Former Ipswich Town director and patron of the club, Philip Hope-Cobbold, has died.

The 76-year-old, who was part of the Cobbold family that have been synonymous with the club since its formation in 1878, died on Wednesday afternoon.

He attended his first match in 1950, taken by his uncle John Cobbold, then a director of the club and accepted an invitation from chairman John Kerr to join the Club board in January 1995.

The club said he "remained a regular and popular attendee" on matchdays at Portman Road.

"All at Ipswich Town send deepest condolences to Philip’s family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all," a statement said.

Former player Matt Holland is among those who've paid tribute to him saying he was a "fantastic man with a great sense of humour".

A review into Jane Bartholomew's killing by Scott Ellis in Suffolk says there was no warning of it.

• The Ipswich Star, external reports that the future of a metal works employing 85 people is in doubt
• Bury Free Press, external writes that firefighters rescued a baby who was trapped in a car this morning
• The Haverhill Echo, external reports that the new busway heading out towards Haverhill from Cambridge has moved one step closer as a route was chosen to progress to the next stage of development

Jason Noble
Suffolk Local Democracy Reporter

High streets in 12 towns are to get a £1.1m boost for a project to provide free wi-fi and footfall tracking.

On Tuesday, Conservative-controlled East Suffolk Council’s cabinet, external said the successful pilot project held in Framlingham last year could be rolled out to 11 other market towns, which will see major digital upgrades.

The project, titled Smart Towns, will include provision of free wi-fi, online promotions to attract shoppers, footfall tracking data, and new high street apps and town websites.

Image source, Tim Marchant / Geograph

"We need to make these towns as attractive and accessible as we possibly can,” said council leader Steve Gallant.

Work to roll out the scheme is to begin later this summer and should be completed within two years.

Around £400,000 has been spent on bringing the project forward to date, with council approving a further £500,000, while the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, external has pledged £200,000.

The 12 towns to benefit from the scheme are:

• Aldeburgh
• Beccles
• Bungay
• Felixstowe
• Framlingham
• Halesworth
• Leiston
• Lowestoft
• Saxmundham
• Southwold
• Wickham Market
• Woodbridge

Image source, West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village

From tomorrow you will be able to visit more museums and historical places of interest.

Moyse’s Hall Museum, external in Bury St Edmunds and the nearby West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, external will reopen.

Councillor John Griffiths, leader of West Suffolk Council, said he was "delighted" they were in a position to reopen their sites in a "safe and considered way".

"I ask that we all continue to do our part by observing the measures that are needed," he added.

Although play areas are able to reopen, ensuring everyone can "socially distance", some play equipment is being "taken out of service for the time being", it added.

Image source, Culture Trust

Arts groups in the East have been given a share of a £33m fund to help them stay afloat until the end of September, because of the impact of Covid-19.

The money from the Arts Council, external has been given to National Portfolio Organisations.

It has come from its £160m Emergency Response Package, which was launched in March, with help from the National Lottery and the government.

Hedley Swain, area director for Arts Council England, said: "We know that we are all still facing huge challenges.

"We’ll use our remaining available funds, alongside those announced by government, to support our sector in the coming months.”

The groups that have received help include:

• Luton Cultural Services Trust - Wardown House: £51,471
• Milton Keynes Arts Centre: £45,860
• Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket, Suffolk: £88,950
• New International Encounter, Cambridge: £28,081
• Wavendon Allmusic Plan Ltd, Buckinghamshire: £297,090

See also: Theatre boss had 'best night's sleep in 100 days'

The ex-Army officer had a movie clip of children with one as young as 12 months old, a court hears.

As Sound City is postponed, one of its venues is to host socially-distanced gigs streamed online.

A minister calls the growth of an AONB "a worthy addition, during this unprecedented time".

After a successful sold-out debut in 2019, the Sound City Ipswich, external music festival has been postponed for 2020 due to the ongoing lockdown restrictions and "uncertainty around large gatherings".

It was due to take place on 2 October across various venues in the town, and has been rescheduled for Friday, 1 October, 2021.

Organisers said nine of the 10 artists booked to play would appear and tickets would be valid or refunds available. Dry Cleaning will not be able to appear next year, but others including Truemendous, Warmduscher and Porridge Radio have been re-booked.

In an email to ticket holders, they said: "We are so happy to be able to carry so many amazing acts on to next year’s festival which will be bigger and better and a real celebration of the resilience of the town and the live music industry."

Alex Pope
BBC News Online

Venues up and town the region were painted (not literally) red last night to raise the profile of arts venues, that have been hit hard during the coronavirus lockdown.

