Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 24 March 2017

  • Comic Relief highlights from across the county

  • Six months since Corrie Mckeague was last seen

  • Ipswich man wins Great Pottery Thrown Down

  • Town legend believes Blues will dodge the drop

  • Felixstowe Pier rebuild continues

  1. Stolen car crashes into housepublished at 17:50 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    A couple say an incident, in which a car crashed into the front of their home, is the third time their property has been damaged in this way.

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  2. Weather: Chilly tonight with sunshine and showers tomorrowpublished at 17:48 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Dan Holley
    BBC Look East weather

    There will be a few blustery showers tonight, some with sleet or hail, but much of the time dry with long clear spells. 

    Becoming cold with a risk of patchy frost as temperatures fall to 1C (34F) - perhaps limited somewhat by the strength of the south-westerly wind.

    weather

    It will be a chilly start to Tuesday with some lengthy spells of sunshine.

    Cloud will bubble-up through the day with a few isolated showers developing, perhaps locally heavy with some hail. 

    Feeling cold in the brisk south-westerly wind, with temperatures reaching highs of 10C (50F).

    There are more details on the BBC Weather website .

  3. 'Hero' train driver nominated for awardpublished at 17:46 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    A train driver who put the safety of his passengers above his own when the train he was driving was in a collision with a tractor at a level crossing has been nominated for an award.

    In April last year, Stuart Connell was driving the Greater Anglia train from Cambridge to Norwich when it collided with the tractor at Hockham Road level crossing in Roudham near Thetford.

    Mr Connell, who was travelling at 87mph, had just seconds to act, pulling the emergency brake before warning passengers and keeping his hand on the warning horn up to and including the point of impact.

    The trailer separated from the tractor and struck the side of the train several times. 

    
          The train lying at an angle, with smashed windows, and emergency workers
        Image source, Alex Youngs

    Although badly injured and in shock, Stuart walked the train to reassure the 135 passengers. One of those travellers described Mr Connell as an "absolute hero".

    Greater Anglia has nominated him as Employee Of The Year, with the winner to be announced on 23 March.

  4. Charity concert planned for missing Corriepublished at 17:43 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    The mother of missing RAF Honington serviceman Corrie Mckeague has announced plans for a charity concert in her son's name.

    Corrie MckeagueImage source, Suffolk Police

    Nicola Urquhart says the event would be called Corrie's Concert and would be a way of raising funds for Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue, external , and other charities that have helped to support the family.

    Corrie Mckeague has been missing since he went on a night out with friends in Bury St Edmunds in September.

  5. Reward offered following break-in at funeral directorspublished at 17:40 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    A reward of £2,000 is being offered by a firm of funeral directors following a break-in on Sunday night.

    David Button discovered the burglary when he arrived for work this morning at his premises, external on High Street, Walton near Felixstowe.

    Nothing was taken, but Mr Button said: "It's not good to break into anywhere, but this is someone's final resting place, it's somewhere people come for comfort at the worst time of their lives."

    Police have told us there was a similar incident in St Andrew's Road in Felixstowe, last month.

  6. McGoldrick withdraws from Irish squadpublished at 17:38 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    As strongly hinted at by Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy earlier, David McGoldrick has pulled out of the Republic of Ireland squad for the World Cup qualifier against Wales in Dublin on Friday evening.

    He joins Town's Tom Lawrence on the international sickbed - his withdrawal from the Welsh squad was confirmed earlier.

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  7. Ipswich Town: Strong U23s side set to face Crewepublished at 17:34 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Brenner Woolley
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Ipswich Town, external strikers Brett Pitman and Freddie Sears (pictured left and right) could line up for the Under-23s at home to Crewe Alexandra tonight.

    Brett Pitman, Jonathan Parr and Freddie SearsImage source, Getty Images

    Winger Danny Rowe, who made his senior debut at Cardiff on Saturday, is also likely to play while Jonny Williams could feature after recovering from shoulder surgery.

    Full-backs Myles Kenlock and Josh Emmanuel might get games after missing out at the weekend.

    Kick-off at Portman Road is at 19:00.

  8. Video: Car-crash owner talks about his lucky escapepublished at 17:32 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Investigations continue into an incident in which a car was driven into the front of a house in Trimley St Mary late on Sunday night:

    Media caption,

    Trimley St Mary couple's house hit by stolen car

  9. Environmental campaigner 'was invited' to Thetford Forestpublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    The Friends of Thetford Forest, external  group say it's not the first time they've had to defend the woodland after comments by environmental campaigner Germaine Greer.

    Speaking to Farming Today, Ms Greer said the forest should be felled as it wasn't a useful habitat like a naturally-formed woodland.

    She made similar comments in 2011, and at the time was invited to Thetford to learn about timber production, wildlife, archaeology and recreation there.

    Thetford Forest signImage source, Adrian Cable/Geograph

    But Anne Mason, chair of the Friends group, says the offer was never taken up.

    Quote Message

    She expressed the same views, questioning that Thetford Forest had any value whatsoever and Friends of Thetford Forest actually had a letter published refuting her views and inviting her to the forest but she didn't take us up on that invitation."

    Anne Mason, Friends of Thetford Forest

  10. Mystery surrounds Lowestoft announcementpublished at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Guy Campbell
    BBC Radio Suffolk

    A meeting is taking place this evening in Lowestoft, where major plans for the regeneration of the seafront are being discussed.

