Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

The Conservatives have extended their control over Hertfordshire County Council, with 12 seats still to be counted.  

Image source, Google

Sixty-six seats were decided overnight with the remainder of the 78 seats - from Watford and Three Rivers - being counted from 09:00 this morning.

The Conservatives have so far taken 48 seats - more than the 46 they won in 2013, when 77 seats were contested.  

The Liberal Democrats have so far taken 12 seats and Labour six. The turnout was 34.2%.  

Election 2017: Full results from across England

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Good morning and welcome to Friday's live page for the three counties where we'll be bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather until 18:00.

This morning we'll bring you the results from the county council elections in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Most of the Hertfordshire results came in overnight so they'll be coming up very soon. The count in Buckinghamshire starts later. 

Meanwhile, you can contact us at any time via email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.    

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

I'm afraid that's it from all of us here in Beds, Herts and Bucks land.

We'll be back with more news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Thursday.

As ever we've had a busy day, so you can read all our updates by scrolling through the page. 

Whatever you're doing tonight, we hope it's a pleasant one. 

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

Hundreds of documents and artefacts have been unearthed because of a special project that's being officially launched tonight in Hatfield.

Image source, Herts At War

Herts at War's, external "Digital Legacy" project is holding an open evening tonight that aims to "uncover and preserve" items from the First World War. 

Image source, Herts At War

It comes after £99,800 was awarded to the project in February so a digital archive and travelling exhibition could be set up. 

Image source, Herts At War

The organisers said: "Over the last two years we have seen a staggering amount of fascinating history ranging from photographs and postcards, to shoeboxes and old trunks, locked away for years in attacks and lofts throughout Hertfordshire - much of it unseen for many years."   

After the sentencing of Stevenage PE teacher Michael Smee for rape and sexual activity with a child, Det Con Zoe Maddison said: "Smee abused his position of trust as a teacher and football coach to groom his young victim over a significant period of time.

"The victim's family trusted Smee and they have been left devastated by what has happened. 

"I hope that following Smee's conviction and his substantial prison sentence his victim is now, with support, able to rebuild his life and move forward."

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

A largely cloudy night with a few clear spells and some outbreaks of mainly light showery rain. The cloud and north-easterly wind will mean no frost. 

Image source, BBC Weather

Tomorrow will see some showers, or outbreaks of showery rain, but a lot of dry weather too.

Hopefully there’ll also be some brightness and sunshine at times. 

Temperatures around 10C (50F) on the coast and 12-13C (54-55F) inland.

BBC Weather has more local forecasts. 

A teacher has been sentenced to 16 years in jail and given a further eight years on extended licence after being found guilty of raping a child under 13.

Michael Smee, 39, of Aylward Drive, Stevenage, was jailed at Cambridge Crown Court.

The former PE teacher and Hertfordshire football coach also pleaded guilty to five further counts of sexual activity with a child. 

The offences happened between January 2013 and April last year.

Image source, Hertfordshire Police

He must serve at least 10 years behind bars before being considered for parole.

Smee will also remain on the sex offenders' register for life and a restraining order has been put in place banning him from contacting his victim or their family members.

Tony Fisher
BBC Three Counties Radio

Police are currently searching an area of the A1 in Bedfordshire after reports that suspected illegal immigrants made off from a lorry. 

Officers are attending the location on the A1 northbound at Sandy, along with the police helicopter.

They say they were called at about 13:05 today.

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

A "distinctive and valuable" Harley Davidson has been stolen in Potters Bar.

Image source, Hertfordshire Police

The orange bike (pictured) was taken between midnight on 28 April and 09:50 on 1 May from the home in Baker Street. 

Image source, Hertfordshire Police

Police say they'd like anyone who's seen the vehicle, or been offered it for sale, to get in touch, external. 

Toby Friedner
BBC Three Counties Radio

A hairdresser from Amersham says he's changed his appearance because people thought he was a terrorist.

Until two months ago John Essien had a beard and would regularly carry a rucksack. 

When he travelled to work on the Tube, he said people refused to sit next to him - even on a packed train. 

If his hairdressing clippers went off in his bag, he would have to get them out - to show people and stop them being so "alarmed." 

Image source, John Essien

He said: "It's just the whole arrogance of people, the way they are towards you and all I am doing is going to work, trying to fit in with society and being polite to people every day."

He said he could "understand" why people reacted with alarm, but "not judging people goes a long way - we're all equal and I think people do need to speak out and understand". 

When he decided to shave his beard off attitudes changed straight away and people were nice to him, Mr Essien said, which left him "shocked".

Train services in and out of Northampton railway station are getting back to normal after a charter train caught fire.

The Northampton Chronicle & Echo, external reports that 40 firefighters were called to Martins Yard, off Spencer Bridge Road, to fight a blaze that broke out in a diesel train's engine bay.

