Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 11 November 2016

  • Stevenage "new town" turns 70

  • Trains services into London from Beds and Herts returning to normal

  • 'World's oldest' poppy seller reflects on Armistice Day

  1. Leighton Buzzard cash machine raid: Latestpublished at 12:31 Greenwich Mean Time 8 November 2016

    Jane Killick
    BBC Three Counties Radio

    Bedfordshire Police says nothing was stolen in the ram-raid on a cash machine in Leighton Buzzard that we told you about earlier.

    Fork lift used in cash machine raidImage source, SBNA

    Police were called in the early hours of this morning by a member of the public reporting damage to the Co-op convenience store.

    In a statement, Bedfordshire Police said "Officers attended the scene, where an attempt had been made to steal a cash machine from the store. Extensive damage has been caused to the front of the store and a JCB has been left in situ."

    Anyone with information is asked to contact Bedfordshire Police.

  2. Forklift truck used in Leighton Buzzard cash machine raidpublished at 11:14 Greenwich Mean Time 8 November 2016

    Thieves have used a forklift truck to raid a cash machine in Leighton Buzzard.

    The ATM was attacked at the Co-op in Stanbridge Road overnight.

    We'll bring you more details when we have them from police.

    Co-op Stanbridge RoadImage source, Brown Bear Photography
  3. Luton shooting: No arrests madepublished at 10:45 Greenwich Mean Time 8 November 2016

    Simon Oxley
    BBC Three Counties Radio

    Police investigating a shooting near Luton town centre a week ago say no-one has yet been arrested. 

    Two men from the town have been charged with possession of a firearm, but Bedfordshire Police says at this stage there is no connection to the incident in Dallow Road.

    Police at sceneImage source, SBNA

    A man was shot in Dallow Road in the early hours of last Tuesday morning, and was found in a nearby school car park. 

    Officers say they want to reassure the community that it was an isolated incident, contained in a party taking place at the time. 

  4. Bassingbourn Barracks to re-openpublished at 10:05 Greenwich Mean Time 8 November 2016

    Bassingbourn Barracks on the Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire border is to re-open as part of a major review of Ministry of Defence sites.

    Bassingbourn BarracksImage source, PA

    The site near Royston, which was mothballed in 2012, found itself in the centre of controversy after five Libyan cadets who were stationed there were involved in sex attacks.,

    The barracks will now take staff from sites which are closing, including RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire.

  5. Bedford GP surgery closure: 7,000 patients without doctorpublished at 09:12 Greenwich Mean Time 8 November 2016

    Nicola Haseler
    BBC Three Counties

    Seven thousand patients in Bedford are looking for a new GP Surgery after the Lansdowne Road surgery in the town closed its doors this morning.

    Lansdowne Road SurgeryImage source, Google

    Horizon Health Choices took over the surgery after all its doctors resigned in March - but the organisation has now gone in to liquidation as it had to spend so much money on locum GPs.

    One patient, Anne Childs, told Andy Collins on BBC Three Counties Radio that she was only made aware of the closure when she went to pick up her prescription yesterday.

    The head of Primary Care at NHS England in Bedfordshire Di Pegg apologised for the "short notice" and said it was "focused on ensuring that patients do get uninterrupted access to services".

  6. Bedford Prison riot: Repairs to cost £1mpublished at 08:55 Greenwich Mean Time 8 November 2016

    The BBC understands that the repair bill after the Bedford Prison riot on Sunday will be at least £1m.

    Police outside HMP BedfordImage source, PA

    The Prison Governors Association says cuts in staff numbers along with an influx of drugs, drones and mobile phones has contributed to the dismal position the prison service finds itself in today.

    The association is now calling for a public inquiry into the unprecedented rise in violence and deaths in prisons.

    In a statement, the Ministry of Justice, external said it was "absolutely clear that prisoners who behave in this way will be punished and could spend significantly longer behind bars."

  7. Weather: Frosty startpublished at 08:19 Greenwich Mean Time 8 November 2016

    Lucy Martin
    BBC Weather

    It'll be a cold and frosty start to the day today with some sunshine. 

    It should stay dry through the day with sunny periods but the cloud will increase towards the west later. 

    Maximum temperature: 7C (45F).

  8. Welcome backpublished at 08:16 Greenwich Mean Time 8 November 2016

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

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

    Today we'll be looking at the damage caused by the Bedford Prison riot which took place on Sunday evening.

    Emergency services outside Bedford PrisonImage source, South Beds News Agency

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

  9. Goodnightpublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    After the inmates ran amok in Bedford Prison, I'm sure there's lots of police, prison officers and emergency crews hoping for a peaceful night tonight...

    Those who have to fix the system may have more trouble nodding off.

    Still, we all need our beauty sleep, especially me. 

    We're back again from 08:00 tomorrow for all the latest news for Beds, Herts and Bucks. Hope you'll join us then.

  10. FA Cup second round draw: The numbers to look out forpublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    BBC Sport

    The draw for the second round of the FA Cup is tonight, live on BBC Two at 19:00.  

    Ball number 15 will be Milton Keynes Dons, thanks to their 3-2 win over non-league Spennymoor Town.

    Luton Town will be ball number 36 following their 3-1 win at Exeter.

    Wycombe Wanderers, following their 2-1 win over Portsmouth, will be ball number 18.

    Meanwhile, ball number 22 will be Boreham Wood or Notts County, after the sides drew 2-2 and have to replay their first round tie.

