Speaking after the East of England Ambulance Trust, external were rated as "requiring improvement, external" by the CQC, Ipswich Hospital's chief executive says clearly that's "not where they want to be, it's not where the health and social care system needs them to be".

Referring to the "outstanding" rating given for the care of patients, Nick Hulme added: "To get outstanding for patient care is a real credit to the crews and indeed to the management."

The CQC report stated: "All staff were passionate about providing the best possible service to patients. We consistently observed staff to be caring and compassionate and concerned for the welfare of patients."

Following today's report, external from the CQC saying the East of England Ambulance Trust, external requires improvement - the trust's chief executive has paid tribute to staff and volunteers.

Robert Morton said: "I am absolutely delighted that this report recognises the outstanding care we provide to patients, day in day out... we are the only ambulance service to get an outstanding rating."

He added: "We have made huge steps forward over the last year and this progress is reflected in the report. 

"We know we have more work to do, to move us from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’, and we have in place a plan to address the points raised by the CQC. 

"The report identifies the need to increase our staffing levels so that we can respond to the increases in demand we are seeing... We continue to work with our commissioners and the NHS to discuss and address this issue," he said.

More now on our story about the region's ambulance service "requiring improvement" - the findings of the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) latest inspection.

The campaign group Act on Ambulances, external has criticised the NHS 111 service, external, saying that it isn't "fit for purpose" and that to take pressure off response times by the ambulance service, we have to look at the "bigger picture".

Speaking after the region's ambulance service was rated as requiring improvement, external by the CQC, Denise Burke from the campaign group said: "We need to look at this whole bigger picture of using our GPs better, using local, more cottage hospitals better.

"I would hope the ambulance service now is going to work very closely with its local clinical commissioning groups to try and tackle this problem."

Diss Express

Diss station has had a makeover — all in a bid to promote the Waveney Valley, external as a tourist destination.

Image source, Diss Express

@Countrymousie, who tweeted this photograph of the Bedingfield fire, says: "I was mowing my lawn and looked across from Earl Soham... and the whole of the sky was smoke."

She adds: "I can hear engines etc, and the smoke just got worse."

Seven crews from Suffolk and Norfolk at tackling the blaze.

Image source, @countrymousie

We're getting reports of a major stubble blaze affecting up to 120 acres of land at Bedingfield Hall near Debenham. 

Seven crews from Suffolk and Norfolk are tackling the fire.

We'll bring you more details as we get them... our reporter is on the way to the scene.

Tim Fenton
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

There are three FA Cup extra preliminary round matches featuring Suffolk clubs tonight. 

After drawing at the weekend, Ipswich Wanderers, external host Sporting Bengal United while Whitton United, external are away to Basildon. 

Elsewhere, Newmarket Town, external head to Halstead after their first meeting had to be abandoned because of a nasty injury. 

In the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division Felixstowe & Walton, external entertain FC Clacton while Long Melford, external are at home to Stanway Rovers.

Tim Fenton
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy has made seven changes to the team that beat Barnsley in the Championship on Saturday ahead of Stevenage's visit Portman Road in the EFL Cup tonight.

New arrivals Grant Ward and Conor Grant both start, while Andre Dozzell (pictured right) features for the first time this season.

Tim Fenton
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

For the second season in a row, Ipswich Town, external face League Two side Stevenage in the first round of the EFL Cup tonight at Portman Road. 

If Town win it will mean seven games in the first month of the season and manager Mick McCarthy believes that is too many: "It’s bonkers but that’s just the way it is," he said.

"We’ll all have to utilise our squads to make sure that we come out of it with as many points as we can and, hopefully, stay in the Cup. 

"But it is a big ask. They really do come thick and fast at this time."

Bury Free Press

Stowmarket Town have signed Danny Cunningham, external following his departure from Ryman League Premier Division side AFC Sudbury.

With just the chance of one or two showers towards evening, I imagine the farmer who owns these fields may well be keen to harvest the crop during the day.

Thanks to Weather Watcher "PhillyV" for taking this in Great Cornard near Sudbury this morning.

A helicopter crew in the French Alps is due to continue the search today for Woodbridge man David Wood, 61, who was last seen a week ago when he went for a walk from his holiday home in Marie.

Writing on behalf of the family on his Facebook page, external, David's son Danny Armstrong-Wood says:

• The walk is about 6km (3.7m) and is "relatively straightforward"
• A comprehensive search has already been carried out by family, police, mountain rescue teams, helicopter and a number of local villagers
• His absence is "completely out of character" and he is in a very happy place in his life

Image source, Danny Armstrong-Wood

A Conservative MP who has long campaigned for improvements in the ambulance service, says the need to improve response times has been going on "for far too long".

Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey, speaking after a health watchdog rated the East region's ambulance service as "requiring improvement" in a new report, external, said: "They keep talking about demand rising and I want to know where the demand is coming [from].

"That's the kind of thing we need to get into though I'll be honest, that should be their job, not necessarily the role of the MP to be pressing them on different areas."

Health watchdog the Care Quality Commission has rated the East region's ambulance service, external as "requiring improvement" in its latest report, external.

The report, published this morning, shows the East of England Ambulance Service Trust was inspected twice in April.

It says the service is under significant pressure and is failing to meet performance standards and targets for responding to 999 calls - an issue highlighted when a Newmarket Town footballer had to wait three hours for an ambulance to arrive at the weekend after he was injured on the pitch in Essex.

There are also recruitment issues, along with poor training of staff to deal more appropriately with patients suffering with dementia or mental health problems.

There is good news, however, when it comes to patient care, with it being rated in that area as "outstanding".

We'll bring you reaction to this shortly.

BBC Travel

The A14 is partially blocked and there's queuing traffic westbound between J37 (A142 Exning) and the Rowley Mile Services, because of an accident.

Suffolk swimmer Chris Walker-Hebborn failed to make the final of the 100m backstroke at Rio, but he's got more to look forward to: