Abygail Fossett

Marlie, a baby from Wrentham, was born with a severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia, heart defects and impaired blood flow, giving her an estimated 50% chance of survival. Delivered by caesarean at University College London Hospitals and transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, she avoided the need for ECMO after responding well to ventilation and is awaiting surgery once stable. Her parents, Lauren Heaney and Alfie Wright, expect to remain in London for an extended period and have raised around £4,600 to cover living costs while caring for her.

Arthur White, a retired postman from Felixstowe, has died aged 87. Born in Stoke Newington in 1938, he served two years of National Service before beginning a long career with the Post Office. He and his wife Arline raised their family in Hackney before moving to Felixstowe after his retirement, where he became active in the Bowls Club and Trades and Labour Club and enjoyed fishing. An inquest found that he died following an accidental fall at home. He is survived by Arline, his children Tracy and Steve, five grandchildren and many friends.

Peter Roberts, 40, of Haverhill, admitted sending former Chancellor Rachel Reeves an abusive email that included antisemitic remarks, anti-vaccine claims and a threat to “skin” her. Suffolk Magistrates Court heard a victim-impact statement from Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle describing fears for MPs, their families and staff. District Judge Matthew Bone warned Roberts that a prison sentence was possible and said such threats against public servants must be treated seriously. Roberts is due to return to court for sentencing on September 1.

Plans for the South Saxmundham Garden Neighbourhood propose up to 800 homes between Saxmundham and Benhall, alongside a budget hotel, three drive-through restaurants, a 24-hour petrol station and service area, and warehousing. Supporters say the scheme would provide housing, jobs and amenities, while more than 200 objections focus on traffic, loss of agricultural land, pressure on GP and school services, public transport, drainage and the impact on the countryside. The application remains under consideration and is partly outline, leaving key questions about infrastructure delivery and development details unresolved.

The Suffolk Punch Trust has suspended its Friends membership scheme after closing its visitor centre, café and shop and reducing operations. The charity said it could no longer justify regular payments because staff shortages prevented it from delivering newsletters and other member benefits. Breeding will continue, but supporters including Suffolk Show director Mark Donsworth and former sponsor Elizabeth Buckland expressed disappointment that public access and engagement opportunities have been reduced. The Trust declined to comment.

Hysen Rahova, a 32-year-old Albanian citizen from west London, was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court to three years and four months in prison after admitting cocaine supply offences and possessing criminal property. Police found 17 cocaine wraps in his car in Stowmarket, cash at his Airbnb and home, and phone evidence indicating that he managed a nationwide drug line. The court heard that Rahova turned to drug dealing after losing his job and falling into debt following the discovery of his wife’s affair. The judge warned that Rahova could face automatic deportation and condemned the wider harm caused by the drugs trade.

Abygail Fossett selects The Swan in Needham Market as Pub of the Week after visiting on a hot day. She praises its cool, welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere, well-mannered regulars, pub garden, live sports, local beers and separate senior and gluten-free menus. The historic pub dates to 1544 and has had several owners, including Greene King and Cobbold Cliff Brewery. Fossett orders a Caesar salad with halloumi and gives it a favorable review, while noting that chips would have complemented the meal.

Hayley Prince says her brother Steven McBride’s 16-year Imprisonment for Public Protection sentence contributed to his suicide at HMP Warren Hill in September 2024. An inquest found that uncertainty over his sentence and a recent parole refusal had a relevant bearing on his actions. Although IPP sentences were abolished for new cases in 2012, about 2,000 people remain subject to them because the change was not retrospective. Prince, supported by Hodge Jones & Allen, is calling for the sentences to be removed completely, while Andy Burnham has ordered a review.

