BBC Local Live: York and North Yorkshire

Scarborough's new £14m water park was originally due to open at Easter - then it was today, but the company behind what's billed as Europe's biggest water park says work is still going on and it now expects to open on Saturday.

Janet Deacon, Scarborough Borough Council's tourism officer, says the water-park "will be open on Saturday".

Quote Message: A broken pipe caused a domino effect and that one thing put the slide testing back. Now the slides are running perfectly and they're just finishing off some of the finer details." from Janet Deacon, Tourism Officer, Scarborough Borough Council

A broken pipe caused a domino effect and that one thing put the slide testing back. Now the slides are running perfectly and they're just finishing off some of the finer details."

It'll be a rather cloudy afternoon across Yorkshire, with outbreaks of rain spreading from the west.

A few eastern and southern parts remaining drier for longer. Some of this rain will be rather heavy, especially on high ground, although easing later on with further bright spells. 

Light winds, and highs of about 21C (70F).  

BBCCopyright: BBC

BBC Look North reporter Cathy Killick is out and about in North Yorkshire at the moment.

The weather, it seems, is not currently doing its best to impress...

Banking group Lloyds has accelerated its job-cutting scheme, axing a further 3,000 posts.

It has also doubled its planned branch closures, with 200 more set to vanish from High Streets by the end of 2017, although we don't know yet how many of those will be in our region.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The bank attributed the cuts to changes in people's banking habits, and the effects of interest rates remaining low in the wake of Brexit. 

A York man who played music so loud his neighbours said it made their floors "vibrate" has been fined almost £1,500.

Sean Harmon, 37, from Bishophill, also had music equipment seized.

City of York CouncilCopyright: City of York Council

The song Sweet Home Alabama was among those Mr Harmon "repeatedly disturbed neighbours with", the council says.

Magistrates in York fined him £660, ordered him to pay costs of £760 and to pay a victim surcharge of £66.

The picture above shows Neighbourhood Enforcement Officer Craig Delorenzo inspecting the seized stereo.  

Residents suffering domestic noise can contact the Neighbourhood Enforcement team on neo@york.gov.uk.

The top stories from our York newsroom this lunchtime include:

• The man in charge of Scarborough's long awaited £14m water park has said sorry to visitors who were expecting to visit it today as its opening has been delayed
• Plans for the high speed HS3 trans-Pennine train service to include a stop in York are due to be discussed later
• High Speed broadband will reach 95% of North Yorkshire by 2019, according to North Yorkshire County Council

Two lanes are currently closed and there's queuing traffic on the A1(M) northbound between J48, A168 (Boroughbridge) and J49, A168 (Dishforth) because of an accident.  

Researchers in York have discovered infestations of invasive garden "super ants" which build huge colonies, prompting concerns about the impact on native wildlife.

Andrew Milligan/PA WireCopyright: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Earlier I posted some pics here of the jousting gear of Alan Beattie the former Jousting World Champion and chairman and coach of the International Jousting Association.

Alan lives in Thirsk  - though his "knight name" is Alan of York - and I've been to see him because a petition calling for jousting to be made an Olympic sport was launched last week by English Heritage, who say it requires similar levels of athleticism as Olympic sports.  

There are only about 20 people in the UK who joust competitively, so I was lucky to meet Alan.

In the film above, Alan takes us step-by-step through his marvellous array of armour and equipment.  

Meanwhile, as you'll see below, I couldn't resist slipping into a little mail myself and grabbing a lance. Trust me, it's very heavy!

BBCCopyright: BBC

Did you ever work in a chocolate factory in York like the Terry's works pictured below?

When I was young (yep, candles for street lights and all that) it seemed almost every family in York had someone who "choccy bashed" or worked on the railway.

Geograph/Peter ChurchCopyright: Geograph/Peter Church

Anyway back to the electric-lit present...

If you did work in York's chocolate industry then Jenni Shepherd from York's Chocolate Story wants to hear from you.

She's putting together an oral history project in conjunction with York Past and Present.

Here's Jenni to explain:

Decision makers in Yorkshire are expected to discuss plans later for a York stop on the proposed HS3 high speed trans-Pennine rail route.

A report looking at the economic impact of the so-called Northern Powerhouse Rail service has suggested a link in York will help serve the north and east of the region. 

