Summary

  • The top stories today:

  1. Man's best friend brings our Wednesday live coverage to an endpublished at 18:00

    "A policeman's lot is not a happy one" - according to Gilbert and Sullivan's opera The Pirates of Penzance - but Trainee Police Dog Neeko and his more experience pal Police Dog Breeze don't seem to agree.

    We wanted to share Norfolk and Suffolk Police Dog Unit's gorgeous video of these two crime-fighters enjoying some serious down-time in the sunshine.

    Let's all just kick back for a moment... and we'll bring you more live news updates tomorrow from 08:00.

    Have a good evening.

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  2. MP told to give up pasta and potatoes to prepare for Newmarket Town Plate racepublished at 17:27 BST 6 July 2016

    Kate Williams
    BBC Local Live

    West Suffolk MP Matthew Hancock has taken up horse racing and lost a stone in weight to take part in the 350th anniversary of the Newmarket Town Plate, external tomorrow. 

    He received advice from jockey Frankie Dettori, who told him to give up pasta, potatoes and bread to lose enough weight, and to "get into rhythm with the horse".

    Mr Hancock told the BBC's Andrew Sinclair: "Before I became the MP for here I had never been on a racehorse."

    He will compete against 15 other amateur jockeys.

    Media caption,

    MP Matthew Hancock to take part in historic Newmarket Plate race

  3. Tonight's weather: Dry and clearpublished at 17:20 BST 6 July 2016

    Alex Dolan
    BBC Look East weather

    This evening will be dry with spells of hazy sunshine, and it'll remain so overnight, with some dry and clear intervals. The minimum temperature will be 13C (55F).

    Tomorrow will be a mainly dry day, but rather cloudy with the chance of some patchy drizzle later. Maximum temperature 21C (69F).

    Weather graphic
  4. Josh Webster to race at British Grand Prix meetingpublished at 17:14 BST 6 July 2016

    Graeme Mac
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Former Porsche Carrera Cup champion Josh Webster will race at Silverstone this weekend at the British Grand Prix meeting.

    Josh Webster is interviewed

    The 22-year-old from Stowmarket has been invited to drive one of the Project 1 Team's cars in the Porsche Supercup race, which is scheduled for Sunday morning.

    "The British Grand Prix is the biggest event on the UK calendar and I am so proud to be racing in front of the amazing fans who make it an unforgettable experience," Webster said. "I can't wait!"

  5. Hume to make Witches debut as Greenwood quitspublished at 16:59 BST 6 July 2016

    Graeme Mac
    BBC Radio Suffolk sport

    Teenager Danyon Hume will make his home debut for the Ipswich Witches tomorrow against Rye House at Foxhall.

    Ipswich riders in the pits

    Hume, 19, is a Witches asset, and has been brought into the team following the announcement that Oliie Greenwood is taking time out from the sport., external

  6. Mark Kermode says hello to... Ken Loachpublished at 16:39 BST 6 July 2016

    Richard Haugh
    BBC Introducing in Suffolk

    Mark Kermode has been added to the bill for next week's Latitude Festival, where he will be on stage chatting to director Ken Loach.

    Mark KermodeImage source, Getty Images

    The film reviewer was in Suffolk for the 2007 festival and will be returning to ask Loach about his life's work and the documentary Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach, external.

    Nick Hopkins, Shappi Khorsandi and Paul Bede Johnson have also been added to the line-up, external.

  7. Ipswich's U21 boss leaves for Manchester Citypublished at 16:03 BST 6 July 2016

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  8. Bury Town announce pre-season friendly with AFC Sudburypublished at 15:55 BST 6 July 2016

    Bury Free Press

    Bury Town have announced a pre-season friendly, external with neighbours AFC Sudbury as part of their preparations for the 2016-17 campaign.

    Bury footballersImage source, Bury Free Press
  9. Bishop 'delighted' over Suffolk churches' grantspublished at 15:38 BST 6 July 2016

    Luke Deal
    BBC Radio Suffolk

    The Right Reverend Martin Seeley, Bishop of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, said: "I’m absolutely delighted that 12 of our churches in Suffolk have attracted grants from the government’s roof repair fund, totaling more than £460,000.

    "This money will make a huge difference to worshippers at the successful churches across Suffolk who work so hard to raise funds, often with fantastic local support and fundraising events, supported by the communities they serve.

    Rt Revd Martin Seeley, Bishop of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and IpswichImage source, Diocese of St Edmundsbury

    "There were 42 applications from Parochial Church Councils in this diocese so while we can celebrate the 12 successful applications there are 30 disappointed PCCs."

