday night after a series of generous donations.

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We've been talking this morning on BBC Radio York about one of the most disastrous seasons in the history of York City football club - only seven wins from 46 league matches.

City finished at the very bottom of the football league, following Saturday's one-all draw at Morecambe.

York City Supporters' Trust owns 25% of the club. When I spoke to Ian Hay, the chairman of the Trust, he told me they'd consider selling their stake, if things don't improve on the field:

The latest headlines from our Newsroom in North Yorkshire include:

• York City Supporters' Trust says it would consider selling its 25% stake in the club if things don't improve on the field
• A team of British police officers is heading for the Greek island of Kos to look for new witnesses in the search for Ben Needham from Yorkshire, according to his family
• Key services in North Yorkshire's National Parks could soon be run by private firms

Businesses are being invited to run key services inside the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors National Parks.

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Bosses say they're making the move across all 15 of Britain's National Parks because of "financial and economic realities".

The new National Parks Partnerships (NPP) wants private firms to run services like health activities, child education, path maintenance and transport.

The NPP insists that - done properly - responsible businesses can help secure the future of the parks, without resorting to "commercialisation". 

Steve Davies hit his first County Championship century of the season as Surrey dominated Yorkshire's bowlers for much of day one at Headingley.

Here's what Yorkshire's David Willey thought of his team's performance: