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Live Reporting

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  1. Our live coverage across the day

    That's it for our live updates for this sunny Friday, and indeed for the week.

    Thank you for your company, join us again on Monday when we'll be bright-eyed and bushy tailed from 08:00.

    Here's a quick look at some of the stories we've been covering today:

    • Suffolk Police is set to recruit detectives
    • A former charity treasurer is jailed for fraud
    • An unexpected visitor swoops through an open door at a police station

    Scroll down to read more on these stories and other Suffolk news.

    Have a splendid weekend.

    Lowestoft
  2. Weather: Cloudy with possibility of sharp showers

    Alex Dolan

    BBC Look East weather

    Cloud will develop from the north west bringing a small chance of isolated sharp showers across the BBC East region tonight.

    But it will remain dry for many areas with clear spells later.

    Weather chart

    Light rain or drizzle is possible across western counties later as the temperature falls to 12C (54F) in places.

    Saturday will be another dry day with sunny spells and some cloud and it will be cooler on the coast.

    Maximum temperature: 23C (76F)

    More details from BBC Weather:

  3. Rail line reopens after lightning strike

    Greater Anglia is reporting that the Norwich-Cambridge line is now open again.

    It had been closed following a lightning strikes on overhead cables between Attleborough and Thetford in Norfolk and between Shippea Hill and Ely in Cambridgeshire.

    However, delays are expected as services get back to normal.

    View more on twitter
  4. Fire crews putting out a crop fire

    Fire crews are at a crop blaze in Badingham near Framlingham.

    They were called out at about 16:15 and found about 40 acres of field "well alight".

    Two fire vehicles and a water carrier have been at Wood Farm.

  5. Lowestoft legend set for testimonial take #2

    Graeme Mac

    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Micky Chapman (right) says there is no chance of him appearing in the dugout tomorrow when Lowestoft Town face Norwich City in a testimonial match for the former player and manager.

    Ady Gallagher and Micky Chapman

    This fixture was called off a year ago because of heavy rain, but has been rearranged for a 15:00 kick-off, with tickets available on the gate.

    Ady Gallagher's side go into the match off the back of a 3-0 win over Waveney FC at the Amber Dew Events Stadium earlier in the week.

    "While it's my testimonial, it's also an important pre-season match for both teams, and I certainly won't be getting in the way of Ady and his assistant Dale Brooks," Chapman told us.

    The club legend's most memorable moment in the Lowestoft dugout came in 2014, when the Suffolk side won promotion to the National League North.

    However, having made close to 500 appearances as a player for the club, Chapman admits it is hard to think of one particular standout for him on the field.

    "I used to get butterfiles every time I played for Lowestoft, from a young lad right up until the day I stopped playing," he told us.

    "Every moment was special, and it was an absolute privilege to be at the club as both a player and a manager."

  6. Ipswich ready for first summer friendly

    Graeme Mac

    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    A handful of new signings are expected to feature for Ipswich Town in their first pre-season friendly of the summer this weekend.

    Ipswich Town in training

    Mick McCarthy's side have been training at Carton House in Ireland this week, and face Premier Division side Drogheda United tomorrow afternoon.

    For travelling Town fans, it could be a first opportunity to see Joe Garner, Tom Adeyemi and Bersant Celina in action for their new club.

    Jordan Spence and Emyr Huws also joined Ipswich last month, but are familiar faces, having spent time at Portman Road on a short term deal and on loan respectively last season.

    One player who is not a part of the trip is Town's 18-year-old midfielder Andre Dozzell.

    The youngster is currently on international duty with England's Under-19s at the European Championships in Georgia.

    Dozzell has played every minute so far in wins against Bulgaria and Holland, but may be rested for tomorrow's match with Germany, given that England have already qualified for the semi-finals.

  7. Hawkins hopes for successful Witches road trip

    Graeme Mac

    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Ipswich Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins knows his side's impressive home form this season could count for very little, if his riders do not make the most of their opportunities on the road.

    Ritchie Hawkins

    He was speaking following a dominant 60-32 victory over Scunthorpe Scorpions last night at Foxhall, which moves the Witches up to second in speedway's Championship table.

