Summary

  • Updates on Friday, 10 March, 2017

  • Man jailed for life for acid attack starts appeal process

  • Norman Foster to design new Ipswich waterfront crossing...

  • ... meanwhile, plans for Lowestoft's third crossing take a step forward

  • Fiveways lights will please frustrated drivers

  • Chief executive praises hospitals for tobacco-free policy

  • Biker seriously injured in Bury St Edmunds crash

  1. Council buys former care home site in Eye for redevelopmentpublished at 14:48 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Diss Express

    Mid Suffolk District Council has bought a former care home site, external in Eye which they say they will redevelop to provide “much needed” new housing.

    Mid Suffolk officesImage source, Diss Express
  2. Alleged defendant 'liked to shock', judge reminds jurypublished at 14:42 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    The judge also reminded the jury at Ipswich Crown Court of the evidence given by Sidney Paxman, who was the uncle of Peter and Sylvia Stuart's son-in-law Steve Paxman.

    The prosecution say the defendant is Ali Qazimaj, who was a carer for Sidney Paxman.

    Mr Justice Jeremy Stuart-Smith said the uncle had told the court Mr Qazimaj could be an "annoying person" who liked to shock people, had English "as good as his" and had claimed to be an interpreter working for MI5. 

    The judge reminded the court that another witness Mr Qazimaj had worked with in Essex had been told by Mr Qazimaj that he was planning a robbery at a house in or near Ipswich.

    This afternoon, the judge is due to continue his summing up after a month of evidence.

  3. Weybread murders: Trial hears of dead couple's house planspublished at 14:22 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    During his summing-up in the trial of the man prosecutors claim is Ali Qazimaj from Tilbury...

    Mr Justice Jeremy Stuart-Smith reminded jurors of the evidence heard from the dead couple's daughter Christy Paxman.

    She painted a picture of her father Peter Stuart as a "workaholic" who worked double shifts at Tate & Lyle, while her mother Sylvia Stuart was a "home-maker".

    Ms Paxman and her husband Steve Paxman had been living with the Stuarts in Weybread, but were planning on moving to Leicestershire, where Steve had a new job.

    The judge said the Stuarts had also been looking at properties in the Midlands, but had not put their Suffolk home on the market.

    Brick Kiln Cottage, Mill Lane, Weybread

    Earlier in the trial, Christy Paxman said a mystery man had approached her father in his garden and said "I understand you want to sell up?".

    Prosecutors have said Ali Qazimaj had been a carer for Steve Paxman's uncle near Mr Qazimaj's home in Tibury, south Essex.

    The defendant denies murder on the grounds that he is not Ali Qazimaj, but he is actually another Albanian national called Vital Dapi, who had never been to the UK until his arrest and extradition from Luxembourg.

    The trial continues.

  4. Ed Sheeran's facial scar: The truth (according to James Blunt) published at 13:56 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Shortlist
    Shortlist

    Ed Sheeran and James BluntImage source, Reuters

    A short while back,  Ed Sheeran 's face was apparently slashed by Princess Beatrice as she pretended to knight James Blunt at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.

    But now, shock horror, James Blunt has claimed the whole story is fake news.

    "Ed was drunk, messing around, and he cut himself," the singer has told ShortList, external .

    Ed SheeranImage source, Getty Images

    "We made a fancy story up; people fell for it. It was very embarrassing."

    Ed, the ball is now in your (Hampton) court. Say it ain't so...

  5. Jobs under threat at printing firmpublished at 13:27 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    More than 100 jobs are under threat at Clays printing firm, external in Bungay.

    Clays Bungay

    The union Unite says they've entered into a consultation period with the company about proposed job losses.

    They understand the posts are mainly on the shop floor in pre-press, print and bindery departments.

    Clays, which was established more than 200 years ago, and employs about 700 people, prints more than 140 million books every year.

  6. Bialkowski reveals January interestpublished at 12:53 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    TWTD.co.uk

    Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski has revealed that a number of clubs made enquiries for him, external during the January transfer window, although there were no firm bids.

  7. Weybread trial: Judge tells jury to 'put emotions to one side' published at 12:26 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Kate Williams
    BBC Local Live

    The judge at the trial of a man accused of the murder of Peter and Sylvia Stuart (pictured) has told the jury to put emotions to one side in the case of the Stuarts, and consider what has been presented.

