Local Live is finished for today but we'll be back tomorrow from 08:00 with the latest news, weather, sport and travel for Northamptonshire.

We'll see you then.

Craig Lewis
BBC News

There are a large number of empty shopping units in Northampton's Abington Street - with part of the problem being companies which close down units on a long lease, but continue to pay rent on the closed shop front.

Councillor Tim Hadland, Northampton Borough Council's cabinet member for regeneration, said some businesses will close units but continue to pay rent while the shop is closed.

"That is very frustrating," he said. "We want to see shops open and customers flocking to them."

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

Northampton Town have achieve global recognition for their promotion from League Two, with the New York Times comparing their success to that of Danny Willett winning the Masters golf, and Leicester City sitting on top of the Premier League table.

Image source, Getty Images

In his article, Rob Hughes writes: "For Northampton, the recipe for success seems to be a will to survive, combined with having no fear of failure - because last November [when the club was almost wound-up], it had nothing left to lose."

You can read the full article here, external.

BBC Weather

Most places will have a dry evening with some late sunshine but with the chance of shower later, and a low of 4C (39F).

It will be a chilly start tomorrow but it should be a largely fine day with a good deal of warm sunshine, with a high of 15C (59F).

Northamptonshire Telegraph

A craft gin producer has secured £150,000 after winning a national competition, external for small and medium sized enterprises.

Craig Lewis
BBC News

There are a large number of empty shopping units in Abington Street, with existing shop owners blaming factors including high rents.

Tim Hadland, council member for regeneration, said the street has been refurbished and the shopping experience in Northampton is improving.

A "life changing" 3D printed hand has been created by scientists at the University of Bedfordshire, external for a boy born without fingers on his left hand.

For the fist time left-handed William, 8, who lives near Towcester, is able to hold a pen and draw a picture. The device reads the signals in his arm - which makes it fully controllable

Mark Hooper, from the university, said: “Jo [Will's mother] had found a design of a hand online made by scientist in Africa... It was brilliant, but we wanted to see if we could make it less clunky and more usable for a young boy."

Sarah Foster
BBC Radio Northampton

If you are catching up:

• Prince Harry has joined the families of British victims of last year's terror attacks in Tunisia for a memorial service at Westminster Abbey, attended by the Scott family of Irchester which survived the shooting
• Business Secretary Sajid Javid said the government is looking at series of options to find new owners for Tata Steel's plants, including the one at Corby
• Northamptonshire opener Ben Duckett remained 18 runs short of a triple century as rain prevented play on day three against Sussex at Wantage Road

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

A couple from Northampton who have been foster carers, external for 30 years have received a special letter of commendation from the Duchess of Cambridge.

Northants Herald & Post

Cobblers fan Steve Riches missed seeing his beloved Northampton Town clinch promotion after he was rushed into hospital for emergency surgery - but he woke up from the op, external asking about the game.

Craig Lewis
BBC News

However, another shop worker told me there are too many similar shops in Northampton's Abington Street.

Shwinjit Shah, who works at Phone Box, said: "In our shop, the problem is too much competition. When we opened there were only three shops doing this, now there are 10 and the market.

"People are coming because we offer good service, but our problem is customers are divided between stores."

Craig Lewis
BBC News

Closed units in Northampton's Abington Street do effect businesses there - according to one shop worker.

Jakir Ali, an employee at one shop there, said: "If there were more shops open we would have more people walking around, which would attract more people to us."

The borough council's cabinet member for regeneration, Tim Hadland, insists the town is "changing," highlighting The Drapery as somewhere that went through a "bad patch" but has improved.

Craig Lewis
BBC News

Northampton's Abington Street contains a high number of empty shopping units, including prime sites like the former Eastgate public house and rhubarb bar.

Many of the closed units are covered with Northampton Alive posters - asking the question just how alive is the town centre?

The borough council's cabinet member for regeneration, Tim Hadland, said the authority is constantly looking to improve the environment of the town centre.

"The top half of Abington Street was in a pretty poor state. We have refurbished it, brought in the new traffic policy and people are seeing the benefits," he said.

BBC Politics

The Conservative MP for Corby, Tom Pursglove, told the Commons during an emergency debate on the steel industry that "nothing should be ruled out", including a temporary nationalisation of Tata Steel's UK plants such as Corby.

However, Business Secretary Sajid Javid made it clear that full-scale nationalisation isn't an option and said the government may "co-invest" with a private buyer and could take on some of the debt.

BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Ben Duckett still needs 18 runs for a triple century as rain prevents play on day three between Northants and Sussex.

Craig Lewis
BBC News

I've been looking into the state of Northampton town centre in the light of a report into ways to improve our high streets.

One of the jewels in the crown of the area is St Giles Street, which was recently named high street of the year, external. 

The borough council's member for regeneration, Tim Hadland, said the street is different to the average high street, which often contains "cloned multi-nationals".

He added: "The independents make all the difference. They show we have a different proposition to certain places just down the motorway."

Craig Lewis
BBC News

A new report into how to improve our high streets included research carried out in Corby and Kettering. One shopper complained Kettering is full of "pound shops and low grade places".

In Northampton, Abington Street's existing 99p discount store is due to be converted into a Poundland, external.

Northampton Borough Council's cabinet member for planning, regeneration and enterprise admitted the town centre needs "a broader spread of shops", adding: "Customers for such shops do exist, but we don't attract them to Northampton in sufficient numbers."

Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live

An eight-year-old boy has received a "life changing" new 3D printed hand from the University of Bedfordshire, external.

Image source, University of Bedfordshire

William Joyner, who attends school in Towcester, Northamptonshire, was born with fingers missing from his left hand. 

His mum said it will mean he's able to "tie his laces" and simple things like hold "a drink in one hand and an ice lolly in the other". It's also in his favourite football team Reading FC's colours - blue and white.

BBC Sport

Rangers winger Harry Forrester, originally from Towcester, has signed a new three-year contract which will keep him at the club until 2019.

Image source, Getty Images

The 25-year-old arrived from Doncaster at the end of December on an initial six-month deal and has scored five goals in 16 games. 

Forrester was in the Northampton Town youth set-up until the age of 10 when he signed for Watford.

After several inspections at Wantage Road it's not good news...