Dan Laughlan

The Dunwich wildfire forced Cliff House Holiday Park to close for two weeks and reschedule about £100,000 in camping and self-catering bookings. Owner Steven Johnson said the incident was especially difficult after a January fire caused £1 million in damage to the park’s bar and restaurant, although the site has since reopened unscathed. East Suffolk Council leader Caroline Topping said climate-related events had clearly affected businesses dependent on visitors, despite July footfall rising nearly 15% year on year. The council is working with local stakeholders and has secured Sizewell C funding to support tourism during and beyond the construction period.

The Hare and Hounds pub on Heath Road in East Bergholt has applied retrospectively to retain a three-sided, open-fronted timber shelter in its beer garden. The tenants say the structure supports increased outdoor trade during hot weather and major sporting events, provides customer shelter, reduces traffic noise and enables pre-prepared food to be served at functions and private events. The pub is a Grade II listed building dating from the 16th century.

Plans have been submitted to convert a long-disused former telephone exchange on Cemetery Lane in East Bergholt into a two-bedroom home. The proposal includes a small extension, improved landscaping and materials intended to fit the surrounding area, while retaining the existing building as the dominant feature. A structural survey supports the building’s suitability for residential use, and no significant changes to access or parking are proposed. Babergh District Council will assess the application before making a decision.

Students at Finborough School achieved strong A-level and BTEC results, with BTEC Distinction and Distinction* rates substantially exceeding national benchmarks and particularly strong results in chemistry and mathematics. Megan Fox earned grades of Distinction*, Distinction, A and B and will attend ArtsEd in London for full-time performing arts training, while Isabelle Manning achieved A* A* A and secured a place to study medicine at the University of Leicester. School leaders attributed the outcomes to students' dedication, academic support and emphasis on character development.

Suffolk is sending 12 firefighters and two fire engines to Hampshire to help tackle a major New Forest wildfire, while also deploying another engine and six firefighters to South Wales. Although 100 staff have volunteered and officials say Suffolk's fire cover will not be compromised, the Fire Brigades Union warns that only 12 of the county's 35 stations are currently available because of recruitment shortages, holidays and competing work commitments. The deployment follows extensive national assistance during Suffolk's Dunwich wildfire and has renewed concerns about severe funding and staffing pressures across the fire and rescue service.

Mid Suffolk District Council has approved plans to replace a 7.5-by-6-metre portacabin serving Bramford Bowls Club at the sports pavilion on Acton Road near Ipswich. The project also includes bin storage, relocation of a water tank and new boundary fencing. The application attracted no public objections, and Sport England and the Health and Safety Executive raised no concerns. The council found the development compliant with the Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan.

Police are conducting an ongoing counterterrorism investigation following a credible threat made against the UK Ijtima gathering at Shrubland Hall in Barham. Eight men remain in custody under the Terrorism Act, and a woman and three other men have been bailed. Investigators have seized more than 35 digital devices, a vehicle and searched ten properties, with inquiries including CCTV analysis. Authorities advised organisers to end the event early, which had drawn about 10,000 attendees, as investigations continue into potential links among those arrested.