Updates on Friday, 8 September 2017
Woman jailed for dumping friend's body in park
Driver in Madingley perilously close to bridge drop
Tour of Britain makes brief journey through Cambridgeshire
Lucky escape for deer in van collision
A dull, damp end to the day with outbreaks of rain and brisk south westerly winds across the BBC East region as it dips to 13C (55F).
Rain will clear towards the end of the night.
Image source, .Friday will be a mixture of sunny periods and scattered blustery showers, possibly thundery.
Maximum temperature: 18C (64F).
More details from BBC Weather.
A damselfly, which is a relative newcomer to the UK, has returned to a wetland habitat for a second summer.
The willow emerald damselfly was first recorded at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, external (WWT) at Welney in 2016. This year the adult insects were again seen on the reserve.
Image source, WWTWelney volunteer Annabelle Hammond says the reserve now has 10 species of damselfly, which makes it home to half of UK damselfly species.
The willow emerald has become more widespread in the UK in the last 10 years - before that there had only been two UK records for the insect.
Image source, WWTUnlike other damselfly species, this metallic green insect perches on trees rather than grasses and wild flowers.
It lays its eggs in willow trees that overhang water, rather than using soft plants on or beneath the water surface.
They hold their wings out from their bodies in 45-degree angles at rest, and fly later in the season than other damselflies.
Stuart Bailey
BBC News
An overnight collision on the M11 is still causing delays as we reach the peak of the rush hour(s).
One southbound lane remains closed between junctions 12 and 13 after a lorry collided with the central reservation near Grantchester at about 03:30.
All northbound lanes are now open, but Highways England says there are about four miles of slow traffic on the A14 eastbound approach.
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Stuart Bailey
BBC News
A burglar who targeted vulnerable people in Cambridge has been jailed for 15 years.
Terry Mahon, 47, of Elizabeth Way in Cambridge, admitted three counts of robbery and two counts of burglary at an earlier hearing.
Cambridge Crown Court heard how he went on a five-day crime spree just days after being released from a prison sentence for burglaries.
He knocked on doors, claimed to be connected to the police and offered security checks before taking money and valuables.
On two occasions he pushed elderly men to the ground.
Image source, Cambridgeshire PoliceSgt Colin Norden said: "Mahon is a prolific offender who targets vulnerable people.
"I am pleased by the sentence handed out by the judge which will see Mahon behind bars for many years."
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Cambridgeshire's paralympic gold medalist Jonnie Peacock's last race of the year takes place this Saturday at the Great North City Games, external - giving him plenty of time to concentrate on his cha cha chas for the BBC.
Jonnie is one of the 15 celebrity contestants in this year's Strictly Come Dancing and his participation in the games is proof - if any were needed - that the BBC launch show is pre-recorded.
The programme where the celebs find out which professional dancer they are being paired with airs on Saturday night at 19:00.
This would mean a quick sprint for Jonnie down the A1 from Newcastle to Elstree.
He's fast - but not that fast!
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The boss of a restaurant chain in Norfolk says they're planning to expand in to the north of England.
The Middletons, external steakhouse chain was founded in the village of Middleton near King's Lynn in 2011.
Initially it employed 50 people, with an annual turnover of £1m. Six years later, and their turnover is approximately £14m, with 350 employees.
Yesterday the restaurant opened the doors of its seventh site - in Peterborough. It's their largest, with 240 covers.
Managing director Stephen Hutton says they want to get even bigger.
Quote MessageWe're always looking for new sites... next year we're hoping to open at least two, maybe three, venturing further north to places like Leeds, Sheffield, Derby."
Stephen Hutton, Middletons
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Highways England is still advising us to allow extra journey time on the M11 near Grantchester today as, while the long delays are easing, lane 2 remains closed in both directions after a collision overnight.
A lorry collided with the central reservation at about 03:30 and there is about 100m of barrier damage that needs repairing, plus a fuel spillage.
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Following three crashes involving guided buses in Cambridge, driver training focuses on speed.
Read More
Helen Burchell
BBC News
A "suspected explosive device" that brought work on a £330m university construction site in Northampton to a halt on Wednesday was, in fact... scrap metal, and it probably came from an old railway track, bomb disposal experts believe.
Image source, Royal Air ForceTwo suspected World War Two mortars were discovered at 09:45 at the University of Northampton's new Waterside campus development, close to an old railway line at Malthouse Close.
The site was evacuated and cordoned off while bomb disposal experts from RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire examined the items.
They quickly established they were "not mortars" and not explosives.
The site was reopened on Wednesday afternoon, but what were the items that caused this alert?
To the untrained eye they certainly do resemble mortars, but here's what a real one looks like:
Image source, Getty ImagesThere are two differences between the items on the building site and the real deal above, that can easily be seen if you know what to look for.
The ends of the Northampton "devices" are "crimped", unlike genuine mortars, Ed Palmer, spokesman for the RAF's bomb squad at Wittering says.
Also, from the "tail" end of the building site items, "you can tell these things were never intended to fly".
Although they do look a bit like mortars, Mr Palmer said they are either "track or point pins - something used to either secure or identify tracks on railway points".
