A serious case review into the death of Alexa-Marie Quinn at the hands of her father has concluded there was a lack of understanding about potential risks
More than 1,000 people from the three counties are on the run after skipping bail
Review published into how Alexa-Marie Quinn, 4, was put into the care of her father, who then beat her to death
Bedfordshire Police defends decision not to sack anyone over the death of a man in custody
Updates for Wednesday, 11 May 2016
Alex Pope
BBC Local Live
That's it from all of us here working on the Local Live feed for Beds, Herts and Bucks.
We'll be back from 08:00 on Thursday morning with all your news, sport, travel and weather.
In the meantime if you have a story you want to share while we're away please send us an email.
We've just had these photographs sent in by BBC 3CR reporter Paul Scoins. They show specialist police search teams with dogs scouring woods for missing mother of three Natalie Hemming.
They searched an area around Salden Wood near Newton Longville, Bucks and a disused rail line, which are near the family home on the edge of Milton Keynes.
Her partner has been charged with her murder.
Paul Scoins
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter
I'm at the entrance to Salden Woods close to Newton Longville, where the police are currently searching the area.
It's part of ongoing investigations into the disappearance of Natalie Hemming, from Newton Leys, who hasn't been seen for ten days.
Natalie's partner Paul Hemming, 42, of Alderney Avenue, Milton Keynes, has been charged with her murder.
Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather
Any isolated showers will quickly ease through this evening, leaving the night largely dry with clear spells.
However, we may have the odd shower passing westwards during the early hours.
Minimum Temperature: 10C (50F).
Image source, Chilternman/Weather WatcherOn Thursday it will be a fine and dry day with sunny spells. It's likely to be the last day with a warm, humid feel before it turns colder by the end of the week.
BBC Travel
The closure of the M11 northbound between J8, A120 (Bishops Stortford) and J9, A11 Saffron Walden, because of an earlier lorry fire is causing delays on surrounding roads in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
The Northbound A1m between J5 at Welwyn Garden City and J7 at Stevenage is slow and all approaches to the Blackcat roundabout are congested.
Sally Chidzoy
BBC Look East home affairs correspondent
It looks like Bedfordshire police has a new PC on the books!
This is Police Cat Bobby who lives locally and pops into the reception at their headquarters in Kempston on a daily basis.
He likes hanging around reception mainly because he gets lots of attention!
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has confirmed it has started an investigation into the death of a man on Midland Road in Bedford just after noon.
It says it can't provide anymore information but would like any witnesses to contact their investigators via witness@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk or 0800 0969070.
Allow X content?
This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Officers searching for missing Hertfordshire author Helen Bailey have thanked the public for their help.
She was last seen walking her miniature dachshund Boris near her home in Royston on 11 April. Hertfordshire Police have said there's no evidence to say she has left the North Herts area, but she also has links to Broadstairs in Kent and Northumberland.
If people want to help they should
BBC Travel
One lane is blocked on the M1 northbound between Newport Pagnell Services and J15 because of a broken down car.
There are delays on the Northbound M1 from J5 at Watford through J6a M25 and J7, because of an earlier accident.
Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio
Five people, including four from Bedfordshire, are due to appear in court today, external charged with smuggling illegal immigrants into the UK.
Two are from Luton, and two are from Houghton Regis. They're expected at Stevenage Magistrates' Court.
Police say a total of 16 Albanian nationals were detained and deported as part of the investigation.
Alex Pope
BBC Local Live
A man has been left with serious injuries after being robbed on Bedford High Street at 09:30 on Sunday morning.
Bedfordshire Police say he approached two arguing women and tried to intervene. He was then assaulted by a man and knocked to the ground. He later realised his wallet had been stolen.
The NSPCC has responded to the "damning" report into the death of four-year-old Alexa-Marie Quinn.
They say it reveals a catalogue of failures and missed opportunities in the months leading up to her death.
Image source, John O'Reilly“It is hard to understand how it was decided she should live with her father permanently despite allegations of domestic violence and concerns over his behaviour," a charity spokesman said.
“Such a complex case required close working between agencies across area boundaries – and this was severely lacking."
Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio
The outgoing Bedfordshire police and crime commissioner says it would be "shocking" if his successor was given extra-funding on the basis of her political party.
Image source, Bedfordshire Police and Crime CommissionerLabour's Olly Martins - who steps down today - was responding to comments by Conservative successor Kathryn Holloway that she's been promised more money by the government. Last year he lost a referendum which asked the public if they would accept a council tax rise to fund more police.
He said: "I think a lot of people would find it pretty shocking if a police force's funding was dependent on the party political persuasion of the police and crime commissioner."
Craig Lewis
BBC News
There are currently 387 outstanding arrest warrants in Hertfordshire.
Image source, Hertfordshire PoliceA Freedom of Information request from the BBC showed police are pursuing suspects and convicted criminals who skipped court bail on charges including grievous bodily harm, indecent child images, robbery and arson.
They are among more than 13,000 people in England who are on the run.
BBC Sport
Watford play their final away match of the Premier League season tonight with no fresh injury problems as they travel to relegation threatened Norwich.
Image source, Getty ImagesHornets boss Quique Sanchez Flores has said playing against those fighting the drop is "always very sad," but they have a "role and need to play it".
He said: "For us it will be important to go to the pitch with the idea to play well, to think about how we can stop Norwich, to play football and to score goals."
Paul Scoins
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter
Police investigating the suspected murder of a woman from Milton Keynes have begun searching Salden Wood near Newton Longville.
Image source, South Beds NewsPaul Hemming, from Newton Leys, has been charged with murdering his partner Natalie Hemming.
The 31-year-old mother of three hasn't been seen for ten days.
Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East
The police officer in charge of the search for missing Hertfordshire author Helen Bailey has said what makes the case "very, very perplexing" is that they have very little to work on.
The 51-year-old has left no digital footprint - records show she hasn't used her phone or accessed her bank account.
Image source, South Beds News AgencyChief inspector Julie Wheatley said she didn't want to speculate on whether the disappearance was pre-planned as there was very little evidence to show whether this was the case or if it was spontaneous.
She said: "It's everyone's right to a private life. If Helen has decided she wanted some time to herself, we respect that - we're just concerned and her family are very concerned."
Alex Pope
BBC Local Live
Bedfordshire Police have confirmed that the death of a man in the centre of Bedford today is to be reported to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
They say officers gave the man first aid and the ambulance service also attended at about 12:35 on Midland Road, but the man died.
Police have refused to release any further details.
The death of a man in a street in Bedford is being reported to the police watchdog.
West Ham's Mark Noble was challenged to show off his football skills in front of pupils at Houghton Regis Academy this afternoon.
He's in the area along with Bobby Zamora talk to young people about plans to regenerate the Kingsland site in Houghton Regis.
Noble is one of the founders of Legacy, which hopes to build a sports academy with education and community facilities.
Allow X content?
This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
