Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

Ipswich is to become one of 12 of the government's 'opportunity areas', focusing on extra educational programmes in the town. 

It will benefit from around £6m, a share of £72m spent across the 12 areas, with a string of programmes designed to help young people progress from nursery, right through to employment.

One programme will be the Teacher Leadership and Innovation Fund, aiming to improve quality of teaching and leadership in schools.

Suffolk County Council’s Gordon Jones, cabinet member for education, said: “Suffolk County Council remain committed to giving every child fairer opportunities from early years through to employment and we will work closely with partner organisations in the Ipswich area to achieve this."

The first six "opportunity areas" were announced in October, and included, amongst others, the city of Norwich.

Suffolk's drink/drug-drive figures over the Christmas period show the number of people caught driving over the limit has gone up. 

Of the 1,329 drivers stopped, 142 (10.6%) provided positive readings.

So how does that compare with last year? We've done the number-crunching below:

• 2015/16: 1,920 tested in Suffolk / 172 positive (9%)
• 2014/15:  2,190 tested in Suffolk / 109 positive (5%)
• 2013/14: 1,980 tested in Suffolk / 138 were positive (7%)

Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said: "All drivers need to understand that drink driving risks lives and the lives of others, it is grossly irresponsible and selfish.

"Too many people lose their lives on our roads."

BBC Weather

Staying mainly dry across the region, with clear spells in the southeast, but otherwise mostly cloudy. 

Temperatures will fall widely, perhaps as low as -2C to -5C (mid 20s F), in Essex, but 2C to 3C (mid 30s F) across Northamptonshire and northwestern parts of Cambridgeshire - with the potential of mist and fog patches.

Tomorrow will stay chilly under rather cloudy skies, with mist and fog slow to clear in northwestern parts of the region.

BBC Weather has more local forecasts.

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

The owner of a golden eagle which broke his tether last month says he feels his chances of a safe return are "slim". 

The five-year-old bird of prey, named Stan, disappeared from his aviary in Hemingstone, near Ipswich, on 9 December. 

Owner Kris Ford said: "I've got this feeling that either he's had a misfortune or that somebody has kept him illegally.

"I fear the chances of him coming home are slim." 

Mr Ford brought another one of his birds, a gyrfalcon called Griff, into the BBC Suffolk studios while he talked to presenter Lesley Dolphin about the eagle's disappearance.  

The brother of Corrie Mckeague says he thinks the chances of Corrie being found alive are slim.

However, Darroch Mckeague said in a Facebook Live video, external he would rather be told the worst.

RAF serviceman Mr Mckeague went missing after a night out on 24 September.

His brother said: "You need closure, you need to know what happened, you would be naïve to think these things don’t go on for 10 or 20 years without getting an answer."

He also said he didn’t think his brother's disappearance was premeditated.

"I don’t think it really could be because he slept for two hours. He was put out of Flex, stumbled to the chippy, then stumbled to that area, it couldn’t be something that was planned.

"He could’ve been kidnapped, anything is a possibility but there’s no evidence of anything. We know he’s not still in there and he didn’t leave on foot."

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

A man has been arrested on suspicion of making threats and possessing a firearm after an incident in Crowfield. 

Police were called to the village at 23:15 on Monday after concerns were raised for a man's welfare.

Armed officers have been at the scene since. At about 15:30 today, a man exited the property and was detained by officers.

Stone Street is expected to reopen shortly.

A stand-off between armed police and a man in Crowfield has been "resolved peacefully", police say.

Richard Haugh
BBC Introducing in Suffolk

Ed Sheeran has received a lot of attention since he returned to the public eye in December after a year out.

But yesterday he spoke at length to Zane Lowe, external, saying it was his only in-depth interview since being back.

"Everyone else gets 15 minutes of how did you get that scar on your face," he said

"The other thing that's just come out is the driving at 90 thing, and the police being annoyed about it, even though it's just a song.

"It could be kilometres per hour."

He also speaks about his home in Suffolk and how he's built a dedicated pub, which he says is accessed by an underground tunnel, and how he's ready to be a father.

Image source, Zane Lowe

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

If you're just joining us, here's what's been making the news today: 

The stand-off at Crowfield where officers were alerted over concerns for a man's welfare continues.

There's been a massive reaction to Ipswich Town's loss at non-league Lincoln City last night.

