Updates for Friday, 9 December 2016
Major problems on the M1 northbound
Ellie Robinson in BBC Young Sports Personality final three
Kettering A&E 'under extreme pressure'
County council plans energy park
Stuart Bailey
BBC News
That's it for Wednesday's Local Live updates for Northamptonshire.
Any breaking news will appear on this page overnight and you can scroll back to see the main stories we've reported on today.
Otherwise, we'll be back in the morning at 08:00 with more news, sport, travel and weather for the county.
Have a good evening.
It's been almost tropical in Northamptonshire today and the mild weather's set to continue for the rest of the week.
Let's look at a few photos from some of the county's BBC Weather Watchers.
It's been a sunny afternoon in Pattishall:
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/PaulaMariaThe sunshine made a bit of an appearance through the cloud in Roade:
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/dugjay72And finally, the sun sets over Kettering:
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Pointing TerrierStuart Bailey
BBC News
Union leaders say they've secured a commitment from the steel company, Tata, to protect jobs at steelworks across the UK.
It could be good news for the 500 people who work at their plant in Corby.
Tata Steel announced it was selling its British operations earlier this year, but it has since put the sale on hold to explore other options.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe deal would also include a minimum five-year commitment to keeping two blast furnaces at the Port Talbot plant in South Wales.
But workers still have to agree to it and will be balloted in the new year.
Speaking after meeting with union representatives, Roy Rickhuss of Community said: "The past year has been incredibly difficult for steelworkers and their families.
"When Tata announced in March that they planned to sell the steelworks, no one knew if they would have a job by Christmas.
"This proposal would secure jobs for years to come and bring serious investment not just to Port Talbot but to steelworks across the UK."
Stuart Bailey
BBC News
We've been talking today about lorry drivers parking overnight in lay-bys and on side roads.
Kettering MP Philip Hollobone says it causes "disruption and nuisance" while Jim Hakewill from the local Rural Forum said: "We only have really one lorry park and as you come off the A1 at Brampton."
We've had lots of comments about the issue on the BBC Northampton Facebook page, external.
Here's a selection of comments from Facebook...
Quote MessageI think there is a big need for lorry parks. What worries me about all the lay-bys filled with lorries, is that should an ordinary motorist feel ill or is tired and needs a break, there is nowhere for them to pull in.
Karen Harrop
Quote MessageAll these new industrial estates... plenty of warehouses but nowhere for the drivers to park overnight (come on planners!!)
Mike Wreford
Quote MessageI've been driving a car transporter for 17 years now,and in that space of time,the lack of parking facilities for lorry drivers has declined to a big extent.
Buck Rogers
Quote MessageHere's what can be done. Provide more truck stops with better facilities and stop motorway service areas charging extortionate rates for wagons to park overnight!!
Si Barsby
A couple who inflicted such "sickening" injuries on their five-week-old daughter that she will never be able to walk or talk are jailed.
Read MoreStuart Bailey
BBC News
Northamptonshire's population is growing and getting older, like the rest of the country.
But obesity and smoking rates are higher than the national average.
Today's report by NHS bosses, external in the county says that much more needs to be done to prevent ill health.
They want GPs and social workers to 'intervene' and educate people about ways they can improve their health.
They claim if nothing is done then, by 2020, Northamptonshire will need:
Quote MessageIt is important that we place a greater emphasis on people staying healthy, and provide earlier support and intervention for people who are unwell. In that way we could reduce emergency admissions and A&E attendances.
Dr Sonia Swart, Chief Executive of Northampton General Hospital
Stuart Bailey
BBC News
NHS bosses in the county paint a bleak picture in their report today, external.
They say health services here need to work together more efficiently. Here's why:
Image source, Nene CCG
Anna Todd
BBC Look East
A couple who inflicted such severe injuries on their five-week-old daughter that she will never be able to walk or talk have been jailed.
Katherine Prigmore, 24 and Rocky Uzzell, 29, both of Sheila Place, Kettering, pleaded guilty last year to causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm.
Image source, Northamptonshire PoliceUzzell also admitted four counts of making indecent images of children.
At Northampton Crown Court, Uzzell was given an eight-and-a-half year sentence and Prigmore was sentenced to 28 months.
