Guy Campbell
BBC Radio Suffolk

A north Suffolk woman, who cares for her husband with dementia, is appealing to the county council to reinstate funding to a charity-run service.

Image source, Google

The Alzheimer's Society, external plans to close its base in Lowestoft after losing a £40,000 grant from the council.

Ann Follows, who lives near Halesworth: "The Alzheimer's Society Lowestoft office is the only one left [offering support].

" If that goes, we have nothing but the GP service to support us."

Last year the branch provided one-to-one support for 171 people affected by dementia and its information sessions have helped more than 500 people. 

The clinical commissioning group for East Suffolk, alongside NHS Ipswich, has decided to make no change to the current IVF policy of up to two cycles for eligible patients.

Image source, Science Photo Library

The announcement follows a major public consultation exercise last summer looking at the future of IVF and MVA (marginalised and vulnerable adult) services across the county.

The consultation proposed reducing IVF services to either one cycle or none, and to focus the MVA services in Ipswich, where demand is highest.

The service will now be re-commissioned, so it continues to support the most vulnerable members of the county.

A decision on IVF cycles in west Suffolk will  be made tomorrow.

A hospital patient who refused to leave for more than two and a half years despite being assessed as fit for discharge says he was initially admitted on mental health grounds.

Mr Guedes, 63, who is paralysed from the chest down, told us he had asked to be moved out of the James Paget University Hospital into a "wheelchair-friendly place" and to see a "spinal specialist in London for his injuries". He claimed he'd always wanted to leave.

The Gorleston hospital had to resort to applying for a court order to evict Adriano Guedes, who'd been admitted in August 2014. He left earlier this month.   

Anna Hills, the hospital's director of governance, said the patient had refused "all offers of appropriate accommodation". Detailed planning took place which led to Mr Guedes' successful discharge. 

He is now living in a council flat in Suffolk.

Further steps towards creating the largest district council in the UK right here in the county were taken last night, external.

Both Suffolk Coastal and Waveney's (HQ pictured) cabinet members voted unanimously in favour of creating a single East Suffolk council.

The final decision will now be taken at full council meetings later this week, with Waveney, external meeting on Wednesday and Suffolk Coastal, external (HQ pictured below) on Thursday. Should both approve the proposals, the chief executives, in consultation with the leaders of the councils, will submit a written request to the Department of the Communities and Local Government to begin the formal process of merger.The new council would then hold elections, and commence operations, in 2019.  

Image source, Suffolk Coastal Council

Plans to build the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk are "not convincing", councils claim.

The story of Adriano Guedes, who spent more than two years at the James Paget Hospital before being evicted earlier this month, has featured in several national newspapers.

• The Times wrote, external: "Court evicts healthy patient who spent two years in a £300,000 hospital bed"
• The Sun carried the headline, external: "PAIN IN THE BED Hospital is forced to apply for a court order to evict ‘fit’ patient who had occupied a bed for TWO YEARS"
• The EDP reported, external: "‘We are a compassionate organisation’ - James Paget Hospital on why it took two years and a court order to discharge medically fit patient who refused to leave"

Adriano Guedes, who was evicted from the James Paget University Hospital on 10 January after more than two years, was originally admitted as an in-patient in 2014.

Image source, Adriano Guedes

The 63-year-old has told the BBC: "It's very bad to occupy a place which should be used by someone in need, but I didn't cause the situation. 

"On the contrary - I tried to get out of there."

Mr Guedes said he had asked to be moved out of hospital into a "wheelchair-friendly place" and to see a spinal specialist in London for his injuries.

"I wanted to leave but they always offered what they knew I would refuse," he claimed.

The hospital insisted he had been offered appropriate accommodation.

Anna Hills, the hospital's director of governance, said Mr Guedes had "repeatedly refused all offers of appropriate accommodation organised by our local authority and social care partners, despite being fit for discharge".

As we've just reported, a man evicted after spending more than two years in the James Paget University Hospital at Gorleston has told the BBC he didn't want to stay.

Soon after Adriano Guedes' arrival at the hospital in August 2014, he was assessed and deemed medically fit to be discharged. 

The hospital says Mr Guedes "repeatedly" refused all care options he was offered and it couldn't make him leave, but the 63-year-old told the BBC he "didn't want to stay... they forced me".

A patient on the same ward as Mr Guedes had described his actions as "totally disgusting", claiming he was "using the hospital as a hotel".

At the beginning of December the hospital was granted a court order to claim back the bed and Mr Guedes was evicted on 10 January. 

Mr Guedes, who moved to the UK from Portugal 15 years ago, is now living in a council flat in Suffolk.

Ben Parker
BBC Suffolk sport

Needham Market FC's match against Mersham tonight has been postponed due to the pitch at Bloomfields not defrosting in time. 

The Marketmen could have moved within a point off the top in the Ryman Premier League, but will now have to wait until the weekend's match against Kingstonian.

No new date has been set for the Mersham game. 

A holidaymaker "played dead" next to her husband's body while a gunman killed 38 people at a Tunisian beach resort in 2015, an inquest has heard.

Allison Heathcote, 50, survived five gunshot wounds but husband Philip, then 53, died in the attack near Sousse.

