Alex Harris
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

Peterborough-based British Sugar says it is planning exports to the world market for the first time in at least a decade.

The move comes as a 50-year-old European Union quota on the amount of sugar beet that can be grown in the UK is set to be abolished this weekend.

Paul Kenward, managing director of British Sugar, says it's a "real opportunity to grow a really successful business" as "1.1m tonnes of beat is grown in Cambridgeshire".

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

It seems like the Duke of Cambridge has unofficially given Airlander 10 - the world's longest aircraft - his royal seal of approval.

The future king met Chris Daniels from the company that operates it at the launch event of the International Festival of Business , externalin London.

Image source, Hybrid Air Vehicles

Mr Daniels told me Prince William was aware of Airlander from his time as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, and knew its Cardington airfield home was a no-fly zone.

He also revealed the duke said he was "keen to fly it".

Image source, Hybrid Air Vehicles

He was then presented with an Airlander 10 stress ball, and apparently said Prince George would "love it".

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

Image source, RSPCA

The RSPCA had to be called in after a big snake escaped from a home in March.

Aimee was looking after her friend's false water cobra called Cyrus when it "made a dash" from its vivarium and got trapped under a wardrobe.

Aimee says she "panicked a little bit" due to children and other pets being in the house, so called in the charity.

Inspector Richard Lythgoe came to the rescue. After the wardrobe was emptied he said the snake "darted out" and it was caught.

"I have never seen a snake move so fast," he said.

There are no restrictions on the snake, meaning it can be kept as a pet.

The charity says: "The RSPCA are opposed to the keeping of potentially dangerous species as pets.

“Caution must be taken when caring for a false water cobra, as a bite could be painful and produce localised swelling and bruising."

Let's have a look at what some of our local papers are covering today...

• The Cambridge News, external is reporting that Addenbrooke's Hospital needs £13m of urgent repairs
• Meanwhile, a Peterborough garden centre is taking legal action to move travellers on who have set up camp in the car park, the Peterborough Telegraph, external reports

The moves have been set, the spray tan applied and thousands of sequins glued on.

That can only mean one thing - Strictly Come Dancing is back on Saturday night.

Hertfordshire's very own Brian Conley is getting ready to perfect his Cha Cha Cha... but not before some very impressive arm waving...

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

The moves have been set, the spray tan applied and thousands of sequins glued on.

That can only mean one thing - Strictly Come Dancing is back on Saturday night.

Peterborough's very own Aston Merrygold is getting ready to perfect his Salsa... but not before doing his best Marcel Marceau impression...

But can fellow Cambridgeshireman Jonnie Peacock steal his thunder? Saturday, 18:45, BBC One - be there!

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

The moves have been set, the spray tan applied and thousands of sequins glued on.

That can only mean one thing - Strictly Come Dancing is back on Saturday night.

Finedon's very own reverend Richard Coles is getting ready to perfect his American Smooth... but not before he gave some knee action on his attempt at a Charleston.

Let's have a look at what some of our local papers are covering today...

• The Watford Observer, external reports that police were called to Watford General Hospital on Thursday night after a fracas erupted between protesters and contractor staff at a demonstration against "poverty pay"
• Wycombe Wanderers are investigating after a pyrotechnic device was let off in the away end after the final whistle at the Chairboys' match against Colchester, reports the Bucks Free Press, external
• Meanwhile, the Hertfordshire Mercury, external writes that Hertfordshire County Council has apologised after an "administrative error" saw speed cushions installed in Bishop's Stortford before a public consultation was carried out. It says they now have to be removed.

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

A couple have been robbed of a whopping £38,000 in Northampton.

It was after they withdrew the cash from the Santander Bank, external on Market Square, between 15:30 and 15:40 yesterday.

Police said they were walking towards their car on Guildhall Road when they realised they were being followed.

Image source, Google

When they got on to Guildhall Road, a white, stocky man, about 5ft 8in tall with a black beard grabbed one of them.

There was a struggle, the victim was punched and he fell over.

The robber then ran off with the cash in the direction of Angel Street.

Police are appealing for witnesses.

Helen Burchell
BBC News

Police have been called out to two "suspicious" packages in Cambridge today.

However, there's no need to be alarmed, as one turned out to be a bag of rice - and the other was a rucksack full of clothes.

