Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

A leading Cambridge scientist has told MPs this morning that the future success of genome research is under threat because many EU nationals working in the industry no longer feel welcome. 

Dr Julia Wilson, associate director of the Sanger Institute in Cambridge, told the Science and Technology Select Committee the work being done at the Cambridge campus was world-leading.

But she added the vote to leave the EU had changed things. 

"The Welcome Genome campus is the Manchester United of Genomics, we attract talent globally," she said.

"But Brexit has changed that - not in the fact that our funding has changed... but in that we have about 40% of our workforce from the EU and they no longer feel welcome.

"That is a threat to the growing industry that we have." 

Dr Wilson said it would be possible to hand grow talent but that would take time. 

She was supported by Prof Mark Caulfield, the chief scientist at Genomics England, who told the committee: "We need a coalition of all intellects to work on this and that requires us to have the ability to attract and engage international talent."

The government says it recognises the importance of foreign nationals to science and innovation in the UK and this will feature in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

Two people have been arrested after a police raid on a cannabis factory in Peterborough.

Officers were called by someone concerned for a child at a house in Queens Drive and "discovered a cannabis factory with about 16 plants".

As the Peterborough Telegraph reported, a 38-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of cruelty against children and production of cannabis, and later bailed until March.

Three children, aged 10, eight and one, have been placed in the care of social services, Cambridgeshire Police said.

Sam Edwards
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

Clearing up after "environmental crime" is a huge burden on the taxpayer, Peterborough City Council has told us.

It's one of the reasons it's piloting a year-long trial in partnership with Fenland District Council to use a private sector enforcement agency, Kingdom, to target fly-tipping and graffiti.

Fly-tipping alone costs taxpayers about £250,000 a year to clean-up, the city council said.

Image source, Geograph/Paul Bryan

The pilot will focus on areas including Gladstone, Millfield and New England, "freeing up the time of prevention and enforcement service officers to focus on the city centre and other parts of Peterborough".

Offenders face a fixed penalty notice fine with Kingdom and both councils taking a share of the money generated.

For Peterborough that could mean £47,000 per year, a spokesman said.

The council isn't going to pay Kingdom for its services. Instead the company will get a share of the fixed penalties. 

Something's attracting avid photographers to the guided busway in Cambridge.

Birdwatchers have descended on the route at the Science Park after waxwings were spotted waiting for the next bus.

Image source, Jon Heath

Actually, the birds are here because there's a bumper berry crop in the UK this year, and pickings are a lot better than in their native Scandinavia.

The birds - dusky pink in colour with a black strip across the eye and a punk-like crest - have been arriving along the east coast of England and dispersing as far as Ireland and Wales.  

They're an "unusual migrant" according to the RSPB. They don't visit the UK every year, but arrive in droves - known as an "irruption" - every seven or eight years.

If you've spotted waxwings here or anywhere else in the county, you can email your pictures and we'll publish a selection later.

Image source, Geograph/Scriniary

Sam Edwards
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

Graffiti, dog fouling and littering are among some of the environmental issues that could be tackled by a private enforcement company if plans in Peterborough and Fenland go ahead. 

The city and district councils are working together on a new proposal - a year-long pilot scheme - which could see employees of Kingdom Environmental Protection patrolling the streets and handing out fixed penalty fines.

Image source, Geograph/Dave Hitchborne

The councils say the new scheme won't cost them any money, because Kingdom will take their profits from the fines that they issue.

More on this later.

If it's slow-going for you on the A10 this morning, this could be why...

BBC Weather

It will be cloudy this morning with patchy drizzle and mist. 

It'll become mainly dry this afternoon with some brighter intervals, but will feel increasingly cold in brisk easterly winds with a few light snow flurries. Maximum temperature 4C (39F).

Good morning and welcome back to live updates for Cambridgeshire on this rather wet Wednesday.

Fear not though, we're here to brighten your day until 18:00 with the latest news, sport, weather and travel from around the county.

Today we'll be taking a look at some special "passengers" who've taken up residence on the guided busway route - waxwings have flown over from Scandinavia and are feasting on berries near the buses.

Image source, Jon Heath

And, could employing a private company help some councils crack down on fly-tipping and graffiti? We'll look at plans to do just that, later.

On its way shortly will be a full weather forecast - let's hope things are going to improve.

You can get in touch with the team by email, Twitter , externaland Facebook, external.

BBC correspondent Sally Chidzoy tells a tribunal she blew the whistle on political interference.

Children's writer Helen Bailey's fiance says he was unaware she was dead until her body was found.

Adam Jinkerson
BBC Local Live

That's it for our live updates for today. We'll return tomorrow morning from 08:00.

Stay tuned to this page overnight for any breaking news from around Cambridgeshire.

We'll leave you tonight with this stunning picture of a lake in St Neots, sent in by BBC Weather Watcher "LakesideGeoff".

Have a great evening.

Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather

Tonight will be cloudy with some patchy drizzle, particularly across eastern counties, but starting dry and clear in the west with mist patches forming. 

Becoming damp and drizzly across all parts later tonight, with lows of 3C (37F).

An overcast and increasingly cold day tomorrow will bring some showery outbreaks of drizzle, but some bright spells will develop. Highs of just 5C (41F).

There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

The fiancé of Helen Bailey, who is accused of murdering the children's writer, told St Albans Crown Court today: "I never stopped loving her."

Ian Stewart, who denies murder, went into the witness box in the fifth week of his trial to tell a jury he was innocent of the murder of the 51-year-old Royston author.