Miguel Fragata admitted stealing a £250 Gucci bag from a 16-year-old boy at Felixstowe Pier in June 2023. The teenager and his friends from Stowmarket were approached by a larger group, and he also handed over a Trapstar hoodie to one of Fragata’s associates. Although Fragata denied making threats, Judge Richard Kelly concluded that threats must have been made to compel the teenager to surrender his belongings. Fragata was ordered to pay £300 compensation, fined £50, pay a £114 surcharge and complete 60 hours of unpaid work.

Ryan Orton, 33, appeared remotely before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court to enter a plea to an alleged assault on a police officer. He refused to answer the charge, interrupted court staff and directed abusive insults at magistrates and the clerk. After several warnings, magistrates adjourned the case until October 2, with the clerk remarking that Orton might by then have expanded his vocabulary.

Sarah Remnant thanked St Elizabeth Hospice for supporting her mother, Deidre, after Deidre was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 2024. Hospice staff helped Deidre remain safely at home and maintain her dignity and independence, allowing the family to share trips, meals, celebrations and Christmas together before her death in February 2025 at age 83. St Elizabeth Hospice provides free care to more than 4,000 patients and their families annually across East and Mid-Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

Suffolk cat rescuer Georgina Jay has received her third temporary ban from Nextdoor after the platform classified her rescue-related activity as spam. She says the bans sharply reduce her ability to find homes, receive requests for help and support cats through Animal Relief Neutering. Fosterer Michelle Wright was also banned after posting about a rescued kitten, though her account was later reinstated. Jay plans to keep using Nextdoor but remains concerned about the impact of future bans on cats needing help.

A Suffolk coroner found that trainee paramedic Rebecca McLellan, who had bipolar disorder, was left without a dedicated mental health care coordinator for about nine weeks before taking her own life in November 2023. The gap was partly attributed to staffing shortages at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, where four of 16 team positions were vacant. The coroner warned that the Trust lacked a documented process for covering prolonged staff absences and said this created an ongoing risk of future deaths. The Trust outlined its existing handover and patient-reallocation procedures in response.

Influencer Jacob Joel-Paine was sentenced after driving into a security guard at the Parkway multistorey car park in Bury St Edmunds, breaking the guard’s leg, and leaving despite repeated requests to call an ambulance. Joel-Paine later gave police what the judge described as a false account and was convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Ipswich Crown Court suspended his 18-month prison sentence for 18 months, ordered 200 hours of unpaid work and imposed a two-year driving ban.

Mary and Phillip Draper are celebrating 60 years of marriage after meeting by chance outside a dance at Yoxford village hall. They married at St Michael’s Church in Peasenhall in 1966, raised three sons and now have several grandchildren. Their granddaughter Emma arranged a return visit to Mary’s childhood home in Yoxford, where the couple revisited the place their relationship began.

Jack Chamberlain, who died aged 79, spent his final years in Tannington near Framlingham. Born in Swainsthorpe, he worked in haulage, drove lorries for Lotus, became a successful banger and stock-car racer, and later ran a firewood business whose yard was located at Dunston Hall. He and his first wife, Maureen, lived on the Isle of Wight, in Gozo and in Michigan before her death from bone marrow cancer in 2001. Chamberlain later married Barbara in Las Vegas, returned to Suffolk, and became a grandfather and great-grandfather.

John Bedser, a lifelong Halesworth farmer and former cricket captain, died on June 9 at age 93. He spent his life working Laurel Farm and Hall Farm, building a thriving family farming business and passing down his knowledge to his children. Known for his calm nature, dedication to farming, and love of cricket, he remained active well into his later years despite health issues. He is survived by his wife, three children, and an extensive multigenerational family.

A coroner ruled that a dismembered man found in bin bags in the River Stour was unlawfully killed, concluding he died violently between 2008 and 2012. Forensic experts reported evidence of mummified limbs likely kept in a dry environment, possible freezing, and hacking trauma intended to obscure identity. Despite extensive police efforts and DNA searches, the victim—believed to be a fair‑haired man born before the 1950s—remains unidentified. The coroner emphasized the tragedy of the unresolved case and the likelihood that someone is still missing him.