2018 Local News Stories

[boatbuilder]

Latest post of the previous page:

Motorist dies after car hits train at Suffolk level crossing

A motorist has died after a car was hit by a train at a level crossing.
The car was hit at Palgrave crossing in Suffolk at about 18:14 BST on Saturday and the driver died at the scene.
The fire service said the vehicle had been pushed "about a mile up the track" by the train that was travelling from London Liverpool Street to Norwich.
No passengers were injured. The crash caused disruption to rail passengers, with several trains cancelled, but the line reopened on Sunday morning.
Mark Walker, from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, said it was a "very complex operation".
"The car had been taken about a mile up the track, which fortunately was near a bridge so we had access to the scene immediately under the bridge," he said.
British Transport Police said the man's next of kin had been informed.

BBC News

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Police car crashes into Norton war memorial

A police car on an emergency call ended up crashing into a village war memorial after hitting another vehicle.
The marked car crashed with a Mini Clubman on Ixworth Road in Norton, Suffolk, at about 13:10 BST.
The driver of the Mini suffered a wrist injury and officers had minor bruising.
Norton Parish Council chairman Andy Burt said he heard sirens before he saw the police car "ramping up the war memorial after hearing an enormous screeching sound".
Mr Burt, 35, said the memorial was "probably the most prominent point" in the village and was "probably even more prominent now because it's got a police car sat on top of it".
The parish council spent about £2,000 last year restoring the memorial in preparation for the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One.
"We weren't expecting to adorn it with a police response vehicle," Mr Burt said.
He said it now needed "significant repair work" but they would "do everything we can to get it restored in time" for the anniversary in November.
BBC Radio Suffolk presenter Stephanie Mackentyre said: "The police car was quite badly damaged.
"One of its wheels had come off. There was a small car to our left. There was an ambulance on scene. We couldn't see if anyone was injured."
Police said minor damage was also caused to a stationary Audi A6 and an investigation into the cause of the crash was under way.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-45680612

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Man dies after his bike leaves road and hits tree

Michael McQuat, 70, from Lowestoft, was involved in the accident on The Street (B1062) in Flixton after his Triumph Bonneville motorbike left the road and hit a tree at 3.15pm on Saturday, September 22.
Mr McQuat was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge by Air Ambulance with life-threatening injuries, where he later died.
A spokesman for Suffolk Police said: “Officers were called at around 3.15pm on Saturday, September 22 to reports of a single-vehicle incident in The Street (B1062), involving a black Triumph Bonneville motorcycle which had left the road and collided with a tree.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/lowestoft-m ... -1-5717769

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Norfolk’s first ever community owned pub honoured with Queen’s award

The White Horse pub at Upton was presented with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service last Wednesday to the delight of its volunteers.
Director of the White Horse Development Trust, Peter Crook, said: “We are all delighted, it is the pinnacle of five years hard work. We took over the pub as it was on the verge of bankruptcy and now we’ve turned it around and have 27 people working here.
“The pub and shop have given a whole new dimension to this rural village community and to have this recognition is a huge bonus for the large group of people who have contributed in so many ways. We are all extremely proud.”
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work done in their communities.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/the-white-h ... -1-5718460

[boatbuilder]

Slow-cooker breakfast creator shocked by recipe's popularity

A slow-cooker enthusiast who shared a recipe for cooking a full English breakfast overnight says she is shocked by the response it has received online.
Sonia Cheetham, 36, came up with the idea to save time when cooking for her two daughters at the weekends.
The recipe appeared on a Facebook page dedicated to slow-cooker tips and has since been shared tens of thousands of times.
Ms Cheetham, from Little Fransham, Norfolk, is "overwhelmed" by the recipe's success - and staff at a local garage were impressed, too.

BBC News Video

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'Maybe I could be the first deaf PM'

A 12-year-old schoolboy who successfully got the government to consider a British Sign Language GCSE this parliament has his eyes set on the top job.
Dan Jillings, from Suffolk, has been deaf since birth, and teaches staff and pupils at his school sign language during lunchtimes.
"I'm just a normal Year 8 student. The only thing is I'm deaf, that's it," he said.
"I'd like to be a teacher of the deaf in the future. But also maybe I could be the first deaf prime minister. I'd be really excited about that."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-englan ... st-deaf-pm - includes video

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Pedals installed under desks to help pupils’ performance

As part of a Lowestoft area-primary school’s efforts to combat obesity and keep children healthy, an active classroom has been created – with desk pedals installed under the tables of one year three class.
Children, aged seven and eight, at Red Oak Primary School in south Lowestoft have been pedalling away in certain lessons throughout the day as their daily physical activity is increased.
And such has been the success of the innovative initiative – which has produced better behaviour and led to improved concentration and engagement among pupils, while making them more active – that the desk pedals are now being rolled out to a further 330 children in years one to six at the school in Southwell Road.
It is believed that this pedal bikes initiative is the first of its kind to be used at a school in East Anglia. The desk pedal exercisers, which have been in use since last month, feature a digital display that indicates exercise time duration, calorie consumption and revolutions per minute.
Full article

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New ‘Tommy’ benches unveiled ahead of First World War centenary event

New ‘Tommy’ benches have been unveiled ahead of an official dedication and commemoration service to remember the lost men and women of Suffolk during the First World War.
The benches, purchased and installed in Belle Vue Park, Lowestoft, by Lowestoft Town Council, will be dedicated at a special event on Sunday, October 7, which is also the main maritime commemoration event in Suffolk.
The event will begin with a parade, forming up at Hamilton Road at 1pm, leaving at 1.30pm and travelling along Whapload Road and up Cart Score before entering Belle Vue Park.
Participants will then form up around the area of the memorial garden in the park to undertake a dedication ceremony.
The ceremony will dedicate the knitted poppies, to be installed in the garden on Saturday, knitted by members of the public and volunteers, as well as the new benches.
EDP report

[boatbuilder]

After yesterday's news about the company's uncertain future, now this:

Two die in accident at Banham Poultry in Norfolk

Two men have died in an industrial accident at a poultry firm in Norfolk.
Police were called to Banham Poultry, Station Road, Attleborough at about 01:10 BST following reports two subcontractors had been found dead.
The men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were from a pest control company and were found dead close to the factory.
Police have not given further details, but Greater Anglia said Cambridge-bound trains would not stop at Attleborough because of a "chemical spillage".
The fire service, police and the Health and Safety Executive are all at the scene.
A cordon is in place at the factory and at the nearby railway station, where only the Norwich-bound platform is open.
Greater Anglia said disruption was expected until midday.
On Wednesday, Banham Poultry announced it was up for sale, leaving hundreds of jobs potentially at risk.
Two bids are being considered, one of which aims to keep the business in Attleborough, while the other plans to move production elsewhere.
The company is one of Norfolk's biggest employers, with about 1,000 staff.
It has been approached for comment on the deaths.

BBC Norfolk News

[boatbuilder]

Lowestoft school introduces pedal machines under desks

A school has introduced pedal machines under its desks in a bid to tackle the "rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes".
Thirty machines, costing £20 each, have been bought using the PE budget for pupils at Red Oak Primary in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Head teacher Heather Madsen said: "This is about setting up activity levels for the rest of their lives."
She hopes to fund more machines across the 430-pupil school, as first reported in the East Anglian Daily Times.
Their use is not compulsory, but the head teacher said pupils have welcomed them.
"It was initially a novelty and like the Tour de France here, but since then they've calmed down and some are doing it out of habit," she said.
"We were talking about initiatives that would stimulate the children's concentration and ensure they could still stay focused on lessons."
The machines, which were introduced this term, feature a display that shows duration of pedalling, number of revolutions per minute and calorie consumption - with some pupils burning up to 800 calories a day.
Evie-Rose, a pupil at the school, said: "I enjoy it because it's really fun, your brain works faster and you get stronger and smarter at the same time."
Another pupil, Ella, said: "Sometimes we try to beat each other in class. I feel really famous because we've had lots of visitors wanting to put us on their news."

