Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 2 June 2017

  • Suffolk Police officers begin wearing body cameras

  • Tributes are paid to the Ipswich headteacher who died in France

  • The Suffolk Show clear-up begins

  • Ipswich Witches climb to second place in the speedway Championship

  1. Twins having a 'lovely time' in Army truckpublished at 09:53 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Kate Scotter
    BBC News

    Twins Ted and Alfie Thompson, 5, from Bungay, are testing out the Army truck at the Suffolk Show.

    Family friend Lisa Cowling, from Lavenham, said they were having a "lovely time".

    "The RAF and Army guys have been brilliant with them, there's so much for them to do and they ask so many questions and they've been so patient."

    Ted and Alfie Thompson
  2. 'Hands-on' experience at Suffolk Showpublished at 09:45 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Kate Scotter
    BBC News

    This is Leyla Mott, 5, from Ipswich, decorating a biscuit at the Suffolk New College stand in the "catering hands-on skills activity area".

    She's here with her brothers Owein, 11, and Jakob, six.

    Their mum Jeanette says they're enjoying a family day out.

    Leyla Mott
  3. Why would you come to the Suffolk Show?published at 09:35 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Kate Scotter
    BBC News

    This is Abel and Albie Compton, who are here at the Suffolk Show with their mum and dad Kelly and Pete.

    Compton family

    Mr Compton, from Ipswich, said two-year-old Abel convinced them to come for the first time in many years as he loves tractors and animals.

    Mrs Compton said: "It's been a good day so far, the boys love tractors."

  4. It's never too early for equine events at the Suffolk Showpublished at 09:23 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Kate Scotter
    BBC News

    There's still something of a sleepy atmosphere at Trinity Park, but for some of the competitors, the atmosphere is definitely warming up.

    Here in the Grand Ring, the Welcome Stakes has already begun:

    Showjumping

    There's activity, too, at the President's Ring:

    Judging in the President's Ring
    Horses lined up for judging
  5. Livestock putting their best hoof forward at the Suffolk Showpublished at 09:23 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Luke Deal
    BBC Radio Suffolk

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  6. Go-ahead expected for revamp of 'barren wasteland'published at 08:40 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    A long-awaited £3m redesign of Ipswich's Cornhill is being decided on by the borough council's planning committee later today, five years after Sir Stuart Rose said: "How many trees have I seen in the centre of Ipswich this morning, in the immediate central area?

    "Seven... there are probably a few more, but it's a barren wasteland."

    Winning design for CornhillImage source, Ipswich Borough Council

    Speaking at a conference in the town in 2012, the former head of Marks and Spencer and Suffolk resident went on to say the Cornhill was like something from 1950's East Germany, describing it as "the most depressing thing you've ever seen".

    The plans, which are recommended for approval, external, include repaving the Cornhill area, adding a water feature, public art, and trees.

  7. It's pretty quiet so farpublished at 08:28 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Kate Scotter
    BBC News

    I'm up at Trinity Park, where people have started arriving for the annual Suffolk Show, external.

    It's pretty quiet so far, and of course one of the advantages of arriving so early is that getting into the car park was pretty easy.

    Good news, too, is that the sun is breaking through:

    Avenue at the Suffolk Show
  8. Facts about the Suffolk Showpublished at 08:22 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    The Suffolk Show is under way, with crowds of up to 90,000 expected at the Trinity Park site on the outskirts of Ipswich between now and the end of play tomorrow evening.

    Cows at the Show

    It's a huge event for the county - these figures give you an idea of the organisation and planning that goes into making it such a success:

    • More than 800 trade stands
    • 12 competition rings
    • 16 activity zones
    • 318 volunteer stewards
    • 86 sponsors
    • 150 food and drink stalls

    If you're going along send us a photo - we'd love to share it with the rest of the county. You can contact us via the "Get involved" link at the top of this page.

