A school bus driver whose vehicle became stranded in floodwater near York with 23 pupils on board has been jailed for a year.

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

That's it from me today, but you can keep across updates from North Yorkshire through the rest of the afternoon right here.

Meanwhile, here are five things we've learned today:

• A North Yorkshire school bus driver whose vehicle became stranded in floodwater with 23 pupils on board has been jailed for a year
• After a dash for cash, villagers in Sutton-on-the-Forest have quickly raised £30,000 to re-open the local pub
• Businesses in Tadcaster say they need more help getting insurance against flooding, after the town experienced its worst flooding in years last winter
• Injured York panto star Martin Barrass, says he's given up motorbikes after recovering from a serious road accident, which left him with internal bleeding and a collapsed lung
• And you really need to see this. North Yorkshire Police have come up with a "musical" way of getting across their Christmas message. Go on, treat yourself, you will not regret it:

A school bus driver whose vehicle became stranded in floodwater with 23 pupils on board is jailed.

YorkMix

These sleek new buses are part of the new £2.3m Coastliner fleet, external, launched by Transdev in the shadow of York Minster.

Image source, YorkMix

Take a look at these fantastic shots of sunset over Whitby earlier this week.

Did you know that Whitby is one of only two places on the east coast where the sun is known to both rise and set into the North Sea?

The reason for this phenomenon is that though Whitby is on the east coast, it actually faces due north. 

Image source, PA

Image source, PA

Sarah Urwin
Political Reporter, BBC Radio York

More now on calls being made by businesses in Tadcaster for more help getting insurance against flooding. 

Some say they've been refused flood cover, others say they've been quoted huge excesses for flooding.

It is, of course, almost a year since the town experienced its worst flooding in years.

Homes and businesses were damaged and the work is still going on to repair the bridge which collapsed into the River Wharfe. 

The town's health centre is due to re-open next week, but Dr Andrew Inglis, who showed me around, says the threat of being flooded again is ever-present:

Joanita Musisi
Reporter, BBC Radio York

It's a big night tonight in Sutton on the Forest near York as the village pub, the Rose and Crown, finally re-opens.

It's been shut for most of the last year but, over the last month, people who live in the village have clubbed together to raise £30,000 to help get it back up and running. 

You read that right - £30,000 in the last four weeks.

How could I not go and have a look?

Julia Bryson
Journalist, BBC Local Live

Have you taken a photograph of Yorkshire which you'd like to share? 

If you're on Instagram, why not head over and follow our @bbcyorkshire, external account. 

You can tag your posts #bbcyorkshire for a chance to be featured. 

BBC Radio York

Panto season's well and truly under way in York, with Cinderella starting at York Theatre Royal last night and Aladdin starting at the Grand Opera House in York tonight. 

Aladdin stars former Hear Say singer Suzanne Shaw, Fraser Hines and Stuart Wade, formerly of Emmerdale, and Debbie McGee.

Debbie's husband, magician Paul Daniels, died earlier this year, but Debbie has told BBC Radio York's Georgey Spanswick she "won't sit at home and cry".

Instead she says she's immersed herself in work:

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

A North Yorkshire school bus driver has been jailed for a year after being found guilty of dangerous driving.

The bus driven by Graham Jones, 53, became stranded in floodwater between Newton-on-Ouse and Tollerton, near York, on 5 January with 23 pupils on board after he drove past two "road closed" signs.

Jones, of Linton Woods Lane, Linton-on-Ouse, denied dangerous driving, but was convicted following a trial and has also been handed a 30-month driving ban at York Crown Court.

A North Yorkshire school bus driver whose vehicle became stranded in floodwater with 23 pupils on board has been found guilty of dangerous driving. 

It happened after what Judge Paul Batty QC described as "floods of biblical proportions" in the area.  

Image source, PA

Graham Jones, 53, had driven past two road closed signs before the incident between Newton-on-Ouse and Tollerton, near York, on 5 January. 

