Welcome to the Huddersfield Examiner's breaking news service.
Stay with us throughout the day to be the first to know everything that's happening across Huddersfield and the rest of West Yorkshire.
We'll be bringing you updates on crime, health, sport, politics, education and more live from the Examiner team.
And remember to check back before you travel as during peak times we'll provide you with all of the latest traffic updates on the M62 and roads around the region.
You can also download our app to get news on the go and push notification for the latest breaking stories here .
If there's something you've noticed and want us to check out then please feel free to get in touch - you can call us on 01484 437712, email editorial@examiner.co.uk or tweet @Examiner. You can also find us on social media here .
Key Events
Slow M62 traffic
Very slow traffic on M62 westbound between J28 A650 / A653 (Tingley) and J26 M606 / A58 (Chain Bar).
Not helped by closure of the hard shoulder, which would normally run as a live lane.
Rush Hour Round-up
Slow traffic on:
- A62 Leeds Road towards Three Nuns roundabout
- A62 Huddersfield Road from Mirfield to the Three Nuns roundabout
- A644 Wakefield Road towards Three Nuns roundabout and Brighouse
- A641 Huddersfield Road into Brighouse
- A629 Huddersfield Road towards Ainley Top roundabout
- A644 Huddersfield Roads towards Three Nuns roundabout.
M62 looks clear between junctions 22 (Rishworth Moor) and 26 (Chain Bar) in both directions.
A fine feast of folk
Legendary folk band Blowzabella host folk and dance workshops before their gig at Holmfirth Picturedrome, on Saturday.
Formed in London, in 1978, Blowzabella’s sounds recalls that of traditional dance bands for England and Europe.
From 10am to 1pm the band will be hosting traditional dance and folk band workshops.
And from 2.30pm to 5pm members of Blowzabella will be leading traditional folk instrument workshops, including hurdy-gurdy, fiddle and bagpipes.
This will be followed by a gig by the band and the folk band formed by members of the public during the day’s sessions.
For more details and tickets visit: http://blowzabella.co.uk/dates/
The event has been organised by Holmfirth Festival of Folk.
Easy on the accelerator
If you’re caught driving well above the speed limit you can expect a much larger fine from this week onwards as tougher speeding penalties come into force.
In a government crackdown on dangerous driving fines for speeding can now equal 175% of your weekly income.
Robinson faces ban on match against Huddersfield
Birmingham captain Paul Robinson has been charged with violent conduct by the FA, meaning he could be ruled out of playing against Huddersfield on Saturday.
Robinson was seen appearing to kick and punch Aston Villa’s James Chester in their derby on Sunday, and will now miss most of the season.
If the three-match ban is upheld, Robinson will miss the match at St Andrew’s on Saturday.
An FA statement read: “Paul Robinson has been charged with alleged violent conduct following the Aston Villa versus Birmingham City game on Sunday. He has until 6pm on 26 April 2017 to reply to the charge.”
Delays on the M62 westbound
Reports of very slow traffic on the M62 westbound around junction 28 at the moment.
The congestion is right up to junction 26 for Chain Bar so will affect you if you’re travelling to Huddersfield from the Leeds direction.
Dark times as Sainsbury's pull houmous from the shelves
If you thought the world couldn’t get a worse place to live in right now, just wait until you hear this news...
Sainsbury’s have taken all houmous from the shelves due to a “production issue”.
The store, which has branches in Huddersfield, issued a statement on their website saying: “We are temporarily out of stock of Sainsbury’s houmous due to a production issue. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
Oh the houm-anity! Next you’ll be telling me they’re putting the price of quinoa up.
Jeremy Kyle contestant removed from court after yelling at reporter
Remember Dean Grundell, the defendant let off jail to go on the Jeremy Kyle show? The Dalton man was was removed from court this morning after making threats towards an Examiner reporter.
Serial shoplifter Grundell, who has 154 offences to his name, was held in contempt of court after he hurled personal abuse towards the female reporter. Yelling from the dock at Kirklees Magistrates earlier, he shouted: “You little b***h, I’m coming for you - I don’t care if I get 10 or 20 years.”
Magistrates found him in contempt and had him removed from the courtroom for the remainder of the proceedings.
Flags up ready to greet Tour de Yorkshire cyclists
Welcome to Yorkshire! It’s all systems go in Honley today as the flags are up and ready to greet the cyclists set to whizz through for the Tour de Yorkshire on Sunday.
Nothing like a warm Yorkshire welcome... This picture was sent to us by Holmfirth resident Sandie Nicholson.
Nestlé to cut 15 jobs in Halifax
Nestlé is to cut 15 jobs in Halifax as it axes hundreds across the North, it’s just been announced.
