A draft masterplan for the future of Bury St Edmunds town centre has been drawn up, following a public engagement exercise earlier this year that received almost 6,000 comments and suggestions.

Image source, St Edmundsbury Borough Council

Alaric Pugh, who's responsible for planning and growth at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, said: "Simply keeping everything as it is now, is not an option.

"Bury St Edmunds and the area around it, is set to see its population grow over the next decade.

"The job of the masterplan is to plan for the future, to ensure... that our town centre is ready for growth."

Image source, St Edmundsbury Borough Council

Andrew Speed, chairman of Bury St Edmunds Town Council, said: "I am particularly keen to see improvements to St Andrews Street South between the Arc and the historic town.

"Now is the time for people to comment on the aspirations set out in the draft masterplan to tell us if we have got it right."

The consultation opens at 09:00 on 31 July, external, and runs until 8 September.

A number of public engagement events are planned in August, and there will be permanent displays at the Apex, West Suffolk House, the Leisure Centre in Beetons Way, and the Library.

Image source, St Edmundsbury Borough Council

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

All good things must come to an end...

Ipswich Witches, external suffered their first home defeat of the season last night, going down 47-46 to Edinburgh Monarchs in the Championship, external.

Image source, Stephen Waller

The Witches had won all 13 of their previous meetings, in league and cup, on Foxhall shale.

"I'm massively disappointed," said team manager Ritchie Hawkins. "They got the double points win and the momentum going, and we weren't good enough, so we need to regroup quickly."

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Suffolk's Peter Wright had to come from 11-9 down to see off Darren Webster in the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay, external darts in Blackpool last night.

Image source, Getty Images

The 47-year-old from Mendham eventually won 16-12 to set up a last-four clash with Ulsterman Daryl Gurney on Saturday.

"It was always going to be a scrappy battle between me and Darren," Wright admitted. "He's like a little Rottweiler on your ankles all the time."

"The difference this time was I set myself up for a shot and he missed the three combination shot in the last three legs, so it could've been a different story."

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

A few changes in the forecast for today.

It's looking mostly dry until we get to this evening, maybe a few stray showers at times and it'll still be quite breezy as well.

The best of the sunshine is likely to be this morning, before the cloud thickens from the west as we head into the afternoon.

Top temperature across the BBC East region: 20C (68F).

Watch my full regional forecast here:

Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live

Thanks for joining us on our final day of the week.

My colleagues and I are all set to bring you regular news, sport, travel and weather updates from across the county, but we'd love to hear from you as well, if there's something happening where you live or work that we're not mentioning. You can contact us via the "Get involved" link at the top of the page.

Walking up from the station a little earlier there was what can only be described as an "autumnal" feel to the weather - let's hope that's just a temporary glitch and that summer returns soon.

Elizabeth Rizzini will be here next to tell us exactly what we can expect weatherwise during the day.

I wonder how long BBC Weather Watcher Victor the Vole had to wait before he took this photograph?

The prince is stepping down from his helicopter pilot role to take up more royal duties and charity work.

Time for us to shut up shop and make our way home.

If you're just joining us, here's a recap of the some of the stories that have made the news since we began at 08:00 - scroll down to find out more.

• An eight-year-old girl has been taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital after she was hit by a car at an Ipswich retail park
• An inquest jury rules a seven-year-old Oulton Broad girl's death at a birthday pool party was an accident
• Thousands of fans attend Ipswich Town Open Day
• A new film studio could be built at Bentwaters Park

Have a good evening, we look forward to your company again tomorrow.

The BBC hears from the judges and nominees on music, catering and mums.

Adam Jinkerson
BBC Local Live

The Duke of Cambridge has started his last shift for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Prince William joined the emergency service two years ago, but is leaving to concentrate more on royal duties on behalf of the Queen.

Maya Kantengule was at her best friend's birthday pool party when she died, an inquest hears.

Haughley Park, external near Stowmarket is playing host to the English National Sheepdog Trials, external, the first time in over 100 years of the event they've been held in Suffolk (photos show last year's event at the Castle Howard Estate in York).

Image source, Lisa Soar

"We want to give visitors the opportunity to watch the very best working sheepdogs and handlers, as well as experiencing the wonderful products and produce here in Suffolk," says organiser Bob Wilden, chairman of the East Anglian Sheepdog Society, external.

"We have a fine tradition of sheep keeping in Suffolk which helps to preserve beautiful parkland landscapes such as at Haughley, and the influence of agriculture on our heritage and lifestyle will be highlighted at Suffolk on Show, external."

