Lucy Ashton
Reporting from Doncaster

Here in Doncaster, things are running quite late tonight in the mayoral race - the verifying process has been going for three hours now and they still haven't officially started the count.

The counters have been given little lunchboxes with muffins, crisps and fruit and are taking a little breather, and it's hoped actual counting will begin very soon.

Lucy Ashton
Reporting from Doncaster

One of the most colourful candidates at the Doncaster mayoral count is Independent Richie Vallance.

He says his white rosette is for “independence” and his black T-shirt is for “anarchy”.

Vallance, 44, hit the headlines during the campaign when a previous conviction for being the “Donny Klown" came to light.

He is one of 12 candidate standing in the mayoral election.

Lucy Ashton
Reporting from Doncaster

Labour’s Ros Jones is defending her position as the directly elected Mayor of Doncaster at the age of 75.

First elected in 2013, she won further mayoral elections in 2017 and 2021. It’s a four-year term.

There is an older candidate standing for Doncaster mayor, 81-year-old Doug Wright, an independent.

The Reform candidate is Alexander Jones, aged 30. A Reform member says they are "feeling positive and good. We have worked very hard."

Defence Secretary John Healey is at the count - his constituency of Rawmarsh and Conisbrough covers both Doncaster and Rotherham.

A Labour insider says: "The vast majority of boxes have not been sampled yet but it very much looks like a three horse-race between Labour, the Conservatives and Reform."

The Conservative candidate Nick Fletcher, a former Doncaster MP who lost his seat in the 2024 general election, is also here.

Lucy Ashton
Reporting from Doncaster

Labour insiders believe the mayoral election will be “tight” - with some saying it is too close to call with Reform UK.

Labour's regional mayors were in Doncaster today showing their support - South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard joined West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith on the doorsteps.

It’s a sign that Labour sees Doncaster – which has had a Labour Mayor since 2013 – as vulnerable.

Tonight’s mayoral count will be the first challenge, as tomorrow there is the count for all-out council elections. Labour currently holds a majority on the council.

Lucy Ashton
Reporting from Doncaster

Verification has started at Doncaster Racecourse for the mayoral count. This is for the directly-elected mayor of Doncaster, who has the same powers as a council leader.

Indications are that verification will take at least two hours, so the actual counting of votes will not begin until at least midnight, if not later.

A result is expected between 03:00 and 04:00.

Doncaster has had a directly-elected mayor since 2002.

Services between Hull and London King's Cross are affected by the walkout.

Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were barred entering from the country over the weekend.

Jake Richards, Labour MP for Rother Valley, says many men are "suffering in silence".

Aslef has called the strike in a row over safety following the alleged sacking of a driver.

The reptile was living in a tank in the back garden of an address in Rotherham, a court hears.

The parents are worried as access to the drug to slow the progress of Batten disease is set to end.

Seven activity centres run by Kingswood close with immediate effect as it calls in administrators.

The Goldthorpe branch will close after the postmaster resigned, Post Office says.

The Year Over Yorkshire campaign will see hundreds of names carried on the tail of the helicopters.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl calls for more clean sheets from his side despite their 4-2 victory over Derby County.

MP Marie Tidball revisits the hospital in Sheffield whose staff helped her to walk 40 years ago.

Carl Huxley, of Ward Green, Barnsley met his victim in Gainsborough and took him to Lincoln.

Louise Haigh MP has been MP for a slice of Sheffield since being elected in 2015.

Jake Richards tables a bill aimed at keeping children in care within 20 miles of their home.

The site would be located in Rotherham and help to "harness renewable energy", the applicant says.