Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 18 November 2016

  • Homes in mid-Bedfordshire could soon have their gas reconnected following leak

  • Speculation spreads on whether Steven Gerrard will come to MK Dons as their new manager

  • Collins Canoes the Canals challenge enters its final day

  1. Weather: Mild overnight and tomorrowpublished at 17:40 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Julie Reinger
    BBC Look East weather

    It'll be a cloudy night with the last of any rain eventually clearing and it'll be mild too - many places staying in double figures.

    weather

    Tomorrow will remain largely cloudy with outbreaks of showery rain pushing southwards. We may get some brighter conditions into the north of the region later in the day.

    Staying very mild, with highs of 15C (59F).

    There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

  2. Man dies in 'chemical incident' in Bedfordpublished at 17:32 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016
    Breaking

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Police officers are currently at the scene of a chemical incident in Barkers Lane in Bedford. 

    They were called by the ambulance service shortly after 14:30 this afternoon to reports a man was found dead at a property. 

    Officers said the scene posed a "chemical risk" and specially-trained chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) officers attended to ensure the scene was made safe. 

    Barkers Lane has been closed at the junction with Donnelly Drive, while a cordon is in place around the property. Motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible. 

    The incident is not being treated as suspicious at this stage, police say.

    We'll bring you more when we have it.

  3. How to get the best photo of the 'supermoon' - according to Nasapublished at 17:29 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    If there happens to be a break in the cloud where you live tonight, you might want to photograph the "supermoon" which won't be this close to Earth again until November 2034.

    Nasa has issued some top tips on taking a memorable image, which include:

    • Choose the location carefully
    • Use people to bring it to life
    • Use advanced DSLR techniques

    We're also told that if you're prepared to wait until Tuesday, weather conditions should be better, although the moon won't be at its biggest size.

    Graphic showing elliptical orbit
  4. Terror trial: Luton man says money was for aid, not terrorpublished at 17:25 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Steve Swann
    BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

    Four men, including 37-year-old Syed Hoque from Luton, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of using aid convoys to smuggle funds to terrorists in Syria.

    The prosecution alleges the defendants were involved in four aid convoys between 2012 and 2013, accusing them of making use of the convoys to move money and property out of the UK to Syria. 

    "The prosecution don't suggest that the aid convoys themselves did not have an overall charitable purpose," said Annabel Darlow QC, but she said they may have been used as "a very useful conduit", which the jury "may think was an abuse of the charitable spirit of these convoys". 

    She added that Syed Hoque accepted he sent £3,000 to his nephew Mohammed Choudhury, but believed "this did not constitute terrorism".

    Syed Hoque, 37, denies handing over £3,000 and a further sum of £1,500 on 21 December 2013 to help his nephew fighting against the regime in the war-torn country. 

    He is also accused with three other men of making "other property" available between 1 December 2012 and 31 May 2014. 

    Mashoud Miah, 27, of east London, Mohammed Hussain, 30, of east London, Pervez Rafiq, 46, of Birkby, Huddersfield, and Mr Hoque all deny the charge. 

    Mr Hoque also denies a further two counts of funding terrorism. 

    The case continues.

  5. 'Regret' of death crash coach driverpublished at 17:07 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    A coach driver who killed three men and injured a fourth as he ploughed into a stationary car tells a court he wished he could rewrite history.

    Read More
  6. Terror trial: Accused Luton man discussed funding weapons on WhatsApppublished at 17:03 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Steve Swann
    BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

    The Old Bailey has been told that Syed Hoque, from Luton, allegedly sent thousands of pounds to his nephew Mohammed Choudhury in Syria.

    It heard the nephew was fighting with the group formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, described as a banned "terrorist organisation" aligned with al-Qaeda.

    The court was told the pair allegedly used social media to discuss buying a Dragunov sniper rifle and an AK47 assault rifle with a telescopic sight for use in the dark.  

    The jury was shown photographs of a PK machine gun, assault rifles, an improvised explosive device, a Russian mortar bomb and an anti-aircraft gun, which Mr Choudhury is said to have sent to Mr Hoque, who was at a medical appointment with his mother at the time.  

    He replied, from the hospital, that "those weapons look beautiful", the court was told.