BBCCopyright: BBC

Andy Caton, director of the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, has told me York is "an important hub for connecting the east to the west". 

Quote Message: In establishing better transport through Leeds to Manchester, it's logical you also have a start point at York which then opens up the whole of Yorkshire." from Andy Caton West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

In establishing better transport through Leeds to Manchester, it's logical you also have a start point at York which then opens up the whole of Yorkshire."

New York City signing Lanre Oyebanjo might play some part in the Minstermen's final pre-season friendly on Saturday.

City's clubman of the year back in 2014 re-joined the Minstermen earlier this week after an injury-ravaged couple of seasons at Crawley. 

And once again he finds the club battling to get out of the National League and back into the Football League. 

He's told BBC Radio York: "This club should be in the League.

"There's a good set of fans and facilities and everything you need. Hopefully, we can perform on the pitch and get them where they need to be."

Jeremy Corbyn is bringing his fight to keep his job as Labour leader to York.

He's due to hold a rally in St Helen's Square on Friday according to the York branch of Momentum, the campaign set up to promote grassroots support for the leader and his policies.

YorkMixCopyright: YorkMix

The latest headlines from our newsroom in York include:

• "It's embarrassing and we're sorry": that's what the company behind North Yorkshire's new multi-million pound water park says about the delay to its planned opening today  
• Plans for York to have a stop on the planned HS3 high speed rail route are being discussed today
• People in a North Yorkshire village will see their flood defences officially opened later after they planned and paid for them themselves

A community group in North Yorkshire which organised and paid for its own flood defences sees them officially opened today. 

It's taken people in Brompton, near Northallerton, more than three years to come up with the scheme and raise the money to build the so-called "leaky dams".

Sue Butler, from the Brompton Flood Prevention group, told me they've met with numerous obstacles along the way:

Quote Message: Permissions took months and months and we had to wait for the right time for the farmer to let us fix the leaky dams. Now everything is falling into place at last after three and a half years of hard work." from Sue Butler Brompton Flood Prevention

Permissions took months and months and we had to wait for the right time for the farmer to let us fix the leaky dams. Now everything is falling into place at last after three and a half years of hard work."

Older people in Skipton are being warned by police to be "on their guard" against cold callers offering to carry out work.

The warning comes after reports of men in a white van approaching householders in Carleton and who have so far carried out work on at least one property.

Police say: "Cold callers of this nature deliberately target older residents and prey on their trusting nature and vulnerability, overcharge for work and in some cases, don’t carry out the work at all."

Local residents are being asked to keep an eye out for their older neighbours and friends and to report any suspicious callers.

"It's embarrassing and we're sorry": that's what the company behind North Yorkshire's new multi-million pound water park says about the delay to its planned opening today.

After 10 years in the making, the opening of the £14m Alpamare Scarborough water park has been put back until Saturday. 

BBCCopyright: BBC

Doctor Anton Hoefter (pictured), chief executive of Alpamare, the company operating the park, says: "A pipe has broken which is only available in the USA and flying the part over has caused the delay."

Quote Message: It is embarrasing and we have to apologise to everyone who has been looking forward to this day today." from Doctor Anton Hoefter Chief Executive of Alpamare

It is embarrasing and we have to apologise to everyone who has been looking forward to this day today."

Last week, a petition calling for jousting to be made an Olympic sport was launched by English Heritage who say it's one of the world's oldest equestrian sports and requires similar levels of athleticism and artistry as other official Olympic sports.  

Only about 20 people in the UK joust competitively, and amazingly one of them lives in North Yorkshire.

Not only that but he's the Jousting World Champion and chairman and coach of the International Jousting Association.

BBCCopyright: BBC

I've been to meet Alan Beattie at his home near Thirsk. I'll put a film up in a little while, but for now enjoy these pics of his stable where he keeps his jousting equipment.

Bottom left is my favourite: Exercise bike? Check. Fire? Check. Fan? Check...Lance and shield? Check!

High speed broadband will reach 95% of North Yorkshire by 2019, according to North Yorkshire County Council. 

The announcement comes as part of the third phase of the council's Superfast North Yorkshire scheme. 

But questions are being raised about delays in the rollout of the plans, and the coverage of only 95% of premises.