Updates for Wednesday, 9 March 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume on Thursday at 08:00
That's all from us today - if you missed anything, why not take a look through today's stories?
We'll be back tomorrow morning at 08:00 to bring you the latest news, sport, weather and travel for Beds, Herts and Bucks.
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
An elderly motorist was stopped by police in Hertfordshire after driving the wrong way down a motorway.
Image source, BCH Road PolicingThe vehicle was spotted on the A1M southbound near Hinxworth on Monday evening. It's believed to have travelled about 10 miles before being stopped.
Officers from the road policing unit for Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire said no-one was injured and an application to revoke the licence had been made to the DVLA.
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
The chief executive of Milton Keynes University Hospital says the impact of today's junior doctors' strike is minimal.
Image source, GoogleJoe Harrison told the BBC the hospital's "planning is getting better" meaning "fewer patients are being impacted".
"We're running a full emergency service," he said. "All of the patients that were cancelled in previous strikes, with the exception of one, have already been treated."
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Automated delivery pods have been out on the streets of Milton Keynes today, where it seems driver-less technology is becoming a real trend.
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The pods, which can hold several bags or parcels, have been designed by company Starship, external to "revolutionise local delivery".
Could you be seeing these little fellows knocking on your door in Milton Keynes with your internet purchases in the near future rather than Carl the courier?
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Bedfordshire's police and crime commissioner says he hopes for a timely outcome after the announcement of the conclusion of an independent investigation of Leon Brigg's death in police custody in 2013.
Image source, South Beds News Agency“This process has to take its course as we all need to know what caused the tragic and untimely death of Mr Briggs," Olly Martins said.
Mr Martins said it has been an "incredibly difficult time" for everyone involved, "not been helped by the inordinate length of time taken by the IPCC, external to complete its report. While we clearly need the right outcome we must also hope for a timely one.”
BBC Travel
Roads are looking very busy this evening across Beds, Herts and Bucks.
Flooding is causing delays on both road and rail and some train services out of Milton Keynes have been cancelled.
Check the latest here.
Two men in balaclavas threatened staff with weapons in an attempted robbery at a Bedford shop this morning.
Image source, GoogleThe men rode bicycles to the One Stop Shop in Avon Drive, where they attempted to enter the building at about 06:00.
Police say staff were able to prevent access in what was a "very distressing incident".
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Bedfordshire Police say they have reviewed their vetting policies after a former officer, who "trawled" the internet, was convicted of sex offences against under-age girls.
Image source, Bedfordshire PoliceThe force, where Mohammed Arshad, 35, of Ferndale Road, Luton, had been a trainee officer in 2014, commended the victims' bravery in giving evidence. Arshad was convicted of 17 charges.
"Since this case we have reviewed our vetting procedures to ensure they are as robust as possible to prevent anyone involved in criminality from joining the force," Dep Ch Con Mark Collins said.
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
A former Bedfordshire policeman has been convicted of grooming under-age girls for sex and told to expect a substantial prison sentence.
Image source, SBNAMohammed Arshad, 35, of Ferndale Road, Luton, "trawled" Facebook for young victims, St Albans Crown Court heard.
Arshad was convicted of 17 charges relating to 12 victims aged between 13 and 16, including nine of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and one of rape. He was cleared of five other charges and remanded in custody for sentencing in April.
Paul Scoins
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter
A new social enterprise cafe has opened in Wolverton, which will reinvest its profits into the community.
The Bar Bar Black Sheep opened last Thursday after people decided they wanted a cafe in their town square - but were after something a bit different.
Quote MessageWe're really trying to do business with a view of putting people before profit
Danny Quinn, Black Sheep Collective
"The surplus from this cafe will be reinvested locally into the community and we also donate all our surplus wastage from the food to homeless people or people in need," Danny Quinn, a partner of the Black Sheep Collective, external which runs the business, said.
Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio
Luton-based Vauxhall has opened its new pan-European Customer Contact Centre in Toddington today.
Image source, GoogleThe premises at Chalton House will employ more than 300 people, speaking 19 languages and dealing with 29 countries.
The company says Luton is at the heart of Vauxhall/Opel's European business.
Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio
The latest headlines:
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Three people have been rescued from flood water in North Bedfordshire by firefighters today.
Image source, BBC/JSP GardenFlooding in the village of Riseley
A woman and a child were rescued from a car trapped in flood water along Church Street in Upper Dean, and an elderly woman was rescued from flood waters at her home in the High Street, Riseley.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have sent equipment to keep flooding at bay and are continuing to monitor levels, external.
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
A junior doctor on strike in Milton Keynes has said a big issue for him is what the government counts as a night shift in the new contracts.
Josh Brewin has been a junior doctor for seven months: "A night shift is counted in the new contract as from 02:00 onwards so I could work until one minute to 02:00 and that won't count as a night shift."
"That's going to have an impact on patient safety," Mr Brewin said. This is the third strike and will last 48 hours, meaning 5,000 treatments have been postponed.
This is the scene in Radclive, Buckinghamshire this afternoon following long spells of heavy rain.
Thank you to Weather Watcher "wendywoo" for sending this picture to us.
Image source, BBC/wendywooA Bedfordshire police officer will go on trial in September accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a vulnerable adult.
Image source, SBNAThe accused pleaded not guilty to wilful misconduct at St Albans Crown Court today. The offence is alleged to have taken place between 31 December 2014 and 23 March last year.
BBC Sport
Charlton striker Yaya Sanogo should be "banned for the rest of the season" for his "disgusting" red card against MK Dons, says Dons boss Karl Robinson.
Image source, Getty ImagesSanogo, on loan from Arsenal, was sent off during injury-time of the 0-0 draw for appearing to elbow Dons defender Antony Kay off the ball.
"He's clearly off the ball, he's had one go and a second," said Robinson.
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
A man from Hertfordshire has been jailed for six years after being convicted for his part in the £14m Hatton Garden heist.
Image source, Met PoliceCarl Wood, 59, of Elderbeck Close, Cheshunt, was convicted of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property, after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.
He was sentenced today alongside five others, one of which was given a suspended sentence.
Cheshunt man Carl Wood, 59, has been sentenced to six years in prison for his part in the £14m Hatton Garden raid last Easter.
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
A Hertfordshire-based historian who worked with record producer Sir George Martin has been paying tribute following the news of his death.
Image source, AFPQuote MessageHe had a tremendous musical knowledge
Mark Lewisohn
Known as the "fifth Beatle", Sir George produced more than 700 recordings, including nearly all of the Beatles' 30 hit singles.
"In those days if you ran a record label you would be producing jazz one day, classics the next, light opera and so on," historian Mark Lewisohn said. "By the time he came to work with The Beatles, he really did know the workings of the studio."