    It heard Mr Choudhary messaged back on WhatsApp, saying they "look more beautiful wen (sic) used". 

    More follows...

  7. Terror trial: Luton man accused of funding terrorism in Syriapublished at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Steve Swann
    BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

    A group of British men have gone on trial at the Old Bailey accused of using aid convoys to fund terrorism in Syria.

    One of the men, Syed Hoque, 37, allegedly told a nephew fighting in Syria to "behead his enemies", but advised drawing "the line at mutilating their bodies".

    The Old Bailey heard Mr Hoque - from Luton - discussed funding a "night team" of snipers in Syria.

    Mr Hoque is accused of sending £3,000 in cash to his nephew, Mohammed Choudhury, possibly on an aid convoy, which left the UK for Syria in July 2013. 

    More follows...

    Jabhat al-Nusra tank firing during clashes against Syrian government forcesImage source, AP
  8. Cancer Research run re-routed after body findpublished at 16:06 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Cancer Research says its Tough 10 Chilterns run around Hughenden Manor at the weekend had to be re-routed after the discovery of the body. 

    The woman was found by firefighters after they were called to a woodland blaze early on Friday evening. 

    It's still not known who the woman is or how she died. 

    Det Insp Joe Banfield said: "I would like to appeal to anyone who recognises someone they know - a friend, family member or a neighbour - fitting the description of this woman to contact police. 

    "I would also like to hear from anyone who saw a woman matching this description in the Naphill area at around the time of the incident on Friday."

  9. Watford v Leicesterpublished at 16:01 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Follow live text coverage from Vicarage Road as Watford host Leicester in the Premier League.

    Read More
  10. Police still trying to identify bodypublished at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Police are trying to identify a dead woman found in woodland on the edge of the Hughenden estate in Buckinghamshire.

    The body was discovered when firefighters were called to a fire an hour or so after dark on Friday.

    The dead woman is white, approximately 5ft 2in tall and was wearing thin rimmed glasses with brown frames. She was also wearing a brown anorak, size five Softlites shoes and had a black retractable walking cane with her.

    Hughenden

    Officers say house-to-house inquiries and missing person reports have revealed nothing to date. A post-mortem examination was inconclusive, so at the moment her death remains unexplained.

  11. Coach driver who killed three tells court he would 'do anything to re-write history'published at 14:10 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Kate Bradbrook
    BBC Look East

    Alan PetersImage source, South Beds News Agency

    A coach driver has taken the stand at his trial where he denies causing death by dangerous driving.

    Three men died and a fourth was injured when the bus driven by Alan Peters, from Gravesend, Kent, ploughed into an Audi parked on the hard shoulder with its hazard lights flashing, on Valentines Day last year.

    Peters, aged 78, told the Luton Crown Court jury he believed the overhead signs were displaying "Congestion - use the hard shoulder".

    He told the court: "I wish to express deep sympathy to the relatives of the deceased. This was a dreadful thing to happen." 

    He said he lost his wife to motor neurone disease four years ago and knew what real tragedy meant. He said the incident is "on my mind all the time. I have lived with this for two years. Of course I regret, I deeply regret... and would do anything to re-write history."

    The trial continues.

    Damaged AudiImage source, South Beds News Agency
  12. Strictly: Greg bound for Blackpoolpublished at 13:33 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Greg Rutherford is feeling all mixed up after surviving the dance off yesterday.

    He's also revealed his own theory about why he was there in the first place... #nomoreticketsforgrandma

  13. Charity canal canoe takes to the waterpublished at 11:26 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Children in Need is upon us, and our fundraising effort this year comes in the form of radio presenter Andy Collins - who's braving everything autumn can throw at him to canoe 70 miles of the Grand Union Canal.

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    His five-day jaunt began this morning, so cheer him on if you spot him through Beds, Herts and Bucks. And if you're feeling generous... all the details are here, external.

  14. Luton Town Supporters' Trust says retail park 'would offer something different'published at 10:59 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Planning officers say Luton Town Football Club hasn't done enough to justify building a retail park at junction 10 of the M1.

    They say the current plan only allows development if a stadium was being built there as well. But the club wants its new stadium in the town centre, with the site at junction 10 used for retail to fund the ground.

