Summary

  • Updates on Thursday, 19 May 2016

  • BBC hosts East Anglia devolution debate for Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  • Police continue their investigation after a severed head was found in a Cambridgeshire quarry

  • Suffolk County Council says a pair of twins can go to the same school, after originally being told they'd be separated

  • A north Norfolk housing tenant says a mix-up means she's receiving energy bills for all her 10 neighbours

  • Updates resume at 08:00 on Friday

  1. That's it for our Local Live coverage for todaypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Philippa Taylor
    BBC Local Live

    Thanks for joining us for our Local Live special today, where we covered the East Anglia devolution debate and the rest of the day's news for Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

    We're now signing off, but we'll be back in the morning from 08:00 returning to our usual format.

    Thanks for your company today. Scroll down the feed to see what was said in the BBC debate, and find out what else has been happening where you live.

    Have a good evening.

  2. Overnight weather: Patchy rain, becoming dry laterpublished at 17:47 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Alex Dolan
    BBC Look East weather

    It will be turning cloudier as a band of patchy rain and drizzle moves in from the west this evening and overnight. Becoming drier later, with a minimum temperature of 9C (48F).

    Friday's weather map

    Starting dry and bright tomorrow, with the risk of isolated showers later. Highs of 19C (66F).

    Get more on the forecast where you live at BBC Weather.

  3. Flash, bang, wallop, what a picture!published at 17:25 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Alex Pope
    BBC Local Live

    Personnel from RAF Wittering, external have come together to form a group photo with a difference...

    Personnel at RAF Wittering marking out 100Image source, RAF Wittering

    It's been taken in front of the Gaydon Hangar to mark the station's 100th anniversary this year

  4. No deal yet for Eastern powerhousepublished at 17:18 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    Some of the big names in East of England business and politics came together this morning to discuss plans to devolve central government powers to Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

    Here's a round-up of what happened.

  5. Thomas Cook shares hit as bookings fallpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Peterborough-based Thomas Cook's share price has fallen almost 18%, after the travel company announced summer bookings were down 5% compared with last year.

    The company said holidaymakers were avoiding Turkey, usually a popular destination, because of safety fears.

    Thomas Cook storeImage source, PA

    Travel to Belgium has also seen a sharp decline after the Brussels attacks.

    Revenue for the past six months has fallen to £2.67bn, down from £2.74bn for the same period last year.

  6. Blue Flag success for Norfolk and Suffolk beachespublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Philippa Taylor
    BBC Local Live

    Several beaches in Suffolk and Norfolk have been ranked among the best in the country by the Keep Britain Tidy, external group.

    Lowestoft's South Beach (pictured) and the beach at Southwold Pier have once again been awarded Blue Flags - the international standard for the best beaches in the world.

    Also joining that list are Cromer, Sea Palling, Sheringham and Mundesley beaches.

    Lowestoft south beachImage source, Tim Fenton
  7. Ipswich woman jailed after Christmas Day arsonpublished at 16:19 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Kate Arkell
    BBC Radio Suffolk

    An Ipswich woman has been sentenced to three years, four months in prison after admitting starting a house fire in the town on Christmas Day.

    Kerri Mills, 37, from La Salle Close, had previously pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to arson with intent to endanger life.

    She had to be rescued from the blaze by police officers who broke down the door to get to her. 

  8. Former police officer guilty of sexually assaulting young boyspublished at 16:11 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Mousumi Bakshi
    BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

    A former police officer has been convicted of a series of sexual assaults on two young boys in Cambridgeshire.

    John BatesImage source, Spalding Guardian

    The jury at Lincoln Crown Court found 68-year-old John Bates guilty of 16 charges of indecent assault and two charges of indecency with a child. 

    It heard how he attacked two boys in the 1970s and '80s when he was a scout master in Wittering. 

    He's due to be sentenced tomorrow. 

  9. Travel: A1 updatepublished at 16:08 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    BBC Travel

    The A1 remains closed southbound and there's queuing traffic between the Buckden roundabout and the Southoe turn-off in Cambridgeshire, because of a multi-vehicle accident. There's also congestion to the Offord turn-off.  

    The road was closed at 15:50 and there are reports the air ambulance is at the scene. 

    There are also problems northbound because people are slowing to look at the accident. 

  10. Rugby union: A new arrival at Bury St Edmundspublished at 15:49 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Brenner Woolley
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Bury St Edmunds, external have signed Cai Griffiths as a player-coach for the 2016-17 season. 

