Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Thanks for joining me this afternoon for a hectic waltz through all the latest news across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

We'll be back again at 08:00 tomorrow morning for more of the same.

Remember you can email your comments to bhblive@bbc.co.uk or contact us on Twitter @BBC3CR , externalor Facebook, external.

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Reaction is still coming in to the news that 31-year-old Carl Wheatley has been found guilty of murdering his daughter, Alexa-Marie Quinn.

Kevin Crompton, director of children's and adults services at Bedford Borough Council, said the four-year-old's death had been "hugely distressing" for everyone involved. "Our thoughts remain with her family and all those who knew her during her tragically short life," he said.

Mr Crompton said the council was taking part in a serious case review with colleagues from Hertfordshire, adding: "We can confirm Alexa-Marie had lived in Bedford before her father was granted custody of her by the courts and her move to Hertfordshire."

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

A Dunstable man has been cleared of firing a shotgun through a window of another man's home, days after he sent him a Facebook message threatening to kill him.

Aaron Poynter, 27, of Great Northern Road, Dunstable, had a 10-year history of "bad blood" with Dean McAdam, Luton Crown Court heard. But he said he had been walking his dog at the time of the attack and was cleared of five charges, including attempted murder.

However, he was convicted of a sixth offence of possessing ammunition when prohibited and sentenced to 18 months in custody.

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

If you like your museums coming to life in a Night at the Museum style way, Watford might be the place to be this weekend.

Image source, Watford Museum/Dave Parker

As part of Culture 24's Museums at Night, external festival, Watford Museum will be telling stories through kinetic animations, using bicycle wheels, record players, Victorian toys, flipbooks, projections and mechanisms alongside sounds and strobe lighting.

The show will take place between 18:00 and 20:00 on Saturday.

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

The great and the good of Milton Keynes have paid their respects to architect Derek Walker, known as one of the new city's founding fathers.

Milton Keynes Council leader Pete Marland (pictured) said: "During his lifetime he saw his visionary ideas translated into today's growing and thriving city and perhaps his greatest tribute will be that Milton Keynes today is very much a place that is loved and enjoyed by its residents."

And MK Mayor Derek Eastman said: "People like Derek Walker don't come along very often. He was a very talented man whose vision, energy and innovation has left a positive legacy for Milton Keynes. We owe him a great and lasting debt."

Jane Killick
BBC Three Counties Radio

The latest headlines are:

• Carl Wheatley, 31, from Hatfield has been found guilty of murdering his four-year-old daughter. Wheatley had been given custody of Alexa-Marie Quinn just three months before he beat her to death

• Bedfordshire Police has seized assets, including cars and bikes, belonging to a gang of men who carried out ram raids on cash machines. About 140 officers from three forces took part in the raids, including at Potton in Bedfordshire

• Luton Borough Council has lost its fight to get more social housing built on the northern edge of the town. It took legal action against Central Bedfordshire Council for not including more cheaper housing on the land, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the legal challenge

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Carl Wheatley did not seek medical help for his four-year-old daughter after dishing out repeated beatings, and instead took to the internet to carry out his own research on how to treat bruising and repair a tooth.

Image source, John O'Reilly

Det Ch Insp Jerome Kent said Alexa-Marie, who died following an assault on 12 March 2014, suffered "horrific injuries at the hands of her father".

"Alexa-Marie, who has been described as a happy child prior to living with her father, died because he lost his temper and took his frustrations out on her," he said. "At the age of four she was not able to protect herself from this violent man, who then went out of his way to ensure no-one else could protect or help her either."

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Crowd sourced fundraising to return the world's longest aircraft to flight has reached its £2m target.

Image source, Hybrid Air Vehicles

Manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles says the Airlander is low noise, low pollution, environmentally friendly, and can take off and land vertically. It can also operate from remote environments, including in water, desert and ice.

The machine is stored at Cardington shed number one, in Bedfordshire.

Stephen Chittenden
Radio 5 Live

An investigation has been launched into the process which led to four-year-old Alexa-Marie Quinn being placed in the care of her father, Carl Wheatley.

Image source, John O'Reilly

Wheatley was today found guilty of beating his daughter to death, months after he had been given custody of her.

