An Ipswich man has been sentenced to a total of 10 years imprisonment, with an extended licence period, external of five years, for four charges of rape, and one of common assault.

Image source, Suffolk Police

Alex Turner, 20, of Turner Road in the town, had pleaded guilty before his trial in May to one charge of rape and sexual activity with a child under 16.

The jury at Ipswich Crown Court found him guilty of three further rapes and a common assault.

After his sentencing yesterday, PC Damian Richer said: "The victims in this case were immensely brave in coming forward and giving their evidence about what happened to them.

"They have been supported through the investigation by a number of agencies.

"We hope such a result will help to reassure victims that we will always investigate any allegations of recent or historic sexual abuse thoroughly and as a result bring offenders to justice."

Turner will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

There's not a blade of grass to be seen on the pitch at Portman Road as preparations continue ahead of Saturday night's visit by Sir Elton John.

Concert-goers have been warned that armed police will be on patrol in the area, and that extra security measures will be in place, in the light of the terrorist incidents in London and Manchester.

Image source, ITFC - The Venue

Questions are being asked about whether our very own Ed Sheeran will appear on stage with Sir Elton John on Saturday night at Portman Road.

Image source, Getty Images

Back in 2015, Ed was joined onstage, external during one of his Wembley concerts by the rocket man himself.

Ed's next official appearance, external is on 22 June, when he performs a sell-out concert at the O2 arena.

We understand there are no serious injuries following the two-vehicle collision:

Security is going to be tight at Portman Road in Ipswich on Saturday night, as thousands of people attend the Elton John concert.

Armed police will join additional officers before, during and after the event.

Image source, Getty Images

Police say they've been working with venue and security staff, and advise visitors that extra security measures will be in place.

Concert-goers are urged not to bring large bags with them, and to only bring a small bag if really necessary.

Supt Jon Dodman says planning for the concert has been under way for some time, and this was reviewed in light of terrorist incidents in London and Manchester.

"We have been liaising with organisers to put sensible measures in place to ensure concert goers can have a safe and enjoyable evening.

"We know that armed officers can be an unusual sight on the streets of Suffolk, but please don’t be unduly concerned.

"Armed officers will be supporting uniformed patrols and all are there to provide reassurance.

"We would ask concert goers to remain vigilant but not to be alarmed," he said.

Residents of Cumberland Towers, one of the few tower blocks in Ipswich, have had a meeting with officials from the borough council, following yesterday's massive fire at a block of flats in west London.

Image source, Google

Colin Kreiderwolf, ward councillor for Westgate, which covers the sheltered housing scheme, said: "Council officers met with 30 residents to explain to them the systems that we have in place in Cumberland Towers, the training, to reassure them about the materials that are being used or have been used in the past on the building.

"The building had a new early detection system installed in 2016.

"From that they would get a rapid reaction from any of the emergency services and the fire service do conduct regular training exercises involving the building to try and make sure [we have] the proper planning in place.

The widow of John Peel says she doesn't think he appreciated how important he was.

When asked if he realised how popular he was, she replied: "No, no no no no no, never, which is what I said after he died, the reaction was just fabulous and he wouldn't have believed it."

John's funeral was held at the cathedral in Bury St Edmunds, and Sheila [Ravenscroft] agreed it was a "remarkable" day: "He would have been gobsmacked by it, absolutely."

John and Sheila moved to Great Finborough in1971, and later today, as part of BBC Music Day 2017, a blue plaque is being unveiled to the broadcaster outside the village hall.

"He didn't really like going to London much because he wanted to be here," Sheila said.

"We'd got four kids, and he wanted to be here with the kids, so he used to really get quite homesick when he was in London."

"Getting into Finborough and driving down the lane, he could feel everything lifting, it meant a huge amount to him."

We'll keep you posted about any delays in the area.

Sheila Ravenscroft has been talking about how she and her husband, the late John Peel, came to live in Great Finborough.

Speaking on the day a blue plaque is unveiled to the music legend outside the village hall, as part of BBC Music Day, she explained: "We were living in London, I was teaching, and John always wanted to live in the country again.

"He was brought up in the countryside, so we started looking in an ever increasing circle around London.

"Eventually after two years we came to Suffolk and found this place.

"We had a camper van we'd sleep in over the weekend and this was the last house we were looking at on the Sunday night.

"We were tired and we nearly didn't come and look.

"I didn't really think this was going to be the house for us, I didn't really look at it, and we got out, and John said 'we're going to live there, that's it'.

"We’ve been here ever since 1971."

The man behind a collection in Haverhill for items to help people who've lost their homes and their possessions in Wednesday's massive fire at Grenfell Tower in London, has described the support from local people as "absolutely overwhelming."

Tony Brown, a town councillor, said: "We put something out yesterday morning and within an hour or so, we had volunteers turning up down at the Haverhill Arts Centre, external.

