BBC Local Live: York and North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire will have three rowers in the finals at the Rio Olympics after both the men's eights and women's eights won their heats yesterday.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

The men's eights include Andy Hodge from Hebden near Grassington, and Tom Ransley, whose rowing career started at York Rowing Club, while the women's eights include Zoe Lee from Richmond. 

Hodge says there's more to come from his crew: "We've been working really hard these last few months. We've got a lot to turn around from where we left the World Cup Series.

"We finished off with a good race, but we're all confident we have something more."

If you live in the Ripon area, you may have seen a TV crew filming a major new BBC TV adaptation of the Wilkie Collins book The Moonstone.

I've been down to one of the locations, Thornton Watlass Hall, to find out what it really takes to make a period drama.

While I was there, I managed to grab some time with production designer, Richard Drew, to see how he recreates Victorian England for the screen:

The Moonstone stars John Thomson (Cold Feet, The Fast Show) and Sarah Hadland (Miranda, The Job Lot) and is being made by King Bert Productions, a production company set up by Miranda Hart and David Walliams.

The story is generally considered to be the first detective novel in the English language and was originally serialised in Charles Dickens' magazine, All The Year Round.

An influential think tank has said that a high-speed rail link between major northern cities should take priority over the HS2 line between London and the Midlands.

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The Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) said HS3, between Leeds and Manchester, would cut journey times and help drive economic growth in the north.

Another earlier report has called for HS3 to build links to Bradford and York.

A retired greengrocer from Thirsk has won a £250,000 top prize on a lottery scratch card. 

Betraying a hint of the type of misplaced punctuation for which greengrocers are renowned, Mike Skipsey, 80, said he initially thought the figure was wrong.

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There's a warning for people in our region not to drink to excess despite a new survey suggesting we think that alcohol guidelines need to be relaxed. 

A survey carried out on behalf of the Campaign for Real Ale shows 61% of GPs feel moderate alcohol consumption can form part of a healthy lifestyle. 

The government's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, has stated previously there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.

Doctor Richard Vautrey, a Yorkshire GP and deputy chair of the British Medical Association, warns us that we do need to be aware of the dangers: 

We'll see a few rather heavy showers across Yorkshire this afternoon.

Bright and sunny intervals will continue between these showers, and feeling pleasant enough in the sunshine. 

Light to moderate westerly winds, and highs today of about 18C (64F).  

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The top stories from our York newsroom this lunchtime include:

• Members of the RMT union working on the Virgin East Coast rail line have voted to go on strike in a row over jobs, working conditions and safety
• It's taking too long for transgender people to get help in Yorkshire - and it's having a devastating impact, according to a national charity
• A special shuttle bus is running in York for the next few days as one of the main roads into the city is shut following the appearance of a sinkhole

More on the news that Virgin East Coast rail workers who are members of the RMT union have voted to go on strike in a row over job cuts, working conditions and safety.

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The two sides are in dispute over staffing changes, which the company says would have no impact on safety and no compulsory job losses. 

RMT general secretary Mick Cash says: "RMT will not sit back while nearly 200 members' jobs are under threat and also conditions and safety are put at risk by a franchise which is clearly in financial trouble."

David Horne, managing director for Virgin Trains East Coast, says if a strike does go ahead, services won't be affected. 

Quote Message: We have worked hard to ensure there are comprehensive contingency plans in place. I want to reassure our customers that the timetable will be unaffected, should any strike go ahead." from David Horne Managing director, Virgin Trains East Coast

We have worked hard to ensure there are comprehensive contingency plans in place. I want to reassure our customers that the timetable will be unaffected, should any strike go ahead."

Virgin East Coast rail workers have voted to go out on strike in a dispute over job cuts, working conditions and safety, the RMT union has said.

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In the ballot, 84% backed walkouts, with nine out of 10 supporting other forms of industrial action.

The two sides are in dispute over staffing changes, which the company says would have no impact on safety and no compulsory job losses. 

The RMT says a package of cuts was being "bulldozed through" by Virgin East Coast.

