Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Did you know Roald Dahl's Big Friendly Giant was apparently based on a real-life BFG from Buckinghamshire - builder Wally Saunders?

Image source, PA

His nephew Michael Brittin, from Holmer Green, said the pair met when his uncle built Dahl's writing hut in the garden of the author's Great Missenden home and did other alterations to the house.

He said Dahl made it clear to his uncle that he had him in mind when creating the character.

Mr Brittin said Wally was an "exceptionally strong man" with "very big ears and hands". He added his strange accent and tendency to get his words mixed up also inspired Gobblefunk - the language created by Dahl for the BFG.

"[Wally Saunders] was a very remarkable man, he was extremely generous, he was always understanding and always helpful," he said.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Yesterday we told you how a new hole had opened up in Vicarage Road in Watford due to a burst water main.

Herts Highways has announced this morning that the road has re-opened.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

One of the big stories overnight was the news the BBC could not afford to keep its most popular programme, The Great British Bake Off, which is moving to Channel Four.

Image source, Fluency PR

It's not yet known if Buckinghamshire's Mary Berry, along with fellow judge Paul Hollywood, will make the move.

But fret not, the Queen of Cakes will be wishing locals a Berry Christmas this year. It's just been announced she'll be outside The Chequers pub on Marlow High Street on 24 November to switch on the town's Christmas lights.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Roald Dahl spent about four hours every day writing stories from his writing hut in the garden of his home in Great Missenden.

Image source, PA

It was in here he penned many of his famous stories, including Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

The contents have now been moved to the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in the village - but you can take a peek inside and see what it used to look like here.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Today would have been the 100th birthday of author Roald Dahl, the man responsible for such classic children's stories as Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG.

He lived in the Buckinghamshire village of Great Missenden for 36 years.

The village now houses a museum, external dedicated to his life and work. Archivist Rachel White told us what she thinks makes his work so special. 

"He is just a brilliant storyteller, he's just got this amazing quality of being able to get a beautiful story down, really exciting, really adventurous, with lots of magical bits to it," she said.

"I think as well, he manages to be timeless. You can read his stories 50 years after they were written... and they're still grabbing us because they're kind of not set in any one era... so you can pick them up and just get completely immersed."

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

An inquest into the death of a Bedfordshire toddler is due to get under way today.

Autumn Gooch was 19 months old when she died at her home in Maulden in April 2015 and the results of a post-mortem examination were inconclusive.

Neglect charges were initially brought against her mother but were later dropped by Bedfordshire Police.

The youngster's death is the subject of a serious case review by the Central Bedfordshire Safeguarding Children Board, external.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Luton South's Labour MP Gavin Shuker says the proposed new boundary changes will make the two Luton constituencies "more marginal".   

Image source, Labour Party

In the plans announced today by the Boundary Commission, Luton North would include Houghton Regis and Mr Shuker's Luton South would grow to include part of the current South West Bedfordshire. 

In Milton Keynes, Stony Stratford and Wolverton would move to the Buckingham constituency.

He said: "Luton South, Luton North, those Milton Keynes seats, they are considered to be marginal seats, they quite often change when we have a change of government.

"My own opinion is probably that Luton North and Luton South are now more marginal than they were before."

Paul Scoins
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

Milton Keynes and Luton are among places that could see their parliamentary constituencies change under proposed new boundary plans published by the Boundary Commission.

The number of MPs is being cut from 650 to 600 at the next general election. 

Image source, Getty Images

The proposals see parts of Milton Keynes being included in a new Buckingham constituency and changes to the remaining two Milton Keynes constituencies. In return, Buckinghamshire villages such as Edlesborough and Pitstone would become the responsibility of the Aylesbury MP.

In Bedfordshire, there are proposals for a re-named Luton North and Houghton constituency to include Houghton Regis. Some electors from south west Bedfordshire will now be included in the Luton South constituency.

Find out how your area could be affected with the Boundary Commission for England's postcode search, external. The consultation closes on 5 December.

The Boundary Commission publishes its proposals for new parliamentary constituencies in the East of England.

Kate Kinsella
BBC Look East weather

Today could see the hottest September day in more than 50 years.

The Met Office, external says temperatures could potentially reach 31C (88F) in London, and here slightly lower at 30C (86F).

If the mercury rises above 31.6C (88.9F), which was reached at Gatwick on 2 September 1961, then it will be the hottest day for 55 years.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Good morning and welcome back to another day of regular live updates of the latest news, sport, weather and travel for Beds, Herts and Bucks.

This morning we'll be looking at how new constituency boundary proposals in England and Wales could affect your MP.

Plus, it's Roald Dahl Day. The celebrations are set to be bigger than ever as today is 100 years since the birth of the author, who lived in the Buckinghamshire village of Great Missenden for 36 years. Why not let us know what his writing meant to you?

