Updates on Tuesday, 26 July 2016
Film company in court over Harrison Ford's broken leg
Teacher banned over 'nice pins' email
Jury considers verdict in Luton baby death trial
Trial hears dead man was naked from waist down
Guide dog refused entry to race track
Amazon to test out delivery-by-drone
Weather: Sunny, but showers possible later
That's it from us today.
You can read more about the driver who was fined for carrying too much basmati rice.
Plus there's more on the new signing for Wycombe Wanderers on the BBC Sport website.
We'll be back tomorrow with all the news, weather, sport and travel for Beds, Hearts and Bucks from 08:00.
Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather
Cloudy across most parts of the region this evening, but mainly dry with the chance of patchy rain by the end of the night and lows of 12C (54F).
A cloudy, drizzly start to Wednesday. Gradually clearing, but staying rather cloudy. Some sunshine breaking through, but there will be afternoon showers possible with highs of 23C (73F).
There are more details on the BBC Weather website.
BBC Entertainment and Arts
Image source, Entertainment OneThe BFG (Big Friendly Giant beat fellow new release Star Trek Beyond at the UK and Ireland box office in a weekend that also saw screenings of a classical concert make more money than Ghostbusters.
Roald Dahl wrote the BFG in his shed at Great Missenden, Bucks and Steven Spielberg's film adaptation has now taken £5.2m between Friday and Sunday, while the latest Star Trek film took £4.7m.
Gail Sanderson
BBC Three Counties Radio
Police in Buckinghamshire say there's been a spate of phone scams where thieves have pretended to be police officers in order to get people to hand over money.
An elderly woman in Chalfont St Peter handed over £5,000 and an 89-year-old man in Beaconsfield £10,000.
In both cases, the people on the phone claimed they were detectives investigating fraud involving counterfeit bank notes.
To convince their victims, the fraudsters gave them a number to call to check their credentials, but they had left the line open.
In a third case, an elderly woman from Beaconsfield refused to go to her bank when the caller claimed there was suspicious activity on her account, even when he offered to send over a taxi.
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
We've heard from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Dog Unit that police dog Nero remains in a stable condition and is "getting a lot of rest" after breaking his neck chasing a suspect.
Image source, @BCHPoliceDogsSgt Cray Birch from the unit said they are supporting his handler "and wish Nero the fullest and speediest of recoveries".
The six-year-old German shepherd was injured jumping over railings in Watford, which had a 12ft (3.5m) drop the other side.
Nero will continue to need lots of rest "for the next few weeks at least," Sgt Birch said.
Wycombe Wanderers sign goalkeeper Scott Brown and defender Will de Havilland on two-year deals.
Read More
Phil Shepka
BBC Sport
Luton Town manager Nathan Jones has appointed a new first-team coach, a man he worked alongside at Brighton.
Spaniard Joaquin Gomez has moved to Kenilworth Road from Derby after the two clubs agreed a compensation package.
The 30-year-old has been coaching in England for the past six years since gaining his pro licence at the age of 24, spending five years at the Seagulls before joining the Rams as head of tactical analysis in 2015.
Helen Burchell
BBC News
Buying basmati rice at a bargain price turned out to be false economy for one motorist.
Police spotted his vehicle heavily-laden with sacks of rice in Luton on Friday night. They advised him to split the load. However, he was spotted later on Dunstable Road still carrying too much and was fined £300.
Image source, BCH Road Policing/Thinkstock"The driver had found he could buy 20kg (44lb) bags of rice from a cash and carry for £15.49 so bought 40 bags totalling 800kg (1,764lb)," police said.
The cut-price rice coast £619.60, but the fine brought it up to a total of £920.
Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East
The jury in the case of a baby from Luton who died last year has been sent home for the night.
Mother Ronnie Tayler-Morrison, 22, and her partner Hardeep Hunjun, 27, deny murdering 13-month-old Noah Serra-Morrison at their flat in Crawley Road.
Jurors at Luton Crown Court previously heard Noah suffered a catalogue of injuries in the weeks before he died from a "massive" fatal head injury last November.
Jury members will continue their deliberations tomorrow.
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Image source, @BCHPoliceDogsOver the last year here on Local Live, we've followed the progress of police puppy Blade.
He started training in July with a handler from the Beds, Herts and Cambs Dog Unit, external, keeping us all entertained with his adventurous "tails" (okay, tales).
Earlier this month, Blade passed all of the tests needed to become an official police dog and yesterday he completed his first shift in the line of duty.
He was involved in searching for a person suspected of car theft as well as a missing man.
They grow up so fast!