The #LightItInRed campaign on social media shows buildings and places in a red glow to "bring light to the situation of the events industry during the Covid-19 crisis".

Image source, Norwich Theatre Royal

Image source, Basildon Council

As theatres and arts venues are still unable to open, the government announced a £1.57bn support package on Sunday evening.

Image source, SMTT

Image source, Martin Bond, A Cambridge Diary

Image source, Deco Theatre

Image source, Players Theatre

Image source, The Archers Theatre

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

The company seeking to build a new nuclear power station at Sizewell, EDF SZC Co, external, has submitted applications to the Environment Agency for three permits needed for environmental protection during commissioning, operation and decommissioning of the plant.

The permits cover disposals and discharges of radioactive wastes, operation of standby power supply systems using diesel generators and discharges of cooling water and liquid effluent into the North Sea.

Image source, Environment Agency

The Environment Agency is seeking feedback, external from local people on the permits during the consultation period which will run from 6 July 2020 for 12 weeks.

If the agency grants permits conditions to ensure proper protection of people and the environment can be included.

The agency’s nuclear new build project manager, Simon Barlow, said: "These applications represent the culmination of 10 years of pre-application discussions with EDF SZC Co.

"We welcome people’s views on these permit applications and will carefully consider their comments before we progress to the next stage of our decision making process.”

Lt Kenneth Allen died when his US fighter jet crashed into the North Sea last month.

Trainee doctor Julia Payne, who contracted Covid-19, was originally due to marry Henry Matter in May.

Image source, Nigel Millard/RNLI

Lifeguards are continuing to return to beaches across the east coast.

The RNLI said this weekend they will have an extra patrol in at Southwold north beach in Suffolk, adding to Lowestoft South beach, which they returned to last month.

Lifeguards will wear personal protective equipment, and "new protocols for first responders means the lifeguards may not deal with some minor first aid cases but will support people to treat themselves", it said.

Darren Lewis, RNLI lifesaving manager, said: "We must all continue to be aware that the risks from the pandemic have not gone away, but if people work with us and the other emergency services by following social distancing and other government guidance, we hope to be able to continue to provide lifeguard services this season."

Three people are arrested on suspicion of murder after Gary Henderson, 64, died in Ipswich.

Staff members at a bank have stopped an elderly woman from withdrawing £7,000 from her bank account to pay for her roof to be fixed.

Suffolk Police, external said two men tried to convince the woman in Felixstowe that her roof had a hole in it, at about 10:00 on Tuesday.

They drove her to the TSB bank in the town's Hamilton Road to withdraw cash.

Bank staff called the police when they became suspicious, but when they arrived the men had gone.

They are described as white, of medium height and build, with short hair and were driving a white van.

Image source, Google

Cameras are being installed at 13 level crossings in the East to catch motorists who do not stop when barriers are coming down.

It is to help Network Rail , externalprosecute drivers who jump the lights across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.

Offenders are automatically notified of their offence, and could be sent on an awareness course, fined £100 and given three points on their licence, or prosecuted, it said.

The RLSE cameras are being paid for by Greater Anglia.

Daniel Fisk, from Network Rail, said: "They are clearly visible for people to see as a deterrent."

Image source, Network Rail

Jason Noble
Suffolk Local Democracy Reporter

A recycling centre needs to be updated to make it "future-proof", a council says.

Suffolk County Council, external said the Foxhall Recycling Centre on the edge of Ipswich "currently operates under a time-limited planning permission".

Without site improvement, a new permission will not be secured and would result in the loss of the council’s "most important and well-used site”, it said.

The planned upgrade includes a new feeder lane, raised car parking so that people do not need to walk up steps to dispose of waste, and increased capacity for the number of vehicles.

Image source, Chris Holifield/Geograph

Construction is due to start next year, should be completed by 2023, but costs have not been revealed.

The council said that Foxhall alone receives nearly 12,000 tonnes of recycling waste per year, about 20% of Suffolk’s entire recycling waste.

The consultation runs until 20 July.

An annual raft race will be replaced with an event involving rubber ducks, after it was cancelled.

The "socially-distanced" alternative titled Operation Needham Duck Pond will see with people in the Suffolk town asked to decorate plastic ducks to put on display in either house windows, garden or dotted around the town.

Image source, Needham Market Raft Race

Entries are to be submitted on the Needham Market Raft Race Facebook page, external and the winner will be announced on 10 July.

The raft race had been held every year since 2002, but was called off over the coronavirus pandemic.