Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live

Good morning from the team here in the BBC Suffolk newsroom.

There's disappointing news for rail travellers as Network Rail announces further improvement works over Christmas and New Year - meaning, you've guessed it, rail replacement buses to London.  

The disruption will take place for 10 days over the festive period and a number of weekends from January to May 2017.

We'll bring you reaction to that, and of course we'd love to hear your thoughts too. You can send us an email, or post a message on our Facebook page, external.

But first, we'll check out what the weather's got in store for us.

The mother of an airman missing for more than a month says she is preparing for the possibility that he may have come to harm.

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

That's it for the live updates today from the BBC Suffolk newsroom. 

Don't forget you can scroll through the day's news if you're catching up, including: 

• An interview with the mother of Corrie Mckeague, the airman who went missing over a month ago
• Hostage-taking by inmate was "an act of desperation" 
• "Bizarre highlights" remembered by MEP Richard Howitt on his last day at work in Brussels

We always look forward to hearing from you, and can get in touch overnight via email, Facebook , externalor Twitter, external.

See you again at 08:00 tomorrow.

Steve Blower
BBC Radio Suffolk

The mother of a missing serviceman from RAF Honington says she's starting to accept her son's only way out of Bury St Edmunds the night he went missing was in a vehicle.

Airman Corrie Mckeague disappearedafter a night out in Bury St Edmunds on 24 September.

His mother, Nicola Urquhart, said: "As each day goes by, it is starting to change how we're feeling."

She said she believed her son had never tried to walk the 10 miles back to base, although he was more than capable of doing it.

"It's very hard to think of anything else that's happened to him other than he has gone in a vehicle, because there is just no evidence to say that he's not," Ms Urquhart said.

"There is no evidence to say that he has, but that's part of the problem, he shouldn't be able to have left Bury without being seen on one camera, without being seen by one person that's corroborated, without any digital footprint whatsoever. Something should have been picked up.

"It would take somebody that's in surveillance months of preparation to do that; somebody drunk at 3 o'clock in the morning isn't just going to be able to by chance walk clean out of Bury without being seen.

"So it does leave us with - he's gone in a vehicle."

Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather

It will be a fine and dry end to the day, with any cloud dispersing as we head into the evening. 

Temperatures down to about 7C (45F).

Any mist and fog will clear tomorrow morning to leave a bright day with sunny spells.  

Maximum temperature: 15C (59F).

You can get your local forecast from BBC Weather. 

Richard Haugh
BBC News

A few months ago the Spill Festival, external put out a call to anyone wanting to offer an alternative tour of Ipswich.

We're not talking historic churches or blue plaques... but something more unusual.

So step forward, literally, Jane Riley - an "allotment plot holder" from Ipswich who will be pointing out "unicorns and mermaids" in her tour of the town, external.

Cad Taylor, meanwhile, can show you around the Polish, Kurdish, Romanian and Portuguese hot spots along Norwich Road with her Suficent Spatiu Pentru Noi Toti (Enough Space for all of us) guided walk.

Other tours include a look at the town's charity shops, 'the secret signs of Ipswich, and Angela Bell's 'touch tour, external'.

Image source, Spill Festival

Richard Haugh
BBC News

For the next five days Ipswich is being transformed into a hub of envelope-pushing art, as the Spill Festival, external returns to the town.

Having started in 2007, the festival has built up a reputation of showcasing... well, a bit of everything really. 

It seems cliched to say 'expect the unexpected', but it seems fair when details of shows at this year's event include mentions of "organic river fetishes", a "fundamental relationship with the moon", and "a sanctuary of sickness".

At tonight's launch you can expect to see a woman shoveling 500kg of ice from one spot to another, external.

Image source, Sanja Simic

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Freddie Sears has backed fellow forward Leon Best (pictured) to come good at Portman Road.

Image source, Getty Images

The 30-year-old, who arrived at Ipswich on a free transfer in the summer, is hoping to keep his place in the side against former club Rotherham on Saturday.

He'll go into the game targeting his first Blues goal, in what will be his eighth appearance.

"You look at him in training and he's definitely got something," said Sears.

"He's got that unpredictable edge and he seems good to play with. You can link up with him well, but he needs a few more minutes and time on the training ground, and then you'll see the real Leon Best."

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Although managers will always tell you there's no such thing as an easy game, Leiston, external should return to the top of the Ryman Premier Division, external tonight.

Image source, Leiston FC

Glenn Driver's (pictured) men, who are yet to lose in the league this season, are away to bottom club Grays Athletic, who've won just twice in 15 matches.

Current leaders Needham Market, external are just a point above Leiston, although with a vastly inferior goal difference.