  9. Ipswich Town in the redpublished at 08:13 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Brenner Woolley
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Ipswich Town, external have confirmed their new away kit for next season.

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  10. Wednesday's weather...published at 08:13 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Georgina Burnett
    BBC Weather

    After a cooler start it should warm up during the day.

    It'll be bright rather than blazing sunshine, although there should be some breaks in the cloud to give us some sunny spells.

    There are a few showers around, although they're fairly isolated and should be quite light, so many of us across the region will have a dry day, with a top temperature of 21C (70F).

    Watch my full forecast here:

  11. Good morning Suffolkpublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 31 May 2017

    Philippa Taylor
    BBC Local Live

    Welcome to our live coverage, as day one of the annual Suffolk Show, external gets under way.

    We'll bring you a flavour of what's happening at the Trinity Park showground on the outskirts of Ipswich, as well as keeping an eye on what else is going on across the county.

    Later on today we're expecting to hear that approval has been granted for the redesign of the Cornhill in Ipswich - an area described five years ago by the former head of Marks and Spencer Sir Stuart Rose as "the most depressing thing you've ever seen".

    No matter what your plans are over the next 10 hours, I suspect you'd like to know what the weather's got in store for us - Georgina Burnett will bring us that next.

  12. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    That's it for today's regular updates from across the county - scroll down and catch up with what's been happening during the day.

    By the time the team is up and running again, the 186th Suffolk Show, external will be open to the public.

    We'll be there too, bringing you the sights and sounds (if not the smells!) of the county's biggest public event.

    You can join in as well, by sharing your memories of going to the Show, or by sending us your photographs from Trinity Park. You can contact us via the "Get involved" link at the top of this page.

  13. Not long to wait now for start of 186th Suffolk Showpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    As the opening of this year's Suffolk Show, external gets ever nearer, there's one person in particular for whom the day can't come soon enough.

    Bee Kemball and Luke Deal

    Bee Kemball, pictured here with our reporter Luke Deal, is the first female Honorary Show Director in the 18-year history of the Suffolk Agricultural Association.

    She said: "Wonderful weather like this to set up is just a joy.

    "It's always a challenge but it's only because everyone wants their part of the show to be perfect, and we want to help them achieve that."

    Gates at Trinity Park near Ipswich open tomorrow at 07:00, and we'll be bring you highlights from the event on both days.

  14. McGoldrick in Ireland squad for Mexico friendlypublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    TWTD.co.uk

    Town striker David McGoldrick has been named, external in a reduced 19-man Republic of Ireland squad for their friendly with Mexico at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in the early hours of Friday morning.

  15. BBC Election Panel: Best way forward for the elderlypublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    In the run up to the general election, the BBC is running an election panel. We've been asking members of the public for their views on key issues.

    We asked:

    How should we ensure that the elderly are properly cared for? What should we do about pensions? Which party do you think has the best policies to support us in our later life?

    An older person's hand

    And you said:

    Simon, Chelmsford: "Labour have the most comprehensive solution, though the most expensive. We should all pay a little extra on NI contributions to fill the gap."

    Julia, Northampton: "More state run care provision, pensions need to be kept in line with inflation, I think the lib deems have the best policies."

    Frances, Norwich: "Ensure that those who have saved their hard earned assets retain them to benefit themselves if and when care is needed. I think that both the Labour and Green Party are more likely to provide the best policies for elderly care."

    Vijay, Peterborough: "Pensions should be increased and those people who have saved fur their old age should not be penalised . No party has addressed this issue to my satisfaction."

    Sandra, Ipswich: "No party really has it nailed but I think Labour have the best offering at the present moment in time. I'm not a politician so have no idea how it can be done,but there are ways,as have been shown in the past,to help the elderly."

  16. General election 2017: Candidates' concern over funding for adult social carepublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    Vikki Irwin
    BBC Radio Suffolk political reporter

    Liberal Democrat candidate for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, Aidan Van De Weyer, has criticised proposals by the Tories in their manifesto to raise the threshold for when people have to start paying for care.