Prime Minister Theresa May has congratulated Lincoln on their win in Parliament.

There's no sign that the FA Cup exit is going to prove to be the end for Mick McCarthy at Portman Road, but people on Twitter are already discussing a potential replacement:

Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore has described the number of drink and drug drivers caught in Suffolk's Christmas crackdown as "extremely disappointing".

In Suffolk, 1,329 tests were carried out over the Christmas period.

• 142 drivers provided positive alcohol readings (122 male and 20 female) 
• 43 drivers failed drug tests (37 male and 6 female)

Mr Passmore said: "Every Christmas our message is the same and every year sadly there are still drivers that do not take heed. I find this extremely disappointing.

"It beggars belief that despite the obvious dangers, too many drivers still take to the road under the influence of alcohol or drugs."

As the stand-off between a man at a property in Crowfield and armed police continues, here are some new pictures from the scene. 

Image source, Glen Marney

Image source, Glen Marney

Officers were called to the village at 23:15 on Monday after concerns were raised for the man's welfare. 

The stand-off is now into a third day.

Corrie Mckeague's use of a swingers website was not a secret, his mother says ahead of second search.

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

The prime minister has praised people along the east coast for their response to last week's threat of coastal flooding.

Theresa May told the House of Commons that the work of local councils, the army and emergency services "had protected tens of thousands of homes".

But referring to the many people who refused to leave their homes, she said: "When warnings are given they are given for a good reason and people should take notice."

Cleah Hetherington
BBC Radio Suffolk

Last night’s result wasn’t the only bad news for Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy.

Defender Adam Webster was missing from the squad after he suffered an ankle injury in training. The extent of the damage isn’t known yet, but McCarthy said it was "bad".

"We'll get the full results when we go and read the scan but he rocked his ankle and it's not looking good," he said.

The club has told us the defender is seeing the specialist today and the results will be known tomorrow.

Image source, Getty Images

Theresa May has congratulated non-league Lincoln City after they knocked Ipswich Town out of the FA Cup last night.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, she reiterated the praise for the Imps by Conservative MP Karl McCartney.

"I think it was a fitting tribute to Graham Taylor that they won that match," Mrs May said.

Taylor, who died last week, played for Lincoln and as manager led them to the Fourth Division title.

Image source, Getty Images

Gutless Ipswich Town can now concentrate on relegation after being embarrassingly dumped out of the FA Cup by non-league Lincoln City, writes the Suffolk Gazette, external.

Luke Deal
BBC Radio Suffolk

Police say they're grateful for the patience of the residents in Crowfield, as Stone Street is still closed.

Armed officers were called to the village at 23:15 on Monday after concerns were raised for the welfare of a man at a property there.

Stone Street is closed to through traffic at the junction with Ipswich Road down to Coddenham, and motorists are asked to take alternative routes.

Insp Chris Galley said: "We would like to thank the local residents for their patience as we work to make sure that everyone is safe.

"There is one man involved and our priorities, which remain unchanged, are to ensure his safety, along with that of members of the public and our police officers.

"It is for these reasons that we have had to contain the area around the house."

Luke Deal
BBC Radio Suffolk

Crowfield, where armed police have been negotiating with a man for the past three days, is a "friendly village", its parish clerk has said.

Officers were called to Stone Street on Monday at 23:15 after concerns were raised for the man's welfare.

Lynne Rowe, parish clerk, said: "We don't really see anything like this sort of thing in Crowfield, I'm just really sad it's come to this for somebody and just hope it gets resolved in a good way." 

Of the mood in the village, she said: "I think everybody is probably concerned for the family and the individual involved and just hoping, and praying that everything turns out well. 

"We still don't really know what's happening. This is a very friendly village and everybody helps each other out."

She said police had contacted her as the incident got under way to gain access to the village hall, which they used through the night.

Luke Deal
BBC Radio Suffolk

Suffolk's chief constable says trained negotiators are working on site at Crowfield, where a stand-off between armed police and a man is into its third day.

Gareth Wilson said: "For us, what we want to do, is that there's a successful and peaceful resolution to the incident that we have. 

"We've got trained negotiators working there, and we'll do everything that we can to make sure that we do negotiate, and chat to the guy and see if we can resolve it as quickly as we possibly can."

The Salvation Army emergency response team is also at the scene.