Cleah Hetherington
BBC Radio Suffolk

A man due to be convicted shortly of murdering a husband and wife has said he "would never kill". 

Ali Qazimaj, 43, formerly of Tilbury, Essex, is being sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court of killing Weybread couple Sylvia and Peter Stuart. 

The prosecution has argued the murders were "premeditated and planned".

In a statement read out by the defence, Qazimaj maintained his innocence.

He said: "I am a just man who would never kill a man let alone two people. I would like you to understand you are sentencing a man who is innocent."

The defence said Qazimaj, who showed no emotion in court, would fight to clear his name.

Mr Stuart was found stabbed to death near the couple's home on 3 June. Mrs Stuart's body has not been found.

A restricted zone, set up to prevent avian flu, is downgraded after the slaughter of thousands of birds.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

A report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has expressed concern about "signaller reliance" after a train ploughed into a tractor on a level crossing at Hockham Road, near Thetford.

The tractor was hit by the Norwich to Cambridge train at nearly 87 mph (140km/h) last April and the tractor driver, who had been given permission to cross, suffered serious injuries as a result of the  accident.

Image source, RAIB

Simon French, chief inspector at RAIB, said: "In recent years, the RAIB has become concerned about signaller error as a cause of accidents at level crossings where it is always necessary for vehicle drivers to telephone the signaller for permission to cross."

He continued: "In an environment where signalling control areas are becoming larger, and the number of crossings overseen by an individual signaller may often increase, it is important that the railway industry considers carefully the measures required to control the risk of signaller error leading to collision.

"We are recommending that Network Rail should undertake a review of its measures for the protection of such crossings with the objective of reducing the risk of signaller error."  

East Anglian Daily Times

Here's a look at the front of today's East Anglian Daily Times, external : 

Image source, Archant

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Past, present and potential future supporters of Leiston Football Club, external are invited to an open meeting at the club's Victory Road ground tonight.

Image source, Leiston FC

The Blues are enjoying arguably their most successful season to date, but chairman Andy Crisp says feedback and views on where the club as a whole should be going are being sought. 

At the meeting, manager Glenn Driver (pictured) and head coach Tony Kinsella will outline their plans for the next three seasons, having recently agreed new contracts. 

"It's not just about a first team at this club any longer," Driver said.

"It is about Leiston Football Club as a whole and we need to develop our own youth players, something that has never really happened here."

As we've been reporting, the man convicted of killing Suffolk couple Peter and Sylvia Stuart will be sentenced today .

Ali Qazimaj, 43, formerly of Tilbury, Essex, was found guilty of two counts of murder at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday. The couple had last been seen at a farm shop at Pulham Market, Norfolk.

Here's a look back at how the investigation unfolded.

Ipswich Star

Here's a look at the front page of today's Ipswich Star, external : 

Image source, Archant

No-one was in a cottage that was destroyed by a fire at the weekend, police have confirmed.

Image source, Roger Harden

Firefighters were called to Gaston Street, East Bergholt, in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Officials spent yesterday searching through the wreckage of the home after the owner was initially unaccounted for.

Suffolk Police said no-one was in the property.

The county's fire and rescue service has investigated the blaze and it is thought it was caused by an electrical fault.

Image source, Roger Harden

Image source, Roger Harden

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Ipswich Town's U-23s were beaten 3-1 by Nottingham Forest last night.

Image source, itfc.co.uk

Striker Ben Morris was on target for the Blues ahead of his loan move to National League side Woking.

The 17-year-old's first-half goal had levelled the score at Alfreton Town's Impact Arena, before Forest moved ahead after the interval.

Midfielder Andre Dozzell also featured for Ipswich on the night.

Ed Sheeran 's chart reign looks set to continue - with the midweek chart update, external indicating he'll have six of the top 10 singles this week.

While we applaud his success, many people in the music industry are worried that Sheeran's chokehold on the charts is robbing new (and established) artists of the exposure they need.

So, apart from a blanket ban on the words of Ed Sheeran, is there a solution to the problem of one artist dominating the Top 40?

We've been having a look at the problems facing and options available to the Official Charts Company.

Read all about it here.

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Lowestoft Town, external are being tipped to reach a third Suffolk Premier Cup final in a row tonight.

