Updates on Friday, 21 July 2017
Kidnap being investigated in Hemel Hempstead
Cyclist, 91, was doing time trial when killed in crash
Concerns hillside chalk lion losing its roar
Poulter in action on day two of The Open
Georgina Burnett
BBC Weather
It's fairly cloudy this morning with some showers as well, fairly heavy at times, perhaps thundery.
They'll be moving off to the north east, taking most of the cloud with them. The further west you are, the more chance you've got of seeing some sunny spells by the end of the day.
Temperatures up to about 19C (66F).
Watch my full forecast for the BBC Eastern region here:
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Hello and welcome to Thursday's live updates for Beds, Herts and Bucks. We'll be here until 18:00 with the latest news, sport, weather and travel.
It's still quite damp outside, as this BBC Weather Watchers picture shows, and it's set to continue humid with some rain this morning with brighter and fresher weather later this afternoon - a full regional forecast is coming up shortly.
You can get in touch by email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.
Alex Pope
BBC Local Live
Well, that is it from all of us at Local Live for Beds, Herts and Bucks. Thanks for following us.
We'll be back with more news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Thursday morning.
If you missed anything during the day, you can scroll down to read more.
See you again tomorrow!
Police raided 18 properties this morning as part of an investigation into Class A drug dealing in High Wycombe.
More than 250 officers executed 16 warrants in High Wycombe, one in Aylesbury and one in Wembley.
Twelve people have been arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs across the south east.
Ch Insp Graham Hadley, of Thames Valley Police, said: "Officers are continuing to search various locations predominantly in the High Wycombe area and the public will see an increased police presence."
Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio
Plans to re-build the Intu shopping centre in Milton Keynes have been approved by the secretary of state, external.
There's been a row over how much the centre at Midsummer Place should be re-developed.
The centre's owners want to build new shops on two levels instead of one and include a new cinema and dining area.
Image source, IntuBut objectors say the redevelopment, approved by Milton Keynes Council in 2015, goes against the wishes of residents who voted in a referendum to approve the Neighbourhood Plan, which sets out how public space should be used.
Milton Keynes Council, which has spent £150,000 defending the decision, says there's no winners in the long-running battle, external, but hopes it can start to work together on plans to revitalise the city centre.
Aidan Chaves admits having an offensive weapon but denies making threats against fans.
Read MoreAlex Pope
BBC Local Live
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder following a death in Bedford yesterday.
Police are investigating the incident after they were called at about 10:15 on Tuesday, to reports that a body had been found in the River Great Ouse near to the Butterfly Bridge on the Embankment.
Emergency services attended and a man was recovered from the river. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Image source, Thomas Nugent/Butterfly BridgeThe death is currently being treated as unexplained.
A 33-year-old man from St Albans has been arrested on suspicion of theft after several items were stolen from graves in Hoddesdon and Cheshunt over a number of days.
The items taken earlier this month included brass and bronze statues as well as other items of personal value.
The man has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.
Image source, Hertfordshire Police
Danny Shaw
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent
The Ministry of Justice says it's making an extra 364 prison places available in the coming weeks to cope with possible extra pressures over the summer.
Cells at Bedford, High Down and Haverigg jails are among those being prepared for use.
The Ministry stresses it's an "operational" decision.
Justice Minister Dominic Raab said: "We monitor very carefully the input into prisons from the wider criminal justice system.
"Obviously we can't control that, you can't control crime, the sentencing is done independently by judges.
"What we want to make sure is that we've got the leeway to be able to deal with that.
"But the problem with prisons, of course, is a bit like the NHS. You've got no control about the overall volume coming in, unless you can cut the re-offending and break the vicious cycle of crime."
BBC Business News
Meanwhile, another Royston-based business - Hotel Chocolat - has reported a 12% increase in sales to £104m, for the year to 25 June.
The company, which also has a factory in Huntingdon, says the opening of 12 new stores contributed 5% to sales growth.
It's planning to continue to expand, with a new cafe opening at the end of the month at its Milton Keynes store.
Image source, PAAngus Thirlwell, co-founder and chief executive of Hotel Chocolat, says the group has had "another good year, with encouraging growth".
"We are excited about the progress made with our new shop and cafe format stores and our seasonal ranges continue to perform well," he added.
Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East
It's happy birthday to the Royston-based business Johnson Matthey today.
The company is celebrating its 200th anniversary and currently employs 2,000 people.