Image source, Getty Images

Cambridge officers have been tweeting about their call-outs since this morning, and these were just two of the incidents they have had to check.

Police said: "These packages can be a drain on our resources and cause alarm for the public."

If you've lost your rice, we know who's got it...

Phil Shepka
BBC News

This was the scene a short time ago after a mini-digger fell off the back of a lorry in Cambridge.

It has now been loaded back on to the vehicle to be taken away.

Alex Harris
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

A person has been injured after a mini-digger fell off the back of a flatbed truck.

Image source, Cambridgeshire Police

The accident happened on Mariners Way in Cambridge at about 13:00.

Cambridgeshire Police said the person's injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

We'll bring you more on this as we get it.

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

If you go down to the woods today, you never know what you might spot.

Neil McCarty was lucky enough to see a very rare sight when he went for a walk on the outskirts of Bedford.

At first he thought it was a cat stuck up a tree, as all he could see was a white ball of fur, but on closer inspection it was an albino squirrel.

Image source, Neil McCarty

So like every good photographer, he went back the next day "hung around for ages" and caught these amazing images.

Image source, Neil McCarty

He says it's a bit of a change from his day-to-day job of music photography, as he usually snaps "grungy bands in the dark".

Image source, Neil McCarty

"The irony is I have snapped some amazing artists passing through Bedford over the last five years, many who have gone on to be huge... and I am going to get my 15 seconds of fame over a squirrel," he said.

The odds of a squirrel being born white is thought to be about one in 100,000.

Andy Holmes
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

Yesterday we brought you news that a reprieve had been given a Herfordshire centre for disabled children.

Nascott Lawn in Watford was set to close in October, but that date has been moved to January, according to families.

Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) claimed the closure was necessary because of its "serious financial situation".

However, it has since been in touch to say it has "set aside its decision" to stop paying for the site after receiving "inaccurate legal advice".

Image source, NHS

It will now speak to families and "make a new decision regarding the running of respite services at Nascot Lawn".

Tom Percival
BBC Radio Northampton

A brand new primary school has officially opened today.

Pineham Barns is teaching its first pupils in Pineham village, on the outskirts of Northampton.

Principal Caroline Stewart said: "We are growing something completely new here. That's incredibly exciting.

"Today is a momentous occasion - we are starting to build this community and to make Pineham Barns central to the community."

To mark the opening, every child is receiving a pair of Wellington boots and a boiler suit so they can "take the learning outside", Ms Stewart said.

BBC Business Live

Three former executives of Hertfordshire-based Tesco have arrived at Southwark Crown Court to stand trial over their alleged role in a £326m accounting scandal at the retailer.

Former UK finance chief Carl Rogberg, UK managing director Christopher Bush and UK food commercial director John Scouler are charged with fraud by abuse of position and false accounting between February and September 2014.

They have all denied the charges.

The trial is expected to last 13 weeks.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Singaore

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel set the pace in second practice at the Malaysian Grand Prix as Stevenage's Lewis Hamilton struggled in his Mercedes.

Vettel headed team-mate Kimi Raikkonen by 0.604 seconds, with the Milton Keynes Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen third and fourth and Hamilton sixth.

Image source, Getty Images

The Briton, 28 points ahead of Vettel, was a massive 1.416secs off the pace.

The session came to an end early following a major crash involving Haas' Romain Grosjean.

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium is at last finished!

The ground, including its long-awaited East Stand, has been completed... but only in Lego.

Image source, Jules Richards

The work was carried out by Jules Richards, who has so far built about 70 of 92 Premier League and Football League grounds.

Image source, Jules Richards

He said it was rather difficult building the unfinished East Stand and he had to use research and his imagination.

Image source, Jules Richards

"The seats are in, the above part and the back part is unfinished, because I didn't know what the rest of it would look like, and no-one does, until it's built properly," he said.

Image source, Jules Richards

Craig Lewis
BBC Northampton Politics Reporter

The Conservatives and Labour have each retained a seat on Northampton Borough Council following two by-elections.

Luke Graystone held Nene Valley ward for the Tories, while Labour's Paul Joyce won in Eastfield.

Police in Cambridge are taking to Twitter, external today to give an insight into what their average day looks like.

It's to show the various demands put on officers as they answer a range of calls, including reports of burglary, drug taking and violence.

In August, 2,731 calls were made to police in the city and 1,160 crimes were recorded.