A grandmother is recovering at home after being released from hospital after contracting coronavirus.

West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds tweeted, external that 89-year-old Sylvia was back at home.

"We couldn't be more grateful to the F6 & G4 staff for the care my nan has received," her family told the hospital.

"They took care of her during some difficult weeks after being diagnosed with Covic-19 at the age of 89."

Image source, West Suffolk NHS FT

A total of 35 Covid-19 patients have been discharged this week from Colchester, Ipswich and community hospitals across East Suffolk and North Essex.

"These patients are home thanks to the care and dedication of all #TeamESNEFT colleagues", said East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

The National Grid is looking to reduce supply as power usage drops 20% during the coronavirus crisis.

A music venue has organised a 12-hour open mic session to help raise funds which will allow it to survive the coronavirus crisis.

The Hunter Club in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, like many other live venues in the region, faces potential closure because of a total loss of income and grant funding, and uncertainty around reopening.

Their day of live streamed open mic sessions are part of an attempt to raise £15,000.

Performances of each act can be found on The Hunter Club's Facebook page., external

It started at 10:00 today and runs throughout the evening.

The North Yorkshire-based Drax group is to supply free energy for two months to 170 care homes near its 14 sites around the UK during the coronavirus outbreak, it's confirmed.

Image source, PA Media

The energy company, which is based at Drax power station near Selby, says it's also donating £150,000 to help small businesses facing financial hardship.

The homes set to benefit from the free energy are in the Yorkshire and Humber region, Ipswich and East Anglia, Northampton, Wales and Scotland, the firm says.

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner said: “Care homes do incredible work looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and we know this pandemic is putting them under immense pressure.

"As a gesture of appreciation for the excellent work they're doing, we’re cancelling their energy bills for a couple of months.

“A lot of businesses are also having a tough time, as the lockdown is having a major impact on many different sectors, so we’ve donated £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline," he added.

• The East Anglian Daily Times, external has spoken to a man who is taking on a 12-hour table tennis challenge to raise money for Ipswich Hospital, where his wife is receiving care for terminal cancer
• The Ipswich Star reports, external that Suffolk-based pubs and brewing giant Greene King has launched a hardship fund to help its 38,000 staff
• And the Bury Free Press, external write that families have been left in limbo after travel companies delayed refunds due to coronavirus

Rob England
BBC News

An energy company has been asked to reduce the output of electricity from one of its nuclear power stations, to help balance the National Grid during the coronavirus lockdown.

EDF Energy confirmed it had been asked to reduced output from the Sizewell B plant in Suffolk, which is thought to be able to do so more easily than other nuclear plants in the country.

Energy demand has slumped across the world as countries shut industry and ask people to stay at home to help prevent the spread of the virus.

A National Grid spokesman said: "No one should be concerned about their electricity supply, we have comprehensive plans in place to ensure we safely and securely manage the system at all times - including through this unprecedented period."

• Domestic electricity use up during day as nation works from home

Ex-Norwich City player Darren Eadie says professional football should not restart until it is safe to do so - even if games are played behind closed doors.

Eadie, who also played for Leicester City, said the sport seemed to be trying to get back to normal too quickly which showed "arrogance and vulgarity" and he felt players were "being used as pawns in a game of riches".

Speaking to the Pink Un podcast,, external Eadie, who is now joint manager at Suffolk non-league club Leiston, external, added that the players' union - the PFA - should be doing more to stand against matches being played during the pandemic.

It comes as the PFA's chief executive Gordon Taylor suggested halves of less than 45 minutes could be considered when football resumes.

Club members have turned to WhatsApp to push and motivate each other to train during the pandemic.

Pete Cooper
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier we brought you the story of the branch of Costa Coffee at Ipswich's Euro Retail Park, which opened for drive-thru customers at the weekend, only to close due to the high number of visitors it had.

The Police Federation's Suffolk branch said the resultant traffic queues had put officers "at risk".

The cafe chain have told me that they will be re-opening the store on Thursday, but the drive-thru lane will be closed.

Instead customers wishing the use it will have to "place their order via the Costa Coffee app and collect from the store".

In a statement it said: "Customers will be asked to queue outside the store, two metres from one another, and then collect their order from a designated collection area just inside the store. Baristas will place the order down at the collection point before moving back to allow the customer to enter and collect their order."

More details have been shared about how key workers in Norfolk can get coronavirus tests after complaints that some workers were being asked to travel 100s of miles for them.

