Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 18 November 2016

  1. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    That's it for us at Suffolk Live - we'll be back with live updates at 08:00. Any breaking stories for the county will, however, appear in this feed overnight.

    Here's what we've covered today:

    See you tomorrow.

  2. Tonight's weather: A cool night with scattered showerspublished at 17:33 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Alex Dolan
    BBC Look East weather

    Tonight will be rather cloudy with scattered showers, some of which will be heavy, but which will clear southwards later.

    Later, a breeze will pick up, which should prevent a frost forming, with a low of 4C (39F). 

    Weather graphic

    A breeze will continue into tomorrow, with some showers or longer spells of rain and a high of 12C (39F).

  3. Ed Sheeran makes girl's 'dreams come true' with bedside visitpublished at 17:24 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    The mother of a seriously-ill nine-year-old girl visited by Ed Sheeran in hospital says she "literally" owes her life to the singer.

    Sheeran visited Melody Driscoll at Epsom Hospital, Surrey, last week and treated her to a rendition of hits, putting her on "cloud nine".

    Ed Sheeran and Melody DriscollImage source, PA

    The youngster has a number of conditions including the rare, life-limiting neurological disorder Rett syndrome.

    She had been in hospital for 562 days and when she was in pain, she would be played Sheeran's hits to help her through the episode.

    Her mother Katrina Driscoll said: "I literally owe him my life. He doesn't realise how much he's done for her.

    "It just goes to show that dreams can come true and miracles can happen. You just have to keep fighting for them and she does."

  4. FA Vase action for Ipswich Wandererspublished at 17:08 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Graeme Mac
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Ipswich Wanderers, external are away at FC Romania tonight, with a place in the third round of the FA Vase , externalat stake.

    FA Vase trophyImage source, TheFA.com

    The winners of tonight's fixture at Theobalds Lane in Cheshunt will play Rothwell Corinthians or Tring Athletic early next month.

    Elsewhere tonight, there is a home match for Bury Town, external in the Ryman Division One North, external.

    Victory for Ben Chenery's side at home to Witham will see them go level on points with leaders Maldon and Tiptree.

  5. Snakebite confident ahead of match with former practice partnerpublished at 17:05 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Graeme Mac
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Suffolk's Peter Wright plays Daryl Fitton tonight in the second round of the Grand Slam of Darts, external in Wolverhampton.

    Peter WrightImage source, Getty Images

    The 46-year-old from Mendham was impressive during the group stages, winning all three encounters with relative ease. 

    "I feel pretty confident," Wright told us. "I used to practice with Daryl once a week many years back and I know his game.

    "He's done very well with the BDO, external, and I've done very well with the PDC, external, so it should be a good clash."

  6. Basketball coach calls on players to 'buckle down'published at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Graeme Mac
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Nick Drane may be in the running for coach of the year at Friday's Suffolk Sports Awards,, external but his Ipswich Basketball, external team has not had the start to the season he had hoped for.

    Nick DraneImage source, Pavel Kricka

    Defeat to Newcastle University at the weekend was a third loss in five league matches, and Drane says Saturday's match at home to Doncaster is a must-win encounter. 

    "We've been really good at times and we've also been stupid," Drane said. "We've got to look each other in the eye, buckle down, and get things done.

    "We definitely have belief and confidence in our ability but it's a case now of applying it."

  7. Rural dean charged with voyeurism in Ipswichpublished at 16:42 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016
    Breaking

    The Very Reverend Martin Thrower, rector of Hadleigh, Layham and Shelley has been charged with eight voyeurism offences.

    Suffolk Police arrested the Very Rev Martin Thrower, Rector of Hadleigh, Layham and Shelley, on 4 August.Image source, Google/Church of England

    The 55-year-old, from Church Street in Hadleigh, was arrested at the Buttermarket in Ipswich in August. 

    Six of the alleged offences took place this year, when males are said to have been filmed while in public toilets in Suffolk, but some date back to 2014.

    Mr Thrower, who has been suspended by his employers, is due to appear before magistrates on 19 December.

  8. Noticed a lot more overhead activity?published at 16:09 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Alex Dunlop
    BBC Look East

    The 48 Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath are on "surge" week this week, increasing the number of sorties their F-15s carry out as part of a training exercise.

