Leeds United are set to put forward plans to boost the capacity at their Elland Road ground to 56,500, it has been announced.

The club are expected to submit a formal planning application outlining the scheme "imminently", Leeds City Council said.

If approved, the proposal, which also includes plans to regenerate the wider area around the ground, would increase the capacity by nearly 20,000.

A report due to go before city councillors later this month said 30 acres of brownfield publicly-owned land would be developed and that Elland Road would become a "thriving 365 day a year destination".

The report said that if planning permission was granted, construction work could start on the West Stand "in the next 12 months" while work on the North Stand would then begin as a "second phase of redevelopment".

Located in Beeston, Elland Road has been the club's home ground for 106 years.

The expansion would make it England's seventh-biggest football stadium.

The club's chief operating officer, Morrie Eisenberg said: "Elland Road holds a significant place in the hearts of Leeds United fans and the city as a whole.

"This agreement with Leeds City Council marks another step towards our ambition to expand and refresh a century-old stadium, while retaining the unique atmosphere and spirit of Elland Road.

"Our commitment to the long-term success of the club is illustrated in our plans to invest in, modernise and re-vision the stadium – improving the facilities and the ability to welcome thousands more supporters through its doors."

James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said the club "deserves a stadium befitting of its special status and incredible fans".

He said the council was keen to support the proposal "however we can" to ensure the club was in the "build a bigger, brighter future for the club, their supporters and sport in the city".

Local residents will be consulted throughout the planning process, Lewis added.

The council said Elland Road's redevelopment would complement other separate schemes in the south Leeds area.

Those include proposals for a British Library North at Temple Works, for which £10m worth of funding was secured in February, and a Holbeck Sports Hub complex, which would feature a new community gym and sports pitches.

The plans are due to discussed at a meeting of the council's executive board on 23 April.

West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said: "I'm excited by the ambition and courage Leeds United are showing in their plans to transform the city into one of the country's sporting superpowers.

"Elland Road and the surrounding area have huge potential for regeneration and growth – its great to see the club and Leeds City Council cooperating on such an impressive scheme."

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A childhood photo of a brother and sister from Cornwall has been reunited with them after turning up more than 300 miles away in a Lincolnshire charity shop.

Chris Kirkum, 32, from Holsworthy, Devon, and his sister Jade Kirkum, 30, from Bude, Cornwall, were just children when they posed for the photo at Bude Junior School.

Decades later, the framed picture resurfaced in an Age UK shop in Boston, Lincolnshire where it was posted on a Facebook group for quirky charity shop finds.

Ms Kirkum, who was tagged by someone she had gone to school with, said: "I clicked on the link and couldn't believe it, it was us, it was the most bizarre thing."

Mr Kirkum, a mechanic, said: "I was doing the washing up when Jade showed me the post.

"I couldn't believe it, a photo of us from primary school, just sitting there in a shop hundreds of miles away."

Chloe Poole, a local administration assistant, saw the post and retrieved the photo from the shop.

She posted it to Ms Kirkum, who received it a few days later.

"I'm just glad she got it back," said Ms Poole.

"Photos hold so many memories."

The siblings do not know how the photo ended up so far from home, but suspect it may have been donated by a family member.

"It just shows how powerful social media can be," said Ms Kirkum.

"It's amazing this photo found its way back."

Ducklings have been pulled out of a pond, manhandled and on one occasion played with on a slide, according to concerned residents in a Suffolk town.

Needham Market is home to a large family of Mallard ducks based on land and in water off Barratt's Lane.

Suffolk Police said it was investigating after receiving a report which listed about four incidents of ducklings being mistreated.

Town mayor Terry Lawrence warned such behaviour could result in the baby ducks becoming alienated from their family, ultimately resulting in their deaths.

"Please desist because it is illegal to actually interfere with the birds," said Mr Lawrence.

"The ducklings are there for everybody's pleasure and all you are doing is harming and scaring them and their parents.

"It's ignorance – but we should not be too derogatory about the whole town because of the behaviour of one or two people – the vast majority enjoy and value them."

Jamie Hudson said she intervened when she saw two young girls chasing the ducklings and stamping in their vicinity.

"It is disgraceful," she said.

"The ducks have been here for years and the people of Needham Market love them."

Hayley Smith, 51, from the town, added: "They are wildlife, not pets, and it is not acceptable – it is unkind and unfair and it's kids being mindless."

Ally Tuohy said she stepped in when she saw a couple – who were not children – trying to capture one of the ducklings and put it in a blue container.

"It was really distressing and horrible to see, but I managed to stop them," said the 30-year-old.

"It is an issue the town is clearly emotionally invested in because these lovely ducklings are so special and sadly so vulnerable."

The RSPCA said it was "really concerned" by the reports.

A spokesperson said waterfowl were protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which made it a criminal offence to intentionally kill, injure or take a bird, "except under licence".

"The ducklings in these incidents will have suffered great stress from being used as objects of play and being targeted for cruel games."

There were people "out there" deliberately targeting wildlife and sometimes using weapons such as airguns and catapults, the spokesperson added.

Needham Market Town Council said it was informed by police of the reported incidents.

Care home staff who scaled Snowdon in treacherous weather have raised almost £4,000 for a local dementia choir.

A team of 10 from Glenvale Park in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, were hiking up the mountain when conditions took a dramatic turn.

Most abandoned the final push for the 1,085m (3,560ft) summit after visibility reduced, the temperature dropped and winds whipped around them at 80mph.

Home manager Carley Calder said she had to remind herself of the good work by the charity Dementia Sings Out, which helps her residents.

"I had a last bit of wind and thought I have to get up here," she said.

Ms Calder was among four who continued, as they were "so close to the summit", but others considered it was too dangerous for them.

The group included family members and a charity volunteer.

Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa, is a "challenging" hike, according to the Eryri National Park Authority, which advises visitors to be well prepared as the weather can often change without warning.

Fellow climber Louise Clarke, the home's lifestyle manager, had helped organise the trip on 29 March and was among those who bowed out.

"I had kept an eye on the weather, and it said it was going to turn at 16:00, but it came in much earlier, at 11:00," she explained.

"Suddenly we couldn't see where we were going.

"The cloud came in, from above and below, visibility had gone, the wind picked up, we all got blown over, then it started snowing and hailing, it was -10C with wind chill.

"It was terrifying.

"But when we got to accommodation and had a few hours to let it all sink in, we were really proud of ourselves."

The team raised £3,936 for Dementia Sings Out, which runs a free choir session at Compass Church, off Finedon Road, each week.