This was the smoky scene at the station earlier...

Some passengers were transferred to road transport to get to Milton Keynes and Rugby to reconnect with services.  

All lines have reopened but delays may remain this afternoon, rail bosses said.

We've contacted the emergency services to find out more.

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

It took a whole raft of firefighters 90 minutes to rescue a man in his 30s from this car after it crashed into a tree. 

Image source, EEAST_HART

Details have only just been released by Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service about the crash that happened at 04:50 on Monday by the Sainsbury's roundabout at Biggleswade.

Image source, Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service

They say it was a "protracted and complicated rescue" and crews from Sandy, Biggleswade, Potton and Kempston attended. 

Image source, EEAST_HART

As it was a two-door car, they had to "create a third door in the rear of the vehicle" to get him out. 

Image source, EEAST_HART

The driver was taken to Stevenage Hospital suffering with injuries to his pelvis, femur and leg.  

Justin Dealey
BBC Three Counties Radio

As we've been mentioning, 11-year-old Aimee Goldsmith was killed on the A34 in Berkshire by a lorry driver distracted by his phone.  

Now her mum, Kate, is joining traffic officers to stop drivers using their phones at the wheel. 

You can watch her story below...

Justin Dealey
BBC Three Counties Radio

While out on a recent patrol, Sgt Doug Fishwick caught several drivers using their mobile even though it's illegal. 

None of them wanted to talk directly to Kate Goldsmith, who was with him to highlight the impact using a phone at the wheel can have. 

One lorry driver was caught texting - he's now worried he could lose his job.

Kate said she had "sympathy" for the man, but would "rather he lose his job than kill someone driving while texting".

Justin Dealey
BBC Three Counties Radio

The message that Kate Goldsmith is trying to get across to people who use their phones while driving is pretty simple - "put your phone away".

"Think about the person who's most dear to you in your life and now think about that person being killed by a driver, just like you, looking at their phone... that is why it's so important," she said.

She says going out on patrol with police seeing drivers still using their phones has been a real "eye-opener".

Justin Dealey
BBC Three Counties Radio

A Bedfordshire mother has joined forces with police traffic officers to try and stop people using mobile phones while driving. 

Kate Goldsmith, who's from Harlington, lost her 11-year-old daughter Aimee in a crash caused by a lorry driver using his phone on the A34.

She's been out on patrol with Sgt Doug Fishwick to bring home the dangers of using a phone at the wheel.

Image source, Goldsmith family

The legal penalties for offending have just been increased.   

If you're caught using a mobile it's now six points on your licence and a £200 fine.

Geoff Doyle
BBC Three Counties Radio sport

Defender George Williams, external has been named MK Dons' player of the season. 

Williams has been a virtual ever-present since manager Robbie Neilson's arrival in December, and was voted for the accolade by fans and his team-mates. 

Image source, MK Dons

Meanwhile, the clear-out of players, external at Stadium MK continues, with long-serving Daniel Powell among the latest to leave.

The midfielder made 217 first team appearances at the club, but found it difficult to get into Neilson's side. He's been with the club for 12 years after progressing through the youth set up. 

Stricker Nicky Maynard has been released as well as young goalkeeper Charlie Burns. 

Meanwhile, talks are remaining with captain Dean Lewington and winger Ben Reeves about staying. 

Alex Pope
BBC Local Live

It seems like the weather is key to when the Airlander 10 will take its next test flight. 

The company behind the world's longest aircraft, Hybrid Air Vehicles, is waiting for the right "weather window" for airborne flight testing to begin again, after it nosed-dived on only its second flight last August. 

Image source, South Beds News Agency

The company says the aircraft is "flight-ready", but the "weather window for the first few flights is designed to be more conservative".

A spokesman said as the "flight test programme" expands, it will be able to fly in "strong winds and a variety of weather conditions".

So it may be a few more days before the ship, named the Martha Gwyn, takes to the air once more.

Andy Holmes
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been campaigning in Bedford this morning, as the party focuses on the NHS. 

If elected to lead the next government he's promised to "halt" the Sustainability and Transformation Plans, which include the long-running review into health services in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes, as they're "threatening A and E departments all over the country". 

He said a "false competition is being set up between Bedford and Milton Keynes" and he would provide "decent health services for all". 

"The NHS was founded by Labour, we're determined to defend it," he added. 

You'll have to wait a bit longer to find out how much money Labour is planning on putting into the NHS, as it will be released with the party manifesto. 

He said that announcement "won't be long". 

That's it for our coverage of the Buckinghamshire County Council election debate. Thanks for joining us.

You've been hearing views from the main parties taking part in Thursday's election. There are also some independent candidates competing for some seats.

You can catch up with the main points from the debate below, but we'll now continue with our rolling news for Beds, Herts and Bucks.