Summary

  • All the latest from Beds, Bucks, Cambs, Essex, Herts, Norfolk, Northants and Suffolk

  • Arrest in drive-by killing inquiry

  • Agency releases 10,000 fish to repopulate river

  • Fire closes cafe at Colchester Zoo

  • Filmhouse cinema moves outdoors to offer lockdown-beating drive-in option

  • Motoring offence suspect covers driver's seat in sauce

  • Watford pull away from the relegation zone with a 2-1 win over bottom-placed Norwich

  1. Live updates as they happenedpublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

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  2. Woman arrested in Essex murder inquirypublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    A woman has been arrested as part of a murder inquiry after a man died following a drive-by shooting last month.

    Roydon shooting scene

    Robert Powell, 50, was shot multiple times from a car on Water Lane in Roydon near Harlow on Saturday, 13 June. He died in hospital the following day.

    A 33-year-old woman from London has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

    Det Ch Insp Stephen Jennings, of Essex Police, said: "We're still keen to hear from anyone who has information about what happened to Robert and urge you to come forward."

    Two women who were in the same car as the dead man were also shot, but not seriously injured.

    The suspects drove off in the direction of Harlow, police said.

  3. Off-duty officer praised for saving 'beyond help' motorcyclistpublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    An off-duty Essex Police officer has been praised for showing the "highest standards" after helping to save the life of a motorcyclist she found unresponsive in the road.

    PC Liz Ferris discovered the rider as she drove along Maldon Road near Tiptree on 30 June.

    PC Liz FerrisImage source, Essex Police

    The officer performed CPR for about 15 minutes until passing paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service were flagged down. They used a defibrillator to get the man breathing again, before he was taken to hospital.

    PC Ferris, based at Stanway Roads Policing Unit, has been put forward for a commendation for her actions.

    Adam Pipe, head of Essex Police’s Roads Policing, said ambulance staff told them that without her intervention the patient would have been "beyond help".

    "Not only did Liz save a stranger’s life, she also demonstrated the professionalism and highest standards of a police officer," he said.

  4. Milton Keynes hosts return of professional dartspublished at 17:08 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    Professional darts has returned to action in Milton Keynes today.

    The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), external is holding five one-day Players Championship events behind closed doors from 8-12 July.

    The venue for the Summer Series will be the Marshall Arena, which hosted the recent Championship League snooker tournament.

    More than 200 coronavirus tests have been carried out on players and support staff, with all returning negative results.

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  5. Adventure golf course approved by plannerspublished at 16:01 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    Golf ball on tee peg

    A new 18-hole adventure golf course is to be built at an existing golf centre, featuring a footgolf course as well.

    Buckinghamshire Council approved the Wexham Park Golf Centre's, external new additions at a meeting on Tuesday., external

    A par-three nine-hole Footgolf course will also be added, with planning documents suggesting it will incorporate "educational" local history elements.

    Concerns were raised that the courses would be built on green belt land, which is open countryside typically protected from building.

    But a planning officer told the council's planning committee the development was not considered "inappropriate" because it would not harm the openness of the green belt.

  6. Drive-in cinema set for Delapre Abbeypublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    A pop-up drive-in cinema will appear in Northampton later this month, as part of a partnership with the town's Filmhouse.

    The Filmhouse at Delapre series will see socially distanced outdoor screenings at the 900-year-old abbey from 23 July to 9 August.

    Movies include Back to the Future, Kinky Boots and The Greatest Showman.

    Delapre Abbey

    It comes as Northampton Filmhouse, external remains unable to show films at its town centre venue due to government restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic.

    The scheme has been made possible with support from Conservative-controlled Northampton Borough Council and tickets will go on general sale on Thursday.

  7. 'Amazing' DNA test diagnoses baby's rare conditionpublished at 15:22 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    The parents of Ellie-Rose say they never thought they would be able to take her home.

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  8. What the papers say in Bedfordshirepublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

  9. Photographer handed snaps of dead wife and sonpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    John Salter says it was a "joyful experience" to be handed the pictures he took in the 1980s.

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  10. Phased reopening planned for St Albans museumspublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    St Albans City and District Council says it is to begin a phased reopening of its museums as government lockdown regulations are loosened.