The baby was placed on life support within hours of arriving at Kettering Hospital on 20 March 2014 and then transferred to Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Stuart Bailey
BBC News
The NHS in Northamptonshire has revealed plans to save millions of pounds over the next five years.
Health services in the county already have a deficit of £41m a year, but it's feared that figure could rise to £230m by 2020.
This plan includes:
Quote MessageIt's about how we integrate different services, reducing duplication. It's about ensuring we focus on prevention to stop people getting ill in the first place, where possible. But more importantly, making sure we get the right care to patients at the right time.
John Wardell, Nene Clinical Commissioning Group
Carroll Weston
BBC Radio Northampton
Image source, Northamptonshire PoliceThe Corby Community Safety Partnership is setting up shop in Corby town centre over Christmas.
Police officers and staff from the borough council will run the pop-up shop until Saturday 17 December.
Young people from the local Jam Team and the Emergency Services Cadet scheme will also be there to welcome people to the shop in New Post Office Square in the town centre.
The pop-up shop will be open from 13:00 to 15:00 Monday to Friday and from 10:00 to 17:00 on 17 December.
A hundred new council houses, which were planned for Dallington Grange in Northampton, will now be built elsewhere.
The funding deadline for them runs out before the next phase at Dallington is due to start.
Northampton Borough Council is considering a number of other sites in the town, including the former Tanners pub in Thorplands.
Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton
Plans have been unveiled for a specialist dementia care village in Northamptonshire.
The county council proposal includes 300 apartments, a gym, and a cinema. The village would be built on the Wootton Hall site on the outskirts of Northampton town centre.
It's estimated there are more than 7,500 people living with dementia in the county.
Bill Parker, the county council's cabinet member for adult social care said: "There isn't another one like it in Northamptonshire...
"The benefit of it is they will be on one site and, as the dementia progresses as it does over a period of time, then instead of having to a care home or somewhere like that, they can actually stay within the same building... so that they're not stressed by that move."
Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton
People living close to the A14 between Kettering and Catthorpe have said they're "fed up" with trucks parking overnight in lay-bys.
There was a plan for a truck stop at Orton, near Rothwell, but so far it hasn't happened.
Jim Hakewill from the local Rural Forum said: "We only have really one lorry park and as you come off the A1 at Brampton. There's quite a few lorries come off there but from Brampton to the nice new Catthorpe junction there are no lorry parks existing."
BBC Sport
If a rugby player has suspected concussion during a match, this is what should happen:
North, 24, has been stood down from playing until he has had an independent assessment of the injury he suffered against Leicester on Saturday.
The Guardian report how Northampton has defended their handling of North, external.
The Telegraph, meanwhile, reports that Northampton medical staff did not see footage of North being , external.
The Mirror has a photograph of North lying prone on the floor, external after the incident.
Locally, the Northampton Chronicle reports how North was referred to an independent specialist, external.
BBC Sport
An urgent meeting held on Tuesday to assess the incident which left Wales and Northampton winger George North with a head injury has hit the headlines this morning.
Image source, GetNorth fell heavily in a mid-air tackle that led to Leicester's Adam Thompstone being sin-binned.
He left the field for a mandatory head injury assessment by the club's doctor.
North was passed fit and returned to the action.
After the game, North said on Twitter said he was "OK",, external adding: "I landed on my neck and was worried about it. Thanks to the medics for checking me out properly. I can't help but feel I won't be looking left or right for a few days."
Feeling much milder today with temperatures picking up as the day progresses and some places reaching highs of 12C (54F).
Sunny spells are forecast once the clouds and fog clear but it will also become breezier, particularly on the coasts.
Feeling a lot milder too.
BBC Weather has more local forecasts.
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Good morning and welcome to another day of live updates of news, sport, weather, travel and more for the county.
Today we'll look at reaction to yesterday's meeting to assess the incident which left Wales and Northampton winger George North with a head injury.
We'll also look at the "disruption" caused to local communities by lorries parking up in lay-bys and side roads in the county.
But first we'll check what the weather has in store with a full regional forecast.
Premiership Rugby and Rugby Football Union officials hold an urgent meeting to assess the handling of George North's latest head injury.
Read MoreA former councillor has said Northampton Borough Council were "lied to" over the £10.25m loan to Northampton Town Football Club by the then leader David Mackintosh.
Read More
