There's been a long and high profile political campaign to improve the Ely North Junction. 

It lies on one of the main arteries of the eastern region. Trains from Norwich, King's Lynn, Peterborough, Ipswich and Cambridge all converge on the station along with freight services connecting Felixstowe to the Midlands.

Campaigners say that if it were improved it would be possible to run longer and more frequent services.

But the promised work, which had been due to start this year, was indefinitely delayed after Network Rail realised it had over-committed on projects and run out of money. 

With its new budget not starting until 2019, no preparatory work could start until then.

The fact that the private sector has stumped up the cash for a feasibilty study shows how much this project means to the region's business community.

There is still no start date despite today's announcement and there won't be one for some time.

But you get a sense that things are at last slowly moving forwards.

MPs, business leaders and rail operators were at Ely railway station this morning to celebrate a small, but potentially significant, step forward in the long campaign to improve the Ely North Junction. 

The main business organisations for Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire (including the Greater Cambridge/Greater Peterborough LEP, external and the New Anglia LEP, external ) along with rail freight operators, have put up a total of £8.8m to fund a technical and feasibility study. 

Their hope is that the privately-funded initiative will speed up the project and make it more likely to go ahead when Network Rail draws up its new budget for 2019. 

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

Really, on Red Nose Day, external , it's been proven that more or less anything goes. 

We all know that up and down the country, no end of silly (and some ridiculous) antics are under way in the name of raising cash for charity. And make no mistake, people take it very seriously.

And while some people shout about their tomfoolery and shenanigans, some are quieter, more reticent in their contributions to the cause.

For example, who would have guessed that the smiling face of the charming lady at the BBC Suffolk reception in St Matthew's Street had put on her own silly socks in the good name of Comic Relief? 

Here are the socks, which are, we have decided, red-nosed:

And let me introduce you to their owner, Helen, our good friend on reception whose smiling face is the first (and hopefully not last) you see when you walk in through our doors. Thank you for joining in, Helen.

Just for the record, she posed for this picture, simply to show the socks off. I can assure she works very hard, and doesn't ever sit with her feet up on the desk!

She was joined by Mark Murphy and the breakfast team earlier...

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Ipswich Town, external striker Shane McLoughlin has joined National League side Bromley on a youth loan for the rest of the season.

Image source, Ipswich Town FC

The 20-year-old, who has been on the Blues bench for a couple of FA Cup ties, has been a regular for Town's Under-23s this season.

He's likely to make his Bromley debut against Chester tomorrow.

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Suffolk's Peter Wright has been knocked off the top of darts'  Premier League, external table.

Image source, Getty Images

The UK Open champion, who's based in Mendham, lost 7-5 to Phil Taylor in Manchester last night.

World number one Michael van Gerwen now leads the way after seeing off James Wade, although he later lost to compatriot Raymond van Barneveld.

Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson were the round's other winners.

A Green Party councillor has taken an unusual step in an effort to draw attention to potholes in his area.

Image source, Andrew Stringer

Andrew Stringer, leader of the party on Suffolk County Council, said: "I went out yesterday and planted some up with some daffodils and took pictures of them, then sent the pictures in [to the council]."

He's hoping his novel idea will lead to a swift filling-in of the pothole in Broad Road, Cotton near Stowmarket - but not while the flowers are still blooming we assume. 

Image source, Getty Images

Ed Sheeran has also taken time today to plug the release of James Blunt 's new album and one particular track on it which he co-wrote. 

And if you want to check it out here's James Blunt performing it live at Youtube's studios. 

Warning: Third party content, may contain ads.

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Former Ipswich Town, external player John Wark is confident the Blues will avoid relegation from the Championship this season.

Although he admits that, like fans, he's worried about the club's current predicament, he can't see them ending up in League One.

"I've looked at the fixtures of the other teams [down there] and for me Wigan and Rotherham have gone," said Wark.  

"I can't see Birmingham, Burton and Bristol getting enough points as they've got more difficult fixtures than us, so I can see one of them going down as well."

Listen to Wark's full analysis with me on BBC Radio Suffolk's Drivetime Show after 18:00 this evening. Thordis Fridriksson sits in as presenter for Stephen Foster.

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

Work is due to resume in The Street in Holbrook, where a car has been removed from a hole created by a collapsed water main. Here was the scene yesterday morning:

The car has been removed by Anglia Water and this was the scene outside the GP surgery this morning, before any workers arrived:

Here's a close up of the work carried out so far:

Holbrook Academy is open again today, but work is being carried out at its entrance on Ipswich Road.

On the other side of the street, work continues building a new housing estate, with the entrance to the site a few yards behind the barriers across Ipswich Road.

Image source, Cherry Seaborn

Ed Sheeran 's written an article for the BBC about his experiences of his first Comic Relief trip to Africa.

He visited a school in West Point, the largest and most dangerous slum in Liberia's capital, Monrovia - where he made friends with a girl called Peaches. 

Read the full article here.

The redevelopment of the pier includes shops, a restaurant and a bowling alley.

Kate Arkell
BBC Radio Suffolk

A man has been charged with possessing a bladed article in a public place, and a public order offence, after an incident at Crown Pools in Ipswich yesterday morning.

The 52-year-old, who lives in the town, has been released on bail to appear in court next month.

As we reported yesterday , the pool was shut for about 45 minutes, but no-one was hurt.

We'd like to say a big "well done" to Ipswich's Ryan Barrett, who was crowned winner of the second series of the Great Pottery Throw Down on BBC2 last night.

Ryan, 31, is pictured clutching his trophy, and phoning his grandma to share the good news. She responded by saying: "Ooh lovely darling - you don't get any money or anything?"

Ryan said he first touched clay on a first date just under two years ago, instantly falling in love with it before buying a wheel and kiln online and moving them into his grandmother's shed.

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

Holbrook Academy near Ipswich is open today after yesterday's closure due to lack of water supplies.

A water main collapsed under a car on The Street in Holbrook.

Repairs are due to resume today. The Street is still closed off outside the GP Surgery, while Ipswich Road, the main road through the village, is blocked off at the entrance to the secondary school, so it would be best to approach the Royal Hospital School or Stutton via the A137.

Pictures of the collapsed main on The Street to follow.

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Mendham's Peter Wright embraced the spirit of Comic Relief ahead of last night's Premier League, external game against Phil Taylor in Manchester.

Image source, Getty Images

For those of you unaware of Wright's flamboyant style, the hair and trousers were nothing out of the ordinary.

Sadly for him Taylor had the last laugh though, as he won 7-5.

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

This morning will be cloudy and breezy, but dry. The cloud will gradually break up during the afternoon, so it will become sunny and mild later with a high of 12C (54F).

There are more details on the BBC Weather website .

The singer writes about his Comic Relief visit and why he'll never forget the children he met.

Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live

Welcome to our live coverage on the day when we have a great excuse to do something a bit silly, as you can see from the socks some of my colleagues are wearing:

We'll bring you news of some of the fund-raising events taking place across the county, but we'd love to hear what you're up to as well - you can reach us via the "Get involved" link at the top of this page.

We'll be back soon with the day's weather prospects.

Contractors repainted the "SL" after they laid down cabling and resurfaced part of the road.

Sam Duncan, 24, attacked a woman as she waited for a train at Melton station in Suffolk in July.