BBC Suffolk News

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High business rates blamed for cafe’s unexpected closure

One of Lowestoft’s most beloved cafes has blamed its sudden closure on the rise in running costs and business rates.
Tuttles Corner, on Station Square, announced its closure in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
The business had, only five weeks ago, closed temporarily due to what it called a “minor electrical issue”.
However, in a statement, the business said running the cafe had become “unsustainable” due to rising costs and business rates.
On Facebook the cafe said: “We are very sorry but we have to announce our closing.
“Unfortunately due to the costs we have just found reopening the cafe unsustainable due to business rates and rising costs.
“We hope to reopen eventually in some form to serve you all soon.
“We are very sad and disappointed but please watch this space.”
The cafe also thanked its customers over the years and said it was “gutted” to be closing.
It wrote: “We thank you all for your amazing custom and we will miss you all until we can be back with you in some form.
“We are so gutted not to be back with you but costs just don’t go away and with the work on the electrics, the bins, stock etc. we just can’t.”
Disappointed customers echoed the cafe’s anger at high business rates, which are set by central government and collected by Waveney District Council.
Jacqueline Gowing said: “This is a prime example of how the council don’t support our small businesses. With big business taxes and rates, it’s such a shame and so unfair.
“I hope you can recover somehow and hope the owner gets to recoup his expenses. It’s not easy in business nowadays.”
Anna Sinclair added: “This has made me sad, we loved our Saturday morning breakfasts after dancing and your fabulous cakes!
“Please don’t give up, you really had a perfect family friendly feel and that’s important to so many parents and grandparents!”
Hilary Sutton said: “So sorry to hear you are closing. Your food was amazing and you were all so welcoming.”
The cafe hit the national headlines earlier this year after their ‘Hot Dog on a bum’ menu error.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/high-bu ... -1-5732444

[boatbuilder]

Norfolk man who illegally hoarded 5,000 rare eggs faces jail

A man who illegally collected more than 5,000 rare bird eggs has been warned he faces jail.
Daniel Lingham, 65, was spotted "head-to-toe in camouflage gear" picking eggs up off the ground at Cawston Heath in Norfolk in May.
Norwich Magistrates' Court heard he was searched by police, who then visited his home and found thousands of eggs.
Lingham, of Newton St Faith, Norfolk, admitted five offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Officers found a total of 5,266 eggs of species including nightingales, nightjars, turtle doves, chiffchaffs, little-ringed plovers, woodlarks and kingfishers at his home.
Colette Harper, prosecuting, said police searched Lingham after he was reported by a member of the public on 21 May.
"He disclosed he had eggs on his person and produced two small tubs," she said.
Officers also found Lingham had a catapult, binoculars and tree climbing spikes with him, and he told them: "I've been a silly man, haven't I?"
They searched his home and found tubs containing eggs under his bed and in the kitchen and living room.
Lingham was convicted of similar offences in 2005 when he was jailed for 12 weeks for illegally collecting 3,603 eggs, the court heard.
He pleaded guilty on Friday to taking nine linnet eggs at Cawston Heath, having 75 wild bird eggs from species which are in decline, and possessing 4,070 ordinarily protected wild bird eggs.
He also admitted two counts of possession of articles capable of being used to commit an offence - items found during the search, and boxes and bird reference books found at his home.
Lingham told magistrates: "I didn't realise how many eggs there were. I didn't count them."
James Burrows, mitigating, said Lingham had been referred to a mental health team and was being treated for obsessive compulsive disorder.
Chairman of the bench Jeanne Heal bailed him until 27 November and said: "We're looking at a quite lengthy custodial sentence."

