Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 20 January 2017

  • Tributes paid to Royston fire engine crash victim as investigation continues

  • Helen Bailey murder trial resumes after being halted for two days

  1. Welcome back to live updates from Beds, Herts and Buckspublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    Good morning and welcome back to the live page for Beds, Herts and Bucks, where we'll bring you news, sport, weather and travel as it happens until 18:00. 

    If you want to send us a photo, a video, or get in touch, you can via email or Twitter using @bhblive, external.  

    Coming up, a full regional weather forecast.

    Weather Watcher picture
  2. MK Dons sign Hearts forward Muirheadpublished at 19:28 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    MK Dons boss Robbie Neilson returns to former club Hearts to sign forward Robbie Muirhead for an undisclosed fee.

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  3. Brother-in-law cleared over buried bodypublished at 18:14 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    A man is cleared in connection with a woman's body found buried under rubble at his home.

    Read More
  4. Our live coverage throughout the daypublished at 18:01 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    It's been a busy day across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

    Let's have a look at the key stories we've covered today...

    • The pedestrian killed in the Royston fire engine crash has been named as 58-year-old Mitchell Bailey
    • Three men have been charged with murdering Adam Watt, who died after being stabbed outside his home in Hemel Hempstead
    • Daniel Doherty has been cleared of all charges relating to the Luton buried body case

    We'll be back tomorrow from 08:00 with all the latest news, weather, travel and sport updates - but any breaking news will be posted here overnight.

    Have a good evening.

  5. A cold and frosty nightpublished at 17:17 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Julie Reinger
    BBC Look East weather

    It's going to be a dry night, with a lot of clear sky. 

    A sharp frost will develop, with some mist and fog patches, and possibly ice in places.

    Winds will be light, with temperatures falling as low as -4C (25F) in some isolated places. In cloudier places, temperatures will stay closer to freezing.

    Weather graphic for 05:00Image source, BBC Weather

    Any mist and fog may be slow to clear tomorrow, but it should then become a dry and sunny day.

    Temperatures expected to reach 6C (43F).

    BBC Weather has more details for where you live.

  6. Man shot with BB gun in road rage attackpublished at 17:13 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Lee Agnew
    BBC Three Counties Radio

    A man has been shot with a BB gun during a road rage attack in Kempston.

    It took place last Sunday afternoon when a silver Audi turned into Stonedale Road, being followed closely by a silver or grey BMW.

    Stonedale RoadImage source, Google

    After getting out, the passenger in the Audi was approached by the driver of the BMW who fired at the victim's face. 

    The offender, who's Asian, in his 20s and was wearing black sports clothing, then fired the gun at the Audi's back window. 

    The victim sustained minor injuries and needed treatment in hospital.

  7. Ten secondary schools in Beds, Herts and Bucks 'failing'published at 17:11 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Jane Killick
    BBC Three Counties Radio

    More than 280 secondary schools in England are deemed to be failing for not meeting a new set of national standards. 

    They include 10 schools in Beds, Herts and Bucks.

    Secondary school pupilsImage source, Getty Images

    The new league tables take greater account of pupil progress and their basic ability rather than just raw results.

    Among the 282 under-performing schools are Houghton Regis Academy and Lord Grey School in Milton Keynes. 

    There are three in Aylesbury: the Buckinghamshire Technical College, Aylesbury Vale Academy and the Mandeville School. 

    And there are five in Hertfordshire: Cavendish in Hemel, the Da Vinci Studios in Letchworth and Stevenage, and the technical colleges Elstree UTC and Watford UTC. 

    The Association of School and College Leaders says results have been achieved "against a national backdrop of a funding and recruitment crisis".  

  8. Pigeon caught in a flap upside down on bridge rescuedpublished at 17:05 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    A pigeon has been rescued from a bridge in Watford after he was left dangling in mid-air when he got caught up in fishing wire. 

    A member of the public spotted the pigeon hanging upside down from a bridge at Bridgewater Basin in Cassiobridge on Tuesday and contacted the RSPCA.

    Pigeon dangling from bridgeImage source, RSPCA

    Animal collection officer Grace Mead said: "The bird was hanging from his right wing - we don't know how long he'd been like that for, but he was clearly distressed.

    "With the help of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, we managed to bring the pigeon to safety using a net on a long pole. Sadly his right wing was badly bruised but he was lucky, as fishing litter can be lethal to wildlife," she said.

    PigeonImage source, RSPCA

    The pigeon is now being looked after at Bedfordshire Wildlife Centre and is said to be recovering well. 

    The RSPCA is urging people to "think twice" and dispose of fishing litter correctly.

  9. Parent who stole £28k from primary school jailed for nine monthspublished at 17:02 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    A parent who stole £28,000 from a primary school in St Albans, including the proceeds of its Christmas fair, has been sentenced to nine months in prison.