The chocolate and food firm have also proposed 143 jobs at their York factory, 110 in Newcastle and seven in Girvan, Ayrshire.
The makers of the Blue Riband chocolate biscuit are said to be moving production lines to Poland.
Unions have blasted the move, and GMB general secretary Tim Roache said:
Nestle are throwing people’s lives, and those of their families, into turmoil for the sake of increasing profit margins. These factories should be exporting chocolate - not people’s jobs.
WATCH: Workers brave the lift up Holme Moss in the snow
Don’t look down! Or up, if you’re watching this video...
Workers at Holme Moss were seen braving the lift journeying 550ft up the 750ft mast today. The mast stands 1,700ft above sea level at its base. Rather them than me...
Emmerdale star reveals she's "great mates" with on-screen abuser
Emmerdale star Zoe Henry - who is at the heart of a domestic violence storyline - has revealed she is “great mates” with her on-screen abusive husband.
Zoe plays Rhona Goskirk in the West Yorkshire soap and is currently embroiled in a storyline where her new husband Pierce Harris has been abusing her for months and raped her on their wedding night.
But speaking on This Morning today, the actress said she and Jonathan Wrather, who plays Pierce, get on so well off screen that he comes to stay overnight with her and husband Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain Dingle in the soap, to avoid a long commute to the other side of the Pennines.
Police dog Tex retires from the Force
A special goodbye to West Yorkshire Police Dog Tex, who has hung his lead to retire from the police force.
It’s not all bad news though, as Tex is heading off to join the prison service. Ain’t no rest for the wicked...
MP pleas for young people to register to vote ahead of election
Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman has called for young people to register to vote ahead of June’s General Election.
Speaking from Westminster earlier, he issued an appeal to young people saying “we need your vote” in the “important, decisive election”.
If you haven’t already, you can register here.
Aspley chaos causing bus delays
The problems on Wakefield Road are also causing delays to some of the local bus services...
MP visits Dogs Trust rehoming centre
Dewsbury & Mirfield MP Paula Sherriff has set tails wagging on a visit to a West Yorkshire dogs’ home.
Ms Sherriff was recently given a tour of the Dogs Trust’s Leeds branch, who have said this morning that it was a great opportunity to show what they do to rehome abandoned pooches.
Amanda Sands, Dogs Trust Leeds Rehoming Centre Manager, said: “The staff at the centre and I were delighted to welcome Paula to Dogs Trust Leeds. The dogs were all on their best behaviour and had extra waggy tails to make her feel welcome!”
Paula added: “It was a privilege to see the wonderful efforts of staff at the rehoming centre who work so tirelessly to ensure all unwanted, abandoned and stray dogs are cared for so well.”
Aspley traffic caused by "hole in the road"
As reported earlier, traffic is bumper to bumper down Wakefield Road from Waterloo to Aspley, heading into Huddersfield town centre.
Pedestrian Michael Parr, 67, said he walked the length of the jams - and cars that he passed at the start were still waiting when he got to the bottom.
He’s said:
There’s a hole near the Aspley traffic lights near the takeaways with two blokes looking into it. Two lanes are closed and only one is open.I was walking and I got to the bottom first! The poor drivers must be really fuming. All it would take is a couple of policeman to direct traffic. It was completely clear after the Aspley lights.
Cousin of arson victim Joe McCafferty relives traumatic fire
The cousin of a Huddersfield boy who died in an arson attack has spoken out as the 20th anniversary approaches.
Seven-year-old Joe McCafferty was killed after petrol was poured through the letterbox of a house on Haywood Avenue in Marsh on May 3, 1997.
His cousin Chantelle Cunningham, now 32, witnessed the fire and raised the alarm. In an exclusive interview this morning, she told BBC Radio Leeds about the night of the fire.
She said: “The flames were burning me me - burned my back burned the side of my face and my feet and basically I just crawled out of the window head first and my neighbour managed to break my fall and catch me.
“It was just screams and absolute mayhem outside. My cousins were still in there. I was that hot I could feel my skin lifting off my body. It was so intense and I just remember screaming. I couldn’t breathe - every tiny little breath it burned and then my mum [was] trying to get the boys and Joe was only steps away from me.”
Jo Cox widower calls for fight against political extremism
The widower of Batley & Spen MP Jo Cox has written a piece calling for less tolerance of political extremism.
Brendan Cox wrote on the Guardian website last night saying more needs to be done to tackle the rise of the far-right, while compassion is also needed to bring together differing opinions in this country.
He wrote:
Too often liberals see everyone who doesn’t agree with them as idiotic or bigoted, when the vast majority are neither. There are many people who have understandable concerns about the pace of change in society and about the impact of immigration, but who are also decent people who believe in inclusion. Calling them racist or stupid pushes these people into the hands of the extremists.