    Lowestoft seafront

    Designer Wayne Hemingway, external has been invited by Waveney District Council to discuss the creation of a new vision for the area.

    But the plans have been shrouded in secrecy, and so we can only hazard a guess at what might be on the cards:

    How would you like to see the area developed?

    Share your thoughts with us, via the "Get involved" button at the top of this page.

  11. Pub reopens after five yearspublished at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    A 400-year-old pub which has been closed for almost five years has reopened, after a major refurbishment project.

    Oyster interiorImage source, Oyster Inn

    The Oyster at Butley near Orford has been closed for almost five years, but it's now up and running again.

    There is a record of licensed inn tax being paid to James 1 in 1617 from the premises. It was originally called the Great Oyster.

    Oyster Inn interiorImage source, Rufus Owen

    Owner Judi Newman said: "It's been a bit of a labour of love, but we're delighted to actually get the doors open.

    "After so many months of renovation, it's terrific to actually [see] real people standing there enjoying it."

    Interior of Oyster Inn with open fireplaceImage source, Rufus Owen

    Future plans involve converting barns into a village shop, games room, holiday let and a microbrewery.

  12. Thetford Forest 'should be felled' says conservation campaigner published at 15:56 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    The author and conservation campaigner, Germaine Greer, says Thetford Forest should be felled.

    She made her comments to Farming Today , where she was talking about her work as president of the Buglife charity.  

    Ms Greer said the Forest wasn't a useful habitat, like a naturally-formed woodland.

    "People in England don't know what a woodland is... they think trees will last forever, that you should never a remove a tree... everybody's got to be more aware of the natural world and what it takes to manage properly."

    
          Warren Wood in Thetford Forest, showing grassy area with shrubs and trees beyond
        Image source, Ashley Dace/Geograph

    Friends of Thetford Forest, external  say her comments disregard the value of the forest for timber production, wildlife, archaeology and recreation, adding that it's of high conservation value and a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its birds, plants and geology.

  13. Former Essex batsman Mickleburgh joins Suffolkpublished at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Bury Free Press

    Former Essex batsman Jaik Mickleburgh views signing for Suffolk as the potential springboard, external for a return to the first-class cricket circuit.

    Jaik MickleburghImage source, Bury Free Press
  14. Witnesses sought to Trimley St Mary collisionpublished at 14:53 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Police would like to hear from anyone who has information about events leading to a car crashing into a house in Trimley St Mary on Sunday night.

    Crash car

    Officers were called at 23:15, to reports that a car had collided with a building on High Road.

    The driver of the vehicle, reportedly a woman aged between 20 and 40, with dark hair who was wearing light-coloured clothing like pyjamas, left the scene and ran off in the direction of Station Road.

    They say the Vauxhall Vectra had been stolen during a burglary at St Mary's Close some time after 11:00, when a suspect entered a property and removed car keys, before taking the vehicle.

  15. Man airlifted to hospital after motocross incidentpublished at 14:50 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    A man in his 20s was airlifted to hospital, after being injured in a motocross incident in West Row, near Mildenhall, on Sunday morning.

    Magpas Air Ambulance helicopterImage source, Magpas

    The man, who had a fractured leg, was taken to the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

    A woman, also believed to be in her 20s, was treated for a suspected fractured collar bone and taken to the same hospital by land ambulance.

  16. Ed Sheeran backs new guide for fans on ticket buyingpublished at 14:36 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Ed SheeranImage source, EPA

    Ed Sheeran , Mumford & Sons and Radiohead have all given their backing to a new campaign by organisation The Fanfair Alliance urging people to reject websites selling gig tickets at inflated prices. 

    A new guide published by TheFanFair Alliance, external offers fans tips on getting tickets while avoiding touts.

    It said the guide is a "response to the dark arts employed by resale platforms".

    Ed said: "Find out who the authorised ticket sellers are, avoid the secondary sites... and if you've got to sell a ticket, sell if for face value."

    Meanwhile, the singer had more reasons to celebrate over the weekend as nine of the top 10 singles in the UK chart were from his album ÷ (Divide) which, unsurprisingly, continued to top the album chart at home at the US.

    In fact, Ed topped three of Billboard's charts, the Billboard 200, the Artist 100 and Shape of You is at number one in the Hot 100 for a seventh week. 

  17. Corrie Mckeague: Landfill site search enters third weekpublished at 14:20 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    The search of the landfill site at Milton, for missing RAF Honington serviceman Corrie Mckeague, has entered its third week. 

    The search was halted on Friday, after an excavator broke down, but police say it has been fixed, and the search resumed this morning.

    Excavator at Milton landfill siteImage source, Paperpix UK

    Mr Mckeague was last seen by CCTV cameras in Bury St Edmunds in the early hours of Saturday, 24 September, after a night out in the town.

  18. Town player pulls out of international dutypublished at 13:37 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Ipswich Town's top goalscorer Tom Lawrence has confirmed he is pulling out of the Wales squad for the World Cup qualifier away to the Republic of Ireland.

    He was injured in Town's 3-1 defeat in Cardiff on Saturday. 

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  19. 'Rare' foals enjoying their surroundingspublished at 13:08 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    The twin foals born recently at a farm in Wingfield are growing in confidence, and getting to know their surroundings.

    When Tilly and Lilly, two Welsh cobs, were born, an equine vet said he'd only known of two pairs of twin foals born in more than 20 years, with the odds of survival believed to be one in 10,000.

    Media caption,

    Rare twin foals growing stronger on Suffolk farm