Stuart Bailey
BBC News

That's the end of our live updates for Herts, Beds and Bucks.

Any breaking stories will appear on this page overnight and don't forget you can scroll back to see the stories we've been covering today, including:

• Boy still in serious condition after "hit and run" in Luton
• Thameslink service criticised in an official report
• Luton Airport closes for runway runners
• Male hospital staff in Watford could be told to start wearing dresses

Have a good weekend.

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

It'll be a rather cloudy night with an odd spot of rain and moderate west to south westerly winds. It’ll be mild with temperatures falling to around 15C (59F).

Saturday will remain rather cloudy, with some very patchy light rain in the morning. A few bright or sunny spells should eventually develop and there may be a few afternoon showers too.

There’ll be a mainly moderate south-westerly wind and highs around 23C (73F).

The £40 accumulator was placed earlier in the week at Ladbrokes in Dunstable.

Helen Burchell
BBC News

Here are two cops bucking the trend and showing it's not all donkey work in the police force.

Officers from Thames Valley Police rescued these two donkeys after they went for an afternoon stroll on the A418 in Buckinghamshire.

As you can see, they've been safely returned to their stables. Ee-awww, aren't they cute?

A horse-racing punter who placed a seven race accumulator bet at Royal Ascot has lost out on a £1m payout after his final prediction proved wrong.

The £40 bet was placed earlier this week at Ladbrokes in Dunstable.

The first six predictions all came in, leaving the £1m payout resting on an 8/1-shot in the Commonwealth Cup this afternoon.

But the punter's hopeful Bound for Nowhere came fourth, with Caravaggio winning the race.

BBC Weather

We have a rather cloudy and breezy afternoon in store.

Though mainly dry, there will be a few outbreaks of rain possible from time to time.

Highs of 18C (64F)

BBC Weather has more details.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Here's a look at some other stories making the headlines today:

• A man has been knocked unconscious in an attack near Sainsbury's in Hertford, reports the Herfordshire Mercury, external
• Bedfordshire News says, external firefighters have issued a warning after being called out to more than 20 garden fires in a week
• A community centre in Rickmansworth will be torn down to build temporary accommodation for homeless people, says the Watford Observer, external

Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio

The trustees of a Muslim school in Luton have been held responsible for its mismanagement and misconduct of staff.

The Rabia School was reported to the Charity Commission after it was discovered men and women teachers were sitting with a screen between them during staff meetings.

The school, in Bury Park, had already come to the attention of Ofsted when inspectors found boys were being taught core subjects such as English and Science, while girls were being taught to knit and sew.

Image source, Google

A report by the Charity Commission, external has now concluded that the trustees repeatedly failed to submit the charity's accounts and didn't comply with the action plan issued in September 2015.

It says the school is still failing to meet the required educational standards of an independent school, but the trustees have taken appropriate steps to address the shortfalls initially identified.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

We're no strangers to cloud in the UK but it does seem to have been particularly picturesque this morning, as captured by our BBC Weather Watchers:

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

It's going to be an anxious few hours for someone in Bedfordshire, who could become a millionaire this afternoon.

At the start of the week they placed a £40 accumulator bet on seven horses winning their races at Ascot.

The first six selections all came in and now the £1m payout rests on 8/1-shot Bound For Nowhere in today's 15:40 race.

Image source, Reuters

The punter, at Ladbrokes in Dunstable, has already beaten these odds:

• Lady Aurelia 7/2
• Barney Roy 5/2
• Qemah 5/2
• Highland Reel 11/4
• Coronet 7/1
• Big Orange 8/1

Nicola McGeady, from Ladbrokes, said: "This punter has made incredible predictions already and today his hopes of becoming a millionaire all comes down to one horse, Bound To Nowhere.

"After making such amazing predictions so far, we can only wish him the best of luck."

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

A boy who was airlifted to hospital after a "hit and run" in Luton yesterday remains in a serious but stable condition.

Emergency services were called to reports of a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian on Hibbert Street at about 14:50.

Bedfordshire Police said a dark-coloured Vauxhall failed to stop at the scene.

Image source, Google

Dani Bailey
BBC Local Live

As we reported earlier, Luton Airport's runway was closed this morning to host a race for the first time.

