BBC Local Live: Leeds and West Yorkshire

Do join us for Look North on BBC One at 18:30 - Leeds art gallery has closed its doors for a year to carry out multi million pound repairs to its Victorian roof. It's part of major renovation works to the landmark building as the city bids for European capital ofculture 2023. 

Our reporter, Charlotte Leeming has exclusive behind the scenes access at the gallery.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Staying cloudy with further outbreaks of rain or drizzle overnight. Turning increasingly misty and murky too with widespread hill fog developing. It will stay quite breezy.  

Temperatures dropping to 10C (50F) overnight.  Sunset will be at 21:18 and sunrise tomorrow at 04:49.  

BBCCopyright: BBC

A little better tomorrow, but not much!  A dull, murky start to Thursday, with light rain or drizzle in places. Becoming mainly dry with cloud slowly lifting through the day, perhaps breaking with some brighter spells during the afternoon.  

The top stories in Leeds and West Yorkshire so far this evening include:   

• BBC figures show more than ten times as many referrals to Leeds Gender Identity Clinic last year, compared to five years ago.
• A 24-year-old man's died in a car crash in Wakefield. 
• Leeds Art Gallery has closed its doors for a year to carry out multi million pound repairs to its Victorian roof which hasn't been touched since 1888.  

Problems on the A58 West Yorkshire. Very slow moving traffic and heavier than usual traffic on the A58 Leeds Road in both directions in Hipperholme between the A6036 Bradford Road junction and the Syke Lane junction.  

The M621 exit slip road is partially blocked and there's slow traffic westbound at J5, Tunstall Road, because of an accident.  

There are problems on the A64 in both directions this evening, following an accident involving a lorry.  The A64 is partially blocked at the Scholes Lane junction.  

West Yorkshire has more empty properties than anywhere outside of London according to a new report.  

BBCCopyright: BBC

In the rest of the UK, the number of unoccupied empty homes has gone down, whilst in Bradford the figure has gone up. That's according to figures from investment company Property Partners. 

Quote Message: If we include Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees Leeds and Wakefield, we've actually got the highest number of long-term empty properties. We've got over twelve thousand of them. We've worked out that if you take local property values into account, that's about 1.4 billion pounds worth of potential homes which could be occupied." from Charlie Humphreys Property Partners

If we include Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees Leeds and Wakefield, we've actually got the highest number of long-term empty properties. We've got over twelve thousand of them. We've worked out that if you take local property values into account, that's about 1.4 billion pounds worth of potential homes which could be occupied."

Network Rail is warning passengers to check before catching a train this Bank Holiday weekend. 

Network RailCopyright: Network Rail

Engineers plan to carry out essential improvement work over the Spring bank holiday to help deliver their Railway Upgrade Plan.

Quote Message: To minimise inconvenience we do this major work at bank holidays when fewer people use the railway - so please check before you travel and plan you journey online at nationalrail.co.uk/may." from Network Rail

To minimise inconvenience we do this major work at bank holidays when fewer people use the railway - so please check before you travel and plan you journey online at nationalrail.co.uk/may."

Congratulations to 20-year-old Rochelle Morris from Huddersfield. 

She'll be playing for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup next month - it's the equivalent of the Ryder Cup for amateur female golfers.

University lecturers, including some here in Leeds, are due to start a two-day strike over pay, amid warnings other staff could join the dispute.

PACopyright: PA

The University and College Union says the 1.1% rise offered by the universities is "an insult".

But the Universities and Colleges Employers Association said the walkout was "disappointing given the very good pay offer".

Unions representing university support staff are balloting on the offer, with strike action possible in the autumn.

There's slow traffic on the M1 in West Yorkshire.  Two lanes are blocked and there's a speed restriction of 50 mph on M1 southbound at J44, A639 (Leeds South), because of debris on the road.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Famous acting couple Prunella Scales and Timothy West stepped onto dry land to visit Haworth for their latest TV series of Great Canal Journeys.

Keighley NewsCopyright: Keighley News

A West Yorkshire Police inspector and his son are to go on trial accused of stealing drugs seized by the force with the intention of selling them.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Keith Boots, 54, and his son Ashley Boots, 29, both denied a total of 16 charges between them when they appeared at Leeds Crown Court by video link.

A third defendant, Ian Mitchell, 27, of HMP Leeds, denied conspiracy to perverting the course of justice.

Take a sneak peek at Leeds Art Gallery as its roof gets a major repair.

The Leeds Festival has announced that Biffy Clyro will do an exclusive acoustic show on 1 June at Headrow House in Leeds. 

Leeds FestivalCopyright: Leeds Festival

Tickets are only available to Reading & Leeds ticket holders and people can win via a ballot. 

A photograph of two Bradford children playing together has helped a local primary school win a national contest. Feversham Primary School won their prize in The National School Photography Awards.

Telegraph & ArgusCopyright: Telegraph & Argus

Here is the winning photo - "Friendship" by pupils at Feversham Primary Academy in Bradford.

Telegraph & ArgusCopyright: Telegraph & Argus

Garth Road in Meanwood in Leeds is closed in both directions between the Stonegate Road junction and the Carr Manor Avenue junction, because of an accident.  

University staff across Yorkshire are taking part in two days of strike action over pay.

The walkout has been called by the University and College Union, which has rejected a pay offer of 1.1%.

Foundry Lane in Leeds is closed in both directions between the Amberton Road junction and the Wykebeck Valley Road junction, because of a serious accident.