They are best know for making catalytic converters, but are also involved in precious metal products, fine chemicals and emission control technologies.
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You can watch more on this story on Look East tonight, on BBC One at 18:30.
Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio
Hertfordshire Police is appealing for dash cam footage to help trace a missing Stevenage man.
Andrew McGuinn, 53, was last seen in Baldock, on the Baldock Road near to Burger King, at about 07:30 on 12 July.
They believe he has links to Bedfordshire and North Herts.
Image source, Hertfordshire PoliceSimon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio
Armed police have detained a man near a Bedfordshire village school this morning after reports of a man with an air rifle.
It happened on School Lane in Husborne Crawley at about 08:20.
Officers were supported by the police helicopter.
Husborne Crawley Lower School was advised to keep students inside as a precaution.
There were more than 26,000 lightning strikes over the East of England last night, with some properties damaged by the storms.
The conditions also caused power cuts and disruption to rail services because of damage to overhead lines.
But why was there so much lightning?
"Thunderstorms are made when the air goes up quickly, and very warm air at the surface with cold air above it allowed the warm air to rise violently over a large area, creating these huge storms," said Jake Cope from the BBC Weather Centre.
"They were so long-lived because many of the thunderstorms started 'back-building'.
"This is where the wind pushing the system along bumps into air flowing out of the rear of the storm and is again forced upwards, sustaining the rear edge of the cloud."
Alex Pope
BBC Local Live
This morning we've been reporting the house of a woman in her 90s caught fire in Bedford due to a lightning strike on Dudley Street.
The East of England Ambulance Service has since told me that another woman in her 40s was treated after being hit by lightning on the same street.
A rapid response vehicle and an ambulance was sent to the scene at 00:45, a spokesman said.
She was "conscious and breathing", but declined hospital treatment, he added. We have yet to receive any further information about her condition.
Alex Pope
BBC Local Live
I've been getting more information about the lightning strike that hit a house on Dudley Street in Bedford last night.
Karen Knights, who lives close by, looked after the 93-year-old woman who's home caught fire after lightning hit her TV aerial.
She said a man who lived behind on George Street saw the strike and knocked on our door.
Image source, Matt KnightsMs Knights said: "Thankfully the fire brigade got here very quickly and brought our elderly neighbour out and into our lounge.
"She's been taken to hospital to be checked over but her back room has had a lot of damage."
Image source, Matt KnightsShe says the woman was "OK" and "still in hospital", but it was "lovely to see people coming out to help".
Further offers to help the pensioner, including cleaning and repairing her home, have been flooding in on social media.
The woman as treated for smoke inhalation and taken by the East of England Ambulance Service to Bedford Hospital.
Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio
Just two days after the severely fire-damaged Asda in Luton re-opened, the supermarket is experiencing problems with a leaking roof.
The company says the Wigmore store is fully open today, but a team is on site dealing with the leak which arose during last night's torrential rain.
No products were damaged.
Image source, Bedfordshire Fire and RescueAsda in Luton has only just reopened following a blaze in the roof of the store
A Bedford community came to the aid of a local resident last night after her home was struck by lightning.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at 22:52 last night to a two-storey terraced house on Dudley Street after lightning struck an aerial.
A woman had to be rescued after her dining room caught fire on the ground floor.
Belinda Lane, who lives in the area and took the photos below, said: "Thanks to the neighbours in the next street seeing it strike and running round to Dudley. Firemen broke the door down and all sorted."
Image source, Castle Lane PhotographyShe added: "I heard a massive bang which woke me up and I looked out the window and one fire engine had arrived and another followed.
"I could see smoke coming out the front door and bellowing up the front of the house.
"They turned up fast.
Image source, Castle Lane Photography"The lady apparently was taken to hospital, although I understand that she was fine," she added.
We've contacted the ambulance service for more information.
Kate Kinsella
BBC Weather
Overnight showers and thunderstorms will clear to the north this morning with largely sunny skies developing.
A hot and humid day will follow, perhaps leading to one or two isolated thunderstorms developing into the evening.
Maximum temperature: 29C (84F).
For more, head to BBC Weather.
Hello and welcome to Wednesday's live updates for Beds, Herts and Bucks on 19 July.
We'll be here until 18:00 with the latest news, sport, weather and travel.
A full forecast is coming up shortly and - if you missed last night's storms - here are some great pictures captured by our BBC Weather Watchers:
You can get in touch by email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.