Mike Cartwright
BBC Look East

I've been speaking to people who have been stuck on the M1 after a "suspicious object" was found under a bridge this morning.

Trevor Larkun has been stranded since 08:30, he says people are being "mostly patient" and chatting to other motorists.

"The mood is OK, we've had a few people come and deliver bottles of water and crisps," he said.

"I've got sympathy for people I've seen walking down the hard shoulder with suitcases, presumably trying to catch a flight.

"The worst thing is you don't know how long you're going to be here for."

Mr Larkun said that police officers told other motorists they may cut the central reservation at some point to release vehicles from the carriageway.

Drivers were stuck in traffic for more than five hours after a "suspicious object" was found.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

Many motorists are still stranded on the M1 after it was closed both ways between junctions 15 and 14 following a report of a "suspicious object".

The motorway was closed at about 08:30 after the "object" was found underneath a bridge.

Some people have been keeping themselves occupied by playing football, cleaning their cars and even riding a bicycle.

Image source, @Jez107M

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

It's been a morning a travel misery on the M1 for thousands of travellers - here are some photos which show the effects of the road closure.

The motorway was closed in both directions from about 08:30 following a report of a "suspicious package" under a bridge on the motorway.

Traffic is now gradually being released from the scene but delays are expected for some time.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Image source, South Beds News Agency

A bomb disposal unit is sent to deal with a "suspicious object" underneath a bridge on the M1.

A community fridge is being provided for residents in the hope of saving food destined for the bin.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

As we've been reporting, the M1 is closed in both directions between junctions 15 and 14, following a report of a "suspicious object" under a bridge.

Here's what we know so far:

• A "suspicious object" was found underneath a bridge on the motorway at about 07:30
• The road has been closed in both directions from about 08:30
• Thames Valley Police is leading the investigation
• Crews from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue are assisting the police
• Environmental Protection Unit, the tri-service Detection, Identification and Monitoring Unit are also in attendance
• The bomb disposal unit arrived on the scene at about 11:30
• Traffic is beginning to be released from the motorway

Tony Fisher
BBC Three Counties Radio

Earlier I was near Newport Pagnell where traffic was stopped northbound and many people, including schoolchildren, had got out of their cars and were standing on the carriageway.

Further north, by Gayhurst, where traffic was stopped southbound I spoke to lorry drivers, on a bridge overlooking the M1.

They told me they had seen several fire engines travelling to the incident on the hard shoulder.

Adrian, a van driver, told me he had been stuck on the road since 08:30.

He said he was "glad" the report of a "suspicious object" was being taken seriously, but he was "concerned" about people walking up the hard shoulder with suitcases.

Image source, @Jez107M

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Police are releasing vehicles which are stuck on the motorway, but this may take some time.

BBC News Travel

The bomb disposal unit has been seen on the M1 after a report of a "suspicious package" under a motorway bridge.

The motorway remains closed in both directions between junctions 15 and 14.

Motorists are being urged to avoid the area.

We'll keep you posted with developments throughout the day. For the latest travel news tune into BBC Radio Northampton and BBC Three Counties Radio.

BBC News Travel

Police are beginning to release traffic which is stuck on the M1 following reports of a "suspicious object".

The object was found underneath a motorway bridge at about 07:30.

The road is closed in both directions between junctions 15 and 14.

Traffic is now being turned around to allow motorists to continue their journey, but Highways England say this will take some time.

BBC News Travel

Police are urging motorists to avoid the M1 after a report of a "suspicious object" underneath a motorway bridge.

The object was found between junctions 15 and 14 at about 07:30. The M1 is closed in both directions between these junctions.

Highways England say there is about five miles of queuing traffic.

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue are assisting Thames Valley Police at the scene.

BBC News Travel

Police and fire crews are investigating an "unknown chemical substance" on the M1.

Both carriageways are closed between junctions 15 and 14.

All traffic is currently being held.

Delays are expected until 10:00.

BBC News Travel

The M1 is closed southbound between junctions 15 and 14 due to a "police incident".

Thames Valley Roads Policing Unit is on the scene.

We'll bring you more information as soon as we have it.

The East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) spent more than £14m on hiring private ambulance firms last year up from £6.6m in the year before, according to figures obtained by the Press Association through Freedom of Information requests.

Alan Lofthouse from the union Unison said: "The public shouldn't be concerned about the people attending them, because if they're paramedics, they're registered along with every other paramedic.

"The public purse is going to paying the profits for a company that's providing ambulance services rather than being invested back in better training and better working conditions for staff."

Kevin Brown, director of service delivery at the EEAST, said there are a number of reasons for the increase: "Over the last two years we've recruited 650 additional staff into the trust.

"Clearly many of our new staff needed to be trained, it takes three years to train a paramedic and there are times where those people need to be undertaking that training and that leaves us with capacity gaps.

"This is why last year our spend significantly increased."

Justin Dealey
BBC Three Counties Radio

Residents of a retirement home in Dunstable are complaining about a "tree from hell" near their car park.

The tree hangs over parking spaces in Queens Court and residents say they're "fed up" of pigeon poo landing on their cars.

Peter Flock, who represents the residents, told me the tree is making peoples' lives a misery.

"I'm very angry about it, it's been going on for nine years," he said.

"The pigeons keep pooing over our cars, they poo over you, they poo over everything."

Mr Flock said residents avoid the car park "like the plague".

"If you leave your car under there for more than an hour, you can hardly see it for pigeon poo," he said.

"I have been pooed on myself. It's unbelievable, especially when the pigeons have been eating blackberries."

Mr Flock said residents would like the tree to be cut down or trimmed.

A spokesperson from Weston Homes said: "This tree is home to bats and nesting birds and as such is protected by law.

"An ecologist is scheduled to visit the site shortly and we will progress with tree works following their recommendations."

Kate Kinsella
BBC Weather

The rain overnight has left a legacy in some spots of a little bit of mist and one or two fog patches as well, but we should see plenty of sunny spells and it'll be mostly dry.

We've still got one or two showers, particularly out towards parts of Norfolk, but they should clear pretty quickly.

Elsewhere we have decent sunny spells.

There'll be a bit of fair weather cloud bubbling up this afternoon and temperatures will reach about 16C (61F).

Get a full forecast where you live from BBC Weather.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

Good morning and welcome back to Local Live across Beds, Herts and Bucks.

We'll be here until 18:00 with the latest news, sport, weather and travel for your local area.

The full weather forecast will be with you shortly, but it's a rather cold and grey start to the day.

As always, if you want to get in touch you can by email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.

Gareth Suffling admits blackmailing a prostitute's customer for £1,000.

That's all for our live updates today - scroll back to catch up with what's been happening in the county.

The team will be back from 08:00 tomorrow, but any breaking stories will be published here overnight.

Have a good evening.

Cranfield University, one of the top five research universities in the country, has launched a consultation process to work out where it needs to make redundancies that were announced on Friday.

Perhaps best known for its school of aerospace, the university is shedding 113 jobs, 7% of its 1,622 strong workforce, to save money.

Vice chancellor Sir Peter Gregson says it is operating at a deficit with costs higher than income.

He adds despite student fees, with only 12% of its funding coming from government funding, partnerships with businesses are essential.

Sir Peter says it's with "regret" that he had to announce the job cuts, but a re-think was necessary in order to make sure the college "was resilient for the future" and able to to compete internationally.