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Live Reporting

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  1. Our live coverage across the day

    Our live coverage across the three counties has come to an end today - thanks for stopping by.

    You can now scroll back and recap the stories we have covered. 

    We'll be back to do it all again from 08:00 tomorrow. Have a great evening.

  2. Weather: Cloud continuing to thicken this evening

    Julie Reinger

    BBC Look East weather

    This evening cloud will continue to thicken from the south-west and may produce an odd spot of rain.

    Tonight the risk of some light rain or drizzle continues and it’ll be warm with temperatures falling to about 14C (57F).

    Weather map

    The last of any rain and drizzle should quickly clear on Tuesday morning to leave a largely fine and dry day with some spells of sunshine. 

    It won’t feel as muggy with the winds becoming moderate north-westerly and temperatures reaching 21C (70F).

    You'll find the latest forecast via BBC Weather

  3. Juno mission: British rocket engine ready for Jupiter task

    BBC News UK

    A rocket engine built in Buckinghamshire will put a space probe into orbit around Jupiter in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

    An artist's impression of Juno firing its Leros-1b engine at Jupiter

    The Juno satellite will fly closer to the red planet than any spacecraft before. It is rapidly bearing down on the gas giant after a five-year journey from Earth and must slow itself to go into orbit around the planet.

    Its Leros-1b engine was built by Moog-ISP in Westcott.

  4. Luton stabbing: Police cordon remains in place

    A police cordon remains at The Hedgerow following the stabbing earlier this afternoon. 

    Cordon
    Cordon
  5. Teenage boy seriously injured in Luton stabbing

    A teenage boy has been seriously injured after being stabbed in Luton.

    Police cordon

    Police and an ambulance crew went to The Hedgerow at about 14:30. The youth, whose exact age is not yet known, has been taken to hospital where his condition is described as "serious". 

    A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Police said no arrests had been made and appealed for information.

  6. Bedford teacher jailed for child sex image offences

    A Bedford teacher who talked about his fantasies involving children in "horrific" internet chat logs has been jailed for 16 months at Cambridge Crown Court.

    Scott Keith Whitlock

    Police said Scott Whitlock, 45, formerly of Kimbolton School, Cambridgeshire, had an "entrenched sexual interest in children".

    He admitted three offences involving hundreds of indecent images and publishing an obscene article. 

  7. Man jailed after being found in boot of estranged wife's car

    A Stevenage man who hid in his estranged wife's car boot as part of a kidnap plot was foiled when his aftershave gave the game away.

    Colin French

    Colin French, 42, lay in wait in the vehicle in Hardwick, near Cambridge, but his scent led his victim to check the boot where she found him curled up inside.

    He then tried to attack her with a carving knife but was chased off. French denied attempted kidnap but was found guilty and jailed for four years at Cambridge Crown Court.

  8. Man fined over statue decapitation

    Katy Lewis

    BBC Local Live

    A man has been ordered to pay £1,000 after admitting causing damage to a historic statue in Hertford.

    Hertford statue

    Coery McBride, 19, of Hertingfordbury Road, Hertford, damaged the statue, which belongs to Beckwith and Son Antiques.

    The top half of the statue, which is 150 years old and stands on St Andrew Street, was pulled off in the early hours of 26 March.  

    Stevenage magistrates also gave McBride a 12-month conditional discharge.

  9. Battle of the Somme: Find a 'golden soldier'

    Katy Lewis

    BBC Local Live

    Fancy a bit of a treasure hunt?

    Well, to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, British sculptor Nic Joly - in conjunction with the Royal British Legion - has placed 141 bronze figures holding poppies on 141 memorials in the UK and abroad.

    Appropriately called 141 Days, the length of the battle, it aims to make people "stop, remember, and think about what happened".

    View more on twitter

    The locations are secret, with the idea that people go out looking for the 2in (5cm) tall figures, but the Herts Poppy Appeal has tweeted a massive clue as to where you can find one "somewhere in Hertfordshire".

    If you find any of them, then visit the project website to find out what to do next - you can photograph and share them, but please don't reveal the locations or take them away.

  10. Farmer fined over 'forgotten ammo' found in cellar

    Katy Lewis

    BBC Local Live

    A Bovingdon poultry farmer has been fined £2,500 after police found nearly 600 rounds of ammunition that he had "forgotten about" in his cellar.

    Luton Crown Court heard that Simon Atkinson, 51, of Shantock Hall Lane, who admitted possessing ammunition without a licence, had given up his firearms licence in 1999 and forgot to hand it in with his shotguns and other ammunition. The rounds remained stored in a plastic box in his cellar.

    Judge Michael Kay QC said it was a "very stupid and serious error" and "the problem is that guns and ammunition have the habit of falling into the wrong hands".

    The ammunition has been forfeited.

  11. This afternoon's weather: Bright and warm

    BBC Weather

    There will be bright or sunny spells and it will feel muggy with more cloud as the afternoon goes on.

    Maximum temperature: 19C (66F).

    Weather graphic
  12. Berkhamsted deaths: Man had admitted attacking woman

    Katy Lewis

    BBC Local Live

    A man found dead along with a woman at her home in Berkhamsted had appeared in court earlier this year charged with attacking her, it has emerged.

    Sarah Nash

    Lee Guntrip, 25, of Victoria Road, Berkhamsted, appeared at St Albans Crown Court in January.

    He admitted attacking his girlfriend, mother-of-two Sarah Nash, 37, and was given a two-year community order and told to attend a rehabilitation project.

    Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Bright QC said: "Make sure there isn't a next time or you will go to prison. Exercise appropriate restraint and don't resort to violence in the future."