    Cai GriffithsImage source, Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club

    The 32-year-old front-row prop has joined from Welsh professional club Ospreys and will have full responsibility for coaching the first team's forwards.

    "I am delighted to be taking up this role where I feel I can add value to an already impressive set-up, both on the pitch and off it," said Griffiths. 

  11. Travel: A1 southbound at Buckden closedpublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Drivers are being urged to avoid the A1 southbound between Buckden and Diddington because of an accident. 

    The road is currently closed. 

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  12. Cricket: Norfolk name unchanged XI for Trophy deciderpublished at 15:31 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Chris Goreham
    BBC Radio Norfolk sport

    Norfolk are sticking with the team that beat Northumberland for their final Unicorns Trophy group game against Cumberland on Sunday. 

    If Norfolk avoid defeat at Fakenham they will clinch first place in their group and secure a home tie in the quarter finals next month.

    Chris Brown's side have won all three of their matches so far. 

  13. Abortion rates lowest in Cambridgeshirepublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Daniel Wainwright
    Data unit - English regions

    Abortion rates in Cambridgeshire are lower than the rest of England, new figures reveal.

    Data from the Department of Health revealed wide regional variations, with London having the highest rate. 

    Pregnancy testImage source, Thinkstock

    Nationally it said the total number of abortions was "fairly constant" at 185,824 in 2015, a rise of 0.7% on the year before. In some areas, almost half of all cases were "repeat" abortions.

    The highest rate was among 20 to 24-year-olds, with 53 abortions for every 1,000 women.

  14. Plans for House of Fraser distribution centre in Peterboroughpublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Emma Maclean
    BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

    Peterborough could be the new home for a distribution hub for the department store House of Fraser.

    Artists impression of new distribution centreImage source, Kinnersley Kent Design

    A planning application has been submitted to Peterborough City Council for the 750,000 sq ft (69,677 sq m) site to be built on the edge of the Great Haddon development, situated off the A1(M) near to Peterborough services.  

    It's hoped it could create 1,000 jobs. 

  15. Speedway: Louis backs under-fire Hawkinspublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Brenner Woolley
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Ipswich Witches, external director of speedway Chris Louis (pictured) says he's "absolutely 100%" behind team manager Ritchie Hawkins, despite a run of three successive Premier League defeats.

    Chris LouisImage source, Stephen Waller

    The Suffolk side will be aiming for their first points of the season tonight when reigning champions Edinburgh come to Foxhall Stadium.

    "I see a speedway team as eight guys on race night, that's the seven riders and a team manager. Our best guy out of that eight at the moment is our team manager. He's done phenomenally well in keeping himself together."

  16. Police swiftly catch robberpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    A man has been charged with robbery after attacking a man in his 70s and stealing his van. 

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  17. Tenant being billed for her neighbours' energy supplypublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Philippa Taylor
    BBC Local Live

    A housing association tenant in north Norfolk who's getting all her neighbours' energy bills says she's worried it's going to affect her credit rating.

    Shelley Hewitt lives in one of 11 flats in an old school house in the town. But for some reason, hers is the only name Scottish Power has listed, so she gets not just her own bill, but also all the demands for her neighbours.

    She says it's been going on for more than a year: "Now I'm getting these final demands I'm worried that it's going to affect my credit rating... I don't want to be blacklisted on my credit because of their incompetence."

    Scottish Power has apologised for the time it's taking to resolve the problem, saying it will compensate those involved.

  18. Police appeal over stolen sheeppublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  19. Cat 'burned by boiling water' returns homepublished at 13:33 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Alex Pope
    BBC Local Live

    A missing cat returned to its home in Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, with several burn marks, thought to be from boiling water being poured over him.

    JetImage source, RSPCA

    An investigation was launched by the RSPCA after Jet (pictured) was found hurt.

    The animal charity says a similar incident happened to another cat in the same road a year ago, and it's worried someone is targeting cats deliberately. 

    Injuries on Jet the catImage source, RSPCA

    Jet is now recovering at home. 

  20. King's Lynn Stars finally return to actionpublished at 13:20 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Chris Goreham
    BBC Radio Norfolk sport

    King's Lynn Stars will ride in speedway's Elite League for the first time for almost four weeks this evening. 

    The Stars are due to go to Swindon. Last night's scheduled meeting between the two sides in Norfolk fell victim to the weather. 

    Troy BatchelorImage source, Getty Images

    Australian rider Troy Batchelor will ride for The Stars for the first time this season after recovering from injury. He was with Swindon last year.