Jones had denied dangerous driving but told York Crown Court he had made a "genuine mistake".

A school bus driver whose vehicle became stranded in floodwater with 23 pupils on board has been found guilty of dangerous driving.

More to follow...  

Mike Kemp
Reporter, BBC Radio York

I've had a look around a new leisure village which is due to open in Scarborough in early summer, bringing the total cost of new developments in the resort to about £60m.

Work is on course to complete the village - including a 2,000-seat community stadium - within the next six months.

As you'll see here, there's plenty of work still to do, but the leisure village is on course to open in early summer next year. 

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

A health centre in Tadcaster has become what can only be called an "elf" centre, after a bit of much-needed festive cheer arrived in the form of a new Christmas tree.

The health centre, which runs services for the community such as speech therapy and physiotherapy, was hit badly in the 2015 floods and is finally due to reopen on 19 December.

Office administrator Elizabeth Allison says: "We realised that when we re-open we no longer have a Christmas tree or any decorations. They really do help brighten the place up during the festive season."

But then Tadcaster's Flood Support and Fundraising Group, run by local residents, got in touch with the health centre to offer some money to replace their lost decorations. 

The group also teamed up with local author Tony Morgan, who donated profits from his latest book to to the group and they saw it as the perfect opportunity to replace lost items. 

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

There's something a bit Wuthering Heights about this beautiful pic sent in by Tim Scott:

However, it's Appletreewick near Grassington rather than Top Withens in West Yorkshire.

Emily Bronte might well have described it as "half-savage, hardy and free".

Andrew Barton
BBC Local Live, York

North Yorkshire Police have come up with a "musical" way of getting across their message of how to keep safe this Christmas.

The force has released a music video called Help Us, Help You which pays homage to festive favourite We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

The lyrics, sung by an eclectic mix of police staff and, er, a police dog, have been adapted to highlight safety messages:

• Enjoy yourself this Christmas but drink responsibly
• Keep your presents out of sight and secure
• Don't drink and drive
• Call North Yorkshire Police on 999 in an emergency or 101 for non-emergencies

My favourite bit is PD Buzz barking in time to the music but I'll let you decide whether it's a "criminal record" or Top of the Cops:

Georgey Spanswick
Presenter, BBC Radio York

More now on the problems businesses in Tadcaster are facing getting insurance cover after they were hit by flooding last winter.

I've been speaking to David Bewerley, from the Ink Shop, whose business ended up under 4ft of water when it was flooded almost a year ago - destroying all his electronic equipment.

David says he's tried renewing his flood cover since, but can't get his business insured.

Graeme Trudgill, executive director at the British Insurance Brokers Association, tells me a new scheme could help people like David make their businesses insurable once again:

BBC Travel

Things are generally looking good on North Yorkshire's roads so far this morning, but there are a couple of problem areas to be aware of:

• Slow traffic's reported on the A59 Knaresborough Road eastbound in Harrogate at the Empress Roundabout
• And there's currently heavy traffic on the A1079 Hull Road westbound in York at the Grimston Bar Interchange

Adam Tomlinson
Presenter, BBC Radio York

Panto season officially started in York last night, but it was without one of its famous stars.

Martin Barrass is continuing to recover from a serious motorbike crash near Skipton earlier this year, which saw him needing to be airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary after the accident.

He had an operation to stop internal bleeding around his liver, suffered a collapsed lung and was put in an induced coma for five days to improve his chances.

Martin, who's also a BBC Radio York presenter, has since made what's been described as a "remarkable" recovery and intends to be back with panto dame Berwick Kaler in next year's Theatre Royal pantomime.

I spoke to him yesterday about his rollercoaster year, and afterwards he had this special message for all his well-wishers:

The Press

Musicians and choirs are set to perform across York city centre this weekend to raise money for a charity for homeless young people.

Organisers of the Sing for SASH event, external, due to be held on Saturday and Sunday, are hoping to raise up to £3,000 to support its work with homeless 16 to 25-year-olds.

Image source, The Press