Kate Scotter
BBC News

The jury deliberating the evidence given in a trial of the facts in the James McCann case has been sent home for the night.

As we told you earlier, Mr McCann, 80, of Suffield Court, Swaffham, Norfolk, is charged with 50 counts of historical physical and sexual abuse against boys at the Shefford Boys Home in Bedfordshire during the 1960s and '70s. 

The Old Bailey jury started to consider the evidence this afternoon.

The judge has sent them home to re-sit tomorrow morning.

If you've missed any of our posts on the closure of Marlow Bridge today, here's a short video which will bring you up-to-date on the story so far...

Kate Scotter
BBC News

Further "stringent" tests are needed before Marlow Bridge can be reopened, engineers have said.

Image source, Buckinghamshire County Council

As we've reported, the driver of a 37-tonne lorry attempted to drive across the bridge, which has a three-tonne load limit and width restrictions, on 24 September.

Engineers found three areas of support which they said had become "significantly over-stressed".

Further investigations are expected to start later this week.

Mark Shaw, Buckinghamshire County Council's transport cabinet member, said: "I do understand the inconvenience this means for our residents and businesses.

"But I do know that nothing less than the most stringent of tests and analysis would be expected of us so that we're absolutely certain about the repairs needed to get the bridge back into a safe working order."

While tests are being done, the bridge will be kept open to pedestrians and cyclists. 

The trial of a 21-year-old man accused of the manslaughter of a work colleague at a Christmas party in Harlow has started.

Image source, Google

Bradley Casey of Thetford, Norfolk, but formerly of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, hit William Wareham, 53, in the face, who then fell to the ground and struck his head on the pavement, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Mr Casey claims he acted in self-defence at the Park Inn Hotel on 12 December 2015. The trial is expected to last a week.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

You may remember a couple of weeks ago we told you about a St Albans football team who had been forced to play in old, oversized shirts and laddered socks after having their kit stolen.

Image source, Herts Police

Well, The Chequers Inn FC have now been reunited with their blue and black striped kit after it was found dumped behind a telecoms box.   

The kit, which was worth £1,500, had been stolen from a parked car in Goldsmith Way between 19.30 on 10 September and 08:00 the next day.

Hertfordshire Police is appealing for anyone who has information to get in touch.

Kate Scotter
BBC News

The jury has started its deliberations in the trial of the facts of former boys' home carer James McCann.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Mr McCann, 80, of Suffield Court, Swaffham, Norfolk, is charged with 50 counts of historical physical and sexual abuse against boys at the Shefford Boys Home in Bedfordshire during the 1960s and 70s. 

He was unable to attend the trial at the Old Bailey due to sickness.

The jury is required to make a finding as to whether he did the acts alleged - rather than on his guilt or innocence.

This story caught our eye today on the ITV Anglia website.

It reports that a fundraiser who was planning to cycle across Vietnam has had to put his trip on-hold after having his bike stolen outside Hitchin station.

ITV Anglia says James Bertin organised the 400km (250-mile) ride to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity after his friend died of an aggressive tumour in 2014.

You can read more here, external.

BBC Weather

Luckily for us in Beds, Herts and Bucks, it will be staying largely dry and fine for the rest of this afternoon.

There will be some cloud around and despite it being rather breezy at times, it should feel quite warm in any sunny spells. Highs of 18C (64F).

Here's a picture of the sun gleaming over Dunstable's Grove Park as we speak. Marvellous.

Dan Holley
BBC Look East weather

Let's have a flick through some of our local papers in Beds, Herts and Bucks...

• The St Albans and Harpenden Review, external reports an £18m redevelopment project to improve leisure facilities in Harpenden has been given the green light
• Bedfordshire On Sunday, external reveals police are cracking down on drivers using mobiles phones after 309 people are caught in Bedfordshire this year
• Dunstable Today, external has published a video of a spectacular swarm of bees congregating in Totternhoe

Tony Fisher
BBC Three Counties Radio

The company whose lorry driver went over the Marlow Bridge in a 30-tonne vehicle has apologised to local people for the disruption caused.