    Camera man filming F-15 at Lakenheath

    It's an operation they carry out normally three or four times a year, and this one started on Monday, with planes flying over both Norfolk and Suffolk.

    It's a huge, four-day operation: Overall 48 Fighter Wing the number of sorties have increased from 40 per day to 90. The increased flying will end tomorrow.

  9. Grundisburgh festival draws cribs from far and widepublished at 16:08 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Kate Williams
    BBC Local Live

    A celebrated crib festival in the Suffolk village of Grundisburgh has offerings from all over the world. 

    The festival, organised by the Revd Canon Clare Sanders, has "cribs galore" and boasts everything from an entry by broadcaster Libby Purves to some produced by local school children.  

    Media caption,

    A crib festival is under way in a Suffolk village with participants from far and wide

  10. New Euro MP for Eastpublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    This is the new Labour MEP for the East of England. 

    Alex Mayer takes over from Richard Howitt, who stood down last month. 

    Ms Mayer has been a long standing member of the Labour party and currently works for the Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner. 

    New MEP Alex MayerImage source, Labour party
    Image caption,

    Alex Mayer

    She was one of Labour's candidates in the 2014 Euro elections. Under EU rules another election isn't held when an MEP stands down, instead they are replaced by one of the failed candidates. 

    Ms Mayer said  “It’s a huge privilege to take on this role. I pay tribute to my friend and colleague Richard Howitt who I am replacing, he has been an incredible servant to the region.”

    There are seven MEPs for the East of England. Three UKIP, three Conservatives and one Labour.

  11. Arthur the cat back to full health after amputationpublished at 15:12 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    A cat who had his right hind leg amputated due to it being caught in an illegal trap is fighting back to health.

    ArthurImage source, PDSA

    Arthur's owner Gemma Harris, from Bures, said: "The trap was so heavy I can’t imagine how he’d managed to get home, through the cat flap and halfway up the stairs. 

    "He was in a terrible state –his claws were gone and his teeth were damaged. We think he’d chewed through the string attached to the trap.”

    His leg was amputated by vets in Sudbury.

    Kitty Craig, from the vets, said: "Arthur bounded back from these horrific injuries incredibly quickly.

    "Losing a leg hasn’t slowed him down at all – he’s coped so well with everything and is a lively friendly cat.

    "I’m really pleased to hear that he’s being recognised in PDSA’s Pet Survivor Awards.”

  12. Cat dragged itself home with illegal trap on its legpublished at 15:08 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Andrew Woodger
    BBC News

    The story of how a cat dragged himself home with an illegal metal trap on his leg has put him in line for a national award.

    Arthur, a ginger tom, was missing from his home in Bures, on the Suffolk/Essex border.

    He turned up after several days with a trap on his hind leg.

    The trap after it was removed from the cat's legImage source, PDSA

    He had to have the leg amputated, but is otherwise recovered.

    He's up for the title of PDSA Pet Survivor 2016, external.

  13. 'I'd like to win that one for you,' Leiston manager pledge on Premier Cuppublished at 14:21 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Cleah Hetherington
    BBC Radio Suffolk

    Leiston’s game against Ipswich Town’s U18s was the pick of last night’s Suffolk Premier Cup quarter finals, with Leiston winning 6-3 at the Victory Ground.  

    Glenn Driver’s team were runners up in the Premier Cup last season and have never won the competition, but club chairman Andy Crisp says the manager is determined to change that.

    He said: “We were planning games ahead after the FA Cup game and league games and Glenn mentioned about the Premier Cup and he said ‘I'd like to win that one for you, Mr Chairman’, so hopefully that will be very nice.”

    The cupImage source, Suffolk FA

    In the other ties Needham Market bounced back from their FA Trophy loss at the weekend to beat AFC Sudbury 1-0.  

    The west Suffolk derby between Newmarket Town and Haverhill Rovers was two all at full time; Newmarket scoring the winner in extra time to progress to the semi finals.  

    The match between Felixstowe and Walton United and Lowestoft Town was postponed; it will now be played on 22 November.

  14. A blast from the past: How Lowestoft's fishing industry used to lookpublished at 12:54 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Kate Williams
    BBC Local Live

    Lowestoft's fishing industry was the subject of debate in parliament this morning, as Waveney MP Peter Aldous told how it had been "decimated" over the years.