But first, on what could be the hottest September day in more than 50 years, we'll have a full weather forecast for the three counties.

If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us, tweet us, external or contact us via Facebook, external.

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

Today in Beds, Herts and Bucks...

• We witnessed the opening day of the trial of James McCann, accused of abusing boys at a children's home in Shefford in the 60s & 70s.
• Campaigners at Lister Hospital protested at plans to stop putting money into pensions to pay staff more.
• And a new hole opened up in Vicarage Road in Watford.

...and lots more. Scroll down to read all the stories from today. And don't forget to join us tomorrow for more on what's going on in the three counties.

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

We've got spells of evening sunshine to look forward to, followed by a dry and very warm night with some mist and fog patches forming in places.

Temperatures will fall to around 15C (59F).

Tuesday will be a day of sunshine, and variable amounts of cloud. The top temperature inland will be around 29C (84F), but cooler and less humid on the coast.

BBC Weather has a detailed forecast for you, wherever you live.

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

An aircraft which helps to improve weather forecasts for the UK will be taking off from Cranfield next month.

It will fly over the Atlantic to examine the jet streams coming from countries in the west, such as Iceland and North America.

Image source, FAAM

Experts at the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements, external say when forecasters get things wrong, it's usually to do with something they haven't spotted in the jet stream. 

The mission should help them better understand this complex weather system.  

The trial of a former Bedford Borough councillor has got under way today at Luton Crown Court.

Paul Prescod (pictured), 51, of Cynthia Court, Wootton, denies two counts of rape and six further sexual assault charges against a disabled woman.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

The court was told the woman first met Mr Prescod when he gave her his councillor card.

The jury heard an interview recorded by police, where the woman recounted how during one meeting Mr Prescod put his hand under her clothes and how she didn't like it and thought it wasn't right. 

Prosecutor Beverly Cripps said two relatives were concerned after seeing Mr Prescod at the woman's home. On one occasion, they found her "incredibly distressed" and called the police, the jury was told. 

Ms Cripps said Mr Prescod was interviewed by police and during it he admitted there "had been some consensual sexual activity between the two, but not full sex".

The trial continues.

Members of union Unison have gathered outside Lister Hospital in Stevenage to protest at a pilot scheme to pay staff more by using money that would otherwise have gone into their pensions.

The East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust is launching a scheme to help recruit more nurses, midwives and operating department practitioners by offering flexibility and more pay to match that of agency workers, who don't have access to NHS pensions.

In a statement, external, it says it is "willing to engage with all working pattern requests".

But the head of health for Unison in the East of England, Tracey Lambert, said: "It's morally wrong to condemn a generation of mainly female staff to poverty in their old age."

The Old Bailey has heard 21 out of 26 boys who say they were abused by James McCann at St Francis boys' home in Shefford, Bedfordshire, were subjected to a punishment known as The Clappers. 

Opening the prosecution, John Price QC told jurors: "Mr McCann would routinely and seemingly at his whim assault children by clapping the flat of his hands simultaneously over each of their ears."

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Mr McCann (pictured outside a previous hearing) denies 52 charges of violent and sexual assaults on boys, aged between eight and 12.

In a statement read to the court, one alleged victim spoke of receiving The Clappers.

"The pain was searing, I saw stars, there was a loud ringing in my head and I was disorientated and dizzy," he said.

Mr McCann, 80, of Swaffham, Norfolk, has been pronounced unfit to stand trial at the Old Bailey and the jury is being asked to consider the facts alone.

When interviewed by police about the allegations in 2013 and 2015, Mr McCann denied they took place.

Sue Dougan
BBC Local Live

Cambridgeshire police has released a statement from the family of Clare Bakhtiar, who died on the A1198 in Cambridgeshire on Saturday evening.

Clare, 38, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, was killed in the crash at Bassingbourn. She was driving a Renault car which collided with a Volkswagen. 

Her parents said: "We are utterly heartbroken at the loss of our beautiful daughter, Clare.

“Our thoughts and prayers are also with the other family involved in the collision, who are also grieving for their precious son."

Nine-year-old Lawrence Carroll, from Hertford, was a rear-seat passenger in the Volkswagen and died in hospital yesterday.  

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

Here are some other stories in Beds, Herts and Bucks...

• There's an appeal after a "terrifying burglary" in Houghton Regis, reports the Bedford & Times Citizen, external
• A teenager who escaped from custody has been arrested, writes the Hemel Hempstead Gazette, external
• The Luton and Dunstable Hospital has been named as one of 12 NHS national leaders pioneering the use of information technology in healthcare provision,says the Luton News, external