BBC News

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Date set for auction of former hospital site

A former hospital site will be auctioned for sale despite calls for it to be reopened.
Lowestoft Hospital, on Tennyson Road, has been listed for auction by Allsop on Thursday, October 25 and has a guide price of £475,000.
The news will come as a shock to campaigners who last week launched a campaign to reopen the hospital.
The NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group said the hospital remains unsuitable for modern medical services and the decision to close the building would not change.
Cath Byford, deputy chief officer and director of commissioning with NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG, said: “Decisions were made a number of years ago that the Lowestoft Hospital site was no longer viable for the provision of modern health services and the CCG continues to support that decision.
“The James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been involved in a process over a number of years to redevelop or sell the site to make the best use of limited NHS resources, which the CCG supports.”
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/health/date ... -1-5735413

[boatbuilder]

Universal Wealth Management: Police probe Ipswich firm

The collapse of an inheritance planning firm that has left dozens of clients fearing for their life savings is being investigated by police.
Universal Wealth Management ran seminars called Keep It In The Family, in which they promised to protect people's assets from inheritance tax.
The Ipswich-based firm also promised to help people avoid care home fees.
Two people connected to the firm have been arrested and released as inquiries continue.
After attending a seminar, people typically put their home into a trust run by the company, which meant they no longer officially owned it.
The idea was that local authorities would then disregard the property in the event someone needed long-term care.
The BBC has learned the company first hit trouble in late 2017, when it laid off dozens of staff.
Earlier this year, some clients started to complain but their emails and calls were going unanswered.
In April, two people connected with the firm were arrested on suspicion of fraud. They have since been released but remain under active police investigation.
A Suffolk police spokeswoman said: "Two people who were arrested on suspicion of fraud as part of a large-scale financial investigation have had their police bail cancelled.
"Both have now been released under investigation whilst inquiries are continuing."
The national body that deals with fraud on behalf of victims, Action Fraud, said at least 140 clients of Universal Wealth had contacted it about missing money.
The BBC has spoken to a number of people who appear to have lost significant amounts of cash.
Nigel Watson, from Sabden, near Burnley in Lancashire, attended a Universal Wealth seminar with his parents in 2014.
Both signed their houses over to a Universal Wealth Preservation trust, while Mr Watson's parents handed over £250,000 - their entire life savings.
Mr Watson found out about the collapse of Universal Wealth when he got a letter from a former employee, offering to change the trustees for a fee.
"They were totally in the dark about it," he said. "And I had this bombshell piece of news, which I had to decide whether I told them about or not."
"It was terrible. Awful. To tell them their whole life savings had disappeared was terrible. I can't describe it."
The company has yet to comment. Its offices in White House Road, Ipswich, are empty and 100 staff have lost their jobs.
The investigation will be broadcast on BBC Inside Out East on BBC One on Monday at 19:30 BST.

BBC News Suffolk report

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Missed appointments at Ipswich Hospital topped 37,000 last year

The hospital trust’s new annual report shows a total of 37,445 appointments were missed last year, at the cost of thousands of pounds to the taxpayer.
However, Andy Yacoub, chief executive of Healthwatch Suffolk, said it is too easy to blame patients for the issue and that hospitals could do more to make cancelling appointments an easier experience.
He said: “Missed appointments or did not attends are an issue for health services generally, whether you are a small GP, a large GP, a community hospital or an acute hospital.
“I think it is too easy to assume it is the patient’s fault.
“On the face of it, it looks like patient that has let down the hospital by not being at the appointment.
“It can be that. But what we don’t know much about, as there has never been an independent study, is why they don’t attend.
“We think it is partly to do with not understanding the letters, getting flooded with information or not having a clear point of contact if they need to change an appointment.
“They need to make it an easier system for people to use.”
The 37,445 missed appointments has slightly risen on last year’s figure of 35,495.
EADT report

[boatbuilder]

I have only just read the above and I find that figure of over 37,000 staggering. That works out to 144 missed appointments a day based on a 5-day week which tends to be the case with such appointments. I have never found anything wrong with the way appointment letters are worded or with the details they contain with regards to cancelling appointments and I am sure the appointment letters that Ipswich send out are much the same as they are at the JPH. With appointments that are made many months in advance, JPH also tend to follow up with a phone call about a week before the appointment date to check if you will be attending.