"We had people bringing bags of children's clothing, adult's clothing, shoes, nappies.

"We had a load of stuff sent down by a lady who's 90 who'd just knitted some stuff for one of her great grandchildren, she's donated that.

"Right until 10 o'clock last night we were inundated with donations.

"We thought we'd be heading down with half a van, we've now got three big van fulls.

"We're going to load the vans up, and if we can find somewhere that can take the donations that can actually handle them at the moment we'll take them straight up to London.

"Failing that we'll find some storage for a week or so until the initial surge of donations has died down."

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

It's set to be another warm day, although temperatures won't be quite as high as we saw yesterday, and there'll be a bit more cloud around during the afternoon.

Lots of sunshine this morning but there's a chance of a few spots of rain out towards the west later on, otherwise dry.

The breeze will pick up a little, with a top temperature inland of about 23C (74F), becoming fresher as we head into the evening.

Watch my full regional forecast here:

Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live

Thanks for choosing us to keep you up-to-date with what's happening across the county, it's great to have your company.

We'll find out more about a collection which began in Haverhill yesterday for items to help people who lost their homes and possessions in the massive fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower in London.

It's BBC Music Day, and a number of historic blue plaques celebrating iconic musicians and venues are being unveiled.

As you may know, one of them recognises the contribution made to the industry by the late broadcaster John Peel - we'll be hearing from his widow, Sheila Ravenscroft.

But we're creatures of habit, and we always start the day with a look at the weather prospects, so we see no reason not to do the same today. Elizabeth Rizzini is going to do the honours next.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

That's it for another day of live news - thanks for your company.

We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow morning to do it all again.

Don't forget you can get in touch too - just click the Get Involved button at the top of the page.

In the meantime I'll leave you with this lovely Weather Watcher snap taken in Lowestoft - but is it a greenfinch or a siskin?

It has snaffled a tasty tea, anyway.

Martin Thrower was arrested after a boy who was being filmed in a toilet grabbed the rector's phone.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Image source, Google

This is the Church of St Peter and St Mary in Stowmarket.

Police say a robbery took place here at about 15:10 yesterday - near Station Road West and Church Walk.

The victim, a man in his 20s, had been walking through the churchyard when he was approached by a couple who demanded money and reportedly threatened him with a knife.

The suspects fled on foot after the victim handed over a quantity of cash and police were called.

A 20-year-old man from London and a 16-year-old girl from Ipswich have been arrested. They've been released under investigation.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

The number of people receiving unemployment benefit in Suffolk fell last month.

Figures for May have been published today.

They revealed that 6,745 people were getting out of work benefits then - 90 fewer than in April.

It's the first time in eight months the number has gone down.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

The former Conservative MP Ben Gummer has taken to Facebook to praise his staff and to say thank you to his former constituents.

Mr Gummer, who was twice elected to serve Ipswich, was beaten by Labour's Sandy Martin, who won the seat with a majority of 831 votes.

"I have learned more from being their representative than in anything else I have done, and so it is with gratitude as well as immense pride that I say goodbye, and good luck," he added.

A vicar who filmed a teenager using a public toilet in a shopping centre and had almost 600 similar images on his phone has admitted voyeurism.

Image source, Google/Church of England

The Very Rev Martin Thrower had denied two counts of voyeurism but changed his pleas to guilty after evidence was heard from the first witness in his trial at Norwich Crown Court.

William Carter, prosecuting, said the 56-year-old clergyman was caught when a 17-year-old heard a noise above him as he sat on the toilet at the Buttermarket shopping centre in Ipswich, Suffolk.

The teenager looked up and could see someone's hand holding a mobile phone that was filming him.

Giving evidence, the teenager said: "I automatically jumped up and grabbed the phone."

Asked how he felt, he said: "Awful. Shaken, just terrible, it was horrible."

Thrower, of Church Street, Hadleigh, Suffolk, is rector of Hadleigh, Layham and Shelley.

Officers seized computer equipment from his home and found 589 still images of individuals in toilet cubicles on his phone, of "hundreds of different men", Mr Carter said.

The case was adjourned for reports ahead of sentencing on 4 August.

BBC Weather Watchers

It only takes a day of sunshine to make our county look beautiful.

Here's another couple of snaps from our busy BBC Weather Watcher army.

This is the life - the lovely scene at Ipswich Marina today, by Weather Watcher Johns Place.

And this is the sky over Eye - thanks to Shirley for this one.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Image source, Kevin J Murphy

After three years of intensive nature-watching, the building that housed the BBC Springwatch programme in Suffolk is finally being dismantled.

The RSPB reserve at Minsmere was the home of the popular show from 2014 to 2016 - and followed a snapshot of local nature through a series of live cameras.

It's now broadcasting from the Sherborne Park Estate in Gloucestershire.

Image source, Kevin J Murphy