However, he added: "Don't take the chance. If you find something suspicious do not attempt to touch it or move it. Call the police and we will come out and deal with it."
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
An empty homes loan scheme is being introduced by Cambridge City Council, external to help the owners of vacant properties bring them back into use.
The scheme aims to help owners pay for improvements and to support them with letting it.
They can apply for an interest-free loan of up to £25,000 to carry out essential renovations and modernisations - such as installing a heating system or making improvements to kitchens and bathrooms - in order to make their property suitable to be let to tenants.
The loans would be repaid by the owner through the rental income the property generates within an agreed period.
To be eligible, property owners need to agree to the property being rented through Town Hall Lettings, external - the council's not-for-profit lettings agency - or a similar housing provider, for the duration of the loan period.
Steve Jackson
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire County Council's, external health committee is meeting today to approve the Cambridgeshire Healthy Weight Strategy - aimed at tackling obesity.
Image source, PAAs well as encouraging healthy eating in workplaces the council is presenting a range of measures to reduce the number of school children becoming overweight, including getting pupils to walk and cycle to work and run a daily mile.
Nearly one in five reception age children in Cambridgeshire started school overweight or obese and by the time they leave primary school, one in four children will be overweight or obese, according to county council figures.
Councils are encouraging schools and businesses county-wide to deliver the Physical Activity Programme along with the Healthy Options Programme over the next two years.
Retailers are also being encouraged to provide a greater choice of healthy food and drink locally to promote an all round lifestyle to combat obesity.
Helen Burchell
BBC News
Motorists are being advised to delay their journeys this morning if possible as severe delays continue on the M11 at J12 and surrounding routes.
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A lorry collided with the central reservation southbound near Granchester at about 04:00.
Highways England has reopened one lane on the southbound carriageway, but lanes two remained closed in both directions.
Officers are advising people to delay their journeys or find alternative routes.
Helen Burchell
BBC News
This is what's caused the morning mayhem on the M11 south of Cambridge...
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This photo was taken by a roads police officer shortly after the lorry became stuck on the central reservation at about 04:00.
One lane southbound near J12 has now reopened, Highways England says, but they're still warning of "severe delays".
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Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Drivers are being advised to avoid the southbound M11 following a collision at J12 for the A603 near Grantchester.
The carriageway is shut and northbound is down to just one lane.
Work is ongoing to recover a lorry that collided with the central reservation at about 04:00.
There are solid queues on the approach and Highways England recommends using the A1 if possible.
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Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather
A mostly dry day, with sunny spells across the BBC East region.
The best of the brightness will be in the morning, with cloud building later bringing the chance of light showers.
Feeling pleasantly warm, with temperatures reaching 18C (64F).
There's a more detailed forecast for where you are at BBC Weather.
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Good morning and welcome back to Local Live across Cambridgeshire.
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, and it's feeling a little warmer this morning.
As always, if you want to get in touch you can by email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.
That's it for another day of live updates from across Cambridgeshire. Thanks for your company.
We'll be back to do it all again from 08:00 tomorrow.
Don't forget you can still get in touch - just click on the "Get Involved" button at the top of the feed.
We'll leave you now with this lovely shot of the waterway near Longthorpe, outside Peterborough, taken by our Weather Watcher 'imtech80'.
Have a lovely evening.
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers
Orla Moore
BBC Local Live
A man who abandoned his two cats when he moved house and claimed they had run away has been banned from keeping animals for five years.
Winston Amos, 43, locked Fluffy and Smudge outside his home in Great Ryburgh, Norfolk - then moved 40 miles away to Wisbech, King's Lynn magistrates heard.
Prosecutor Jonathan Eales told the court a neighbour raised the alarm with the RSPCA after seeing Mr Amos and his wife leave the cats behind.
The couple were both charged with two counts of failing to meet the welfare needs of a cat or to protect a cat from suffering as a consequence of being left unattended at a property.
Mr Amos, of Osborne Road, Wisbech, admitted the offences in a letter sent to the court.
The case against Mrs Amos was adjourned until November while efforts are made to contact her.
The court heard that one of the cats was pregnant and both were suffering from ear mites and a flea infestation.
Chairman of the bench William Hush banned Mr Amos from keeping animals for five years, fined him £440 and ordered £120 costs.
It is understood both cats have been rehomed.
Mitchell Bird is found guilty of killing Bradley Carter following an argument over drugs
Read MoreOrla Moore
BBC Local Live
Councillors in South Cambridgeshire are considering simplifying kerbside collections by removing the paper caddies in blue bins.
The council is currently reviewing which type of new recycling collection trucks will be needed for use during the next seven years.
They say leaving out the caddy would mean vehicles would return to base to be emptied less often, as dry recycling would be mixed together.
That in turn would mean fewer trucks - and it would save the council about £670,000 in the next seven years.
Mark Howell, South Cambs cabinet member for environmental services, said: "It is right that we take this opportunity to review how we collect recycling materials from residents at a time when we need to commit to how the service will be shaped up to 2025.
"If this change is made, it is important to note that we anticipate the amount of waste we send for re-use will at least be maintained, if not bettered."
The proposal will be discussed on 14 September.
