Live updates for Northamptonshire have now finished.

If you're a rugby fan then there is full coverage of Northampton Saints against Scarlets in the Anglo-Welsh Cup on BBC Radio Northampton, and BBC TV has full coverage of the Six Nations, featuring six Saints players across three nations.

Have a good weekend. We'll be back on Monday from 08:00.

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

Elsewhere in Northamptonshire:

• Revised plans for the second phase of Rushden Lakes have been recommended for approval, reports the Northamptonshire Telegraph, external.
• The Northampton Chronicle and Echo says, external the second screen at the Errol Flynn Filmhouse in Northampton is set to open in the Spring.
• Meanwhile, the Daventry Express reports, external that levels of dog fouling have halved in parts of the Daventry district that took part in a paint-spraying campaign to tackle the issue.

BBC Radio 2

This morning on Chris Evans' Breakfast Show, Finedon vicar Richard Coles recalled his cricketing days and how the Northamptonshire village has a fine tradition in the sport...

Bedford College will merge with Tresham College this summer, and according to Bedford's principal and chief executive, Ian Pryce, it will create "one of the most exciting colleges in the UK". 

He added once "due diligence and consultation has been completed", all staff, assets and liabilities will transfer to Bedford College Corporation. 

Image source, Bedford College

The college states that "students and staff at the colleges will continue as usual, and current courses will not be affected".   

Adam Jinkerson
BBC Local Live

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

Yesterday we brought you news of the police arresting five men at an "industrial scale" cannabis factory in Crick.

All 10 rooms were being used to cultivate the drug and today those five men have been charged with drug and fraud offences.

Image source, Northamptonshire Police

The men, aged between 19 and 28, have been remanded in custody and will appear at Northampton Magistrates' Court on 3 March, police say.

Adam Jinkerson
BBC Local Live

The sliproad that connects the A1 to the A47 at Wansford is currently closed due to a lorry blaze.

Image source, @FenCops

Police say the lorry caught fire due to a mechanical failure as it came off the A1 at the Wansford junction, and then jack-knifed.

The whole vehicle, including its contents of till roll, went up in flames.

The driver was uninjured.

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

The principal at Tresham College says he does not anticipate any job losses following the merger with Bedford College.

He said there will be "no changes at all" to their current campuses in Kettering, Corby and Silverstone.

Ioan Morgan said it is unlikely the students will notice any difference, and once the merger has completed the college will be "looking to expand".

Image source, Tresham College

However, Mr Morgan said it would take a "good close look" at what the college would do in Wellingborough.

The campus there is being demolished, with a £12.4m replacement shelved because of financial issues.

Mr Morgan said Wellingborough "needs some provision" of Further Education, but "maybe not as much as previously there". He said it would discuss the situation with Bedford College.

BBC Sport

As if to prove John Inverdale's point, here's how England, led by Dylan Hartley, completed the Grand Slam in the 2016 tournament...

Follow the Six Nations across the BBC.

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

BBC rugby presenter John Inverdale has described Dylan Hartley as an "exceptional leader of men".

This time last year he told BBC Radio Northampton the Northampton hooker's appointment as England captain was "inspired", and a year on it seems he was proved right - with England unbeaten last year.

Image source, PA

Inverdale told BBC Radio Northampton today that England coach Eddie Jones was "desperate" to have Hartley available for the Six Nations, following his ban for striking an opponent with an arm, saying Jones sees the 30-year-old as his "right-hand man".

He will once again be fronting the BBC's TV coverage of the Six Nations, which start tomorrow.

It's not only the men's Six Nations that kicks off this weekend. The women's equivalent gets under way, too, with Scotland hosting Ireland this evening,followed tomorrow by Wales v Italy and - arguably the pick of the ties - England v France at Twickenham. 

The women's game is really taking off across the UK, so watch England full-back Danielle Waterman explain her love of rugby and the different versions you can play - and if you're inspired to pick up the oval ball yourself, check out our Get Inspired guide.

England Women v France Women kicks off at 19:35 GMT on Saturday, with live coverage on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, plus highlights of all three matches on BBC Two at 22:45 GMT.

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

Earlier we mentioned two colleges in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire were joining forces.

Once the merger between Tresham and Bedford College is complete, Tresham will dissolve and its staff, assets and liabilities will transfer to Bedford College.

Bedford College principal and chief executive, Ian Pryce, said: "The combined college will have the size and scale to ensure strong support services and financial security."

It's hoped the larger college will raise standards at Tresham.

Image source, Google

Students and staff will continue as normal and current courses won't be affected. The new merged college will have an income of £60m and a total number of 15,000 students.  

The demolition of Tresham college's campus at Wellingborough has begun, external, but it will no longer be building a replacement due to financial issues, with courses switched to Corby.

BBC Weather

Rain will begin to push in during the afternoon, with some heavy bursts likely at times. It will become increasingly windy too, especially in exposed areas. Highs of 9C (48F).

There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

Relive the action as Bath and Sale record thrilling wins, while Tom Varndell's record-breaking try for Bristol is in vain as they lose to Harlequins.

BBC Sport

Former Watford and Northampton Town boss Aidy Boothroyd has been confirmed as manager of the England Under-21 team.

The Under-20 boss replaces Gareth Southgate, who vacated the role to become England manager after the departure of Sam Allardyce.

Image source, Getty Images

Boothroyd, 45, took charge for the U21 side's final two Euro 2017 qualifiers and secured qualification for this summer's finals in Poland.

"I've been at the FA three years; this is the logical next step," he said.

Boothroyd was in charge of Watford for three seasons from 2005, initially saving the club from relegation to the third tier before leading them to the top flight in 2006. The Vicarage Road side finished bottom of the Premier League the following season.

He later took charge of Northampton Town in November 2011 with the side bottom of League Two. Boothroyd guided them to safety, and the play-offs the next season, before being sacked in 2013 with the club once again last in the fourth tier.

After his sacking from the Cobblers he joined the FA's coaching staff.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

Here's a bit of background to the hospital saga...

In 2007 a scheme to replace St Luke's with a new £30m hospital collapsed through a lack of money.

Then in 2012 a hospital extension opened - albeit 18 months behind schedule.

Then in 2014 it was announced the NHS was going to fund a £6.8m redevelopment - this was delayed for well over a year when construction eventually started in November 2015.

...Finally in 2017 the new hospital building is complete.

Phew  

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

Tresham College, which has campuses at Kettering, Corby and Silverstone in Northamptonshire, is to merge with Bedford College. 

As reported in the Northamptonshire Telegraph, external, Ofsted inspectors have been critical of standards at Tresham and the Further Education Commissioner has been involved with directing the work of the college.

The colleges aim to complete the merger by September.

We'll bring you more on this story soon.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

If you're from the Market Harborough area you'll know this new hospital building has been a LONG time coming.

New wards on the hospital site have been discussed since the 1980s.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

Construction of the three-storey St Luke’s Treatment Centre began in November 2015...

Image source, NHS Property Services Ltd

Services currently provided at Market Harborough District Hospital will be moved to the new building.

If you're wondering where it is, it's next to the old St Luke’s Hospital building on Leicester Road.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

Construction of the St Luke’s Treatment Centre in Market Harborough is now complete. Doesn't it look nice?

The NHS is calling the new £7.5m building a "flagship healthcare facility" and say they are preparing to welcome the first patients in March.