Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 4 November 2016

  • A lorry driver is arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving following a crash on the A5

  • A new rail franchise combining the current Intercity West Coast mainline with HS2 high-speed services is announced by the government

  1. Strictly Come Dancing: Rutherford makes it through to week sevenpublished at 10:33 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2016

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    Greg Rutherford has Rumba'd his way through to week seven of Strictly Come Dancing, even though there was some dispute over whether the dance was actually a Rumba.

    Take a look and see what you think?

    Media caption,

    Greg Rutherford and Natalie Lowe dance the Rumba to ‘Bring Me To Life’ by Evanescence

    Judge Darcey Bussell called the Halloween-themed dance "passionate" with "plenty of drama", but she would have liked to see more Rumba content.

    Craig Revel Horwood said while he "absolutely loved the dance", he didn't feel he could judge it as a Rumba.

    "If you'd done this dance in a show dance week, it would have been a 10," he said, as he awarded him just four points. But despite the low 26-point tally, it didn't stop the public voting him into next week.

  2. Family of 10 'still in temporary accommodation'published at 10:07 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2016

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    Various national newspapers have been reporting this morning that a family of 10 are now living in MK after claiming a five-bed council house offered to them in Luton was "too small".

    We've just heard from Luton council, which has clarified what's being reported.

    Tom Shaw, who holds the housing portfolio, told us the Milton Keynes house is "still temporary accommodation".

    "We never made a formal offer of a permanent tenancy," he said.

    "They are going to be in temporary accommodation for an awful long time because we've got so many families wanting larger accommodation who were on the list before they were.

    "They will have to wait their turn... they'll be treated the same as anyone else."

  3. Lewis Hamilton wins Mexican Grand Prix to keep title chase alivepublished at 09:31 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2016

    BBC Sport

    Lewis Hamilton kept his title hopes alive with a comfortable victory over Brackley-based Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in the Mexican Grand Prix.

    Lewis HamiltonImage source, Getty Images

    Stevenage driver Hamilton survived a scare at the start, when he ran wide at the first corner after locking a front tyre.

    But otherwise he was untroubled en route to his 51st career win.

    There are two races left and Rosberg can win the title by finishing second to Hamilton in the last two races of the season.

    Hamilton is 19 points adrift with a total of 50 available in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

  4. Papers report family of 10 who 'refused' five-bed house have moved into four-bed propertypublished at 09:24 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2016

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    In September we reported a family of 10 was told if they did not accept a house offered to them then Luton council would no longer help.

    The Sube family, who were living in temporary accommodation in Bletchley, told the MK Citizen, external a five-bedroom property in Luton was not suitable due to small rooms and a "lack of storage space". But Arnold Sube told the BBC he had not refused the house, but was waiting for the council's response to some questions.   

    Since then I've been in contact with the council to find out whether or not the Sube family had been offered another house and if so, had they accepted.

    Today the Daily Mail, external and Daily Express, external report the family has been moved into a four-bedroom house in Milton Keynes.

    We've contacted the council to find out exactly what's happened and will let you know its response. 

  5. Family 'must accept home' to get helppublished at 09:15 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2016

    A family of 10 are told if they do not accept a house offered to them, the council will no longer help them.

    Read More
  6. Council spend on traveller evictions triplespublished at 09:10 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2016

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    The amount of money Central Bedfordshire Council has spent on bailiffs to evict travellers has tripled over the past year.

    Figures seen by the BBC show the authority has spent almost £100,000 in the last year dealing with illegally-camped travellers. 

    The Conservative councillor for Dunstable, Nigel Young, says £43,000 was spent on bailiffs compared to £16,000 last year.

    "We are seeking injunctions on specific areas of land, in Dunstable particularly," he said.

    "We don't drive people away, but we can't encourage unlawful behaviour either."

  7. Lorry driver to be sentenced over deaths of Bedfordshire familypublished at 08:57 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2016

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    The driver of a lorry who caused a crash, killing a mother and three children from Dunstable, will be sentenced today.

    Tracy Houghton, 45, from Dunstable, her two sons, Ethan, 13, and Joshua, 11, and her partner's daughter Aimee Goldsmith, 11,Image source, Family handout

    Tracy Houghton, 45, from Dunstable; her two sons, Ethan, 13, and Joshua, 11, and her partner's daughter Aimee Goldsmith, 11, died in the crash.  

    Tomasz Kroker, 30, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving after he collided with the victims' car on the A34 between Chieveley and West Ilsley in Berkshire on 10 August.

    Reading Crown Court heard he was distracted by using a mobile phone. A video shot by a camera inside the cab showed Kroker using the phone and the fast approaching queue of traffic.

  8. Weather: Gradually brightening uppublished at 08:36 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2016

    Kate Kinsella
    BBC Look East weather

    Early low cloud, mist and fog patches should very gradually clear most areas to reveal a dry day with some sunny intervals and a high of 16C (61F).

    Here is my full forecast...

    There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

  9. Welcome back to live updates from Beds, Herts and Buckspublished at 08:00

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

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

    This morning, Tomasz Kroker, the driver of a lorry who caused a crash which killed a mother and three children from Dunstable, is due to be sentenced. We'll bring you the latest as it happens.

    Today we'll also look at how much Central Bedfordshire Council has spent on dealing with illegal traveller encampments.

    But first, let's see what the weather has in store with a full forecast. The fog is rather apt for Halloween, isn't it?

    Talking of Halloween, soon we'll recap Greg Rutherford's spooky performance in Strictly at the weekend too.

    If you'd like to get in touch, you can email ustweet us, external or contact us via Facebook, external