    The first element to reopen will be the cafe at St Albans Museum and Gallery from Wednesday, 15 July.

    museum visitorsImage source, St Albans City and District Council

    New opening times and anti-virus measures such as one-way systems and sanitation stations will be in place when the museums reopen, although exact dates are yet to be confirmed.

    During the pandemic, St Albans Museum has added some collections and other activities to its website., external

  11. Hammer murder by ex 'could not be prevented'published at 14:18 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    A review into Jane Bartholomew's killing by Scott Ellis in Suffolk says there was no warning of it.

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  12. What the papers say in Norfolkpublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    • The Eastern Daily Press reports, external that an application to build 33 new homes on a former timber merchants site has been met with mixed reactions
    • North Norfolk News, external writes that picnic benches and plant pots have been put in the middle of a town centre’s roads just days after traders and shoppers protested against road closures and pedestrianisation
  13. Driver spreads sauce on seat of seized carpublished at 12:51 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    A motorist who had been pulled over on suspicion of driving without insurance poured sauce over their driver's seat to "make it difficult" for officers to take away, police say.

    Northamptonshire Police's Road Crime Team said the driver of the Vauxhall Zafira had been stopped because they were driving on false plates.

    Commenting on a tweet, one person wrote: "Won't make much difference to the car crushing plant."

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  14. Fleetwood's Madden given two-game banpublished at 12:37 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    Fleetwood's Paddy Madden is suspended for two games after being found guilty of abusive language and behaviour.

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  15. What the papers say in Suffolkpublished at 12:35 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    • The Ipswich Star, external reports that the future of a metal works employing 85 people is in doubt
    • Bury Free Press, external writes that firefighters rescued a baby who was trapped in a car this morning
    • The Haverhill Echo, external reports that the new busway heading out towards Haverhill from Cambridge has moved one step closer as a route was chosen to progress to the next stage of development
  16. Bistro bins Deliveroo after food dropped on floorpublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    Gonzo's Tea Room says a rider delivered an order to a customer, despite dropping it on the floor.

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  17. Faulty ice cream machine causes fire at zoopublished at 11:50 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    A faulty ice cream freezer caused a fire which has badly damaged a cafe at Colchester Zoo, external.

    The fire at the Playa Patagonia Coffee Shop happened at about 19:15 yesterday after the zoo had closed.

    Firefighters brought the blaze under control, but the shop suffered "extensive damage" which will take "weeks" to repair. No-one was injured.

    The fire was contained to the coffee shop, so the zoo remains open to visitors, with a temporary coffee shop to be set-up in the zoo's Penguini’s Restaurant.

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  18. Second wave could 'jeopardise cancer recovery'published at 11:40 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    Violinist Miles Golding, who lives in Hertfordshire, had cancer treatment interrupted by lockdown.

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  19. What the papers say in Cambridgeshirepublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

  20. Suffolk 'Smart Towns' project expandedpublished at 10:32 British Summer Time 8 July 2020

    Jason Noble
    Suffolk Local Democracy Reporter

    High streets in 12 towns are to get a £1.1m boost for a project to provide free wi-fi and footfall tracking.

    On Tuesday, Conservative-controlled East Suffolk Council’s cabinet, external said the successful pilot project held in Framlingham last year could be rolled out to 11 other market towns, which will see major digital upgrades.

    The project, titled Smart Towns, will include provision of free wi-fi, online promotions to attract shoppers, footfall tracking data, and new high street apps and town websites.

    FramlinghamImage source, Tim Marchant / Geograph

    "We need to make these towns as attractive and accessible as we possibly can,” said council leader Steve Gallant.

    Work to roll out the scheme is to begin later this summer and should be completed within two years.

    Around £400,000 has been spent on bringing the project forward to date, with council approving a further £500,000, while the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, external has pledged £200,000.

    The 12 towns to benefit from the scheme are:

    • Aldeburgh
    • Beccles
    • Bungay
    • Felixstowe
    • Framlingham
    • Halesworth
    • Leiston
    • Lowestoft
    • Saxmundham
    • Southwold
    • Wickham Market
    • Woodbridge