    FA draw hero image
  11. Minister launches smoke alarm campaign in Lutonpublished at 17:33 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    A young mother who was saved from a fire along with her baby has launched the latest Fire Kills campaign, alongside Fire Minister Brandon Lewis.

    The ground floor of Kelly Gilbert's home in Potten suffered 60% fire damage when a blaze started under the stairs.  

    She and her baby were asleep upstairs, but escaped to safety when they were woken by the smoke alarm.

    "There were 229 fire related deaths in the home last year," said the minister. "The Fire Kills campaign hopes that by encouraging everyone to test their smoke alarms at least once a month more deaths can be prevented."

    Kelly GilbertImage source, Bedfordshire Fire Service
  12. Are these yours?published at 17:29 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Hertfordshire police has recovered several valuable items from a stolen van found in Cheshunt and wants to re-unite them with their owners.

    If you recognise them, contact police on 101.

    RolexImage source, Herfordshire Constabulary
    Cartier watchImage source, Hertfordshire Constabulary
    Makita DrillImage source, Hertfordshire Constabulary
    Mountain bikeImage source, Hertfordshire Constabulary
  13. How many officers does it take to quell a 200-strong riot?published at 17:27 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    From our count, at least 20...

    Media caption,

    Riot-trained officers are filmed going through a jail to break up a disturbance

    This scene, captured by Ben Sturge, was visible through the window of Bedford Prison last night, as officers with shields tried to stop more than 200 inmates rioting

    It took them six hours to bring the disorder under control.

  14. Weather: Very cold overnight and rain tomorrowpublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Julie Reinger
    BBC Look East weather

    Showers will continue to feed down the eastern side of the region overnight, but for many it will be dry. 

    There's the chance of some mist and fog and it's going to be cold. Temperatures in some spots could drop below freezing, so there'll be a frost and possibly some icy patches.

    weather

    It'll be a cold and frosty start to Tuesday. Cloud will eventually thicken from the west and some persistent rain will then move eastwards on Tuesday evening and night. Temperatures on Tuesday only reaching around 6C (43F).

    There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

  15. Santa specials face eviction threatpublished at 17:15 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Annual Santa-themed train services run by a heritage railway could be in jeopardy as a volunteer railway is served an eviction notice.

    Read More
  16. 16-year-old stabbed with metal barpublished at 17:03 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    A 16-year-old boy remains in hospital after being stabbed with a metal bar in Aylesbury. 

    He was attacked by a group of four men in Aqua Way just before 18:00 yesterday.  

    The men, who are said to be Asian, left the scene in a vehicle which could have been a white or silver Vauxhall. One was wearing a red bandana, and another was wearing a black bandana.

    Anyone who has any details should contact Thames Valley Police.

  17. Luton hotel killer 'detained indefinitely'published at 16:27 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    A tourist who battered a man to death with a fire extinguisher in a Luton hotel is to be detained indefinitely in a secure mental health unit.

    Reinis Pupolins, 22, randomly attacked Ashwin Desai in a lift at the Hampton Hilton Hotel, near Luton Airport, in September 2015.

    Hampton Hilton HotelImage source, Geograph/M J Richardson

    Mr Desai, a married father in his 40s, was on his way home to Ontario in Canada from a business trip and had booked into the hotel. 

    He was in the lift on his way back to his room when he encountered Pupolins, who "viciously and repeatedly" attacked him.  

    The attack left him in a coma. He was flown back to Canada on 31 December where he died.  

    Luton Crown Court heard Latvian Pupolins suffered a psychotic episode and voices told him to kill someone.

    The prosecution accepted Pupolins' not guilty plea to murder and guilty plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.  

    Judge Michael Kay QC made an order under Section 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act which means Pupolins will be detained in a secure psychiatric unit under a continuous restriction order.

  18. Fireworks probe after people hurt at St Albans displaypublished at 16:16 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    An investigation is under way after flares reportedly went into the crowd at a St Albans firework display on Saturday.

    People gathered near Verulamium Lake have told the BBC the fireworks hit them and reported clothes being burned.

    The administrator at St Albans Cathedral, which organised the event, said it "regretted" the incident and its safety inspector was preparing a report, along with the company that put on the display.

    A spokesman said three people suffered minor injuries and shock. One was taken to hospital and discharged later the same evening and two were treated by the St John's Ambulance on site.

    "We have contacted the people concerned and are working closely with the fireworks operators, the event safety officers and the organisers to establish what happened," a statement said.

    FireworksImage source, Getty Images
  19. HMP Bedford riot: You're up-to-datepublished at 15:53 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    There's been lots of reaction and analysis of last night's riot - thanks for sticking with us. In summary:

    • Riot began at 17:00 on Sunday
    • Riot police arrived at 21:00
    • Under control by midnight
    • Prison Officers Association says 230 inmates took part
    • Three wings and the central hub of the jail were involved
    • Footage taken on mobile phones from inside the prison was posted on social media sites
    • Two inmates were taken to hospital, but are now back in prison
    • Three arrests have been made
    • 50-60 inmates have been transferred to other prisons

    Scroll back for full details, or you can read our online report here.  

    If there are significant updates we'll let you know, but time now to have a look at what's happening elsewhere.

  20. Man detained over hotel killingpublished at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2016

    A Latvian man who battered a hotel guest with a fire extinguisher after "voices told him to kill someone" is detained in a mental health unit.

    Read More