About 50 fundraisers took part in the event, and I went along to meet some of them:

Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio

A government report, external into the way train company Govia runs troubled Southern Rail has also highlighted problems with the company's Thameslink service.

It says some off-peak services through Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire should be scrapped and that the depot at Bedford can't cope with 12-carriage trains.

Image source, PA

The report follows a long series of strikes by Southern Rail staff and refers to problems that Govia has had since taking over the Thameslink franchise.

Not all of the recommendations for the Thameslink line have been published - the Department for Transport says they're commercially sensitive.

However, the report does say that by cancelling underused trains between 12:00 and 14:00, it would provide more trains for the rush hour and would allow timetables to recover if there were problems earlier in the day.

The report also highlights problems with the depot at Bedford because the longer trains block the depot's entrance.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Parents affected by the closure of a care centre for severely disabled children in Watford are due to meet health bosses today.

Nascot Lawn Respite Centre is due to be closed in October.

David Joseph, whose son Dominic uses the centre, said: "Dom has about 100 to 150 epileptic seizures every month - pretty much every night of his life.

"He also has a very profound learning disability so, although he's now 18-years-old, he functions as if he's just a few months old.

"The centre has always been well led and when we take our sons and daughters there we can actually relax for a period of time."

Image source, NHS

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: "Respite care centres like this are invaluable to families with disabled children.

"I've written to the CCG demanding assurances that all possible options have been looked at, and I have also asked for details of the alternative provision that will be provided."

Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group said the closure of the centre was necessary because of its "serious financial situation", and that the focus must be on spending on services it has a legal duty to provide.

The action could come after a hospital porter was suspended after rolling his trousers up in the hot weather.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Jogging down the runway of an international airport is not something you get to do every day.

But about 50 fundraisers were given the chance to do just that, at London Luton Airport this morning.

Fortunately for them the runway was closed to flights between 04:00 and 05:00.

Image source, London Luton Airport

They were raising money for the Keech Hospice, external, which supports adults and children with life-limited illnesses across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

The runway makes for a decent running track. It's flat, smooth and long, at 1.3 miles (2.2km).

The runners ran the full length of the runway and back.

Image source, London Luton Airport

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

A porter at Watford General Hospital has been suspended for rolling up his trousers on Wednesday, the hottest day of the year so far.

Michael Wood (pictured) says permission to wear three-quarter-length trousers was denied by his employer, Medirest, a private contractor at the hospital.

Image source, PA

Now a union leader has threatened to tell staff to start wearing dresses and skirts.

Mick Dooley, from the GMB union, said: "We're hoping to get round the table to get Michael back to work.

"Failing that, the chief exec of Watford General Hospital is going to see her porters wearing dresses because we're going to tell them to start wearing dresses and skirts."

Image source, PA

A spokesperson for Medirest, a private contractor at the hospital, said: "The health and safety of our colleagues is always our number one priority.

"It would be inappropriate for us to comment on an individual case where an investigation is ongoing.

"We maintain an open dialogue with our people on such issues, however, due to the nature of their job and health and safety requirements, it is important that porters wear appropriate uniform at all times."

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Bedfordshire-based Premier Inn says it is "extremely concerned" about cladding on three of its hotels.

Cladding is thought to have contributed to the rapid spread of fire at Grenfell Tower, in which at least 79 people are believed to have died.

Until now, safety fears over cladding have centred on council high-rises.

Image source, PA

Premier Inn's owner, Whitbread, which has bases in Dunstable and Luton, has told BBC Newsnight that cladding on its hotels in Maidenhead, Brentford and Tottenham did not appear to comply with government guidance for tall buildings.

However, it said it did appear to be a less flammable type than that used at Grenfell Tower.

The hotel chain said an independent expert has assured them that the hotels were safe to stay open given their "robust" safety measures, including fire detectors and smoke alarms in every room.

The hotels do not operate a "stay put" policy and have multiple means of escape, it said.

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

Dry, cloudy and breezy with a few sunny spells possible throughout the day.

It's going to feel cooler and fresher than in recent days.

Maximum Temperature: 22C (72F)

More details from BBC Weather.

Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Hello and welcome to Friday's live updates for Beds, Herts and Bucks.

We made it through the heatwave and now the weekend is just around the corner!

We'll be here from now until 18:00 with the latest news, sport, weather and travel.

First up, we'll have a full weather forecast shortly.

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