    Here's a snapshot of what it used to look like; here's a scene from October 1952 of the drifters discharging herring at Lowestoft quay. 

    The boat in the foreground is coaling from a barge, ready to set to sea again as soon as the cargo is discharged.

    Fishing boats in Lowestoft in the mid-20th centuryImage source, Getty Images

    Everyone was involved in the industry; the picture below was taken earlier in October 1921, and shows women at work on a catch of herring at Lowestoft, England.

    Fishing boats in Lowestoft in the mid-20th centuryImage source, Getty Images

    And this picture below shows women standing near the light to repair damaged fishing nets at the Lowestoft Herring Drifting Company at Pakefield back in July 1931. 

    Women repairing the fishing netsImage source, Getty Images
  15. Fishing quotas to be 'revisited' after Brexitpublished at 12:51 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    The fishing minister has promised that "unfair" fishing quotas will be revisited once we leave the European Union. 

    George Eustice was speaking in a parliamentary debate in which the the Waveney MP Peter Aldous called for a better deal for local fishermen.  

    Mr Eustice said the government was already moving quota to smaller fishing boats and more changes were likely. 

    "Now that we are leaving the EU we will have many opportunities to change the way we manage fisheries in this country," he said. 

  16. Wright's progress at Grand Slam of Dartspublished at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Cleah Hetherington
    BBC Radio Suffolk

    Suffolk’s Peter Wright rounded off his group stage campaign at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, with a third straight win.

    Peter Wright, photographed earlier this year in RotterdamImage source, Getty Images

    The 46-year-old, pictured here playing earlier in the year in Rotterdam, beat teenage qualifier Ted Evetts 5-3.

    The knockout stages of the competition, get under way tonight when Wright will face Darryl Fitton. 

  17. MP Peter Aldous: Brexit a chance to regenerate Lowestoftpublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    The MP for Waveney has called for a new deal for Lowestoft's fishermen following the decision to leave the European Union. 

    Peter Aldous told a debate in parliament that "bad decisions by politicians and a poor allocation of quota" had led to the town's decline and the decline of fishing along the east coast. 

    He said: "Withdrawing from the common fishing policy provides an opportunity to put in place a policy framework in which the East Anglian fleet and all those who work in the industry are given a realistic opportunity of earning a good wage and securing a good return on their investment in boats and equipment. 

    "This is the very least they deserve in what is the most dangerous trade in Britain."

  18. Fishing debate over 'decimated' industrypublished at 12:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Kate Williams
    BBC Local Live

    A debate led by a Suffolk MP - on the future of the East Anglian fishing fleet - has just been held in parliament. 

    The government says it's committed to making sure fishermen don't lose out after Britain leaves the European Union.

    Peter Aldous

    Waveney MP Peter Aldous spoke in the debate and earlier told the BBC he was determined to be able to help revitalise the industry. 

    He said: "In the last 40 years it's (the industry) just been completely decimated and anhilated. Our fleet is largely inshore, they've got that poor deal, and we want some of that quota back."

  19. Against-all-odds pet survivor awardspublished at 11:20 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    A cat who dragged himself home with his leg in an illegal metal trap is one of six animals up for a national "survivor" award.

    Read More
  20. David McGoldrick backs Ipswich Town strike partnerspublished at 10:37 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2016

    Cleah Hetherington
    BBC Radio Suffolk

    Ipswich Town striker David McGoldrick says he doesn't favour one forward pairing over another at Portman Road. 

    The 28-year-old played alongside Leon Best during the early stages of his career and they're now reunited at Ipswich.  

    However, McGoldrick also thinks highly of Freddie Sears and Luke Varney, and is confident all of them can make an impression on the score sheet in the coming weeks and months.

    David McGoldrickImage source, Getty Images

    He said: "Searsy runs in behind a lot and I like to drop and play him through, you know,  he's always on his shoulder and the same with Varns.  

    "Varns stretches them a lot so there's lots of links up and there's other people playing instead of me.  

    "I think we can all contribute to helping each other out but it hasn't happened so far with the strikers scoring loads of goals but like I say the time will come.”

    Town’s next game is on Saturday against McGoldrick’s former club Nottingham Forest.