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

Judge David Goodin told Lee Twyman his taking of hostages at Highpoint had been been a "frightening" experience for the staff involved.

Image source, Google

"I accept that you tried traditional reason before you decided wholly reprehensibly on this rather frightening course of action, accompanied by a plastic knife embedded with razor blades," he said. 

But the judge, who was sitting at Ipswich Crown Court, said he'd taken into account Twyman's early guilty plea when he sentenced him to 16 months in jail. 

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

Ipswich Crown Court heard the prison staff's ordeal came to an end three hours after they were taken hostage by Lee Twyman.

Defending Twyman, Vanessa Halai said a psychiatric report found he "was suffering from a mixed personality disorder and would use violence and self harm to cope with frustration".

She said the 28-year-old, who was serving an indeterminate sentence with a four-year minimum for aggravated burglary, was genuinely fearful for his own safety and did not want to use the knife he was holding.

His act was one of desperation, she said.

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

Prisoner Lee Twyman maneuvered himself into a prison office and took six hostages, including prison staff and a mental health nurse, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Image source, Geograph/Adrian Cable

The 28-year-old brandished a makeshift weapon made from a white plastic knife with razor blades in it - but a few minutes later agreed to release four of the hostages.

When negotiators arrived, it appeared he thought they weren't taking him seriously so he barricaded the office door with furniture and smashed things up in the room, the court heard.

Bad news for commuters...

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

Ipswich Crown Court has heard that just prior to prisoner Lee Twyman taking six people hostage, he'd told his lifeline worker he was being threatened and did not feel safe.

Image source, Geograph/Bikeboy

Prosecutor Michael Crimp told the court he'd either planned to steal officers' keys or take hostages "in a bid to be moved from the prison".

But when his lifeline worker said she'd have to report his plans, he decided to act straight away.

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

A prisoner who took six people hostage at Highpoint Prison has been sentenced to 16 months, having admitted one count of false imprisonment.

Lee Twyman, 28, took the prison staff hostage on 12 May.

Image source, Geograph/Roger Cornfoot

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

East of England MEP Richard Howitt has been remembering some of the more "bizarre highlights" during his 22 years in his job at the European Parliament. 

He said he was proud to be described as the "prime architect" of an ethical law for companies to report not just on their profit and loss, but also on how they impact on the environment and human rights. 

Image source, PA

But he also said he had a slightly more bizarre highlight - concerning a group of plane spotters who were arrested in Greece on suspicion of spying.

"I didn't want to be remembered only as the MEP who helped the plane spotters, but actually that couple from Mildenhall were just honest hobbyists who ended up being called spies and put in prison in Greece.

"They were my constituents and people laughed about it because they were plane spotters, and thought it a bit weird. 

"But in the end they were British citizens who were victims of a miscarriage of justice."

BBC Weather

There'll be some bright or sunny periods this afternoon and it should remain dry in most places, feeling mild in the afternoon brightness. Maximum temperature 15C (59F).

Tonight will be dry with variable cloud and some clear periods, which will allow mist and fog patches to form.

There will be an overnight low of 9C (48F).

Andrew Turner
BBC Radio Norfolk

An inquest has opened into the death of a passenger who was killed when the vintage aircraft he was travelling in crashed. 

Image source, Zak Nelson

Benjamin Marshall was killed earlier this month when the plane crashed in a field near Bungay and burst into flames.

The inquest was told Mr Marshall, 84, a retired farmer from Leicester, died of severe traumatic head injuries. 

The Norfolk area coroner Yvonne Blake adjourned the inquest until January, while a full report is compiled by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 

The pilot of the aircraft, Maurice Hammond, from Eye, remains in hospital. 

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Needham Market goalkeeper Danny Gay's been telling BBC Sufolk Sport about his goal-scoring heroics in last night's 2-2 draw at Canvey Island, external.

The 34-year-old smashed the ball past opposing keeper Lewis Moore in the 94th minute, to lift his side to the top of the Ryman Premier Division.

"My wife texted me and said she'll never hear the end of this and it's definitely one to speak to my little lad about when he gets older," he said.

It was the second goal of Gay's career, and he admitted his goal celebration needed a bit of work.

"I think if it had been a cartwheel or a back-flip or something like that I'd probably be in Southend Hospital right now," he said.

"I tried to run to my dad, but got mobbed by the boys, who are bit quicker than I am."

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

Richard Howitt says it feels "strange" to be leaving his post as MEP after more than two decades.

Mr Howitt announced he was standing down as Labour MEP for the East of England in September, and today is his last day in the role.

"It's pretty strange to walk into the European Parliament as I did this morning knowing that this is the very last time I will do so, after 22 years.

"I am proud of everything that I have done and very, very sad that Britain will be leaving the European Union."