Joanita Musisi
Reporter, BBC Radio York

There are only a couple of days to go until the scariest night of the year - Halloween.

No doubt, there'll be all sorts of ghosties and ghoulies out and about, but are you fully prepared?

Costume ready? Got enough sweets for the trick or treaters? Pumpkin carved? No? Well, luckily for you here's a lesson in how to do it.

I've been down to Brunswick Organic Nursery at Bishopthorpe, near York, where the staff have been showing me the basics:

Jim Addyman
BBC Local Live, York

Are you a capable football coach who can bring on the next generation of footballers?

Image source, Google

York City Football Club Foundation is currently recruiting coaches, external - although you will need certain qualifications to be eligible.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 9 November.

Police in York are appealing for images and information following a disturbance in the grounds of a city centre pub last weekend, external.

Image source, Google

Officers were called to the Judge’s Lodging Hotel on Lendal at about 13:30 on Saturday 22 October, after reports a group of about 20 people was fighting in the grounds and in the street. 

Detectives are appealing to any customers or members of the public who witnessed the incident, and to anyone who with video footage or still images of the disorder, to contact them.

No reports of anyone being injured during the disturbance have been received, police say.

Jim Addyman
BBC Local Live, York

Visitors from around the world are arriving in Whitby to attend this weekend's Bram Stoker International Film Festival, external. 

The festival - now in it's eighth year - hosts theatre performances, art, films and its (in)famous Vampires Ball.

Originally devised as a means to show off Bram Stoker's undeniable influence on horror cinema and literature, the festival has grown into a celebration of all things dark and macabre.

Image source, PA

Whitby, the literary birthplace of Dracula and the venue for a famous annual Goth festival, was the obvious choice to host the event.

Stoker himself visited Whitby in 1890, and it was in the local library that he first came across the name Dracula.

Remember to wind your clocks back and make the most of that extra hour this weekend.

The clocks will be going back on Sunday 30 October at 02:00 - so you will probably be fast asleep tucked up in bed when it happens.

Goobye BST...hello GMT.

Wrexham defender Sean Newton joins fellow National League side York City on a loan deal until 4 January.

BBC Radio York

The top stories from our York newsroom this lunchtime include:

• One of York's most iconic buildings is to get a major facelift after the city council approved English Heritage's plans to update Clifford's Tower
• An event's being held at the University of York aimed at raising awareness of the issues faced by people with mental health problems in the city
• Whitby plays host this weekend to the Bram Stoker International Film Festival, which is now in its eighth year

Jim Addyman
BBC Local Live, York

York has one of the highest mortality rates linked to asbestos-related illness in the country, new figures have revealed.

Image source, Getty Images

The city ranks in the top 6% of regions when it comes to deaths from mesothelioma - a cancer that affects the lining on the outer surface of the body's organs.

The study, conducted on behalf of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, shows that just under seven in every 100,000 people die from the disease in York, compared to the national average of 4.51.

It's thought most of the cases come from York's industrial past including the rail carriageworks.

The mortality rate is expected to peak in 2018 due to the effects of more robust legislation and better safety practices.

Jim Addyman
BBC Local Live, York

Helmsley Walled Garden, external is one of the prime tourist spots for those of a horticultural bent, and now it's been nominated for a top award.

Image source, Helmsley Walled Garden

The attraction has been nominated in the Britain's Favourite Garden category of the third annual Landlove Magazine Awards, external. 

The garden was built in 1758 and was originally designed to provide vegetables, fruit and flowers to the Feversham family at Duncombe Park. 

It must be nearly Halloween as York has been named by the Guardian newspaper as one of the world's most haunted cities, external.

Image source, Thinkstock

According to the paper, York's home to a veritable ghostly gang of "colourful spooks".

They including the wraith which used to haunt the Golden Fleece, the not-very-politically-correct Mad Alice and the Grey Lady who was allegedly bricked-up in what's now the Theatre Royal.

"Sit in the dress circle, it is said, and she will tickle your neck. I don’t know about you, but I’ll take the stalls," writes the Guardian's Steven Poole.

BBC Travel

A reminder that the A1(M) southbound remains closed at J42, A63 (Selby fork), with traffic being routed around the junction and back on again, and queuing traffic for four miles.

This is due to an earlier accident involving three lorries and a spillage of paint thinner on the road. 

A diversion's in operation - via the exit and entry slips at J42. Travel time through the area is about 25 minutes with congestion to J43, M1 (Hook Moor).

Georgey Spanswick
Presenter, BBC Radio York

This morning on BBC Radio York we've been focusing on Selby - as it's 40 years this weekend since the opening of the Selby Coalfield complex.

We've been looking at the impact its 2004 closure had - and getting a snapshot of how the town's doing now. 

John Grogan is the former Labour MP for Selby and I asked him for his thoughts on the town's prospects:

Georgey Spanswick
Presenter, BBC Radio York

North Yorkshire's rapidly becoming the place to film movies and TV series, with Swallows and Amazons and Victoria both being filmed in the county recently.

The latest is the BBC's upcoming adaptation of Wilkie Collins classic The Moonstone.

It hits our TV screens on Monday and is described as the first ever detective novel, telling the tale of an Indian diamond that gets stolen - and the search for the person responsible. 

BBC Radio York reporter Sarah Urwin was able to grab some time with the cast when the show was being filmed on location near Ripon.

John Thomson, more usually known for comic roles, spoke about his nervousness acting in a period drama:

Nathan Turvey
BBC Radio York News

A new campaign starts today aimed at bringing down the number of people taking their own lives in York - and making North Yorkshire a mental health-friendly county. 

A conference is taking place at the University of York where people affected by mental health problems are invited and is part of a campaign put together by local councils and police.

Insp Bill Scott is mental health development lead for the North Yorkshire force and says the aim is to build co-operation:

Jim Addyman
BBC Local Live, York

Pateley Bridge traders will be pulling out all the stops today when judges from the Great British High Street Awards, external pay a visit. 

Image source, David Martin/Geograph

They'll be taken around the area in a vintage 1940s bus after Pateley Bridge made it to the final three in the Best Village category.

Last year, York's Bishy Road became overall winner, external and Helmsley picked up Best Market Town. 

As well as a visit from judges the final result also relies on the public vote.