Helen Legh: 'Much loved' BBC presenter, 44, dies

Helen Legh was described as "a warm and experienced" broadcaster

A "much loved" BBC radio presenter Helen Legh has died, four years after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

The 44-year-old died at Willen Hospice in Milton Keynes on Tuesday afternoon, and "wasn't in pain", her husband Paul Green said.

She presented BBC Three Counties' MorningMK breakfast from 2007 to 2012 and Sunday Breakfast until 2018.

"Don't be sad. Helen would want you to celebrate her life and how amazing she was," said Mr Green.

Ms Legh presented the carers award at the Three Counties People Awards in Dunstable in September 2018

Laura Moss, managing editor of the station, said: "Helen was a wonderful, compassionate and inspiring woman.

"A warm and experienced broadcaster, she was a much-loved colleague to us all. I shall treasure my fond memories of working with her and, of course, the copious cups of tea and cake we shared."

Mike Naylor, who replaced Ms Legh on the Sunday show, said: "She was a beautiful, glamorous, kind, caring companionate warm person - a lover of cake, A-ha and Deacon Blue."

Ms Legh was brought up in Leighton Buzzard and moved to Milton Keynes aged 18, working at a variety of radio stations across the UK, including Horizon Radio, Virgin Radio and MKFM.

In 2007 she started presenting the BBC radio breakfast show for Milton Keynes with Luke Ashmead, but went solo in 2011.

Ms Legh at a music festival with her daughter Matilda and husband Paul Green in May 2017

The programme was taken off air in 2014 but she went on to present the religious show.

Ms Legh was diagnosed with brain cancer in October 2014 and was given about two years to live.

"She took a year out of broadcasting to have the tumour removed and recovered," Mr Naylor said.

She returned to the airwaves in October 2015 and lived a "full life" with her eight-year-old daughter Matilda and husband, he added.

By February 2018 the tumour had returned and she had several operations but by Easter 2019 she had lost the ability to speak.

On Twitter, Mr Green wrote: "She's been peacefully asleep for much of the last 10 days or so, and wasn't in pain. "

As well as being a presenter Ms Legh was also a funeral celebrant

On the radio station's Facebook page Hannah Bechelet said: "This is really sad news. I worked with Helen when I first left university and she was lovely."

Lisa Hunter said she would "miss your Sunday Morning serenity", while Simon Westwood added: "Such a large character leaves a massive hole in the world of media, radio and fans."

Mandy Clements remembered Ms Legh as a "great presenter" and said "may she rest in peace".