Summary

  • All the latest from Beds, Bucks, Cambs, Essex, Herts, Norfolk, Northants and Suffolk

  • NHS staff have tyres slashed before Clap for Carers

  • UCC fashion students turn to Instagram for graduation show

  • 'Excuse to be nosey' open gardens event moves online

  • Young boy's lockdown art project goes global

  1. NHS staff have tyres slashed before Clap for Carerspublished at 10:33 British Summer Time 16 May 2020

    Stuart Bailey
    BBC News

    Tyres were slashed on three vehicles owned by NHS staff while they were parked outside a hospital building, shortly before the weekly Clap for Carers.

    It happened at Gilbert Hitchcock House in Kilmbolton Road, Bedford, just before 20:00 BST on Thursday, when people across the UK clapped in appreciation of health professionals during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Bedford Hospital.Image source, Bedford Hospital

    Dave Heaslip from Bedfordshire Police said: "We are disappointed that this happened while people were giving thanks to NHS staff.

    "This incident caused delays to the onward travel of staff who are working tirelessly to save lives during Covid-19."

  2. 'Our deer have enjoyed roaming around the car park'published at 09:13 British Summer Time 16 May 2020

    The RSPB says its birds and mammals have become accustomed to a lack of visitors.

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  3. New school gets first virtual Ofsted inspectionpublished at 07:46 British Summer Time 16 May 2020

    The Martin Bacon Academy could not open to pupils as planned after Easter because of coronavirus.

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  4. 'I'm speechless our young pupils will return soon'published at 07:46 British Summer Time 16 May 2020

    A Suffolk primary school shows how it is trying to prepare for more pupils to arrive in June.

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  5. Woman chalks path plant names on lockdown walkspublished at 07:46 British Summer Time 16 May 2020

    Jane Perrone wants people to put their "plant glasses" and "open their eyes" to the natural world.

    Read More
  6. 'Inspirational' 103-year-old takes on walking featpublished at 07:46 British Summer Time 16 May 2020

    The great-grandmother with only one hip is raising money in aid of a charity close to her heart.

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  7. Photographer's mission to celebrate 'unique' townpublished at 07:46 British Summer Time 16 May 2020

    A teenage photographer and film maker hopes his art will put the seaside town on the cultural map.

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  8. Deeney & Hanley raise restart concernspublished at 18:05 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Watford and Norwich captains Troy Deeney and Grant Hanley have raised concerns about the Premier League's plan to return.

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  9. Friday's updates as they happenedpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Thanks for joining us to find out how the East of England is reacting to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown.

    Live updates have now finished for the day.

    Join us again on Monday when a live page will resume at 08:00.

    Find it via your BBC News county index.

  10. Daily deaths in hospitals on the rise againpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Yesterday's government figures for Covid-19 deaths in the region's hospitals was 19, and it's risen at a higher rate for the following 24 hours, in figures released this afternoon

    Today's figures from the government, external show a rise of 36 deaths, bringing the total in the region to 3,246.

    These figures do not include care home deaths.

  11. Train company increases services again from Sundaypublished at 17:46 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Following the latest government guidance for passengers on how to travel safely, a new Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern timetable with more services will be in operation from Sunday.

    Passengers will need to check before travelling on the National Rail Enquiries, external website.

    Train services will be increased so that more people can travel while maintaining enough space for key workers, but the available capacity remains significantly reduced with social distancing measures in place.

    Government advice says if you have to travel for work, you should consider alternatives to public transport but if you have to use it, you can find guidance for passengers on how to travel safely on the Thameslink, external website.

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  12. 'Limit contact with other people'published at 17:00 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    If the weather is hot again this weekend, and despite lockdown restrictions being relaxed, people are being reminded that many of the rules are still in place and common sense should prevail in terms of meeting other people.

    Ipswich Borough Council is focusing on the two-metre social distancing rule.

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  13. 'NHS Knittingale' to raise money for hospitalspublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Margaret Seaman, 91, has been knitting her model hospital every day since 1 April to raise money.

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  14. Train operators introduce mandatory seat reservationspublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Katy Lewis
    BBC News Online

    London and North East Railways' Azuma trainImage source, LNER

    London North Eastern Railway, external, which operates trains through Peterborough and Stevenage on the east coast main line, is introducing mandatory seat reservations from Monday - even for passengers with flexible tickets.

    The measures, to help stop the spread of coronavirus, mean passengers with flexible tickets will have to pick a train to travel on, in advance.