Young people in York are being asked how they would like to see play facilities in the city improved in a new consultation by City of York Council. 

The council has £300,000 to spend on parks such as Rowntree Park (pictured), and a special taskforce will meet for the first time tonight to discuss how to use the cash.

Peter Church/GeographCopyright: Peter Church/Geograph

Quote Message: By understanding what young people really want, we'll be able to use this funding to provide what matters to them." from Cllr Keith Aspden Deputy leader, City of York Council

By understanding what young people really want, we'll be able to use this funding to provide what matters to them."

We've been telling you about the hole in Gillygate which suddenly appeared yesterday morning.

Here's a shot of it today:

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It turns out it was caused by a collapsed sewer - and thanks to that the road's going to be closed for the rest of the week as repair work's carried out.

A reminder that if you're a bus user and heading for the hospital, a special free shuttle bus service is being put on while other bus services are being re-routed.

There are a couple of problems on North Yorkshire's roads at the moment:

It's being reported that there are currently people on the road on the A1(M) southbound between J51, A1 (Leeming Bar) and J50, A61 (Baldersby). Approach with care.

And there's very slow traffic on the A64 coastbound in Scarborough between the B1261 junction and the B1427 Queen Margaret's Road junction.

For the 22nd year running, the prestigious Yorkshire International Open Croquet Tournament is under way in Ripon.

Three days of competitive action starts today, with strong local representation through homegrown Ripon members Maggie Cowman and Christine Wood. 

The tournament is organised by The Croquet Association and the current champion is Amr El-Ibieri from Egypt.

I've been along to the Ripon Spa Hotel today for a few tips:

Cash and jewellery has been stolen in a series of distraction burglaries from elderly residents in North Yorkshire.

The burglaries took place between 1 and 3 August in Filey, Scagglethorpe, Malton, Boroughbridge, Scarborough, Great Ayton and Whitby.

The technique used by the thieves is to knock on the door of elderly residents, telling them their ball has been kicked into the victim's back garden. 

When the home owner takes one of the men to get the ball, the other man searches the house and steals property.

Anyone who's seen anything suspicious in the affected locations, or who has any information, is being urged to contact North Yorkshire Police. 

Work has started on rebuilding the Jorvik Viking Centre in York which was badly damaged by floods in December. 

The basement, which featured a reconstruction of Viking York, has been stripped out and dried. Luckily some original 9th century items, including a sock, bowls and tools were rescued.

JorvikCopyright: Jorvik

In February, the popular tourist attraction launched a campaign to raise £2m to help it re-open.

The York Archaeological Trust plans to open the revamped museum, which attracts 400,000 visitors a year, in February 2017.

Thanks to Paul Cresswell for sending in this fantastic picture of Knaresborough at night.

Paul CresswellCopyright: Paul Cresswell

We always love to feature the best pictures you've taken of North Yorkshire. 

Why not email or tweet your photographs to us?

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

• There are calls for more support for transgender people who are waiting four times longer for help in Yorkshire than guidelines recommend
• A special shuttle bus service is being put on in York to make sure people can get to and from the city's hospital after a sinkhole opened up in Gillygate on Monday
• Work's starting to rebuild the Jorvik Viking Centre in York which was badly damaged by floods in December

Canadian rocker Bryan Adams kept his North Yorkshire fans happy last night with a sell-out gig at Scarborough's Open Air Theatre.

Cuffe & TaylorCopyright: Cuffe & Taylor

His set list featured many of his most well-known hits including Run To You, Summer of '69, Heaven, You Belong To Me, 18 Til I Die, Everything I Do (I Do It For You) and Can’t Stop This Thing We Started.

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

• North Yorkshire will have rowers in the Olympic finals after wins in both the men's and women's 8's heats yesterday, including Andrew Triggs Hodge and Zoe Lee
• Yorkshire's Nile Wilson (pictured) missed out on a medal in the gymnastics team competition as GB finished fourth
• There's football action tonight with home games for both York City and Harrogate Town, with York hosting Macclesfield while Boston United are visitors to the CNG stadium