A number of bikes and radio-controlled cars worth £10,000 have been stolen from the garage of a house in Northampton.

The bikes, a Giant Anthem X3 , an Orange Five, A Lapierre Audacio, a Giant Liv Avail 2 and a Canyon Nerve XC9, were taken between 03:00 and 03:20 on Tuesday in Floribunda Drive, Briar Hill.

A Tekno SCT 410.3 race track and a Schumacher radio-controlled car (pictured) were also taken.

Image source, Northamptonshire Police

Tests on a "suspicious object", which caused a 14-hour closure of part of the M1, have so far proved inconclusive.

Motorists were left stranded after the 11-mile (18km) stretch between junctions 15 at Northampton and 14 at Milton Keynes was shut on Tuesday, 19 September as police investigated a bag found on the hard shoulder.

Thames Valley Police initially said it was a five litre container in a black bin bag and it contained a "highly corrosive" substance, "possibly hydrochloric acid".

After tests, the force said the substance was "still unidentified" but further tests were ongoing.

A 49-year-old man has died after being hit by a Mini Cooper in Corby on Tuesday.

He was crossing Manton Road on the Earlstrees Industrial Estate at about 17:35.

He was taken to Kettering General Hospital, transferred to the University Hospital, Coventry, where he died.

Image source, Google

It looks like the Strictly Come Dancing diet could to be having some success with Finedon's Reverend Richard Coles.

From this picture he's posted, practicing for this week's Paso Doble seems to have had a bit of a positive effect on his figure.

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

It's a very windy start to the day across the BBC East region, with blustery conditions through the early morning rush hour, but the winds will ease as we go through the day.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning, external for wind for the northern half of the region.

There is some early rain around as well which will clear south eastwards and brighter conditions will develop with some sunny spells.

Maximum temperature: 16C (61F).

Dinky was missing for more than two months in Dubai when his owners flew back to the UK.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Highways England needs to improve the way it treats motorists stuck in long queues on motorways, according to a transport watchdog.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Last month, people were stranded in their vehicles for nine hours on the M1 while the emergency services dealt with a suspicious package on the hard shoulder.

An 11-mile (18km) stretch between junctions 15 at Northampton and 14 at Milton Keynes was shut both ways and local people ended up providing food and drink to travellers until the traffic started moving again.

Transport Focus said drivers need better information about ongoing incidents, that Highways England has a duty of care to those trapped on their roads and therefore should do more to provide practical help.

The watchdog said the M1 incident showed poor planning and lack of care by Highways England and called on the organisation to have better contingency plans in place.

Mel Clarke from Highways England said: "We are committed to making journeys safer and better for all who use our motorways and major roads.

"We work closely with police, local authorities and other partners to improve the way we work together all the time and particularly when incidents occur.

"We also work hard to give drivers accurate, up to date information about conditions on the roads and to keep traffic moving as much as possible.

"Our aim is always to give drivers a better experience on our network. We will continue to ensure roads are reopened safely, but as quickly as possible."

Kettering’s Tesco Extra has been sold for £52m - but it will remain as a superstore.

As first reported by the Northamptonshire Telegraph,, external the food store and petrol filling station in Carina Road, previously owned by Aviva Investors, has been sold to Legal & General Investment Management.

Legal & General Investment Management also owns the Grosvenor Centre in Northampton and opposed the Rushden Lakes development, which opened in the summer.

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Jarvis, Fund manager at Legal & General, said: “The store attracts a strong customer base and footfall and, as such, is an attractive acquisition for us."

He added that it will continue to operate as a Tesco Extra.

The 100,000 sq ft 24-hour store, which employs well over 100 staff, underwent a major refurbishment in 2009 which included an extension to the car park and an increase in sales floor space and storage areas.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

A host of events are planned during today to celebrate the 10th birthday of BBC Music Introducing in Northampton.

Over the years, the programme has championed such bands as Monarchs (pictured above), Deaf Trap (pictured below) and The Moon (pictured bottom).

BBC Introducing presenter Lal Muttock said: "The music scene in Northamptonshire has never been in such a good place, we have such an amazing wealth of talent in Shoe County and BBC Introducing Northants are proud to be part of it.

"On BBC Introducing day we are having a complete social media taker over, sharing music videos, profiles and well-wishers through the day, we will be celebrating all things Northamptonshire music scene."

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Last week on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, The Reverend Richard Coles American Smooth left him joint bottom of the leaderboard, but the viewer vote saw him through to next Saturday which is the show's ever-popular Movie Week.

The songs and dances have been announced, and the Northamptonshire vicar and his partner Dianne Buswell will be performing the Paso Doble to Flash's Theme from Flash Gordon.