  10. Suffolk churches benefit from £500,000 repair grantpublished at 15:18 BST 6 July 2016

    Luke Deal
    BBC Radio Suffolk

    Nearly £500,000 has been awarded to 12 Suffolk churches from the government's roof repair fund.

    One of the churches is St Bartholomew's in Groton, near Sudbury, from which four tonnes of metal was stolen by lead thieves last year.

    Groton Church

    The actions of the thieves devastated those associated with the church.

    Reverend Judith Sweetman said: "It felt like a personal injury to an old friend, really, it was very, very shocking on the morning - with devastation, bits lying on the floor and stuff.

    "It's been a shock for the whole community."

  11. Pink Ladies' Tractor Road Run brightens Diss Express areapublished at 14:45 BST 6 July 2016

    Diss Express

    The organiser of a charity tractor road run, external set to break the £500,000 fundraising milestone says she will keep going in the fight to raise funds to battle cancer.

    Annie ChapmanImage source, Diss Express
  12. Ipswich pledge support for hit-and-run footballerspublished at 14:19 BST 6 July 2016

    Ipswich Town have pledged their support to two footballers who were injured in a hit-and-run crash in Newmarket on Friday.

    Newmarket Town's Shaun Whiter had both legs amputated and Soham Town Rangers' Joey Abbs was seriously injured.

    Ipswich say a team featuring former players will take on Newmarket Town in a benefit match, external on 31 July.

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  13. East of England deaths in the Iraq Warpublished at 14:04 BST 6 July 2016

    About half a million people died in Iraq as a result of war-related causes between the US-led invasion in 2003 and mid-2011, an academic study suggested in 2013.

    The UK lost 179 servicemen and women during the campaign that followed the invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003. 

    Data pic showing numbers of MoD staff killed in Eastern region
  14. No further action against lorry driver, say policepublished at 13:54 BST 6 July 2016

    Police say no further action will be taken against a lorry driver arrested after a crash on the A12 near Copdock yesterday. 

    Scene of traffic queuing on A12 after accident

    A woman in her 20s was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital after the collision involving two lorries and a car.

  15. Council's underspend totals £2.6mpublished at 13:30 BST 6 July 2016

    Vikki Irwin
    BBC Radio Suffolk political reporter

    Suffolk County Council, external managed to underspend by £2.6m in the last financial year, mainly by spending less in adult social care and public protection.

    But the underspend represents just 0.5% of the council's overall budget of nearly £500m.

    The council's reserve fund has also gone up by £13m, £10m of which is unallocated.

  16. Suffolk County Council achieves savings targetpublished at 13:03 BST 6 July 2016

    Vikki Irwin
    BBC Radio Suffolk political reporter

    Suffolk County Council, external didn't spend as much money as it thought it would in the past financial year and managed to put considerable amounts into savings.

    In papers to the council's cabinet meeting next week, it says the council achieved its required savings of £38m in 2015/16, with cuts to provisions including adult social care, the fire service and libraries. 

    It recorded an underspend of £2.6m and its reserve fund was boosted by £13m.

    The council says it will need to make a further £34m of savings this year, and £46m in 2017/18.

    Endeavour House
  17. Lord Risby 'very much regrets' Iraq actionpublished at 12:36 BST 6 July 2016

    Kate Williams
    BBC Local Live

    Lord Risby says the conflict in Iraq was a mistake, despite having voting in favour of sending troops to the region when he was West Suffolk MP.

    Richard Spring

    Speaking ahead of the publication of the Chilcot report this morning, Lord Risby said: "This has been an absolute tragedy for our country, for the United States but particularly for the region. 

    "I hasten to add that Saddam Hussein was a terrible brute, he did kill people of his own population in a very savage way, but this does not justify what then happened.

    "I very much regret it, and I'm absolutely happy to accept that."

  18. Lord Deben: Ian Duncan Smith 'must explain' actions over Iraq warpublished at 12:21 BST 6 July 2016

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  19. Lord Deben's take on Chilcot reportpublished at 12:11 BST 6 July 2016

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  20. Sir John Chilcot outlines Iraq findingspublished at 11:38 BST 6 July 2016

    Sir John Chilcot has finished outlining his findings on the UK's involvement in the 2003 Iraq War and the lessons to be learned from it.

    You can read the full details as the 2.6 million word report is digested.

    Sir John Chilcot