BBC Weather

A mostly dry forecast for this evening but remaining rather cloudy. Some clear spells developing overnight, but staying very mild with lows of 7C (45F).

Image source, BBC Weather

Tomorrow will see any early cloud thinning and breaking to bring a fine, dry day with sunny spells. Feeling mild and rather breezy in highs of 13C (55F).

BBC Weather  has more details.

It's been confirmed a 48-year-old man died in the crash we've been reporting in Northampton town centre today.

The man, who was on a mobility scooter at the junction of Marefair with Horsemarket, was hit by a lorry at about 13:00.

Motorists are being urged to avoid the area around the crash site, with a number of closures in place.

Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident has been asked to call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174615.

Carroll Weston
BBC Radio Northampton

Air cadets from across Northamptonshire have taken part in an event aimed at inspiring the next generation of "fast-jet" pilots.

As part of International Women's Day, external , female pilots at Sywell Aerodrome encouraged more teenagers to take up flying.

The Blades are a display team based at Sywell and are all former RAF fast-jet pilots and Red Arrows.

Kirsty Murphy (pictured) became the first female pilot to fly with the Red Arrows in 2009 and now flies with the Blades.

She said: "When I was in the Red Arrows lots of girls used to write to me and I mentored a few of them who have now joined the Air Force.

"If I can pass that advice on to the next generation I'd be really happy."

Horsemarket remains closed in Northampton following a crash between a pedestrian and a vehicle.

Emergency services have cordoned off the area at the junction of Marefair while investigations continue.

Motorists are being advised to stay away from the area where possible.

Sam Read
BBC Radio Northampton politics reporter

The leader of Northamptonshire County Council says she has "cautious delight" over the announcement in the Budget that an extra £2bn will be spent on adult social care over three years. 

Heather Smith told me "the devil is often in the detail", but she expects that to mean about £10m extra for Northamptonshire in the next year.

The Conservative leader had previously called for more help from central government.

Northamptonshire has one of the worst records in the country for so-called "bed-blocking", where people are stuck in hospital longer than they need to because a care package cannot be arranged.  

A road in Northampton remains closed following a serious collision involving a pedestrian and a vehicle.

Emergency services were called to the junction of Marefair with Horsemarket at 13:00. 

Motorists are being advised to avoid the area.

We'll bring you the latest when we hear it.

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

As expected, there were hardly any specific announcements for the eastern region in today's Budget (except, bizarrely, news of a new roundabout in South Norfolk).

But there's plenty in the chancellor's red box which will affect the East.

The extra money for social care will go down well with our county councils and unitary authorities who are struggling to care for a growing elderly population. Business (particularly pubs) will welcome the help for those who're facing large rate increases, while the extra money for triage may help ease A&E pressures on those hospitals of ours which have struggled to cope. 

This Budget was about preparing Britain for Brexit, and the east with its numerous science parks should benefit from the extra money going towards science, research and development.

There'll also be grants to attract the brightest and best in these subjects to study here and more help for North Sea gas firms.

But changing national insurance rates for the self employed will not go down well in a region which has traditionally been the home of white van man. 

BBC Weather Watchers
coleole

Temperatures are in double figures in a number of areas today, with it set to reach 12C (54F).

However, we're still waiting for the sunshine to break through the cloud...

This was Irthlingborough this morning, as captured by our Weather Watcher "coleole".

Image source, Weather Watcher coleole

Hannah Meredith
Reporter, BBC East Midlands Today

Business leaders from across the East Midlands have gathered at PwC at Castle Donington to listen to Philip Hammond's first budget...

Graham McKechnie
BBC Radio Northampton sport

Sri Lankan all-rounder Seekkuge Prasanna will be back playing for Northants in this year's T20 competition. 

Prasanna played in 10 matches of the Steelbacks' cup-winning campaign last season, taking 12 wickets at an average of 21.4. 

Image source, Getty Images

Northamptonshire re-sign Sri Lanka international all-rounder Seekkuge Prasanna for the T20 Blast.