"Flash - Ah Ah - saviour of the universe" - I dare anybody not to have that phrase spinning round inside their head for the rest of the day.

Image source, PA

Sara Thornton
BBC Weather

It will be a dry and bright start to the day with spells of sunshine.

Cloud will gradually build through the day, although it will remain dry.

The westerly breeze will also strengthen.

Maximum temperatures of 15C (59F).

Alex Rhodes
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

That's all from me and the team today, we'll have more of the very latest from across the county tomorrow morning.

Until then I'll leave you with five things we've learned today:

• Two people have been injured after they unearthed mustard gas canisters near Woodhall Spa
• An open verdict has been recorded at the inquest into the death of a Lutton woman
• Human remains, thought to belong to a Canadian airman, have been discovered in the wreckage of a Lancaster bomber downed in world War Two
• Meanwhile the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has sent their Lancaster to the site in the Netherlands for a flyover
• Stamford is celebrating the work of one of its most famous sons

Have a good evening.

BBC Weather Watchers

Autumn is here, and after a fairly chilly start, many parts of the county have been bathed in sunshine today.

The high has been 14C (57F).

Here are some of our favourite photos from our BBC Weather Watchers so far...

For more information, see BBC Weather Watchers.

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

The Prime Minister has told Conservative party members from the region to stand up to Labour and fight "a battle of ideas".

"It's a battle we thought we'd won, but we have to make the argument for capitalism again," she told the east of England reception at her party's conference in Manchester.

Theresa May said there was a new generation of voters who'd grown up during austerity who felt the market hadn't worked for them. She said the Conservatives needed to spread the message of opportunity and aspiration adding "but we must also recognise the concerns of a generation who fear they'll be worse off than their parents".

The party, which is still reeling from failing to win the general election outright and losing Ipswich, Peterborough and Bedford to Labour in this year's general election, is talking a lot about reaching out to younger voters.

It has already announced plans to freeze tuition fees and extend the "help to buy" scheme for homes.

Mrs May congratulated party activists for "a very impressive performance" in this year's local elections.

In a brief reference to the general election she said she was "sorry to have lost some good colleagues".

Northampton Town face a derby at Peterborough United in the Checkatrade Trophy at 19:45.

The Cobblers are second in Southern Group H having beaten Cambridge United on penalties after a 1-1 draw in August.

Peterborough are top of the group after a 2-0 win over Southampton U21s.

In one of the final games under previous manager Justin Edinburgh earlier this season, Northampton were beaten 4-1 by Posh at Sixfields in a League One fixture.

BBC Radio Northampton has live coverage of the match from 19:00.

Craig Lewis
BBC Northampton Politics Reporter

The outgoing chief executive of Northamptonshire County Council, external says he has "mixed emotions" at leaving the post.

It was announced yesterday that Paul Blantern, who has held the role for 10 years, and will leave the local authority on Friday, 13 October.

In a letter to staff, seen by the BBC, he described his time working at the authority as "highly rewarding and enjoyable".

He explained that he made the decision to leave after a meeting with Heather Smith, the leader of the Conservative-controlled council, last week.

His last major project was the recently completed Angel Square complex - a new £40m headquarters for the authority in Northampton town centre.

He says the completion of the move meant now was a good time for him to leave for "new challenges".

A statement from the council says they have agreed that now is an appropriate time to change the organisation's management for the different challenges ahead.

Elinor Cross
BBC Radio Northampton

A Northampton man who claimed to be a member of Isis (the so-called Islamic State) and threatened to blow up his neighbourhood has been jailed at Northampton Crown Court.

James Smith, 59, made the repeated threats to the police in July.

Smith told call handlers he was a terrorist and that he intended to use gas canisters to blow up Foxendale Square in the Billing area of the town.

His calls were blocked and he was arrested the following day.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of making a bomb hoax at magistrates court and was sentenced to 26 weeks imprisonment for the hoax and a further two weeks for failing to appear in court on Friday, when he was originally due to be sentenced.

Nicky says she has paid nearly £5,000 and waited over a year but still has not had an application decision.

Powerlifter Steve Walker misses the world championships after the collapse of the Monarch airline.

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

The last of the rain will eventually clear the south of the BBC East region to leave a largely dry night with clear spells.

The winds should continue to ease and temperatures are expected to fall lower than recent nights, down to around 8C (46F).

Tuesday will be a dry day with the best of the sunshine in the morning.

More cloud is expected in the afternoon, but there’ll still be sunny spells.

There’ll be a light to moderate west to north-westerly wind and highs around 16C (61F).

For a more detailed forecast where you are, visit BBC Weather.