Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

Law firm Baker Small did not do "our dirty work," Cambridgeshire County Council said.

A BBC investigation has found the company secured £3m in payments for legal fees and contracts nationally since 2010, including more than £350,000 in Cambridgeshire.

The company was sacked after posting tweets mocking parents of children, external with special needs in June. The council had already paid £144,000 to the firm last year.

A council spokesman said it has "finite resources, and resourcing decisions have to be fair and equitable for all children and young people.

"Unfortunately this can mean that disagreements are escalated to requiring a decision from a tribunal."

He added: "Baker Small did not do the council's 'dirty work' - they provided legal expertise which was not available in-house."

Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

We've discovered Cambridgeshire County Council has just issued a new tender worth almost £500,000 for legal representation at special educational needs tribunals. This will effectively be used to fight cases brought by parents.

Image source, PA

Parents can begin an appeal if they feel their child is being denied support they're entitled to.

Research by the BBC shows councils lose 86% of cases which go to tribunal nationally.

Cambridgeshire County Council said it is "confident the successful applicant will follow appropriate procedures to ensure taxpayers' money is spent correctly and will seek to work constructively with parents where possible."

Baker Small, the law firm previously used to contest these appeals, made headlines in June after it mocked parents on social media, external. The council sacked them, but had already paid £144,000 to the firm last year.

Matt Precey
BBC Look East

Cambridgeshire County Council spent more than £350,000 on the services of law firm Baker Small between 2010 and 2016.

The law firm, criticised for mocking parents, external of children with special needs on Twitter, secured payments and contracts nationally totalling £3m since 2010.

Cambridgeshire County Council ended its contract with Baker Small following the tweets.

Baker Small director, Mark Small, said he regretted the posting of the tweets in June.

Matt Precey
BBC Look East

A law firm criticised for mocking parents of children with special needs has been paid millions of pounds in legal fees by local authorities, the BBC has learned.

Baker Small, which tweeted gloating comments, external about families it had won cases against, has secured £3m in payments and contracts since 2010 - including significant sums from Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire County Councils.

Critics said the spend was "depressing" and could have been used to help children rather than "fight parents". 

Baker Small's Mark Small said he regretted the tweets posted in June.

Anna Todd
BBC Look East

After a nine month trial, police forces across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire will now be able to use drones. 

I'm at the special launch taking place today and will bring you more on this story later. 

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

Yesterday, we reported that the Ellesmere Centre in Stetchworth had been closed after the post office was targeted by thieves.

Cambridgeshire Police has told us they were called to the centre again this morning, following reports of a second burglary.

Image source, Google

One person, believed to be a man, was seen running across a nearby field, away from the centre.

The rear fire doors had been forced open along with an internal door and the fire alarm box damaged. It is not believed that anything was taken during the burglary.

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

The actions of a car driver who used a cycle path to undertake a group of cyclists by driving along a designated cycle path are "absolutely astounding", Noel Kavanagh, Cambridgeshire County Council's cycling champion, said.

The video of the manoeuvre, captured on Saturday by riders from Ely Cycling Club, has been shared widely on social media, external. 

Image source, Ely Cycling Club

"It's absolutely astounding that someone in a car can act like this. What a frightening experience for the riders, to have an idiot like that act in that way," Mr Kavanagh said.

"Because they are club riders, they are probably doing something like 25mph plus and would likely encounter pedestrians on cycle path," and for safety reasons it's "perfectly legitimate for club riders to be out on the road."

A video showing a group of cyclists being undertaken by a car driver between Rampton and Cottenham - who mounted the verge and drove along a dedicated cycle path - has been shared widely on social media, external in the last 48 hours.

Image source, Geograph/Albert Bridge

Cambridgeshire Police has told us that the incident hasn't been officially reported, but they are aware of the video and its contents.

A police spokesperson said: "It is important all road users share the road and remember that drivers and cyclists have equal responsibility on the road to drive and ride safely."

"When overtaking a cyclist, motorists should leave as much room as they would give a car. If there isn't sufficient room to pass, hold back. Undertaking any vehicle is dangerous and could lead to an accident."

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

We've been bringing you reaction this morning to a social media video showing a car driver undertaking a group of cyclists - by driving along a designated cycle path.

The footage - filmed by a member of Ely Cycling Club - was captured on Saturday.

Many of the comments on social media, external have focused on the correct use of designated cycle lanes and paths.

Peter Nunn, external commented: "I so often wonder why cyclists don't use the cycle ways which are provided for their safety and the safety of others. Can any cyclists tell me why?"

Among the replies posted, David Stanbridge says, external that "sadly the so called cycleways in my neck of the wood (Peterborough) are not fit for purpose and downright dangerous."

Official advice from the Highway Code, external is that "use of these facilities is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer."

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

Ely Cycling Club has released footage of what appears to be a car using a grass verge and path to undertake its riders.

The club told us that the incident, filmed by one of its riders, happened between Rampton and Cottenham during a ride on Saturday. 

Image source, Ely Cycling Club

There's been a mixed reaction on our Facebook page, external overnight.