Sam Read
BBC Radio Northampton politics reporter

A company facing a business rate rise of more than 300% said it's important the chancellor offers some help in today's budget .

Old English Inns and Taverns, based in Kettering, says the rates for Ye Golden Lion in Wellingborough are rising to almost £12,000, and the firm is considering redundancies as a result.

Book-keeper Carole Bellamy (below) says local businesses are feeling "crushed".

While some businesses are facing big rises, the government says a "revaluation" that has taken place will bring in the same amount of money overall, with other businesses seeing rates cut. 

Government figures show that overall companies in Northamptonshire will pay £33m less in business rates under the changes.

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

In short: Probably not much! 

The budgets for large infrastructure projects have already been allocated for the next few years and we're being told that the chancellor wants to hold on to any underspend in case of any adverse side effects from Brexit.

Today will be largely big picture stuff but it will impact on all of us: Councils will be watching very closely to see if there is any extra money announced for social care, a growing issue across the region, while many shops and firms will wait to see whether the expected back track on business rates is good or bad news.

Decisions on fuel duty are always eagerly anticipated in rural areas, increased taxes on alcohol and cigarettes are always easy favourites. 

With a large budget deficit and austerity due to continue well into the next decade, don't expect much good news and be prepared for a bit more belt tightening.

Wootton Park School says it's still hoping to build a state-of-the-art base on the site of Northamptonshire police headquarters.

The force was planning to move its base to a new building near Kettering, which would have allowed Wootton Park School to move out of their temporary classrooms.

However, Northamptonshire Police announced yesterday it would be staying in Northampton.

The school says it hopes to still build on the site and is renegotiating the exact location.

AFC Rushden and Diamonds will play their last game at the Dog and Duck in April.

They moved to the ground in 2012, sharing the site with Wellingborough Town.

But last year the club released a statement saying the Dog and Duck landlord Alper Ozdgan had invoked a clause in their lease agreement, forcing them to leave the ground by the end of May 2017. 

Next season they're hoping to be at Hayden Road in Rushden, but work will need to be done to bring it up to the right grading for the Northern Premier League. 

We asked some of the fans and manager Andy Peaks about the impending move at last night's game...

Helen McCarthy
BBC Radio Leicester Reporter

The Chancellor Philip Hammond will deliver his first Budget later - he's expected to say that more austerity lies ahead and the government won't shirk difficult decisions on tax and spending. 

I’ve used a fine Leicestershire pork pie to show you how the money is currently divided...

So how would you do it differently? 

I met Matt Wray and Emma Stone who set up an Organic Health Food Store in Market Harborough nine months ago.

They want help with business rates and with employing their first member of staff. They believe in paying the living wage but said it's a big step to also pay an expected rise in National Insurance contributions and pension auto-enrolment for any full time staff they take on.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

This is 16-year-old Lily Rose Carr - she's been missing from home in Kettering for over a week...

Image source, Leicestershire Police

Police are appealing for information about the whereabouts - it's thought she could be in Corby or Leicester.

BBC Weather

Today will be a mostly cloudy day with periods of dry weather, especially in the north.

However, spells of rain are likely to push in from the south at times through the day, especially during the afternoon. 

It'll be mild with a westerly breeze, and a maximum temperature of 12C (53F). 

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Good morning and welcome to live updates for all that's going on in Northamptonshire. We'll be here from now until 18:00 tonight bringing you the very latest news, sport, weather and travel.

Today's after yesterday's news that plans to relocate Northamptonshire's police headquarters to save more than £40m have been scrapped - we're waiting to see what the people behind the free school that was due to move in have to say. 

But first up is the region's weather...  

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

A dry start to the night across the BBC East region with temperatures initially falling to 2C (36F). 

Cloud and rain will then spread eastwards and temperatures will rise to about 8C (46F) by morning.

Wednesday is generally looking cloudy with outbreaks of rain, but the further north you are the more likely you are to see sunshine and brightness. 

Temperatures climbing to around 12C (54F), but they’ll perhaps reach a couple of degrees higher in the best of any sunshine.

Get a full forecast where you live, from BBC Weathe r.