    Luton town developmentImage source, 2020 Developments

    Nigel Green from the Supporters' Trust says he doesn't think a retail park would dissuade shoppers from using the town centre.  

    Mr Green said development at junction 10 "would offer something different" and would "stop footfall moving away to other areas and bring the business to our town".

  15. Man rescued from a burning car dies in hospitalpublished at 10:52 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    A 30-year-old man from Watford who suffered serious burns in a car fire on Stephenson Way has died, police say.

    He was taken to Watford General before being transferred to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where he died yesterday.

    Investigating officers are still trying to work out what happened. It's thought his car, a silver Peugeot 307, collided with a barrier on the M1 northbound near junction four at 19:10 on Friday evening.

    It then travelled on to Stephenson Way where it caught fire.

    Hertfordshire Police has appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

  16. Lewis Hamilton's class shows in Brazilian Grand Prixpublished at 10:08 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Andrew Benson
    Chief F1 writer in Sao Paulo

    "Not too bad, huh?" Lewis Hamilton said on the podium after winning the Brazilian Grand Prix. You can say that again.

    The 52nd victory of the Mercedes driver's career kept the title fight alive for a final race showdown in Abu Dhabi in two weeks' time. 

    Rosberg will start that race as a strong favourite to become world champion. But a chaotic, crash-strewn race at a treacherously wet Interlagos emphasised the gulf between the two men.

    lewis hamilton and nico rosbergImage source, Getty Images

    Rosberg takes a 12-point lead to the Yas Marina circuit and to clinch his first world title needs to finish only third, even if Hamilton wins.  

    lewis hamilton and nico rosbergImage source, Getty Images

    Statistically there is not much to choose between the two Mercedes drivers this season - they have nine wins each; Hamilton has 11 poles and Rosberg eight.

    But on days like Sunday in Brazil, there is no doubt who is the great driver and who is the very good one.

    You can read more of my analysis on the BBC Sport website.

  17. Lewis Hamilton keeps F1 title race alive with Brazilian Grand Prix winpublished at 09:15 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    BBC Sport

    Lewis Hamilton produced a masterful performance to win a wet, chaotic, crash-strewn Brazilian Grand Prix and take the title fight to the final race.

    The Stevenage driver's ninth win of 2016 came in a race with several high-speed accidents, two stoppages and five safety cars.

    Nico Rosberg and Lewis HamiltonImage source, Getty Images

    The victory cut the lead of his Brackley-based Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, who finished second, to 12 points.

    Rosberg will secure the championship if he finishes third in Abu Dhabi on 27 November, even if Hamilton wins.

  18. Strictly spoiler alert: Rutherford battles it out in bottom twopublished at 09:00 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Jodie Halford
    BBC News

    We love a bit of Strictly here on the live page, and we love it even more when a local boy makes it through to the next week!

    Long jumping Olympian Greg Rutherford, who's from Milton Keynes, was in the dance-off on Sunday night's show but was saved by the judges, who preferred his paso doble to Daisy Lowe's salsa.

    It means Greg's off to the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool next weekend with his partner Natalie Lowe. Come on Greg!

    Strictly dance offImage source, PA
  19. Police dog status change 'unnecessary'published at 08:51 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    Over the weekend we reported how the government said giving police animals the same legal status as officers injured at work was "unnecessary".

    The petition calling for the change in the law got more than 100,000 signatures and will be debated in parliament later today.

    FinnImage source, BCH Police Dogs

    Responding to the petition, external, the Home Office said: "Under some circumstances assaults on support animals could be treated as criminal damage, allowing for penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment.

    "An additional offence dealing specifically with attacks on police animals may not result in more prosecutions or increased sentences."

  20. MPs debate police animal protection following Stevenage dog stabbingpublished at 08:36 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2016

    MPs are to debate whether police dogs and horses in England and Wales should be given the same legal protection as police officers. 

    More than 120,000 people have signed a petition calling for tougher penalties for attacks on police animals, following the stabbing of German shepherd Finn while he chased a suspect in Stevenage.

    FinnImage source, BCH POLICE DOGS

    Under current legislation, assaults on police animals are considered acts of criminal damage rather than assault. 

    Conservative MP David Mackintosh, who is presenting the debate as he sits on the Petitions Committee, said the law should reflect the status "of our brave and courageous animals".