:00:14. > :00:19.Hello. A man is under arrest after an armed siege on a housing estate
:00:20. > :00:22.in Northampton. The area around Cardigan Close in Dallington was
:00:23. > :00:26.sealed off for six hours after reports of a man brandishing a gun.
:00:27. > :00:28.Six police units, as well as fire and ambulance crews, were on
:00:29. > :00:31.stand`by. At the height of the incident, residents who were kept
:00:32. > :00:42.out of their homes complained they were not kept informed of what was
:00:43. > :00:46.happening. It is all cordoned off, we cannot
:00:47. > :00:49.get in. My grandson needs medication. We have had a word with
:00:50. > :00:54.the medics and they're trying to get in now to see we can get the
:00:55. > :00:57.medication. A man has appeared in court this
:00:58. > :01:00.morning charged with murdering his former partner in Southend. Leanne
:01:01. > :01:04.Meecham, who was 26, was found with stab wounds at a flat in Westcliff
:01:05. > :01:06.nine days ago and died yesterday. 42`year`old Simon Meecham was
:01:07. > :01:08.remanded in custody by Chelmsford magistrates.
:01:09. > :01:12.More than 100 jobs are at risk after receivers were called in to a
:01:13. > :01:14.construction company near Norwich. DGT Structures, which is based at
:01:15. > :01:22.Lenwade, has been put into administration. It makes steel
:01:23. > :01:25.buildings and employs 119 people. Members of the Italian community in
:01:26. > :01:28.Bedford are protesting today at the closure of the town's Italian
:01:29. > :01:31.consulate. The office used to be open once a month for handling
:01:32. > :01:34.passport and other enquiries, but it suddenly closed without warning.
:01:35. > :01:35.Community leaders are meeting a representative of the Italian
:01:36. > :01:39.government today. On to sport, and seven of the
:01:40. > :01:42.region's rugby players will feature for England against Ireland in the
:01:43. > :01:45.Six Nations later. Tom Wood is one of five Northampton Saints players
:01:46. > :01:53.involved and he's relishing the intensity and physicality ahead.
:01:54. > :02:01.Running out in front of 80,000 people at Twitter no, `` at
:02:02. > :02:05.Twickenham really gets your blood going. There is nowhere else I would
:02:06. > :02:08.rather be on a Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, in the Championship,
:02:09. > :02:11.eighth`placed Bedford Blues travel to play bottom side Ealing in a
:02:12. > :02:14.match postponed from last weekend. On to football, and Ipswich travel
:02:15. > :02:17.to play Leicester in the Championship. And it's all the fives
:02:18. > :02:21.for Town. They are unbeaten in their last five games, they are five
:02:22. > :02:23.points from the playoffs and they haven't won away in their last five
:02:24. > :02:26.matches. In League One, there's a regional
:02:27. > :02:28.derby with plenty riding on it. Stevenage host Peterborough.
:02:29. > :02:31.Stevenage are desperate for points in their battle to avoid relegation.
:02:32. > :02:34.Peterborough are equally keen to consolidate their place in the
:02:35. > :02:36.playoffs. Elsewhere, Colchester host Preston, while MK Dons travel to
:02:37. > :02:39.play Bradford. And in League Two, Northampton's
:02:40. > :02:41.battle to avoid relegation from the football league continues. They host
:02:42. > :02:46.Hartlepool at Sixfields, whilst seventh`placed Southend travel to
:02:47. > :02:53.play York City. Time for the weather.
:02:54. > :03:00.It is a lovely day outside and that is the way it will stay for the rest
:03:01. > :03:05.of the afternoon. A bit of closure here and there. South`westerly
:03:06. > :03:10.breeze picking up. Temperatures this afternoon nine or 10 Celsius. It
:03:11. > :03:15.will turn cloudy into tomorrow morning. Tomorrow and altogether
:03:16. > :03:21.cloudier, windy day. You can see some gusts of wind up to 30 or 40
:03:22. > :03:26.mph. A bit of brightness much later on into the afternoon. Still feeling
:03:27. > :03:30.mild and much more unsettled and showery into next week.
:03:31. > :03:35.I will be back later on with the news and sport. Until then, enjoy
:03:36. > :03:37.the sunshine. Have a lovely afternoon.