In support of the cyclists, Emma May wrote, external: "If cyclists are going above 18mph, my understanding is that they should NOT be on a shared cycle/footpath, for the safety of other users..."

Meanwhile, Joe Evans commented, external: "Rule 61 re: cycle lanes from the Highway Code 'Use of these facilities is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills'. While I understand it can be frustrating when stuck behind a cyclist on the road, the only person breaking the law and endangering lives in this video is the car driver."

Others are more sympathetic to the car driver.

Tom Shaw wrote, external: "Not content with causing traffic, slowing everyone else down, creating an obstacle to swerve around (into the opposing lane) and whinging as loud as possible - they now also enjoy wasting tax payers money on cycle lanes that they don't even use..."

Adam Langridge said, external: "Bravo to the car driver, I experience this every day on my commute. Frustrating that the council spent £3million on a nice smooth cyclepath, Yet cyclists still ride on the road!"

Keep your comments coming to our Facebook page, external.

Kate Kinsella
BBC Look East weather

Although it will be a dull start this morning, any mist and fog will lift early on and the cloud will gradually break through the morning with some warm sunny spells by the afternoon.

Maximum temperature: 25C (77F).

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

Good morning - it's a warm and muggy one across Cambridgeshire - we'll take a look at the day's weather forecast in full shortly.

In the news today:

• Why Cambridgeshire County Council is spending hundreds of thousands of pounds fighting appeals by parents of children with special educational needs 
• There's reaction to a video posted on social media by a Cambridgeshire cycling group - showing a car undertaking a group of riders on a cycleway
• And Olympic bronze medallist Dan Goodfellow has been showing off his diving medal in Cambridge

Image source, Getty Images

We'll also have all the latest travel, sport and weather throughout the day. If you'd like to get in touch you can email us, tweet us, external or contact us via Facebook, external. 

A cycling club has released footage of what appears to be a car using a grass verge and path to undertake its riders.

A cycling club has released footage of what appears to be a car using a grass verge and path to undertake its riders.

Ely Cycling Club, in Cambridgeshire, says the incident happened between Rampton and Cottenham during a ride on Saturday.

One cyclist said the driver of the car shouted "if you are cycling on the road then I'll drive on the path" as he passed the group.

Cambridgeshire Police says it is aware of the footage.

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

Our live coverage has come to an end for the day - thanks for joining us.

Today, we brought you the story of the motorist who caused a bus crash in Peterborough on Christmas Eve. Yasmin Kauser has been fined and received six points on her licence.

The major fire at a St Ives recycling centre yesterday was most likely caused by a lithium battery, according to Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue.

And our Paralympians have begun their final preparations for the Rio games, which start tomorrow.

Scroll down to catch up on the stories you may have missed today.

We'll bring you any developments when we return with regular updates from 08:00 tomorrow morning. Any major news stories will be featured here overnight.

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

Cycle campaign group CamCycle, external says it's concerned about the proposed closure of a path for pedestrians and cyclists over the railway crossing at Foxton.

The new off-road cycleway, external linking Cambridge to Royston passes over the crossing, but Network Rail has proposed closing one side of the crossing where it crosses the A10.

Campaigners say it means cyclists would have to cross the road twice to cross the railway at the station, which would be difficult at busy times, and could stop people using the route on their bikes. 

Image source, Getty

Susan van de Ven, county councillor for Melbourn, said: "We don't understand the logic.

"Local roads come to that point too; it's a very complex junction. Adding a new crossing would make things more complicated and difficult."

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

This evening will be dry with some sunny spells. 

It will then be another cloudy, muggy night with areas of mist and fog. Temperatures are unlikely to fall below 16C (61F).

Image source, BBC Weather

Any mist and fog should gradually clear tomorrow with a better chance of the cloud breaking to allow some spells of sunshine, especially in the afternoon. 

Saying humid with highs of about 25C (77F). 

BBC Weather has more local forecasts. 

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

The Ellesmere Centre in Stetchworth has been closed today after the post office was targeted by thieves. 

Four suspects broke into the building in the village at 23:00 last night, making off with a number of charity collection tins. 

Sally Mann, who's the postmistress, says they used cutting gear and were filmed by the CCTV system.

She said: "It took them five minutes to get through the door and they were all masked and wearing gloves."

Police are appealing for witnesses.

Image source, Google

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

Is there something missing from your dressing table?

Cambridgeshire Police suspects these items of jewellery, found dumped in the Cam, were stolen, and wants to track down the owners.

Image source, Cambridgeshire Police

They were found near Stour Bridge Common by a member of the public who was fishing on 26 August. 

Image source, Cambridgeshire Police

The items include a number of brooches, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, cufflinks and a watch.

Image source, Cambridgeshire Police

Dotty McLeod
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

A cereal company in Peterborough, which makes own-brand cereals for several major supermarkets, has moved into new premises.

Bokomo Foods can now make 50m bowls of cereal each month at its new factory in Orton Southgate.

John Hiles, the company's chief executive, told us the cereals industry is a competitive environment and "that critical to our future growth was the issue of efficiency and cost". 

"The new factory will allow us to expand and we will improve efficiencies across all areas to enhance the overall offering for our customers," he said.