BBC Local Live: York and North Yorkshire

Scientists at the University of York say they are a step closer to providing treatments for three "neglected" diseases after making a chemical which can kill the parasites that cause them.

Chagas disease, Leishmaniasis and human African trypanosomiasis (also known as sleeping sickness) affect 20 million people worldwide and lead to more than 50,000 deaths annually.

University of YorkCopyright: University of York

Not to alarm anyone...but somewhere in Scarborough there are crocodiles in someone's back garden. 

Currently, Jordan Woodhead has a caiman, a female Siamese crocodile and an American alligator as well as several reptiles including snakes, lizards and a turtle.

Now, he hopes he can play a part in saving a particularly rare crocodile from extinction.   

Siamese crocodiles are one of the most endangered species in the wild. Their last remaining stronghold is in the slow-moving rivers and swamps of Cambodia where the population is thought to number fewer than 5,000 - and perhaps as few as 250. 

Jordan's explained to me more about his love of crocs:

Police in Harrogate are appealing for a woman who helped an injured cyclist to come forward.

The appeal follows a collision at about 13:00 on Friday 5 August on Harcourt Drive in Harrogate, close to its junction with Kingsway.

A 14-year-old cyclist suffered leg, head and shoulder injuries after the bike he was riding collided with a black Ford Mondeo. 

He was taken to Harrogate District Hospital where his condition is described as comfortable.

Police are appealing for the woman who stopped at the scene to help the injured boy and any other witnesses to come forward.

The BBC Weather Watchers don't just let us know about what the ever-changeable weather is like in our county.

They also send us in some spectacular images of how that weather affects various places across North Yorkshire.

Here's a selection of images of Harrogate, taken over the weekend by Weather Watcher I Mark:

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Throughout this afternoon, we should continue to see a mixture of sunny intervals and scattered, mostly light showers with some parts staying dry all day. 

Conditions fresher than yesterday with a strong north westerly breeze, though many parts still feeling pleasant in sunshine. Highs of 19C (66F). 

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The top stories from our York newsroom so far today include:

• More details are due to be announced later about plans to pay people affected by fracking in their local area
• A pair of 17th century cabinets originally from Castle Howard have been "saved" for the nation after almost going into a private collection abroad
• The former shadow chancellor and Yorkshire MP Ed Balls will compete in the next Strictly Come Dancing show, it's been confirmed

A pair of 17th century cabinets have been "saved" for the nation after almost going into a private collection abroad.

The pieces were part of the private collection at Castle Howard in North Yorkshire belonging to Henry Howard, the 4th Earl of Carlisle, who probably bought them in Rome in 1738 or 1739.

Sotheby's/PACopyright: Sotheby's/PA

The set, now the only of their kind in a public collection in Britain, was sold to a foreign buyer for £1.2m at a Sotheby's London auction last year.

A temporary export bar was placed on the 400-year-old items to create an opportunity for them to be bought for the nation.

The National Heritage Memorial Fund donated a grant of £700,000 and the Art Fund gave £200,000 towards the project. They're due to go on show in Cambridge later this week.

Revealing pictures of the plans for Clifford's Tower in York have been published.

Plans to make the castle more accessible and appealing went out to consultation in January. Now the formal planning application from owners English Heritage is in with City of York Council.

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Thirsk's yarnbombers are at it again...

The group of committed knitters have livened up the streets of the market town over the last couple of years with their creations celebrating the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart and the Tour de Yorkshire.

Once again, the yarnbombing ladies of Thirsk have been busy knitting pigs, cows, sheep, dogs and vets to mark the 100th anniversary this year of renowned vet and author James Herriot, otherwise known as Alf Wight.

I've been out to Thirsk to find out more:

Here's the latest update on the road closure at Cawood Bridge, which has caused delays in the area during this morning after an incident there:

A breakfast booze ban on Yorkshire-based airline Jet 2 starts today.

The airline announced last week that alcohol would be banned on all its flights before 08:00.

It's part of a wider effort to tackle disruptive passengers at airports.

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Broadcasting legend Bob Harris was the guest of honour invited to officially open Harrogate's newest music recording facility.

"Whispering" Bob will use the new studio as his northern base for his series of Under the Apple Tree recordings with bands on tour.

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Traffic in the centre of York is currently being affected by a sinkhole that has appeared near the junction of Gillygate (B1363), Bootham (A19) and St Leonard's Place (A1036) this morning.

The hole, approximately two feet in diameter, has caused a road closure on Gillygate itself as well as its filter lane on St Leonard's Place.

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York City's manager Jackie McNamara believes there's plenty to be positive about after York's opening day draw at Maidstone United:

The top stories from our York newsroom so far this morning include:

• The chairman of North Yorkshire County Council's planning committee which agreed to allow fracking agrees with government proposals to offer £10,000 to those affected
• People living in Scarborough, Whitby and Filey could see changes to benefits that help them pay their council tax
• Scarborough man Jordan Woodhead is setting up a crocodile conservation project - in his back garden

Music fans on the coast are tingling with anticipation as multi-million selling Canadian rocker Bryan Adams plays Scarborough's Open Air Theatre tonight.

Fans will be hoping to hear hits like Summer Of '69, Run To You and Everything I Do.

The concert comes off the back of Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott playing to a bumper crowd at the venue last Friday.

BBC/Cuffe & TaylorCopyright: BBC/Cuffe & Taylor

The B1222 Cawood Bridge in Cawood remains closed and there's slow traffic in both directions between the B1223 Rythergate junction and the King Street junction because of a police incident.

North Yorkshire's Andrew Triggs-Hodge (pictured) begins his quest for a third Olympic gold medal later when he rows in the Men's Coxed Eights alongside former City of York club member Tom Ransley.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

They will take part in Heat 1 alongside crews from Italy, New Zealand and the Netherlands at about 13:10 this afternoon.

You can follow the action online at the BBC Olympics site.

York Central Labour MP Rachel Maskell has told BBC Radio York she thinks proposals to give money to residents in areas where fracking is to take place amounts to a "bribe".

A shale wealth fund was unveiled in 2014 to set aside up to 10% of the tax proceeds from fracking to benefit communities in the UK hosting wells.

The PM is now considering paying the money directly to individual households instead of councils and local trusts.

The government's plan is one option due to be outlined in a consultation later.