Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Regular updates for Beds, Herts & Bucks have now ended for the day, and week, but we'll be back at 08:00 on Monday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather.

You can of course scroll down to read anything you may have missed.

Have a great weekend.

A kidnapped man was "burned, bruised and beaten" as part of a 30-hour ordeal, a court has heard.

Image source, Bedfordshire Police

As we've been reporting, six men have been jailed for kidnapping a 20-year-old man on Downs Road, Luton, on 20 June 2016.

Luton Crown Court heard the victim had a live shotgun put in his mouth, had his knees beaten with a mallet, had cigarettes stubbed out on his arm.

He was also stunned with a Taser-like weapon and gagged and beaten with a knife. One defendant also threatened to rape him.

Here is a transcript of part of the ransom call:

Offender: "Don’t mug me off. It’s gonna get really bad now innit cuz this kid’s no use to me, so I might as well put him out of his misery. Know what I’m saying?”

Relative of victim: "Listen don’t hurt him, he’s not done anything wrong.”

Offender: "Listen, I’m going to lay it down to you straight, get the gear and I’ll give you a call back, else you’re losing him, and I’m coming for you next.

"Forget this kid, you should be worried what I’m going to do after this kid.”

Image source, Bedfordshire Police

The court heard their victim had 68 separate injuries, although none were described as individually serious.

Det Ch Insp Adam Gallop said: "These six men were part of an organised crime group, and I’m pleased that they are now facing such a lengthy stint behind bars for their violent and unacceptable actions last June.

"This was a completely terrifying experience for the victim, a completely innocent young man who was just going about his day to day business when he got dragged off the streets of Luton. "Fortunately he was not seriously harmed and I hope that today’s sentencing will allow him to move on from this ordeal.

"The strong sentences delivered today send a very clear message – offend in this way, and you risk spending a very long time locked up away from your family and loved ones for many of the best years of your life."

As we've been reporting, six men have been jailed for kidnapping a man at gun point.

Here is a full list of sentences:

• Mohammed Yousaf, 22, of Lyndhurst Road, Luton, pleaded guilty to kidnap, false imprisonment and blackmail. He was sentenced to 12 years.
• Muhammed Hussain, 25, of Belmont Road, Luton, pleaded guilty to kidnap, false imprisonment, blackmail and a firearms offence. He was sentenced to 20 years.
• Saqib Rehman, 20, of Belmont Road, Luton, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment. He was sentenced to three and a half years.
• Jalil Uddin,40, of Chatsworth Road, Luton, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment. He was sentenced to eight years and three months.
• Mitchell Malik, 21, of Hillside Road, Dudley, was found guilty of false imprisonment, blackmail, and a firearms offence, but was found not guilty of kidnap. He was jailed for 15 years.
• A 17-year-old boy from Luton pleaded guilty to kidnap, false imprisonment and blackmail. He was jailed for five years.

Scenes of anger broke out in the dock as a gang leader was jailed for 20 years.

Image source, Bedfordshire Police

As we've reported, Mohammed Yousaf, 22, Muhammed Hussain, 25, Jalil Uddin, 40, Saqib Rehman, 20, Mitchell Malik, 21, and a 17-year-old boy were sentenced at Luton Crown Court today.

They were imprisoned for a number of offences including kidnap, false imprisonment and blackmail after a man was kidnapped from Downs Road, Luton, on 20 June 2016.

Hussain was the first to be sentenced. When Judge Philip Bartle QC sentenced him to two decades behind bars, he reacted angrily and the judge had to temporarily leave court.

Image source, Bedfordshire Police

Sentencing the gang, the judge said: "This young man was being held hostage and being treated with such violence and contempt. These defendants were wholly indifferent to the suffering they were inflicting on him.

"It is impossible to exaggerate the effect this has had on him."

The court heard the gang believed two brothers had stolen cannabis worth £60,000 from them. The victim was the boyfriend of the two brothers' sister.

The victim's captors, said to be led by Hussain and Yousaf, made six calls to the alleged thieves during which the victim could be heard screaming and crying and pleading for his life, the court heard.

Six men have been jailed for up to 20 years each after a man was kidnapped at gun point in a "gang-related" incident.

Image source, Bedfordshire police

Jalil Uddin, 40, Mitchell Malik, 21, Muhammed Hussain, 25, Saqib Rehman, 20, Mohammed Yousaf, 22, and a 17-year-old boy were sentenced at Luton Crown Court today.