    The Suffolk side race at Berwick Bandits tomorrow, and are on their travels again on Sunday when they will visit Newcastle Diamonds.

    While undoubtedly happy with eleven consecutive home wins this season, Hawkins says the Witches away form will be key to any play-off success or silverware at the end of the campaign.

    "We were looking at trying to pick up between seven and 10 points from these three meetings as a whole, and we have three already after last night," the 33-year-old told us.

    "We have to see Berwick as a big opportunity to get a win, but we also did well at Newcastle the last time we were there, and we had a few off-track issues at the time as well.

    "Certainly if we get a win tomorrow it will give everyone a boost into Sunday."

  8. Free events in Ipswich celebrate world music and culture

    Two free events celebrating world music will be held in Ipswich this weekend.

    Dele and Lokkhi Terra at Global Rhythm

    Global Rhythm at Christchurch Park tomorrow will include meditation sessions, pop print workshops, a community picnic plus radio and music tents.

    It will be held from 13:00 until 19:00.

    Then on Sunday, Christchurch Park will play host to the Indian Summer Mela.

    Running from 12:00 until 18:00, it will offer a celebration of Asian culture, featuring performances of Indian dances, songs, music and workshops.

    India Summer Mela
  9. Video: Ella's 20-day poetry charity challenge

    A six-year-old girl is reading and writing 20 of her own poems in 20 days.

    Ella Brown, from Rattlesden, near Bury St Edmunds, has so far raised £600 for East Anglia's Children's Hospices and the health and outreach charity Yellow House.

    She says she enjoys creative writing and it is something special to share.

    Video content

    Video caption: Rattlesden schoolgirl's 20-day poetry charity challenge
  10. Goats bring 'feel good factor' to yoga

    A new craze which is grazing its way across the nation is about to reach Suffolk this weekend.

    Goat yoga

    Goat Yoga will be held at Skylark Farm, Bawsdey, on Sunday.

    Participants practice yoga whilst in a field of baby goats, and are encouraged to sit with and pet the goats, which organisers say "increases the release of the feel-good hormones in the body making people feel relaxed and at ease".

    The sold-out class will be taken by yoga teacher Diana Malone.

  11. Weekend treat for classic car lovers

    There's a treat for classic car lovers this weekend....

    The Heveningham Hall Councours d'Elegance will feature 50 of the most prominent pre- and post-war cars in history.

    It kicks of with a tour around Suffolk ahead of a rally at the hall over the weekend.

    The Suffolk Border Tour started at Thelnetham, near Diss, later this morning and finishes at Heveningham Hall this afternoon.

    Max Hunt, chairman of the judging panel, said: "There really is something for everybody, including planes now as well. You might even find a few bikes in there too."

    Car show at Heveningham Hall
  12. MP predicts fishing port's brighter future with Brexit

    Andrew Sinclair

    BBC Look East political correspondent

    The MP for Lowestoft says the number of fishing boats using the port could more than double after Brexit - currently only about a dozen inshore vessels use the harbour, which had moorings for 1,000 boats in the 19th Century.

    Lowestoft fish market
    Image caption: Lowestoft's fish market

    Waveney MP Peter Aldous says the government's new fishing bill will revive the local fishing industry and he predicts that trawlers will return to the port.

    "Lowestoft stands out as the capital of the southern North Sea and that's probably a crown we've lost over the last 30 or 40 years. We've got to regain that crown," he said.

    Mr Aldous, Conservative, also hopes that in the future the port will be more integrated with the town centre "and not locked away behind a busy road and fences".

    He's been outlining his vision of the town's future to the Sunday Politics programme.

    You can hear more of his thoughts on Sunday at 11:00 on BBC1.

  13. Elena Baltacha's tennis academy helps 6,000 children a year

    More than 6,000 primary school children a year are being helped by a tennis academy set up by a former Suffolk player, the organisation said.

    Elena Baltacha

    The Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis was set up just before the former British number one died three years ago.

    It has won support from patron Judy Murray and current British number one Johanna Konta.