Image source, My Marlow

Kristian Kaas Mortensen, from Girteka Logistics, said he was "very embarrassed" by the incident and assured local people he would work with them and the local council to solve the problem.

Mr Mortensen revealed he's checked with the company's insurance provider that they're able to cover the repair cost, which is reported to be about £200,000.

Matthew Lockwood
BBC Three Counties Radio

Earlier we mentioned the lorry driver who went over Marlow Bridge in his 30-tonne truck has been fired.

The historic bridge, which has a three-tonne weight limit, has been closed for over a week now - so how is this affecting local people and businesses?

Stuart Uren runs the Fego coffee shop in Marlow and says the closure has had a "massive impact on trade". 

Mr Uren says he is losing £2,000 a week due to a decline in footfall. 

He says more information is needed from the council about when the bridge will re-open in order to adapt the business and survive the difficult period.

A spokesman for Buckinghamshire County Council said: "We're keeping the bridge closed to vehicle traffic for the sake of safety, until we're absolutely sure of the full extent of the damage caused by the lorry, and any repairs needed are completed."

Tony Draper, former president of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said there might be a correlation between particularly high levels of exclusions and wider economic uncertainty in some areas.

"Families in financial difficulty, or with difficult personal circumstances are examples of this, so that could explain the regional variations in the statistics," Mr Draper (pictured) said.

He also warned school finances were "at breaking point", meaning some measures which might stave off the need for exclusions, such as counselling, support work or clubs, "may be lost".

The Department for Education in a statement said: "Every child should be able to learn without disruption - that's why we've given headteachers more powers to tackle poor behaviour."

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

Earlier we mentioned the number of children excluded from Luton's schools has risen by 48% over three years.

Speaking on the figures, Luton Borough Council's portfolio holder for children's services, Mahmood Hussain, said teachers are "no longer prepared to tolerate bad behaviour".

Mr Hussain went on to explain that headteachers have to be strict as children these days like to "test how far they can go".

Over the last year more than 600 Luton students were excluded for assaulting or threatening another pupil or member of staff. A further 50 students were excluded for drug or alcohol abuse.

The number of children temporarily excluded from Luton's schools has risen by 48% over three years. 

The figure represents the highest number per pupil in the whole of the East of England.

A quarter of those excluded were for assaulting or threatening another pupil, while 22% were for assaulting or threatening another member of staff. 

The number of short-term exclusions equates to almost one for every 10 students.

The current format of the Checkatrade Trophy is "rubbish", according to MK Dons manager Karl Robinson.

Users of Chiltern Railways will face severe disruption this morning after a cable fire...

Meanwhile, Great Northern Rail customers face delays of up to 20 minutes after an electrical failure at Alexandra Palace...

Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio

It's emerged a lorry driver who ignored warning signs and went over the historic Marlow Bridge in his 30-tonne truck has been fired.

Girteka Logistics, based in Lithuania, says the driver is no longer working for them and the company is "truly ashamed" about what happened.

Image source, Paul Merchant / My Marlow

The suspension bridge - which has a three-tonne weight limit - has been closed since the incident more than a week ago and investigations into the extent of the damage are ongoing.

Last week the Bucks Free Press, external reported the bridge could be shut for six months and cost £200,000 to repair.

Georgina Burnett
BBC Weather

Any early mist or fog will clear through the morning to leave a fine and dry day. 

There will be some cloud around, and despite it being rather breezy at times, it should feel quite warm in sunny spells, with highs of 17C (63F).

Here's my full forecast...

There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

Good morning and welcome back to another day of regular live updates of news, sport, weather, travel and more.

Our top story this morning is about the number of children being temporarily excluded from Luton's schools rising by 48% over three years. We'll bring you more on this shortly.

We'll also bring you up-to-date on the closure of Marlow Bridge and the effect it's having on local people and businesses.

As always, if you'd like to get in touch, you can email us, tweet us, external or contact us via Facebook, external.