Summary

  • Updates for Wednesday, 21 June 2017

  • The first ever Suffolk Day is here!

  • Kids in wigs: Students mark Suffolk Day by dressing as Ed Sheeran

  • More than 6,000 people take part in Bury St Edmunds plan consultation

  • An Ipswich woman is fined £200 for discarded fag end

  1. Nine deaths from coronavirus in the Eastpublished at 08:02 British Summer Time 9 June 2020

    Matt Precey
    BBC Look East

    Government statistics recording the latest number of daily coranavirus deaths , externalshow there was an increase of nine in the region's hospitals, taking the regional total to 3,784.

    The deaths, listed by NHS trust, were:

    • Basildon and Thurrock Hospitals: 1
    • Colchester and Ipswich hospitals: 1
    • Luton and Dunstable Hospital: 6
    • West Suffolk Hospital: 1

    The total number of Covid-19 deaths across the UK now stands at 40,597.

  2. Man aims to reunite families with lost postcardspublished at 00:43 British Summer Time 9 June 2020

    Joe Ward has 32 cards of the same park and wants to find out about the "snapshot of people's lives".

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  3. Continue or curtail - how might League One clubs vote?published at 17:30 British Summer Time 8 June 2020

    A decision about the future of the League One season is likely to be made on Tuesday - how might clubs vote?

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  4. Councillor blasted by MP over racist postspublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 8 June 2020

    One post called for black and Asian people to be deported.

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  5. Litter blights waterside beauty spotpublished at 12:06 British Summer Time 8 June 2020

    One of the downsides of the steady easing of the coronavirus lockdown measures has been the increase of litter in parks and beauty spots as people are allowed to travel again.

    Litter at Lound LakesImage source, Essex and Suffolk Water
    Litter at Lound LakesImage source, Essex and Suffolk Water

    Essex and Suffolk Water has posted pictures on its Facebook page, external showing the effect on its sites.

    The post said: "We were devastated to find the state some people have left one of our sites."

    The pictures were taken at the Lound Lakes nature reserve in between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

    "Makes my blood boil" is a typical reply to the post.

    "Perhaps it needs to close again until people find some manners," is another.

    The site is managed by Suffolk Wildlife Trust, external.

    Damage to Lound Lakes nature reserveImage source, Essex and Suffolk Water
    Damage to Lound Lakes nature reserveImage source, Essex and Suffolk Water
  6. Drone footage captures Black Lives Matter protestpublished at 18:49 British Summer Time 6 June 2020

    Protesters gather in Christchurch Park, Ipswich as part of a Black Lives Matter demonstration.

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  7. Council gives leisure operator cash to cover virus costspublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 5 June 2020

    West Suffolk Council, external has given £154,300 to the firm which runs its leisure centres to try to help it cope with the loss of income due to the coronavirus lockdown.

    Abbeycroft Leisure, external runs gyms and leisure centres in Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Newmarket and Mildenhall.

    Brandon Leisure CentreImage source, Abbeycroft Leisure

    Staff there, and at the company's leisure centres in other council districts, have been furloughed and the finance will help Abbeycroft meet the costs for April, May and June.

    John Griffiths, Conservative council leader, said: "Like other leisure operators, their income has stopped while costs continue, and we have worked with them to get them government support.

    "The support will be reviewed in mid-June, when further measures for lifting lockdown are rolled out and we can work on recovery."

  8. Theatre hopes to raise £50,000 to reopen after lockdownpublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 5 June 2020

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC News

    A theatre has started an emergency fundraising appeal to help it reopen when lockdown eases.

    The Theatre Royal, external in Bury St Edmunds said in a statement that the coronavirus pandemic had "delivered a devastating blow" and it hoped to raise £50,000 in order to welcome visitors back.

    The statement said the theatre had received "crucial" public authority funding from Suffolk County Council and West Suffolk Council, but that was a "small percentage of what is needed to survive".

    "Reopening a theatre is not straightforward – we need time and money to programme and promote the season," the statement said.

    "For our own shows we need to cast and rehearse – our income will not simply leap back to what is what before the crisis."

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  9. NHS workers' catalytic converters stolen from hospital car parkpublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 5 June 2020

    Patrick Byrne
    BBC News

    Thieves have targeted a hospital car park to remove catalytic converters from staff already having to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

    Two vehicles have been damaged in attacks at West Suffolk Hospital, external in Bury St Edmunds.

    West Suffolk HospitalImage source, West Suffolk Hospital

    "The suspected vehicle involved has been identified by the hospital security team and the relevant information has been given to the police," said head of security Darren Cooksey.

    "It is disappointing that, particularly at a time when our staff are serving their community in their time of need during this pandemic, thieves have targeted our hospital car park."

    He said extra patrols were in place and the site does have security cameras.

  10. Pinatubo out to show Classic classpublished at 16:08 British Summer Time 4 June 2020

    Unbeaten favourite Pinatubo will face 14 rivals in Saturday's 2,000 Guineas as the Classic season finally gets under way.

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  11. Dettori welcomes return of racing at Newmarketpublished at 10:34 British Summer Time 4 June 2020

    BBC Radio Suffolk

    Newmarket racecourse, external will host the first day of the Guineas Festival today, but a month later than planned and behind closed doors with no cheering crowds because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Nearly 40 races will be run over the next four days, including the first two Classics of the flat-race season, the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas.