Image source, Lowestoft Town FC

The Trawler Boys face Newmarket Town, external in the first of this season's semi-finals at Needham Market's Bloomfields ground. 

Two divisions separate Ady Gallagher's Ryman Premier Division side from the Jockeys who play in the Thurlow Nunn League.

Gallagher (pictured) said: "I've seen Newmarket play and they are a good side. We won't disrespect them. From our point of view we want to extend this good run that we've been on into another game."

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Newmarket Town and Lowestoft Town will meet at Bloomfields, Needham Market, tonight in the first of this year's Suffolk Premier Cup semi-finals.

Image source, Needham Market FC

The Jockeys are currently third in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division, external and have already made it through to the final of this season's Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup.

However, it is the Trawler Boys who will start as favourites from 19:45, as Ady Gallagher's side have won their last four matches and are unbeaten in five in the Ryman League., external

Lowestoft have also won the Premier Cup in each of the last two seasons and have eight triumphs in the competition since the year 2000.

A well-known hotel in Suffolk has been put up for sale with a price tag of £4.1m.

Colliers International Hotel Agency, external has set a bid deadline of April 27 for the freehold sale of the 15th Century property.

The country house hotel, which has historical links to the monarchy, last changed hands in 2012 and underwent a major refurbishment.

Set within 10 acres (four hectares) of land near Woodbridge, it has 32 en-suite bedrooms, a restaurant, events rooms and a spa with a heated pool.

With Ed Sheeran set to dominate the Top 40 for a second week, are the charts in need of an overhaul?

Kelly McCormack
BBC Radio Suffolk

A protection zone has been lifted around two poultry farms where there were outbreaks of bird flu last month .

Image source, British Poultry

Thousands of chickens were destroyed after the disease was found at Redgrave, near Diss.

Sasha Watson from Suffolk Trading Standards said: "Obviously there are still restrictions on how the birds are housed and isolated from wild birds and there are increased bio-security measures that need to be in place but we're moving in the right direction."

DEFRA, external has details of all the latest restrictions.

Kelly McCormack
BBC Radio Suffolk

Museums in the county are being given more than £500,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund , external to train people in curating.

Image source, Geograph/Colin Park

The money will be used to provide training opportunities at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, The Long Shop in Leiston, Palace House in Newmarket and with the Ipswich and Colchester Museum Service.

There'll be eight placements a year for three years. 

Jayne Austin, museum development manager with Suffolk County Council, said people without many qualifications and those from different economic backgrounds or who hadn't had a chance to go to university should get in touch. 

"If they're bright, they're enthusiastic and they've got a real passion for their local heritage then it's a real opportunity to get their foot in the door of a heritage career they might not have considered before," she said.

Kelly McCormack
BBC Radio Suffolk

A man found guilty yesterday of murdering a Suffolk couple will be sentenced today. 

Image source, Suffolk Police

Yesterday a jury returned two unanimous verdicts against Ali Qazimaj, 43.

The Albanian national claimed he was the victim of mistaken identity, despite forensic evidence linking him to Peter and Sylvia Stuart.

The body of 75-year-old Mr Stuart was found in a stream close to his home on the Norfolk-Suffolk border at Weybread last June. 

Mrs Stuart, who was 69, has yet to be found. 

Kate Kinsella
BBC Look East weather

It's a rather cloudy start perhaps with patchy light rain possible. Through the day some bright or sunny intervals will develop and feeling mild, especially in the sunshine with a high of 14C (57F).

Here's my full forecast...

There are more details on the BBC Weather website .

Good morning from the team here in Suffolk. 

We're at our keyboards poised to bring you all the latest news, sport, weather and travel as they happen.

It's set to be another fine day, with temperatures continuing a lot warmer than normal for this time of the year. 

A full weather forecast is up next but don't forget you can keep us up-to-date too, via  email,Twitter, external  or  Facebook, external . 

That's the end of our live updates for this gloriously sunny day.

If you scroll down below, you'll see it's been a busy day here for the Suffolk Live team as the man accused of killing Weybread couple Sylvia and Peter Stuart was found guilty.

The jury returned its verdict in less than four hours after the month-long trial.

We'll bring you more news, travel, sport and weather from 08:00 tomorrow.

Have a great evening.