They were imprisoned for a number of offences including kidnap, false imprisonment and blackmail, after a man was kidnapped from Downs Road, Luton, on 20 June 2016.

The group bundled the victim into the back of a car in the early hours of the morning, before taking him to an address in Ashburnham Road where he was held against his will for about 30 hours.

Image source, Bedfordshire Police

Calls were made to the victim's friend and threats were made to harm him and other family members.

The following morning, the victim was abandoned and left tied to the metal gate of a farm near Kensworth, at which point he was able to free himself and make his way home.

Hussain was sentenced to 20 years behind bars, Malik to 15 years, Yousaf to 12 years, Uddin to eight years and three months, Rehman to three and a half years, and the 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to five years imprisonment.

Police say one of their new recruits was first on the scene at a fire in Harpur Street in Bedford yesterday afternoon.

It broke out in a fourth floor flat at about 13:45.

Bedfordshire Police said PCs Lesha Martin and Karen Jarman arrived by accident when they followed a vehicle being driven erratically. PC Martin was only in her eighth week of duty as they forced entry to the flat.

She said: "We helped around five people to get out, as well as the family dog. It was the first time I have ever had to break in a door on duty.

"I have quickly come to realise that policing is about far more than fighting crime, it’s also about protecting the public and doing all we can to keep people safe."

PC Jarman added: "Within moments the smoke became thick and black, and we couldn’t see past our noses. I dread to think what could have happened in that situation, but fortunately along with our emergency services partners we could ensure that everyone, including the dog, was safe."

Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service said the flat was 100% destroyed by fire and there was smoke damage to the first and second floors of the building.

The fire service's station commander Paul Goddard said: "It is thought that an electrical fault was the likely cause of the fire."

Image source, Wiltshire Police

A prisoner who went on the run while being treated for a head injury has appeared before magistrates.

Michal Kisiel, 30, is charged with escaping lawful custody, common assault and threatening an individual with a bladed article.

He was arrested on Wednesday after he was seen in Nunton, Wiltshire, some five miles from Salisbury Hospital.

Kisiel, originally from Poland, was remanded in custody to appear before the city's crown court on 6 July.

Kisiel, who is also known as Michal Kisier, who lived in Luton, is serving a five-year sentence at HMP Erlestoke near Devizes.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

We reported earlier about Sharon Wells from Dunstable and her battle for surgery to have excess skin removed, having lost 16 stone (102kg) - half her body weight - over three years.

She says the NHS has refused to carry out the operation on three occasions, because her weight hasn't remained stable for two years.

"I think that's a cop-out. It's just excuses," she said.

"I'll get to two years and they'll say no because my body mass index has gone up and down."

The NHS Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups told the BBC they were unable to comment on individual cases.

Image source, Sharon Wells

But Sharon's not alone in having faced a problem like this.

Paul Mason from Ipswich flew to New York in 2015 for surgery to remove excess skin.

He used to weigh 70 stone (440kg) and lost about 45 stone (285kg). He was also told it would be at least two years before he could have his loose skin removed on the NHS.

Sharon is now hoping a fundraising web page, external will help her find the £6,500 she needs for the surgery.

Image source, Paul Mason

BBC Weather Watchers

OK, so it's not quite as sunny or warm as yesterday across Beds, Herts & Bucks but our BBC Weather Watchers have captured some hazy sunshine breaking through the cloud.

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/David

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/SueBeth

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Gadget Girl

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/carlas garden

The University of Hertfordshire is offering the knowledge of the universe to parks and festivals by loaning out its inflatable planetarium.

It usually lives at the University's Bayfordbury Observatory, external, and takes trips out to schools to teach children about space.

But this summer it's planning to travel further afield with its next stop being the Letchworth Festival, external later this month.

Image source, University of Hertfordshire

The planetarium has a six-metre high (19.5 feet) inflatable dome, a high definition projector and 360 degree sound to simulate the wonders of the universe, from our solar system to the rest of the Milky Way galaxy and beyond.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

The A1(M) through Hertfordshire is slowly returning to normal after a crash this morning in which a motorcyclist died.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

A London Midland engine named after the former Watford and England manager, Graham Taylor, embarks on its maiden voyage at 13:36.

It's after a commemorative plaque on the side of a Class 350 model was officially unveiled by Taylor's widow, Rita, on platform 10 of Watford Junction station.

Image source, Halkin UK

The naming ceremony included speeches and music from a string quartet before football memorabilia was auctioned off for charity.

Image source, Halkin UK

The train engine will retain its new name for the rest of its working life.