    Frankie Dettori at KemptonImage source, Hugh Routledge/Pool

    Frankie Dettori, who made a winning return to the sport at Kempton on Tuesday, has praised the safety measures being implemented.

    "We are putting a good system in place, obviously with markers on the floor," he said.

    "We are riding with masks and as you know it's a non-contact sport so we're very much within the guidelines and we're in the fresh open air."

    Suffolk county councillor Rachel Hood, external said: "It's hugely exciting. This is a huge employer and an industry that's worth £4bn annually for the UK so it's a very important driver for the country."

  12. Dead baby search ends at recycling centrepublished at 19:13 British Summer Time 3 June 2020

    A newborn girl was found dead at the site in Needham Market in Suffolk in May.

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  13. What the papers are saying in Suffolkpublished at 12:04 British Summer Time 3 June 2020

    • The Ipswich Star reports, external that 'keep left' signs are among the measures to be introduced in the town as the coronavirus lockdown is eased
    • The Bury Free Press, external writes that a skincare company is donating hand sanitiser to hospital and care home staff to help them cope during the coronavirus pandemic
  14. Packs help pupils with post lockdown school returnpublished at 19:36 British Summer Time 2 June 2020

    The bundles are distributed to schools to help them support pupils with mental health.

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  15. Abused chef says 'racism is not just a US problem'published at 18:21 British Summer Time 2 June 2020

    Brian Powlett shares his experience of being racially abused in a Suffolk village street.

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  16. Frankie Dettori says his family in Italy have been 'very lucky' to not get coronavirus.published at 14:59 British Summer Time 2 June 2020

    Pete Cooper
    BBC News

    Jockey Frankie Dettori has said that his mother, who is over 70, in Italy has had to be "very careful" with the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

    Italy imposed a strict and lengthy lockdown on 7 March - initially in the north, then nationwide.

    With 33,000 deaths, it has suffered the third highest number of fatalities by country - behind the US and UK.

    Dettori, who lives near Newmarket in Suffolk, said his mother, father and sister were in Milan, where he was born and "fingers crossed they have been very lucky".

    Frankie DettoriImage source, Getty Images

    Dettori said his family are "following the guidelines, staying in their staying in their home".

    In early May, some restrictions in Italy were were relaxed and people are now able to travel for longer distances, as well as visit their relatives in small numbers.

    Travel between regions and to and from the country will be allowed from 3 June.

    He said: "I know it's frustrating for everyone, but Italy seems to be coming out of it at the moment.

    "I think we are just two weeks behind them so hopefully, very soon, we will be able to lead a normal life and we will get the crowds back to the sport."

  17. Anglian Water leisure sites reopenpublished at 13:37 British Summer Time 2 June 2020

    Pete Cooper
    BBC News

    Anglian Water said its water parks in the east of England would reopen to the public from today.

    The water company runs Pitsford Water, Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Hollowell in Northamptonshire, Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire, Alton Water in Suffolk, Taverham Mill in Norfolk and Rutland Water.

    Park closed sign

    Anglian Water, external said there would be "a number of changes on site with some facilities still closed".

    It also said visitors should park in its car parks and "not in local villages".

    The water parks were closed ahead of the government lockdown in March.

    Alton WaterImage source, Stour and Orwell Society
    Image caption,

    Alton Water near Ipswich, with the River Stour estuary in the background

  18. Frankie Dettori 'like a kid on Christmas morning' ahead of racing returnpublished at 11:30 British Summer Time 2 June 2020

    Pete Cooper
    BBC News

    One of the most famous names in horse racing, Frank Dettori, said he "cannot wait to go racing" ahead of the Guineas Festival in Newmarket.

    The jockey, who lives near the Suffolk racecourse, external, said he was "like a kid on Christmas morning". He's due to ride for trainer Aidan O'Brien in Saturday's 2,000 Guineas and Sunday's 1,000 Guineas.

    He told BBC Breakfast: "It's over three months since I actually competed.

    "We still have to exercise the horses and in Newmarket, we have 3,000 of those."

    Frankie DettoriImage source, Getty Images

    Dettori said watching the racing in Newcastle yesterday was "nice" but admitted it was "a bit weird" with no crowds around the track.

    The 49-year-old also spoke about having to race with a mask covering his mouth and nose.

    He said: "I have been training in the gym with it and I've been riding in the morning to get used to it.

    "Obviously is not the same but we have to do everything we can to keep everybody safe.

    "This is not going to be forever so for the time being we have to wear it."

  19. Coronavirus deaths in the East rise by 18published at 08:01 British Summer Time 2 June 2020

    The latest number of new daily coronavirus deaths, external has been released by the government.

    In the East of England, they show an increase of 18 deaths in hospitals, taking the total number to 3,677. The new deaths have been recorded at the following NHS trusts:

    • Basildon and Thurrock: 2
    • Buckinghshire Healthcare (Stoke Mandeville): 2
    • East Suffolk and North Essex (Ipswich and Colchester hospitals): 1
    • Essex Partnership (Wickford): 1
    • Kettering: 3
    • Mid Essex (Broomfield): 2
    • Norfolk Community Care: 1
    • North West Anglia (Peterborough and Hinchingbrooke hospitals): 2
    • Northampton General: 4

    The total number of UK deaths associated with Covid-19 has reached 39,045.

  20. 'Some anxiety' for returning primary school pupilspublished at 18:54 British Summer Time 1 June 2020

    A headteacher says children were not as "bubbly and lively" as they were before lockdown.

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