Image source, Lisa Soar

Organising the trials at Haughley Park is shepherd and grazier Ed Hawkins from Nedging in Suffolk, who is currently competing in the World Trials in the Netherlands.

He helped train the celebrities taking part in Flock Stars, a television series influenced by the highly successful One Man and His Dog series which ran for twenty-three years and attracted audiences of up to eight million viewers.

The parents of a seven-year-old girl who drowned at her best friend's birthday pool party have paid tribute to their daughter.

Livial and Glenda Kantengule say they are still devastated following the passing of their "beloved daughter", Maya Grace Kantengule.

"The pain is still unbearable and even though it's been over a year it feels like we relive her passing every day.

"We hope this inquest will provide answers to what happened on the day, even though it is hard to admit that no explanation will bring back our daughter.

"We miss her dearly and she has left a void that is difficult to fill."

Image source, Family handout

An inquest jury has ruled that a seven-year-old girl's death at a birthday pool party was an accident.

Maya Kantengule was found at the bottom of a pool at Waveney River centre holiday park in Burgh St Peter on 1 May last year.

She died later in hospital with her parents at her bedside.

Norfolk Coroner's Court had heard that there was no lifeguard on duty.

Her father, Livial Kantengule, had told the inquest he believed his daughter could swim as she had received swimming lessons at school.

In a written statement, teaching assistant Jaqueline Bell said that Maya, from Oulton Broad, was not a confident swimmer and was "nervous" in the water.

A man who has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, and causing serious injury by dangerous driving, has been remanded in custody following his appearance before magistrates in Ipswich.

Dalius Matulaitis, 50, of Rectory Gardens in Wisbech, will now appear at Ipswich Crown Court on 24 August.

The charges follow a three-vehicle crash on the A140 on Tuesday at Mendlesham.

Colin Fisk, 43 and from Kesgrave, the driver of a car involved in a collision with two lorries, died at the scene.

His seven-year-old daughter received two broken collar bones in the crash.

The eight-year-old girl who was taken to Ipswich Hospital after being hit by a car at the Suffolk Retail Park in the town earlier this afternoon, has now been airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital.

The East of England Ambulance Service says she has a "serious" head injury.

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

This is a photo of Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy, taken at today's open day at Portman Road. Why so glum Mick? Well, a mystery illness could be to blame.

In recent weeks a few of McCarthy's players have been struck down, with a couple who were still absent today likely to miss the Blues' first match of the new Championship season on Saturday week.

"Bersant Celina had the illness first and passed it on to Tom Adeyemi," McCarthy told us. "It's knocked Tom off his feet which is hard to do because he's a big lump!

"After the friendly at Colchester on Tuesday night, Bersant came in on Wednesday morning poorly again, so whatever virus it is, it's having a real nasty effect."

McCarthy was less downbeat when it came to today's open training session at Portman Road, where fans got to see the team in action.

"It was great this morning. The fans' enthusiasm for rubs off on all of us. They're all as excited as we are for the first match of the season against Birmingham."

Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy questions the sustainability of big spending by clubs in the Championship.

Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

After recovering from an illness, Cole Skuse is set to return to the Ipswich Town team for the final pre-season friendly of the summer on Saturday, but three of his teammates are still unavailable.

Speaking at today's open training session at Portman Road, manager Mick McCarthy told us that recent signings Emyr Hyws (pictured) and Tom Adeyemi, along with fellow midfielder Teddy Bishop, are still struggling.

At this stage, it would be a surprise if any member of that trio featured for Town against Birmingham City, on the opening day of the new Championship season.

"Emyr Huws has got a problem with his achilles and we have to protect that and make sure he is ok," McCarthy said. "He needs to come back and do his training before he gets a game."

"Tom Adeyemi's been out for 12 days with a virus and it will be almost impossible for him to come back straight away.

"Teddy could be out for two weeks or even longer. He's got a sore groin."

Kevin Burch
BBC Look East

The jury has retired to consider its verdict on Maya Kantengule, the seven-year-old girl who died after a pool party at the Waveney River Centre in May last year.

We'll bring you more information as soon as we have it.

Steve Martin
BBC Radio Suffolk

If permission is granted for a new film studio, external at Bentwaters Park in Rendlesham, existing former military buildings (pictured) will be used as production suites, workshops and for storage.

The studio would be used by media companies who will rent the facilities for filming.

Image source, Evolution Planning

Image source, Evolution Planning

Image source, Evolution Planning