    Dean White, 31, of Cassius Drive, St Albans, admitted taking the money from accounts belonging to the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at Prae Wood Primary School.

    Prae Wood Primary SchoolImage source, Google

    He took the money between December 2015 and September last year, St Albans Crown Court heard.

    It was told he first stole the proceeds of the school's Christmas fair in December 2015. 

    White pleaded guilty to theft and fraud by false representation at an earlier hearing.

    Defending, Matthew Pardoe said White had been trying to pay the money back, but the cheques he was paying in to the account were bouncing.

    He asked the judge for a suspended sentence, but Judge Andrew Bright QC jailed him, saying: "You stole a very substantial amount of money, which could have been put to good use. Instead it went into your pocket.

    "They were mean and nasty offences. The victims were the children who attended that school."

  10. Pedestrian dies in fire engine crashpublished at 16:59 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    A pedestrian dies after a fire engine responding to an emergency loses control and overturns.

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  11. Stevenage sign Luton's McQuoid on loanpublished at 16:44 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Stevenage sign forward Josh McQuoid on loan from League Two rivals Luton Town until the end of the season.

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  12. Royston fire engine crash: Pedestrian namedpublished at 16:28 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017
    Breaking

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    The man who died in the fire engine crash in Royston yesterday evening has been named as Mitchell Bailey, 58, who lived in the town.

    Fire engineImage source, UKNIP

    Hertfordshire Police said his family has asked for "privacy to be respected at this very difficult time".

    Investigations in the incident are ongoing and anyone with information has been asked to contact police on 101.

  13. Luton buried body: Daniel Doherty clearedpublished at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017
    Breaking

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    A man who lived in a house in Luton where a woman's body lay undiscovered under builders' rubble for 12 years has been cleared of five criminal charges.

    Daniel Doherty, 67, of Icknield Way, Luton, was cleared of two charges of perverting the course of justice, two charges of aiding and abetting the concealment of a body and one charge of preventing the lawful burial of Natalia Wilkanowska (below).

    Natalia WilkanowskaImage source, Bedfordshire Police

    His older brother Joseph Doherty, 73, of Old Greenock Road, Port Glasgow, Scotland, remains on trial at Luton Crown Court. 

    He denies one charge of perverting the course of justice, one charge of obstructing the coroner by giving a false account of her death and one charge of preventing her lawful burial.  

  14. Where will UK tourists go on holiday?published at 15:15 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    As The Gambia becomes the latest country the Foreign Office advises against travelling to, where will UK tourists go for their breaks?

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  15. Wanted man's 'competition prize'published at 15:04 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    We've spotted a rather unusual wanted appeal from East Hertfordshire Rural Police, external on Twitter.

    Officers appear to be goading Danny Brown, 28, who's wanted on recall to prison and in connection with allegations of domestic abuse and shoplifting.

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    To garner his interest, they claim he's won a "competition", but the prize doesn't sound that fun to us...

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    After a few responses to the unusual appeal, the team explained it wanted to be "a little different"...

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    Police have asked that people who may have seen Mr Brown contact officers on 101.

  16. Overturned fire engine kills pedestrianpublished at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    A pedestrian dies after being hit by a fire engine that lost control and overturned while on an emergency call in Hertfordshire.

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  17. BBC Weather Watchers: Your photospublished at 14:28 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    BBC Weather Watchers

    We've had some lovely photos from our BBC Weather Watchers today - so we thought we'd share a few of our favourites with you...

    Broxbourne sunrise
    Harlow sunrise
    Fog in Aylesbury
  18. Bournemouth v Watfordpublished at 14:02 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Follow live text coverage from the Premier League as Bournemouth take on Watford.

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  19. Bright-eyed and bushy dogspublished at 14:00 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Woburn Safari Park has welcomed two new additions to its ever-growing furry family.

    Bush dogImage source, Bridget Davey Photography/Woburn Safari Park

    Bush dogs Viv and Vinnie are settling in to their new home and it's hoped they will start a family.

    Bush dogImage source, Bridget Davey Photography/Woburn Safari Park

    The pair's names are a nod to the term for bush dogs in South America "Cachorro Vinagre", which translates to "vinegar dog" - as the species has been known to give off a vinegar-like smell in the wild. 

    Bush dogImage source, Bridget Davey Photography/Woburn Safari Park

    Sara Joy, senior keeper at Woburn Safari Park, said: "The couple are settling in well and have been showing positive signs that they are happy in their new home. 

    "They are still a little shy in their new surroundings, but explore everything together. Viv is definitely the braver of the two."  

  20. Afternoon weather: Sunny with light windspublished at 13:25 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017

    BBC Weather

    It will be bright this afternoon, with light winds.

    But don't be fooled by the sunshine as it will still feel quite cold. 

    Maximum temperature: 6C (43F).

    Watford Weather

    BBC Weather has more.