    Mr Van De Weyer said: "They will impact individuals too severely by taking into account the value of people's homes in home social care but that is a very short-term solution to what is a really difficult long-term and complex problem."

    Aidan Van De Weyer

    Standing for the Green party, Regan Scott said: "There's got to be a different funding formula because elderly people are not distributed evenly across local authorities.

    "A hugely complicated matter [which] needs look at in depth and it was being treated as almost a kind of a snap slogan in the general election process and I think the population have quite rightly seen through that."

    Regan Scott

    Dr David Bosworth, representing UKIP candidate Stephen Searle, said his party would put more funding into social care: "We are looking to spend an additional £2bn nationally and that will be financed through cuts in the foreign aid budget.

    "We want to integrate what's going on in the NHS with what's going on in social care so we can tackle problems such as bed-blocking."

    Labour's candidate Elizabeth Hughes said: "We're saying no-one should pay for the care they need.

    "People don't choose to have alzheimers or dementia, people don't choose to get old.

    "It should all be the same, it should all come under the same care umbrella."

    Elizabeth Hughes

    Dan Poulter, Conservative, said: "Our policy is to make sure as Conservatives that people have, as a minimum, £100,000 to leave to their family if they require social care, to stop people having to go through the injustice of having to sell off their homes in their own lifetime to pay for their care and also putting in place a cap on the total amount a person has to pay for their care."

  17. Identical twins raise a glass on their birthdaypublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    Caroline Kingdon
    BBC Local Live

    Congratulations to David and John Smith, who celebrate their 95th birthday today.

    The brothers, who live at Westfields care home in Swaffham, will celebrate in their traditional way - with two pints of Guinness provided by a local pub.

    The twins, seated, with "Birthday Boy" blue rosettes on their lapels

    The brothers, who are believed to be Norfolk's oldest pair of identical twins (unless you know different!) have outlived their other four siblings, and put their long lives down to hard work and a very happy life.

    They grew up in Coney Weston, Suffolk, and went to school in Thetford before moving to Sporle in 1940 - and have remained in the Swaffham area ever since.

    Following in their dad's footsteps, the twins worked on farms all their lives - and always worked together.

    During the war, 21-year-old David (pictured) ended up in hospital for nine weeks after he was blown up by a bomb while working on a field, suffering burns to his arms.

    David Smith, in blue blazer and blue striped shirt

    Their mum, Frances, was one of the main midwives in Swaffham, delivering hundreds of babies in the west Norfolk town. There's a plaque in her memory at Westfields care home - like her twin sons, she was a resident there in her later years.

  18. Banksy artwork auctioneers 'not counting their chickens yet'published at 15:21 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    The auctioneers tasked with selling an anti-war placard by graffiti street artist Banksy say there's a real buzz about the artwork.

    Banksy anti-war postgerImage source, Rowley's

    Will Axon, from Rowley's in Newmarket, said: "It really epitomises what he stood for in his early years of producing this work."

    As for what the piece might fetch, Mr Axon added: "In our business you've got to look at comparables.

    "A similar version sold in the States not that long ago for $34,000 (almost £26,500) but Banksy's work - if you get two people who want it, it could make six figures but I'm not counting my chickens yet."

  19. Armed police to be withdrawn from streetspublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    Policing levels in the county are expected to return to normal from today, after the introduction last week of armed police in some towns.

    They were sent to key locations around the county, such as Bury St Edmunds (pictured), Ipswich and some seafront areas, following the Manchester bomb attack.

    Armed police in Bury St Edmunds
  20. Copleston High School has ‘superb culture and ethos’ says Regional Schools Commissionpublished at 13:06 British Summer Time 30 May 2017

    Ipswich Star

    The Regional Schools Commission hailed Copleston High School’s “superb culture and ethos, external” during a recent visit.

    Copleston HighImage source, Ipswich Star