Image source, SWNS

At the start of his evidence he was asked directly by his barrister, Simon Russell Flint QC: "Did you play any part in causing her death?"

Mr Stewart, 56, replied "No".

Asked of the differences between himself and Ms Bailey's first husband, John Sinfield, Mr Stewart said: "It became apparent over time JS (Sinfield) and myself were totally different people. He was very sophisticated, smooth and suave, and I'm not.

"It wasn't a problem for me and it wasn't a problem for Helen; Helen was totally different from Diane, my first wife. We totally clicked and worked together as a couple.

"I had fallen in love with her quite quickly but she warned me once to never say the L word, but then I went to hug her and I said it and she replied instantly, 'I love you too'. 

"I said, 'I wasn't supposed to say that, was I?', and she said 'no, but it's true - and I love you too'.

"I never stopped loving her." 

The trial continues.

Paul Stainton
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

The UKIP candidate for the mayoral elections in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough later this year said he would aim to get rid of the position, even if he gets elected.

Paul Bullen is standing for the post, despite UKIP being opposed to an extra tier of local government.

He was challenged about that viewpoint on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"I don't believe in an extra tier of government. Which is ironic and it sounds ironic."

When pushed on whether he would sack himself, Mr Bullen replied with "I would very much like to."

The elected candidate will be in charge of a new combined authority for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, as part of the county's devolution deal.

The other candidates are Julie Howell for the Greens, James Palmer for the Conservatives, Rod Cantril for the Lib Dems, Kevin Price for Labour and Peter Dawe as an Independent.

Peter Swan
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire sport

Striker Barry Corr has returned to match action with Cambridge United after more than a year on the sidelines following knee surgery.

Image source, Getty Images

Corr scored 12 goals in 24 appearances after joining the U's from Southend in the summer of 2015. 

He's suffered a number of setbacks since going under the knife in January 2016. It was originally hoped he'd be fit for the start of pre-season.

Some fans were fearful he'd never return, but he's started for the U's reserves against Northampton today.

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

The government has vowed to build more affordable houses and help people buy and rent their homes after admitting the current market is "broken".  

However, Wellingborough's MP Peter Bone told the Commons the housing shortage could be solved by reducing immigration.

Conservative Mr Bone asked Communities Secretary Sajid Javid: "Would the Secretary of State agree that the demand for housing would fall if we could reduce a third of a million people coming into this country each year?"

But Mr Javid suggested this would not make the difference "he thinks it would".

He said two thirds of demand had "nothing to do with immigration", but to do with people living longer. 

He added that even if immigration fell to zero, there would still be a two million deficit of homes.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

The man accused of murdering children's author Helen Bailey (pictured) has told the jury that as a young man he studied computing at Salford University, at a time when very few such courses existed.

Ian Stewart's voice seemed to crack with emotion when he described meeting his first wife, Diane, at university when he stole a chip from her plate.

Image source, SWNS

Later he moved to Cambridge to study for a PhD and she moved to be with him, before abandoning it to join the computer firm Olivetti for a job that was "too good to turn down".

St Albans Crown Court heard the couple had children, but his wife suffered epileptic fits which made life difficult and caused her to stop working.

His wife died in June 2010 and he was left with his two sons who were then aged 15 and 18.

Mr Stewart told the court a friend gave him a book about grief at his wife's funeral.

The book had details of a website for widows and widowers to share their thoughts.

"It was a very open forum, very good, where you could post thoughts," he said. 

"Some of the ladies arranged coffees out, or meals out, and I went to one and some of the people I met I am still in touch with."

Mr Stewart, 56, denies murder, preventing a lawful burial, fraud and three counts of perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.

Adam Jinkerson
BBC Local Live

Work to repair a "hole" that appeared on the A14 westbound between J24 for Godmanchester and J23 for the A1(M) has now been completed, says Highways England.

The closure on the inside lane is expected to remain in place while the material used to repair the hole sets, with the road expected to be fully open by 17:00.

Delays caused by the lane closure is currently seeing traffic backed up to J27 for Fen Drayton, with delays of about 40 minutes.

Adam Jinkerson
BBC Local Live

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has failed to give any guarantees over the future of a Cambridgeshire minor injuries unit threatened with closure.

Campaigners are trying to keep the service in Ely open, but the local health service says no decision has yet been made about its future.

Jeremy Hunt didn't make any promises in the Commons earlier.

"I remember visiting Ely last Autumn," said Mr Hunt.

"I know that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG [Clinical Commissioning Group] know how important the minor injuries unit is at Ely.

"But I do want to reassure that if any changes are deemed necessary, there will be a formal consultation before anything happens."

Last week the local health service said it was going to trial GP-led units on the three sites threatened with closure - Ely, Wisbech and Doddington.

Helen Burchell
BBC News

The man accused of murdering children's author Helen Bailey sent a barrage of texts while she was missing, begging her to return or contact the police, a court has heard.

Ian Stewart, 56, began sending messages to his fiancée's phone a week after she disappeared in April, St Albans Crown Court was told.

Her body was found in July in a cesspit at the home they shared in Royston, Hertfordshire.

Image source, SBNA

He sent a string of pleading texts to her phone, beginning on 18 April, the court heard.

One said: "I have respected your wishes long enough, you have had enough space, love you whatever xxxx."

In a message the following day, he wrote: "Contact the police... they don't have to tell me if you don't want to, they can stop all the fuss."

The following day, at 03:55 BST, a text sent to her phone read: "I need you back, you promised me more, I love you whatever."

Mr Stewart, 56, denies murder, preventing a lawful burial, fraud and three counts of perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.