It will be used on the West Coast Main Line, which passes through stations serving some of the places where Taylor was a manager, including Watford, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton and Wembley.

The London Midland service will stop at stations associated with the former England manager's career.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Police have confirmed that a man died in a crash which closed part of the A1(M) in Hertfordshire this morning.

They received reports that a motorcyclist had collided with the central reservation on the northbound carriageway close to junction six for Welwyn just before 07:30

The air ambulance was called, but the rider was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both carriageways were closed, but it is gradually being reopened.

PC Andy Ralph from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Forensic Collision Investigation team, said: "It is very important that we fully investigate the incident to try to establish the circumstances that led to the collision.

"In order to do this I am asking anyone who witnessed the collision, or the events leading up to it to contact me.

"Additionally, a lot of motorists have dash-cams installed in their vehicles now and it’s possible the incident may have been captured on video.

"If this is the case, again please contact me."

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

A Dunstable woman who lost 16 stone (102kg) has been told she can't have her excess skin removed on the NHS.

Sharon Wells weighed 28 stone (178kg) and couldn't tie her own shoelaces - but lost about half her body weight over three years through dieting and exercise.

She wants to have excess skin on her arms and stomach removed, but says that the NHS has refused to approve the surgery because she hasn't yet kept the weight off for at least two years.

Image source, Sharon Wells

She said: "If I hold my arms out, it looks like sagging skin. But it's not just a cosmetic issue.

"I suffer from sores and if they get infected it'll cost the NHS money.

"My doctor first said about applying for surgery, saying I deserved the help, but I've been turned down three times.

"It's an ongoing battle and I'm absolutely devastated."

The BBC contacted the NHS Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups for a response, but they say they are unable to comment on individual cases.

Sharon is now hoping to have the surgery carried out privately and has set up a fundraising page, external to try and raise the £6,500 cost.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

A man has been charged with two robberies at bookmakers in Hertfordshire and Essex,

A female worker was sprayed in the face during one of the incidents, at the Coral store in Elizabeth Road, Bishop's Stortford, on the evening of Monday, 29 May.

As we reported on Tuesday, it is not yet known if the victim has suffered permanent eye damage and police said they were working to establish what the substance was.

A 51-year-old has been charged with two counts of robbery.

The second charge relates to a robbery at Jennings bookmakers in Clacton-on-Sea on 14 May.

The man is due to appear at Hatfield Remand Court today.

BBC Weather

After the scorching weather we had across the region yesterday, the Met Office is now issuing a yellow weather warning for rain.

They say there is the risk of torrential downpours between 13:00 and 23:00

It's all because a patch of very warm, humid air is on its way from France, which brings the threat of thunderstorms.

"Whilst most places will miss the worst, it could lead to localised surface water flooding and difficult driving conditions. Frequent lightning and perhaps hail could be additional hazards," says the Met Office website, external.

However, if you've got hay fever, look away now...

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

There's some good news for drivers delayed by the A1(M) closure in Hertfordshire this morning but it looks like disruption will continue for some time.

The air ambulance was called to reports of a motorcyclist colliding with the central reservation at junction 6 for Welwyn at about 07:30.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Earlier this year we told you about some "significant" archaeological finds from the Roman town of Verulamium which were uncovered during gas main works in St Albans.

Well, the work is continuing and in a new hole, dug in a wooded area right by Bluehouse Hill, a known building has been uncovered - a town house first documented in the 1950s by Sheppard Frere.

Image source, Jessica Barnes

Verulamium was the third largest city in Roman Britain and has been mapped by various excavations over the years, but this latest uncovering has thrown up doubt over the building's original dating.

District archaeologist Simon West said: "It's incredibly close to the surface so we think it was built later than previously thought.

"We thought it was from the mid-2nd Century to the 3rd Century, but it's literally under the top soil so it could be the 4th Century or later.

"It could be another little piece of evidence to suggest later Roman activity or early post-Roman."

Because of the complicated archaeology in this latest trench, the National Grid has decided to dig another one, which could reveal more unknowns.

"It's going to be between two known buildings, but we don't know what's there," Mr West said.

Image source, Jessica Barnes

Image source, Jessica Barnes

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Hertfordshire Police has told us more about this morning's serious collision on the A1(M), which has closed a section of the road in both directions.

Officers were called to reports that a motorcyclist had collided with the central reservation near junction six for Welwyn just before 07:30.

Emergency services including the air ambulance are at the scene.

Highways England said that the road is likely to remain closed for several hours - northbound between junctions four and six and southbound at junction six.

Image source, Google