    Baltacha, who was best known as Bally, died from liver cancer aged 30 at her Ipswich home.

    Her husband Nino Sevorino, the academy director, said she would have loved to have seen the academy grow.

    "This is what we dreamed of when we were travelling around the world," he said.

    "She would have loved every second of it. On one side, it's heartbreaking, but I always feel Bally next to me."

    Follow the BBC's Wimbledon coverage here.

  14. Unexpected 'intruder' at police station

    A police force that warns people against leaving their doors and windows open had an unexpected visit from a baby seagull after they did exactly that.

    Bird at Ipswich police station

    The bird flew into Ipswich police station on Museum Street after a door was left open.

    Officers posted a photo of it on Twitter, with the message: "In the warm weather we advise against leaving doors open to try and prevent intruders.

    "We left ours open and had a little visitor."

    An officer who looks after injured birds was drafted in to capture it.

    View more on twitter
  15. Fraudster's actions have 'affected faith in human nature'

    The actions of a former charity treasurer who conned a disabled people's support organisation out of £200,000 were given "little thought".

    As we've been reporting, Neil Payne has been jailed for four and a half years for fraud by abuse of position.

    He had been a volunteer treasurer at DIAL Lowestoft and Waveney.

    The 51-year-old, formerly of Rushton Drive in Carlton Colville, made 270 transactions between the charity's bank accounts and his own personal account.

    Margaret Oldham, from the charity, said: "I thought Neil was a trusted friend and colleague of 15 years and his actions have seriously affected my faith in human nature.”

    Det Con Andrew Thawley, officer on the case, added: "He appears to have given little thought to the effect this would have on not only those working for the charity but also their clients – often some of the most vulnerable in society, who rely on DIAL for support and advice.

    "Margaret and the team at DIAL have, by contrast, shown their strength of character by battling to keep the charity going.

    "We hope that today’s sentencing will help them continue to move forward – and that residents in Lowestoft and Waveney will rally round to support them and help them carry on the good work they do.”

  16. Defrauded Lowestoft charity trustees had to pay wages 'our of their own pockets'

    A charity for disabled people which was conned out of more than £200,000 has said it has been "living a nightmare".

    DIAL charity

    As we've reported, Neil Payne defrauded DIAL Lowestoft and Waveney out of the money over a six-year period.

    The 51-year-old, who had been the charity's treasurer, has been jailed for four and a half years.

    The charity has said it faces a "uncertain future" and needs funding to continue.

    Margaret Oldham from the charity said: "We have all been living a nightmare, and this has not gone away completely yet.

    "Without individual trustees loaning money out of their personal accounts to pay salaries for January and February 2017 he would have ‘killed’ a charity which is vital to hundreds of people with disabilities and which has been in existence for 30 years."

    Payne admitted fraud by abuse of position.

  17. Loss of rail services between Norwich and Cambridge 'frustrating'

    Nic Rigby

    BBC News

    We've been following the major disruption to train services between Norwich and Cambridge following a storm yesterday.

    Lucy Wright

    Network Rail is trying to repair it but at the moment services via Thetford, Brandon and Ely have been suspended.

    Lucy Wright, of Greater Anglia railways, told the BBC: "Lightning struck in the Attleborough area which means we can't run services at all on the Norwich to Cambridge line.

    "It is very frustrating and out of our control. We do apologise to passengers."

  18. Man jailed for defrauding Lowestoft disabled charity out of £200,000

    A man who defrauded a charity out of more than £200,000 has been jailed.

    Neil Payne

    Neil Payne, 51, formerly of Rushton Drive in Carlton Colville, admitted fraud by abuse of position.

    He was a volunteer treasurer at DIAL Lowestoft and Waveney, a charity which works with people with physical and sensory disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health problems and long-term illness.

    Ipswich Crown Court heard between October 2010 and January 2017, he made more than 270 transactions between the charity’s bank accounts and his personal account - totalling £212,639.

    The charity was left in a "desperate financial position" and distress was caused to both to the trustees and staff of the organisation and the vulnerable people they work with.

    Payne was jailed for four and a half years.