Sophie Sulehria
BBC Three Counties Radio
We contacted Buckinghamshire County Council about the case of a High Wycombe couple having to educate their 10-year-old son at home...
The council said they "cannot comment on specific details of ongoing cases" but that they "always work as closely as possible with families, schools and professionals to generate the best outcome for the child or young person concerned".
The local authority had offered Harminder and Gary Rann's son Kyle a place at Chiltern Gate Special School, but his parents said this would not be suitable.
You can see a video of Kyle being taught by his mum on our Facebook page here, external.
Sophie Sulehria
BBC Three Counties Radio
A couple from High Wycombe say they've been forced to educate their son at home after the local authority failed to provide him with the education he needs.
Harminder and Gary Rann withdrew Kyle, 10, from school over two years ago, after they saw what they claim was a regression in his development.
They now want him back in mainstream school with the right support for his language and auditory impairment.
"A lot of the children who go to special school have severe disabilities. Kyle just learns in a different way," Mrs Rann told me.
The family say they just want the "specialist support that [Kyle] needs within a mainstream school".
Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live
Six local councils have written to MPs about the "appalling" passenger service offered by rail company Govia.
Hertfordshire County, Bedford Borough, East Herts District, Luton Borough, North Herts District, and Welwyn & Hatfield Borough councils are calling on the government to ensure that the rail company provides "a timetable that people can rely on".
The company has operated Thameslink and Great Northern services for the past two years.
"We have urged Govia to improve their services for the benefit of the travelling public to little effect and now we want to see government take the side of the hard-pressed traveller and get our rail services back on track," said Derrick Ashley, cabinet member for transport at Herts County Council.
Govia recently hit the headlines after putting in place an emergency timetable after months of cancellations due to staff shortages and strike action.
We've contacted Govia for their response.
Firefighters in Bedfordshire are to take over from police in forcing entry into properties in a medical emergency.
They will take on the support role to ambulance staff, to free up police officers under an agreement reached between Beds Police, the county's fire and rescue service, and the East of England Ambulance Service.
Bedfordshire's police and crime commissioner has tweeted on the decision:
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Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East
The jury in the case of a baby from Luton who died last year has retired to consider its verdict.
Mother Ronnie Tayler-Morrison, 22, and her partner Hardeep Hunjun, 27, deny murdering 13-month-old Noah Serra-Morrison at their flat in Crawley Road.
Jurors at Luton Crown Court previously heard Noah suffered a catalogue of injuries in the weeks before he died from a "massive" fatal head injury last November.
A Biggleswade school was alerted to one of its teachers sending inappropriate messages to pupils by a parent who found exchanges on their daughter's Facebook account.
Richard Merrett, 30, sent messages to four girls at Stratton Upper School, one of which read: "A 9 men tent is huge!! How can they have sex knowing you guys are in the tent?"
It was then discovered he had emailed the girl and three others, and failed to report that one of them, "Pupil B", was self-harming.
He commented on her appearance, telling her she had "nice pins which many girls would die for", and a "beautiful body".
Mr Merrett, who was also a sixth form co-ordinator, admitted sending the inappropriate emails, failing to maintain professional boundaries and failing to report a safeguarding issue.
He has been banned from teaching indefinitely. He was initially investigated by police, but the matter was not taken any further by them.
A teacher who bombarded four female pupils with inappropriate messages, including "nice pins", has been banned from teaching in England.
Richard Merrett, 30, told a girl at Stratton Upper School in Bigglewade she had a "beautiful body", and discussed his marriage and personal life.
Image source, GoogleThe head of Year 13 told another pupil about a dream involving naked women.
A panel of the National College for Teaching and Leadership, external prohibited him from teaching indefinitely.
Cloud will thicken this afternoon allowing one or two showers to develop, but it will mostly stay dry.
Maximum temperature: 22C (72F)
Check the latest on BBC Weather here.
Image source, Getty ImagesSo why are Amazon testing their parcel-delivering drones in Britain?
Well, the company says it is conducting the trials here, because the regulations are more flexible than in other countries.
Amazon, external will be paying for the programme and the government will be discussing rules and regulations for the future, so that companies can take advantage of drone technology.
Ministers will still have to convince the public that having automated drones flying around is both safe and won't invade people's privacy.
It's an industry the government claims could eventually be worth billions. Read a BBC Business News story here.
Richard Westcott
Transport correspondent
Online retail giant Amazon, which has distribution centres in Dunstable and Hemel Hempstead, is exploring the possibility of using drones to deliver goods.
In this short video, I explore how it could become a reality across Britain:
Postal deliveries: A drones' eye view
