Suffolk Day will celebrate county's heritage, culture and future

A special day celebrating the county of Suffolk is to be held at the height of summer.

The annual event, on 21 June, will be an opportunity to celebrate the county known for its chocolate-box villages, 50 miles (80km) of coastline and horseracing at Newmarket.

It is also home to Constable Country, an area of outstanding beauty made famous by the painter John Constable.

Suffolk Day is based on a successful model in Yorkshire, where a special day has been running for more than 40 years.

The idea was put forward by BBC Radio Suffolk and is being backed by Suffolk County Council.

Colin Noble, the county council leader, said: "A Suffolk Day is a great way to celebrate all that is so wonderful about living in our beautiful county from Constable Country to our heritage coast.

"From horseracing in Newmarket to the waterfront in Ipswich we live in a very special place."