The NHS said key workers with symptoms can either get tested through a dedicated local service or a national system.

Norfolk's three local testing sites are in Norwich, Gorleston and King's Lynn.

Image source, PA

North Norfolk's Conservative MP Duncan Baker said: "I had emails from constituents saying 'We're in North Walsham and we're being asked to have a test in Scotland'.

"My first response was to go to the CCG [Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group] and say 'Look this isn't good enough'. I have been able to… make sure they get tested at the local areas."

While NHS acute hospital staff can use their organisation's existing booking system and all other NHS employees can email NHScovidtesting@nnuh.nhs.uk, external, employers of essential workers - including including care home staff and teachers - should contact NorfolkRegistercovidtesting@nnuh.nhs.uk, external to register their organisations so workers can book local appointments.

Key workers can also book tests through the national system, and can choose to be sent home kits or travel to regional testing centres in Ipswich, Peterborough or Stansted.

An exercise, leisure and former music venue that began its life as St Matthew's Baths in 1924 will not reopen after the Covid-19 lockdown is lifted.

The building has been a fitness centre called The Gym Ipswich since Abbeycroft Leisure reopened it 10 years ago.

It was the first budget club to arrive in the town, but Abbeycroft said other gyms providing similar services have taken on its mantle.

Its lease expires in November and after reviewing the business, the decision was made to close.

In the past, it was a swimming pool, dance and music venue which saw performances from rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Cream – when the swimming area was covered with boarding.

Image source, Dave Kindred

Warren Smyth, chief executive at Abbeycroft, said: "This extremely difficult decision had been reached just prior to the recent coronavirus pandemic with a view to closing later in the year

"However, the leisure industry is now facing unprecedented challenges and this will continue when the lockdown is lifted, which has further reinforced that we have made the right choice."

Image source, Nigel Rea

Robby West
BBC East reporter

Earlier we brought you the story that 101-year-old Joan Rich, is walking loops of her Suffolk park to raise funds for the NHS.

Like Bedfordshire's Captain Tom Moore, she wanted to do her bit.

The famous fundraiser from Marston Moretaine has sent his support to her, saying "good for you Joan, sending best wishes and good luck on your walk for our NHS heroes".

Unsurprisingly, another music festival has accepted the inevitable and cancelled for this year.

The 14th Maverick Festival, external was due take place at Easton in Suffolk over the first weekend of July, featuring country and Americana acts including Steve Forbert, Dean Owens, Terra Lightfoot and Hank Wangford.

About 5,000 people usually attend, but organisers said the "good news" was that most of this year's acts will play at next year's event.

Ipswich Town take up the option to extend the contracts of midfielder Andre Dozzell and keeper Harry Wright by a year.

He wishes good luck to a fellow centenarian aiming to support the NHS with a walking challenge.

Silke Hartshorne-Jones was found with two gunshot wounds at the family home, a court hears.

Pete Cooper
BBC News

The Suffolk branch of the Police Federation said an influx of people to a Costa Coffee in Ipswich that reopened at the weekend was putting the police "at risk".

The cafe at the Euro Retail Park was one of 17 Costa branches which reopened across the UK for drive-thru customers only.

Suffolk Chief Constable Steve Jupp said the number of people at the site "caused a big issue" for police, and came at a time when two large neighbouring supermarkets were also busy.

Image source, Getty Images

The Costa was later shut by staff because of the long queues.

Darren Harris, chairman of the Police Federation in Suffolk, said: "The public's action is putting my members at risk by having to interact with more members of the public than they necessarily need to."

While not illegal, he added that it was not "a reasonable thing to do" to drive to get a take-away coffee.

A spokeswoman for Costa Coffee said safety was their "number one priority".

She said the drive-thru cafes were meant for "key workers on essential journeys" and that other branches had been open offering delivery for other customers.

The branch in east Ipswich is due to reopen later this week.

• Aldeburgh residents claim in social media posts their town is "being invaded" as second-homeowners flock there despite lockdown, the East Anglian Daily Times, external reports
• Lowestoft-based holiday firm Hoseasons has stated it was dealing with tens of thousands of customers who have had holidays cancelled, after it was slated by consumer group Which?, the Lowestoft Journal, external reports
• A Bury St Edmunds woman has become embroiled in a dispute with a travel company after a £5,500 rugby tour for under-14s rugby team was cancelled, the Bury Free Press, external is reporting

Joan Rich is completing the 560m (1,837ft) loops of her local Suffolk park before her next birthday.