    Sylvia and Peter StuartImage source, Diss Express

    "You will decide this by taking into account which evidence is reliable", he tells jurors. 

    "It's quite possible for a witness to be right on some things and not on others... And if you reject one piece of evidence that doesn't mean that the whole case will fall apart."

    Jurors were also told they need to consider that the defendant decided to give evidence, which was his choice, and his evidence must be considered equally to other evidence presented to the court.

  8. Weybread trial: Closing speeches draw to a closepublished at 12:18 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Kate Williams
    BBC Local Live

    Closing speeches in the case of the man accused of the murder of Weybread couple Peter and Sylvia Stuart have drawn to a close at Ipswich Crown Court.

    Ipswich Crown Court

    The prosecution says a man called Ali Qazimaj, who lived in Tilbury, murdered the couple in the village on the Norfolk/Suffolk border last year. Mr Stuart's body was found in woodland in June. 

    Mrs Stuart has never been found. The last time the couple were seen alive was when they were shopping in Pulham Market in Norfolk a week earlier.

    The man accused says he is actually called Vital Dapi and denies murder, saying he was not even in the country.

    He says he had never even heard of the Stuarts until he was arrested in Luxembourg. 

    The jury has been led back into court one for the judge, Mr Justice Jeremy Stuart-Smith, to begin summing up.

  9. Find Corrie supporters say no apology necessary from his mumpublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Supporters of the Facebook campaign to find missing RAF Honington serviceman Corrie Mckeague have been swift to reassure his mother, who spoke after police said they're "confident" his body  will be found at the landfill site at Milton near Cambridge.

    Nicola Urquhart

    Nicola Urquhart said: "I cannot explain how this is making me feel right now.

    "I'm so disappointed, I'm so upset that I've brought over 120,000 people into this with us, and I'm making other people upset because I needed their support when maybe this didn't have to happen."

    In response to her comments, people responded via the BBC Look East Facebook page, external :

    • Julie Proud writes: "As one of Corries Army I can say NO apology is needed from Nicola"
    • Roxanne Ross says: "Don't ever be sorry just focus on you and your family and finding Corrie"
    • Melanie Turner posts: "Never feel you have upset anyone Nicola Urquhart"
    • Jill Adams says: "We are glad that you allowed us in Nicola. We are all waiting with you"
    • Chloe Clark writes: "We are Corries Army and we decided to be"

    Police, Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue, and members of the public, have taken part in numerous searches for Mr Mckeague.

    Suffolk Police had originally decided against searching the site, as information had suggested that a bin lorry collecting from where Mr Mckeague was last seen was carrying a load too light to contain a body. 

  10. Ipswich serviceman attends memorial ceremony in Londonpublished at 11:53 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    An former RAF medic now living in Ipswich is among those invited to a ceremony in London, at which the Queen  has unveiled a memorial to people who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since the first Gulf War in 1991.

    Ian Ewers-LaroseImage source, Royal British Legion

    Ian Ewers-Larose served for 12 years service as an RAF medic, serving in the Falkands for a period and seeing action on Operation Granby, external in the 1st Gulf War.

    Ian, who later fell ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, external , thinks the event will bring up a lot of memories.

    "At Coltishall [former RAF Coltishall, external  in Norfolk] we were put onto alert incredibly quickly and we had a number of medical kits to get sorted, restocked and absolutely ready to go on aircraft at very very short notice", he said.

    "I can remember working through the night, several nights actually, trying to get the kits up ready to go because we had to take everything with us."

  11. Weybread murders trial: Judge due to start summing up laterpublished at 10:40 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Kate Williams
    BBC Local Live

    I'm at Ipswich Crown Court, where the defence is presenting its closing speech in the trial of a man accused of murdering Peter and Sylvia Stuart, who lived at Weybread near Harleston.

    The couple were reported missing from their house on 3 June and Mr Stuart's body was found later that day in neighbouring woodland. The last recorded sighting of them alive was at a farm shop in Pulham Market on 29 May. 

    Floral tribute

    Mrs Stuart's body has not been found and she is presumed dead.

    A man who prosecutors say is Ali Qazimaj, 43, from Albania and formerly of Tilbury in Essex, is in the dock.

    He denies murder and denies he is Ali Quazimaj, claiming he is a 44-year-old Albanian called Vital Dapi.