    Avanti West Coast, external - through Milton Keynes and Watford - is urging customers to buy advance tickets due to limited availability - and to wear face coverings.

    Chiltern Railways, external is also advising its passengers to book in advance where possible, and to wear masks.

    More trains are running across the country from the start of next week, so the railways can cope with more people as they return to work

  15. Don't mix up Covid testing with garden waste...published at 16:38 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Katy Lewis
    BBC News Online

    The NHS in Hertfordshire has urged people who have booked to be tested for Covid-19 at a drive-through pop-up site in Stevenage, to make sure they carefully follow the signs to the test centre on the day to ensure they do not end up in the queue for the recycling centre.

    Stevenage Recycling CentreImage source, Google

    Testing takes place on Mondays, but this coming Monday, there are likely to be two queues as the Household Waste Recycling Centre in Caxton Way has now reopened at the adjacent site.

    A spokeswoman said it was urging people to follow the signs "so that they don’t end up being offered a nasal swab when all they really wanted was to drop off some garden waste".

    This weekend, drive-through coronavirus testing in Hertfordshire for people with suspected COVID-19 symptoms who meet the national criteria, external, is taking place at County Hall in Hertford on Saturday, the Central Watford Leisure Centre in Watford on Sunday and Stevenage on Monday.

    To book a test go to the government website, external.

  16. St Albans Teds continue to entertainpublished at 16:27 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Katy Lewis
    BBC News Online

    The St Albans Teds are continuing to entertain people in the city and today, unlike us, they are all able to be on a sleepover!

    St Albans TedsImage source, Sarah Shreeves

    The Shreeves family in Homewood Road set up the bears in their front garden to provide light relief for passers-by.

    Earlier this month, some of them disappeared in a case of mistaken iden-teddy and kindly neighbours donated more to the display which seems to be growing daily.

    The family change the display every day, with the cuddly toys taking part in activities including fishing, a scout camp, a Halloween party and a red carpet.

  17. Your parents are heroes, NHS boss tells childrenpublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Kettering Hospital chief executive Simon Weldon has written to the children of his members of staff.

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  18. Coronavirus: 14,000 lockdown-breach fines imposedpublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Police in England and Wales have said they've given out more than 14,000 fines for breaches of lockdown laws.

    The figures, from 27 March to 11 May, show the most fixed-penalty notices - 906 - were handed out in London by the Metropolitan Police.

    People in a parkImage source, Getty Images

    After the Met, the Thames Valley force, which includes Buckinghamshire, imposed the next highest number of notices at 866.

    Norfolk was in the top third of forces issuing fines - 320 in total.

  19. Wycombe manager 'feels guilty' talking about football restartpublished at 16:03 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    Katy Lewis
    BBC News Online

    As League One clubs failed to agree whether to end the season early following discussions with the English Football League, the manager of Wycombe Wanderers said earlier that he finds it difficult to talk about football restarting when hundreds of people are still dying from coronavirus.

    Gareth AinsworthImage source, Getty Images

    Friday's meeting involving all 23 sides in the division came after six clubs - including Peterborough United and Ipswich Town, had said they were determined to complete their remaining fixtures.

    It is understood Friday's meeting, via conference call, saw clubs unable to come to a united position and so they will reconvene early next week.

    Gareth Ainsworth, Wycombe boss, said: "From a competitive point of view, continuing the season is great, financially for clubs like Wycombe it's going to be a huge, huge stretch and we're not sure how we could possibly go through it financially, and really, talking about all this I feel a little bit guilty when there's still 500 people a day dying. That's the big thing for me."

    League Two has voted to end its season as things stand, with promotion and relegation issues still to be finalised.

  20. Dunstable Downs car park remains closed this weekendpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 15 May 2020

    As the country heads into its first weekend after the easing of lockdown restrictions, external, the car park at Dunstable Downs in Bedfordshire will not open until Monday.

    Dunstable Downs

    People in England can now spend more time outdoors "for leisure purposes" and households are also able to drive to other destinations outside their locality - meaning places like the Downs could be very popular.

    The National Trust, external said that while the car park will open again on Monday, there would be limited spaces available.

    The Chilterns Gateway Centre will remain closed until further notice.

    Meanwhile, Thames Valley Police said they were "happy to see" social distancing remaining in Lowndes Park in Chesham this morning with "very few people" there.

    You can check what the new lock measures mean in reality here.

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