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
This was the scene people witnessed last night in Royston following the fire engine crash that left a pedestrian dead.
A police cordon was put in place and covers were placed around the engine until it was recovered.
Overturned fire engine kills pedestrian in Royston (Video courtesy of UK News In Pictures)
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Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live
The trial of Ian Stewart, who denies murdering Royston author Helen Bailey, has been adjourned for a second day as the defendant is still not well enough to attend court.
Image source, Hertfordshire PoliceProsecutors in the trial at St Albans Crown Court allege Mr Stewart murdered his partner, who was worth an estimated £4m, for her money.
Mr Stewart, 56, also denies preventing a lawful burial, fraud and three counts of perverting the course of justice.
Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live
Three people have been charged with murdering 38-year-old Adam Watt, who died in a stabbing outside his home in Hemel Hempstead.
Image source, South Beds News AgencyThe attack happened at Evans Wharf, Apsley Lock, on 8 January.
Joseph Zulu, 22, of no fixed address, is charged with murder and conspiracy to supply drugs.
Nicholas Grant, 18, of Sunnyhill Road, Hemel Hempstead, is charged with murder and conspiracy to supply drugs.
Jackie Brewin, 47, of Sacombe Road, Hemel Hempstead, is also charged with murder.
All three are due to appear at Hatfield Magistrates' Court.
Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has revealed the fire engine involved in last night's crash in Royston, which killed a pedestrian, was "on its way to reports of a house fire".
Image source, UKNIPChief fire officer Roy Wilsher, said: "This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the member of the public who sadly died at the scene.
"Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service are working with the police to establish exactly what happened and why."
Two firefighters were taken to hospital following the crash for precautionary checks.
Here are some photos of the recovery operation last night after a fire engine was left on its side following a fatal crash with a pedestrian in Royston.
Image source, UKNIP
Image source, UKNIP
Image source, UKNIPThe engine had to be winched out of a ditch at the roundabout close to Tesco after it lost control and overturned.
Flowers have been laid at the scene where a pedestrian died after he was struck by a fire engine in Royston last night.
The engine was travelling along Old North Road and was making a right hand turn into Burns Road when it lost control and overturned.
The victim's next-of-kin have been informed, police said.
Four people were in the fire engine at the time of the crash and sustained minor injuries.
Mariam Issimdar
BBC News
A man has been attacked in Milton Keynes by three men armed with Samurai swords.
The attack took place just before 22:00 on Saturday on New Bradwell High Street.
He was chased into a house and followed by the men who slashed him across the face, Thames Valley Police said.
Image source, GoogleOfficers say they don't believe the victim went to hospital and want to speak to him to make sure he's safe.
The victim is described as black with afro-style hair, which is tall at the front and flat at the back.
His attackers have been described as black "baby-faced" men who were wearing dark clothing.
An 18-year-old man is due to appear at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court this morning charged with murder after a stabbing at a house in Aylesbury.
Brandon Lavender, of Brompton Close, has been charged with murdering 26-year-old Daniel Lavender in a property on the same street.
The victim died in hospital after the attack on Monday morning.
Thames Valley Police has not confirmed the relationship between the two men.
Mariam Issimdar
BBC News
"It was just a bit bang. I came out about 10 minutes later to pick my son up from cadets and there was just people everywhere."
Those are the words of one eyewitness who saw the aftermath of the fire engine crash in Royston, which killed a pedestrian.
"All the lights were flashing, the kids were asking what was happening, they were so young so you couldn't tell them. It was really sad."
An investigation into the crash, which happened at a roundabout near Tesco last night, is under way.
Image source, GoogleMariam Issimdar
BBC News
A pedestrian has died after being hit by a fire engine that was responding to an emergency in Royston.
Image source, Lynsey LangdonPolice are investigating the crash, which happened at 20:45 yesterday on a roundabout at the junction of York Way and Old North Road.
Officers said the circumstances surrounding it are "still unclear".
The pedestrian was left with fatal injuries and died at the scene.
A second person is understood to have suffered minor injuries and it is not yet known if any firefighters were injured.
Road closures were in place for several hours after the crash but have since been lifted.
Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather
There's a north/south split in today's forecast.
It's cloudy in the north, and also a bit milder, and cold and frosty in the south but this is where we should see the best of the sunshine throughout the course of the day.
Towards parts of Northampton, Bedford and Norwich we're starting above freezing, and there's plenty of cloud here, perhaps a few spots of drizzle, but generally dry just about everywhere.
Towards the south we've got lots of sunshine around.
Top temperatures about 4C to 5C (39F-41F).
Watch my full regional forecast here:
Mariam Issimdar
BBC News
Hello and good morning from the team.
We're are here to bring you all the areas' news, sport, weather and travel as they happen until 18:00.
First though, a pedestrian has died after being hit by a fire engine that was responding to an emergency.
More details will follow shortly. You can keep us informed in the usual way too, via email, Twitter , externalor Facebook. , external
The weather is next.
Listen to live BBC Coventry and Warwickshire commentary from Wasps' crucial Champions Cup match against Zebre.
Read MoreA tour operator says he feared extra police would scare people in the weeks before the 2015 Tunisia beach attack.
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Orla Moore
BBC Local Live
That's it for our live stream for today.
Any breaking news will still appear here. We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow.
So what's been happening today?
Have a good evening - and do wrap up warm. It's a nippy one.
Staying mainly dry across the region, with clear spells in the southeast, but otherwise mostly cloudy.
Temperatures will fall widely, perhaps as low as -2C to -5C (mid 20s F), in Essex, but 2C to 3C (mid 30s F) across Northamptonshire and northwestern parts of Cambridgeshire - with the potential of mist and fog patches.
Tomorrow will stay chilly under rather cloudy skies, with mist and fog slow to clear in northwestern parts of the region.
BBC Weather has more local forecasts.
In another incident, jewellery worth more than £20,000 has been stolen from a woman in Bedford.
At about 18:00 on Saturday, a woman was getting out of a car in Cromwell Road when she was approached by a man, who stole her bag containing the valuables. He was wearing a dark hooded top, baggy trousers and a dark scarf.
Police say she was on her way to get the items valued, so at the moment they don't know it if was a "targeted attack or an unfortunate coincidence".
Officers are appealing for witnesses.
A "significant" amount of jewellery has been stolen from a house in Stevenage.
Police have just released images of the items, which were taken between 17:00 and 23:10 on 16 December.
Cash was also taken from the property on Broadwater Crescent.
Image source, Hertfordshire PoliceAnyone who may have seen the items or been offered them has been asked to contact police.
Alex Pope
BBC Local Live
A house has been deliberately set on fire in Luton.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said the front door of the three bedroom house on Bank Close was set alight by a "flammable" liquid at just after midnight.
The front door was completely destroyed and the hallway, kitchen and lounge was damaged.
Image source, GoogleThere were people in the house at the time, but they weren't hurt.
Police are investigating.