  12. Town pair in New Zealand squad for World Cup qualifierspublished at 10:08 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    TWTD.co.uk

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  13. Ipswich Town: Smith returns to the international foldpublished at 09:29 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Brenner Woolley
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Just two days after making his first start for five months in Tuesday's goalless draw with Wolves , Ipswich Town defender Tommy Smith has been named in the latest New Zealand squad.

    Tommy SmithImage source, Getty Images

    The 26-year-old, who has just recovered from back surgery, will link up with the All Whites for their World Cup qualifiers against Fiji on 25 and 28 March.

    Smith told me last week he isn't concerned about being involved so soon: "We fly in comfort, we're lucky enough that New Zealand Football provide business class travel for us, so there'll be no issue with my back or anything."

  14. Hockey: Pinner helps England gain revengepublished at 09:14 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Brenner Woolley
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Suffolk hockey player George Pinner came off the bench as England, external ended their South African tour with a 5-2 win over Germany yesterday.

    George PinnerImage source, Getty Images

    The result made up for a 3-0 loss to the Germans just a few days ago. 

    Pinner, formerly of Ipswich Hockey Club, external and currently with Holcombe in Kent, captained the team during two of the four matches.

  15. Bail for three arrested in connection with firearms offencespublished at 08:49 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Three people, arrested in connection with a firearms incident in Ipswich earlier this week , have been bailed until 20 April.

    Alnesbourne Crescent

    Police were called shortly before 19:00 on Monday, to reports that gunshots had been fired on Fuchsia Lane (which runs between Foxhall Road and Cauldwell Hall Road), although they say there is no evidence to substantiate that live ammunition was fired.

    At about 20:30, officers stopped a Mini Cooper near to Alnesbourn Crescent in Ravenswood and the occupants were arrested on suspicion of possessing firearms.

    The vehicle was seized and a firearm was recovered nearby.

    A 20-year-old man, a 21-year-old man, and a 32-year-old woman, all from the town, were questioned at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre before being released on bail, pending further inquiries.

  16. Adam Webster closing in on Ipswich returnpublished at 08:31 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Graeme Mac
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Injured defender Adam Webster says he is hoping to be involved for Ipswich Town before the end of the season.

    Adam WebsterImage source, Getty Images

    The 22-year-old has not featured since January after rupturing ankle ligaments and he was expected to be out of action until the summer.

    However, the former Portsmouth man is targeting a return to full training next month.

    "That’s if everything goes according to plan," he told the club website, external .

    "I’d like to get a chance to play if possible. I’d love that, but it will be down to my recovery and the manager of course."

  17. Weather: Mild and sunny day aheadpublished at 08:11 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Georgina Burnett
    BBC Weather

    Today will be dry and bright, with plenty of sunny spells.

    It will be breezy through the morning and early afternoon, with winds easing during the afternoon. 

    Maximum temperature: 13C (55F).

  18. Good morning from Suffolk Livepublished at 08:10 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2017

    Philippa Taylor
    BBC Local Live

    It's great to have your company.

    We'll continue to monitor progress at the landfill site at Milton, where police have resumed their search for missing RAF serviceman Corrie Mckeague, and let you know if there are any developments.

    There'll also be regular news updates from across the county - and a comprehensive look at sporting stories, with cricket, darts, hockey and football all featuring.

    If there's a story we're not mentioning, you can contact us via the "Get involved" link at the top of the page.

    Weather prospects will follow shortly - and from the sneak preview I've had, it's looking good. Thanks to BBC Weather Watcher "Berniejib" for this amazingly blue sky photographed in Worlingworth:

    Sunset at Worlingworth
  19. Police 'confident' airman at landfillpublished at 19:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March 2017

    Officers say they have a "strong belief" Corrie Mckeague's body will be found at the site.

    Read More
  20. Calling it a daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March 2017

    Search for Corrie Mckeague at Milton landfillImage source, Getty Images

    That's it for our live updates on a day where we've been focusing on the search for missing serviceman Corrie Mckeague.

    Here are the main things we've learned today:

    • Both the police and Corrie Mckeague's mother, Nicola Urquhart, believe the airman's body will be found at the landfill in Milton
    • Mrs Urquhart said: "We know we are going to find Corrie in the landfill, it's just a matter of time"
    • The search is in its third day, but could last up to 10 weeks
    • Det Supt Kate Elliott admitted "frustration" over how the investigation has gone

    We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow, but if any breaking news happens overnight - it will appear here.