Jenny Coles, director of children's services at Hertfordshire County Council, said an independent review of all agencies involved in looking after Alexa-Marie would be conducted by the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board.

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Thousands of pounds worth of assets believed to have been bought with the proceeds of a string of cash machine ram raids across the east of England have been seized by police.

Image source, Bedfordshire Police

About 140 officers from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Police carried out warrants in which an Audi A5, a Swift Corniche caravan, a Nissan Navara, numerous smaller quad bikes, plant machinery and a tank of diesel were seized.

The raids took place at addresses in Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, Potton in Bedfordshire and Upwell in Norfolk. The officers also discovered cannabis factories at the Potton and Upwell addresses, with a combined potential street value of between £18,000 and £54,000.

Katy Lewis
Beds, Herts and Bucks Live

Southend United FC have released an image of a group of supporters, external they're looking to speak to after a smoke bomb was let off during last month's League Two match at home to Luton.

Image source, Southend United FC

The incident has sparked an investigation by the Football Association.

The Essex club say supporters will be searched ahead of tomorrow's play-off game at home to Stevenage.

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

The Lee Valley Paddlesports Club is set to celebrate its one year anniversary in a unique way - by attempting to break the world record for the number of people simultaneously rolling in kayaks.

Image source, Lee Valley Paddlesports Club

About 100 paddlers will attempt to set an official world record by spinning their kayaks 360 degrees at the same time at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire.

The event will take place between 16:00 and 18:00 on Sunday.

The latest headlines are:

• Carl Wheatley found guilty of murdering his four-year-old daughter, Alexa-Marie Quinn

• Thousands of people in Bedford had their water cut off when a water main burst this morning - three homes in Bromham Road were flooded and seven schools closed

• Southend United release an image of a group of supporters they're looking to speak to in relation to a smoke bomb that was let off during last month's League Two match at home to Luton

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Alexa-Marie Quinn had 66 injuries, including a bruise from her stomach to her ankles, when she died in March 2014.

Image source, John O'Reilly

Carl Wheatley, 31, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, had admitted manslaughter, but the jury at St Albans Crown Court rejected his plea of not guilty to murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Prof Rupert Risdon, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said he had never seen injuries like those suffered by Alexa-Marie.

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Carl Wheatley will be sentenced for the murder of his daughter, Alexa-Marie Quinn, on Friday.

Image source, John O'Reilly

The single dad, 31, beat her to death just three months after being granted custody.

He has been found guilty of murder and will be sentenced by Judge Andrew Bright QC at St Albans Crown Court.

St Albans Crown Court had heard Alexa-Marie Quinn, 4, had lived with her father, Carl Wheatley, since 13 December 2013 after he gained custody. She was found with fatal injuries on 12 March 2014.

Image source, John O'Reilly

Wheatley had hit his daughter with such force that fat was released into her bloodstream and blocked her lungs, the court heard.

Wheatley, a supermarket worker, dialled 999 for the emergency services on the morning of the fatal attack, but it was too late.

Stephen Chittenden
Radio 5 Live

A father has been convicted of beating his four-year-old daughter to death after losing his temper.

Image source, John O'Reilly

A jury at St Albans Crown Court found that Carl Wheatley, 31, murdered Alexa-Marie Quinn at his Hatfield home in March last year.

The jury rejected Wheatley's plea of not guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility, after psychiatrists had diagnosed multiple mental health disorders.

Carl Wheatley has been found guilty of murdering his four-year-old daughter, Alexa-Marie Quinn

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Almost £14m of funding has been announced to increase high-speed fibre optic broadband coverage across Hertfordshire.

The money comes from the Connected Counties programme - the result of a partnership between Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire county councils and BT - which has pledged to ensure more than 90% of premises in both counties have access to fibre broadband by the end of March 2016, as part of the current £18.06m rollout.

The additional £13.9m will see a further 44,000 homes and business in Herts become connected, meaning 98% of premises in the county are covered.

Craig Lewis
Beds, Herts & Bucks Live

Thanks to Katy for all her updates so far today. I'll be here with all the latest news from across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire from now until 6pm.

We'd love you to get involved so email your comments to bhblive@bbc.co.uk or contact us on Twitter @BBC3CR , externalor Facebook, external.