Disruption to trains between Bedford, London and Brighton continues this evening because of a lack of drivers.

They tell us: "Four peak trains out of London are cancelled this evening and around 30-35 trains won’t be running for the rest of the day north of London for which we are sincerely sorry."

Image source, Getty Images

The statement continues: "Continued training for the introduction of our new and improved Thameslink train fleet means that, unfortunately, we did not have sufficient drivers for some of our services. 

"We are steadily recruiting and training more and more drivers to overcome this issue."

A time capsule has been buried at the Jellicoe Water Gardens in Hemel Hempstead, which is being restored at a cost of £3.4m. 

Children from South Hill Primary School joined council officials and Friends of Jellicoe Water Gardens to bury the collection of "treasures" on one of the islands on the River Gade.

Image source, Dacorum Borough Council

Included inside are:

• A diary entry detailing the day in the life of a pupil
• A factsheet about Hemel Hempstead
• Photos of South Hill School
• Coins pulled out of the silt during the restoration
• A film about the capsule's origins by the Hemel Movie Makers

It's alleged that Yvonne Caylor disguised herself in a false beard, wig and glasses, broke into Nicki Collingbourne's flat in Lectchworth and killed her with a chicken-shaped casserole dish.  

Today, she stood in the witness box at Luton Crown Court and denied it was her. 

"Did you murder your half sister Nicki Collingbourne?" Graham Trembath QC asked her. 

She replied: "No sir. " 

"Did you play any part in her death?" he asked. Again, she replied: "No Sir."

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Yvonne Caylor, who's 53 and from Grove Road in Hitchin, denies murder.  

Staff at the Co-op in Sharnbrook High Street were threatened with a knife in an armed robbery last night. 

Bedfordshire Police say three people smashed the till and took money and cigarettes before running off towards Park Lane. 

It's been reported that, shortly afterwards, a supermarket was robbed just over the border at Wollaston in Northamptonshire.

Image source, Google

The robbers are described as wearing scarves and hoods. One was wearing a white jacket and the other two were wearing dark coloured coats. 

Det Insp Dani Bailey said: "This was a terrifying ordeal for the staff involved, who fortunately weren't injured but have been left understandably shaken."  

Aylesbury MP David Lidington was back in his ordinary job as Leader of the Commons today after he yesterday stood in for Theresa May at Prime Minister's Questions while she was abroad.

Scottish Nationalist MP Pete Wishart (pictured, right), got to his feet to praise his efforts, not without a little irony: "Such was the stellar performance that me and several of his honourable friends are thinking about a DL for PM, a sort of Carry on Lidington when it comes to PMQs."

Following laughs from his fellow MPs, Mr Lidington (pictured, left) replied: "I think I'm grateful to the honourable gentleman for his opening remarks.

"I always think it's very dangerous territory when you're being praised by a senior opposition spokesman in that way." 

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

We told you earlier about a suspected grenade which was found at a business park in Bedfordshire this morning.

Bomb squad officers were called in after the discovery near the Coronation Business Park in Kempston Hardwick, and the area was cordoned off.

Police say the device was not a "viable" threat and there was no need for a controlled explosion.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, following the shooting of a man on 26 November in Luton.

The man remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being found by a passerby in Marlow Avenue.

Image source, Google

A man arrested last month has been released on police bail until January.  

Watch Match of the Day plus reaction and analysis following a busy evening that saw 17 goals across eight matches in the Premier League.

A suspected grenade has been found at a business park in Kempston Hardwick.

Bedfordshire Police says explosive officers are investigating after the device was discovered at 11:40.

An area near the Coronation Business Park has been cordoned off.

Image source, Google

Kempston Hardwick was the site of a large munitions factory during the first and second world wars.

A woman was hit by a bus after earlier having a "verbal altercation" with its driver, Hertfordshire Police says.

The row is said to have happened when she boarded the bus at Stotfold on Tuesday. She was allegedly hit by the bus as she got off by a parade of shops by Letchworth train station, at about 11:15.

She received bruising in the incident, police said.

Image source, Google

Det Con Kathryn Marshall said: "There were several passengers on the bus who may have witnessed the verbal altercation and also some people on the street who may have seen the incident."