Image source, Contributed

The pair, from Felixstowe, had been on their 30th wedding anniversary holiday. Mrs Heathcote's statement was being read at the inquest into the deaths of 30 Britons killed by Islamist gunman Seifeddine Rezgui on 26 June.

The couple, who have a son, had arrived at the Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel the day before the attack. Mrs Heathcote, who was seriously injured by the gunman, did not attend the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

In a statement read on her behalf, she described feeling "pure fear" as Rezgui wounded her, killed her husband, then walked away to murder others.

She and Mr Heathcoate were on the beach where Rezgui launched his attack and had "dived into the sand between the sun beds", but were found by the gunman. 

She added: "I stayed laying on the sand, trying not to move and draw attention to the fact that I was still alive."

Once the gunshots faded, Mrs Heathcote said she asked her husband if he was OK.

"At the first opportunity I was asking Phil if he was alright and I realised he had not made it," she said.

A case against a former football commentator at Norwich City accused of sexual grooming has been dropped.

Glenn Wheeler, 21, of Colchester, had been accused of the grooming offences in Norfolk between April and October last year.

Norwich City said Mr Wheeler was an unpaid volunteer who was never employed by the club and was only paid expenses.

Mr Wheeler was due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday for a pre-trial hearing, but the case against him has been discontinued.

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Leeds United midfielder Toumani Diagouraga could make his debut for Ipswich Town at Preston this weekend, after joining the Blues on loan.

Image source, Get

The 29-year-old has agreed a deal until the end of season, and will be hoping for more game time than he got under Leeds boss Garry Monk, who has started with the Frenchman just once this campaign.

"He's a defensive midfielder who can get forward and score," said BBC Leeds commentator Adam Pope. "He got three goals in 20 games last year and I'm a bit surprised he hasn't played more this season.

"I can see him fitting in at Ipswich because he is tough and combative and has a lot of the qualities that Mick McCarthy tends to like."

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Colchester United have rejected a bid from Ipswich Town for their in-form winger Brennan Dickenson.

Image source, Getty Images

The 23-year-old joined the U's from Gillingham on a free transfer last summer, and has made 23 appearances for the League Two club this season, scoring seven goals.

Yesterday, Ipswich confirmed the loan signing of Leeds midfielder Toumani Diagouraga until the end of the season.

Former Newcastle defender Steven Taylor is also at Portman Road this week on trial, and is likely to earn a short-term deal if he impresses.

Ipswich Star

Here's the front page of the Ipswich Star, external: 

Image source, Ipswich Star

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Anthony Clark and his Suffolk Saxons, external team can be proud of their debut season in the National Badminton League, which could still end in glory.

Image source, Action Photography

Despite last night's 3-2 loss to Team Derby, a big win over Nottingham on Monday week could see the Saxons through to next month's Championship final in Milton Keynes.

"All credit must go to the players," Clark said. "They have been delivering week in week out."

The Saxons are one of the NBL's newest franchises, and are currently fourth in the table,, external just three points behind reigning champions Birmingham Lions.

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

The Suffolk Saxons, external remain in fourth place in the National Badminton League, external after a narrow defeat at Team Derby last night.

Image source, Action Photography

The match finished 3-2 in favour of the home team, with the returning Julie Finne-Ipsen once again in excellent form for the Saxons.

The 22-year-old won her singles event and also partnered Sarah Walker to victory in the doubles.

Anthony Clark's side next play on Monday week at the Ipswich Corn Exchange, against University of Nottingham.

A cyclist has died following a serious road traffic collision in Newmarket.

Police were called by East of England Ambulance Service at 06:35 this morning to reports of a collision between a grey BMW 525 and a bicycle on the A1304 Barbara Stradbroke Avenue.

The cyclist – a man aged in his 30s – died at the scene of the collision.

A 22-year-old man from Newmarket has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving following this incident. He has been taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

The road is currently closed between the roundabout junction with the A1303 and Hamilton Road whilst a collision investigation takes place.

As a result there is no access into the west side of Newmarket from the A14 at Junction 36 and traffic will instead have to enter the town via the A142 at Junction 37. Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible.

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

AFC Sudbury, external defender Tyler French is available for selection ahead of the Yellows' match at Leatherhead tomorrow, despite currently being on trial at Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Image source, Suffolk FA

Ipswich Town have also shown interest in the 17-year-old and assistant manager Andy Reynolds says Sudbury will not stand in the way of any potential move from the Wardale Williams Stadium (pictured).

"We want to ensure that Tyler can go on and have a career and we'll keep trying to help him improve," Reynolds said.

"Ideally we'd like to keep hold of him until the end of the season, but we believe one of these clubs will come in for him soon."

A decision will be made this evening on whether dogs should be banned, external from parts of Southwold and Lowestoft beaches for six months of the year.

At the moment, the ban is in place for five months, from 1 May to 30 September:

The dog control measures being considered apply to a number of beaches and other places in the Waveney area and were put out to public consultation last year, when the original proposal was to ban dogs for up to nine months.

In most cases there was very little feedback but the measures for Southwold saw more than 300 responses, of which 80% were against the changes. 

As a result a ban on dogs on part of the beach is being recommended for six months of the year and dogs will have to be on leads on the promenade all year round.

The early-morning fog and mist may not be much fun to drive in, but as these photographs from some of our BBC Weather Watchers show, it makes for ethereal views of the county.