    Mr Guntrip and Ms Nash were found dead at her home in Highfield Road on 23 June after police forced entry into the house.

    Hertfordshire Police has not revealed how they died or the circumstances surrounding their deaths but confirmed it was not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

  13. St Albans Jersey Farm death: Sons pay tribute to 'selfless and loving' mother

    Katy Lewis

    BBC Local Live

    The family of a woman who died following a collision near a Tesco Express store in Jersey Farm, St Albans last week have paid tribute to a "selfless and loving" mother.

    Barbara Mary Wheeldon

    Barbara Wheeldon, 78, died following a collision in Twyford Road at about 10.50 on Monday. 

    Hertfordshire Police said what caused the crash was unclear but that it appeared a Tesco delivery lorry was leaving the delivery yard of the store shortly beforehand.

    Her sons Brian and Colin said they had received "so many messages" from people and "would like to thank them for their thoughts, cards and kindness".

    "It has been a real comfort," they said.

    “We are still trying to come to terms with this tragedy and what has happened to our mother, who was also a much-loved mother–in–law, grandmother and friend."

  14. Traveller injunction 'will not work'

    Katy Lewis

    BBC Local Live

    Today we've been looking at how Central Bedfordshire Council is trying to obtain an injunction to stop unauthorised travellers' encampments.

    But Cliff Codona, of the National Travellers Action Group, has said nothing will change until the council builds enough sites for travellers,

    He said: "We've heard the amount of money they've thrown at it and keep throwing at it to get rid of the issue... the issue will come back next year and the year after that - it will never stop until you have somewhere to put them.

    "If you just keep kicking it around the playing field and chucking money into enforcement, it doesn't work."

  15. Milton Keynes MP backs May

    Katy Lewis

    BBC Local Live

    As the Tory leadership contest continues today and with voting starting tomorrow, the MP for Milton Keynes North Mark Lancaster is backing the front-runner, Home Secretary Theresa May.

    He said: "Post-Brexit, we need to have a strong leader. I think Theresa May has demonstrated that she's a unifying candidate and also as home secretary for six years now, which she's done a tremendous job at, she's got the strength and experience to be our next prime minister."

    Mark Lancaster
  16. Local football round-up: Arrivals, re-signings and injuries

    Simon Oxley

    BBC Three Counties Radio

    Watford FC has said its new signing from Granada - Isaac Success - had been attracting interest from Europe's biggest clubs after scoring six goals in La Liga last season. 

    The 20-year-old Nigerian striker agreed a five-year deal at Vicarage Road on Friday for a club record fee thought to be in the region of £12.5m.

    Meanwhile, Milton Keynes Dons have re-signed last season's leading scorer Nicky Maynard on a one-year deal. The 29-year-old scored seven goals last season after he arrived in September but could not prevent their relegation.

    Nicky Maynard

    Luton Town's squad are in Hungary for a pre-season training camp, but without two players who have suffered injury setbacks.

    Midfielder Nathan Doyle has ruptured his achilles tendon and will be out for several months. Striker Craig Mackail-Smith has had a further operation on the leg injury he suffered at the end of last season.

  17. Farage a 'giant among pygmies', former UKIP councillor says

    Jonathan Vernon-Smith

    BBC Three Counties Radio

    Shortly after we got the news this morning that Nigel Farage had once again resigned as the leader of UKIP, a former town councillor in Kempston told me she was "utterly devastated". 

    Nigel Farage

    Nikki Attenborough said: "I joined UKIP because of Nigel Farage and for what he wanted to do for this country; he was a giant among pygmies.

    "Politicians are notorious for saying one thing and doing the other. He was the only honest man we had in politics.

    "I hope he will still be there to watch that what people have promised, they will deliver."

    Mr Farage, who has been leader of UKIP for most of the past eight years, said "I have done my bit" after the vote to leave the EU.

    He stood down briefly in 2009 and was re-elected the following year. He said he would quit after failing to win his seat at last year's general election, but stayed on after the party rejected his resignation.

  18. New Bedford bridge: What do you think?

    Tony Fisher

    BBC Three Counties Radio

    Last week we told you how people in Bedford were claiming a new pedestrian bridge over the river was nothing like what was promised. 

    As first reported by Bedfordshire on Sunday, campaign group Bedford Forum said the bridge was a complete eyesore and looked nothing like the concept drawings.  

    Well, I'm in Bedford this morning where the bridge went up on Friday. Let us know what you think - you can email us or send us a tweet.

    View more on twitter
  19. Milton Keynes' future report has 'broad remit'

    Kate Bradbrook

    BBC Look East

    So far at the launch of the MK Futures 2050 Commission, I've heard there should be a focus on mobility with on-demand buses, shared taxis, electric bikes and driverless cars; a new-style university to promote research, teaching and top-class education, and a new international festival of creative urban living.

    In short, there seems to have been a broad remit which needs to be fleshed out with more detail.

    View more on twitter
  20. Milton Keynes' future: Town 'must re-invent itself'

    Kate Bradbrook

    BBC Look East

    Milton Keynes will be 50 next year and is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the UK - so what are its biggest challenges?

    Well, I'm at the Open University this morning at the launch of "Making a Great City Greater"  - a report from the MK Futures 2050 Commission.

    Since September 2015, the Milton Keynes Council-initiated project has been taking an independent longer-term view of the future, exploring what makes a great city and how the town - it has yet to be granted city status - can become even greater in the future as it strives for economic growth.

    So far I've heard the town "needs to continue to reinvent itself", meet housing needs and improve infrastructure.

    View more on twitter