This shark out and about in Milton Keynes today may look cuddly in his inexplicable pyjamas, but various organisations in the three counties are warning that the type of shark that lends money in the run up to Christmas is a criminal taking advantage of the time of year.

Councillor Rachel Hopkins, who oversees trading standards in Luton, said: "These unpleasant individuals take delight in making difficult situations a misery.

"They are often most active in the run up to Christmas when we all feel we could do with a little extra cash. If you are approached by someone you suspect is a loan shark get help straight away before it's too late." 

Luton Council says anyone having issues with loan sharks can contact the England Illegal Money Lending Team on: 0300 555 2222 or via email: reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk.

Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live

Children in Bedfordshire are learning about the nativity... in a back garden pigsty.

Run by Christian organisation Impact, around 500 children are invited to the back garden to watch one of three daily performances over the course of a week. 

"It's about bringing it to life," said Jo Gaunt from Impact. 

We joined Kempston Rural Lower School to see what it was about.

League One leaders Scunthorpe visit Oxford United in the last 16 of the EFL Trophy and there is one all-under-21 tie.

Medicines and alcohol are likely to have contributed to the death of Matt Smith, the Oxford University student from Bedford who died while on a skiing trip to France at the weekend, according to French authorities.

Jean-Pascal Violet, the state prosecutor in Albertville, told the Times, external newspaper: "We suspect a heart failure linked to a combination of consuming alcohol and medicines, but we have no certainty about that.

"We believe complications from his health and medications, and possibly altitude, led to his tragic early death."

Image source, Glen Tamkin

In a written statement, Howard Smith, the father of 22-year-old Matt (pictured, right), said his son was a "kind, generous and loyal" person who "would have wanted the party to carry on without him".

The family of an Oxford student who died during a university ski trip in France describes him as "kind, generous and loyal".

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

A 10-year-old boy missing in Hemel Hempstead has been found safe and well, say police.

Concern was raised earlier for Tommy Corbett, who had last been seen at 18:00 yesterday in the town centre.

Police say he was found in Hemel this morning.

Following an outbreak of avian flu in mainland Europe, Whipsnade Zoo, external in Bedfordshire is monitoring its bird population.

Whipsnade told us: "The chickens that usually roam in the Hullabazoo Farm have been moved to indoor exhibits as a precaution, to minimise their contact with wild birds until given further instruction by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

"The dedicated zookeepers at Whipsnade will continue to keep a close eye on all bird species at the zoo and ensure they remain healthy and well."

Image source, South Beds News Agency

DEFRA is calling for all keepers of poultry to keep their birds inside to protect them from H5N8, a highly-infectious strain of avian flu which has been found in birds in 14 countries including Germany and France.

The risk to people is said to be low.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

A woman is still in a serious condition nearly two weeks after being attacked outside a pub in Luton.

Image source, Google

The woman, who's in her early 30s, was in the smoking area of the White House pub in Bridge Street between 16:45 and 17:30 on 25 November, when she was hit by a man who asked her for a cigarette.

It appears she became unwell overnight and was found unconscious in her home the following day. She was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital, where she is in a serious but stable condition.

Det Con Ben Jones said: "The victim suffered a very nasty head injury and we are keen to speak to anyone who saw what happened." 

The woman who was attacked is described as being white, with shoulder-length straight brown hair. She was wearing a long, light-coloured coat.

Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio

Wycombe Wanderers are through to the last 16 of the Football League Trophy, after two goals in the last five minutes from Garry Thompson gave them a 3-1 win at Millwall.

Earlier, an Adebayo Akinfenwa penalty had given Wanderers the lead, with keeper Jamal Blackman then saving a Millwall spot-kick when the score was 1-1.

It was Wycombe's sixth consecutive victory in all competitions - their best run of wins in over a decade - and they will now join Luton Town in today's third-round draw, which takes place at about 11:30.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Hertfordshire Police is appealing for the public's help to find a 10-year-old boy who has gone missing in Hemel Hempstead.

Image source, Hertfordshire Police

Tommy Corbett was last seen in the town centre at about 18:00 yesterday.

He is described as white, of stocky build and with ginger hair, and was last seen wearing dark trainers, blue jogging bottoms with a stripe down each leg, and a black jacket which has a white fur-lined fleece hood.