Second arrest over Lindsay Jo Rimer
A second man has been arrested on suspicion of the historic murder of Lindsay Rimer.
Lindsay was last seen on November 7 1994 when she went to buy cornflakes from a shop in Hebden Bridge. Her body was found in April 1995 in the Rochdale Canal in Hebden Bridge.
A 68-year-old year man was arrested from Bradford this morning (Tuesday April 25) on suspicion of the 13-year-old school girl’s murder.
The 63-year-old man who was arrested in November 2016 on the suspicion of Lindsay’s murder remains on police bail whilst enquiries continue.
Long delays on Wakefield Road heading into Huddersfield
We’re seeing reports of very slow traffic on Wakefield Road in Aspley, with delays of up to 20 minutes.
This is due to two lanes being closed near Firth Street on the town centre-bound side. Avoid the road if possible - delays are right back onto Penistone Road near Lepton. Yep.
Could Woolworths return to Huddersfield?
Bargain hunters and pinchers of pick ‘n’mix rejoice, as efforts are underway to reclaim the name of one of our most sorely-missed high street stores.
Reports are in the air that Woolworths’ former MD Tony Page is trying to repurchase the name from shopping giants Shop Direct, which bought the brand after it went bust in 2008.
Mr Page told the Daily Star: “I am still emotionally attached to it. I still think it has got a role in the future. I have contacted Shop Direct and said ‘you’re not using the brand anymore, would you consider giving it to someone who would?’”
Man to give evidence in love-triangle murder trial
A Huddersfield man charged with the murder of his partner’s ex will continue to give evidence in court today.
Mohammed Shiraz Bashir, 42, is charged alongside Leonie Mason and three youths with the murder of Craig Preston, whose body was found near Woodhead Pass last year.
Bashir and Mason, 23, both of Holme Park Court in Berry Brow, are accused of killing Mr Preston with whom Mason had an ‘on-off relationship’, the prosecution allege. The jury was previously told Bashir and Mason plotted to kill Mr Preston, also known as Craig Nelson, because he was an “annoyance.”
The five deny murder and stand trial at Sheffield Crown Court. Reporter Robert Sutcliffe will be in court with the latest.
Snow? In Spring?
Did anyone spot a dusting of snow over the tops last night? There were reports of the white stuff in Marsden and on Saddleworth Moor, although it appears to have mostly gone already.
Weather today is expected to remain much chiller than yesterday with highs of just 7 degrees, with a chance of some showers later in the afternoon going on into the evening.
Fears heroin could be contaminated with deadly substances
Police issued yet another warning last night over a deadly batch of heroin thought to be on the streets of West Yorkshire.
There are fears that dealers are deliberately contaminating Class A drugs with substances called Fentanyl and Carfentanyl - both massively more potent than street heroin. There has been a spate of drugs-related deaths in the region over the past two weeks, and detectives are investigating to establish if they were connected to this.
Tests on separate batches of drugs recovered within the region have found that a number have been contaminated or adulterated with the two substances.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Dunkerley said:
“Typical symptoms of a Fentanyl overdose include slow and difficult breathing, nausea and vomiting, dizziness and increased blood pressure. Anyone experiencing any unusual symptoms after taking drugs should seek immediate medical attention.”
Anyone who has information about the distribution of illegal Class A drugs in West Yorkshire is asked to contact West Yorkshire Police on 101.
Rush hour round-up
Traffic has returned to normal on the M62 westbound for now. In the meantime, here’s a round up of the latest congestion on the local and surrounding roads:
- Heavy traffic on Halifax Road in Hipperholme
- Busy but moving on the Huddersfield ring road by the old Tech college
- Crawling on Bradley Road heading towards the leeds Road traffic lights
- Slow-moving traffic on Whitehall Road, Wyke, heading from Brighouse towards the M62
- Traffic is busy on Halifax Road, Huddersfield, heading into town
- Busy on Huddersfield Road at Salterhebble, Halifax
- Heavy traffic on Wakefield Road in Mirfield
- Very slow traffic on Smiddles Lane in Bradford
- Slow on Ovenden Road, Halifax
Promotion hopes dashed after Magpies' victory
Huddersfield Town’s hopes of an automatic promotion were dashed last night by the Magpies’ victory over Preston.
Newcastle thrashed their rivals 4-1 to reclaim their spot in the Premier League. But there is still hope for Wagner’s boys who will need to beat the Wolves at tonight’s away match for a chance in the play offs.
Fingers crossed!
What's happening on the motorways?
Good morning to you all. Traffic looking very slow and heavy on the M62 eastbound next to Hartshead Services at the moment.
Westbound is also very slow around junction 27 due an earlier broken down vehicle, although things appear to be easing a little.