Helen Burchell

A fire at Thomas Bullock Primary Academy in Shipdham, Norfolk, was caused when sunlight refracted through or onto a perspex canopy and ignited nearby playground furniture before spreading to the school. Three classrooms were badly damaged, preventing the school from reopening on 3 September; remote learning will take place for at least a week. The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust has alerted the Department for Education because many schools have similar canopies, and hotter summers may increase the risk. Ten fire crews attended, amid a wider surge in incidents that prompted Norfolk to declare a major incident.

Trevor New-Watts, 57, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for raping and sexually assaulting a young child in Norwich between August 2021 and December 2022. The victim disclosed the abuse to a relative using drawings, prompting a Norfolk Police investigation that uncovered searches on New-Watts’ phones about the persistence of DNA evidence. A judge described the offences as “wicked” and imposed a lifelong Sex Offenders’ Register requirement, an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and an indefinite restraining order protecting the victim. The victim’s family said the abuse had caused lasting physical, emotional and psychological trauma.

A wildfire that began in a field near School Close in Kenninghall, Norfolk, spread to nearby homes, badly damaging two properties and causing limited damage to others. Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service sent eight crews and extinguished the fire within about two hours. One person with a minor injury was assessed by ambulance staff and later travelled to hospital independently. The incident occurred during exceptionally dry weather, with firefighters attending more than 20 open fires across Norfolk that day, while residents affected by the blaze were offered shelter in the village hall.

Milton Road in Cambridge has reopened after being closed for several weeks when a sinkhole up to 3 metres deep appeared on 22 June. Repairs were delayed by a damaged sewer, which Anglian Water fixed toward the end of July, allowing the hole to be filled with concrete and the road to reopen. The route connects Cambridge city centre with the A14 and had recently undergone a multimillion-pound redevelopment that added pedestrian crossings and a cycle lane.

About 45 residents in Great Burstead, Essex, were evacuated as a precaution after contractors damaged a gas pipe on Southend Road. Cadent engineers confirmed that no one was injured and gas supplies were not interrupted. Residents were allowed to return home at about 20:30, and the gas pipe was fully repaired by 22:30.

A former Northamptonshire Police officer was found to have committed gross misconduct after posting a violent video and offensive, demeaning and discriminatory messages in a WhatsApp group between June and December 2020. The panel also found that he failed to challenge or report inappropriate comments made by other officers. He resigned during the investigation and would have been dismissed had he remained in the force.

The University of Suffolk has completed specialist facilities for its new four-year Master of Pharmacy course, including a mock dispensary and telehealth room where students can practise dispensing, diagnostics, prescribing consultations and remote patient care. The first cohort is expected to begin in September. The university says the course will help meet pharmacist shortages and future health and social care workforce needs, with £457,600 in support from the Office for Students.

Fourteen-year-old Poppy was home alone near Norwich when sunlight refracted through a glass snow globe on a windowsill and set fire to a nearby pencil case. She called her mother and emergency services, calmly evacuated the house with the family dog and followed fire-safety instructions. Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service praised her response and warned people to keep glass ornaments, mirrors and other reflective objects away from direct sunlight and combustible materials.

British Sugar has proposed closing its Cantley sugar factory in Norfolk, the UK’s oldest, potentially from the end of February 2027, putting more than 100 jobs at risk. Residents describe the plant as central to the village’s identity and economy, while acknowledging that redevelopment of the brownfield site could create new housing, jobs and services. British Sugar says concentrating processing at its other English factories would improve efficiency and support the long-term future of the UK sugar industry. A consultation on the proposal is planned.

Drying peat and clay beneath rail lines in East Anglia has caused uneven tracks, prompting Network Rail to impose late‑night speed restrictions and timetable changes from 3 August. Great Northern, Greater Anglia and c2c services will face delays, overnight repairs and some bus replacements while engineers use tamping machines and new ballast to stabilise the track. Thousands of tonnes of ballast have already been deployed, with more planned throughout 2026 to keep services running safely.

Fire crews responded to multiple accidental blazes across Cambridgeshire, including a large barn fire in Thorney and a bin store fire in Peterborough that disrupted water supply to 112 flats. Additional firefighters tackled a combine harvester fire that spread across farmland in Meldreth. Emergency services contained all incidents and conducted safety inspections throughout the day.

A signed David Hockney print discovered inside a donated copy of his 1980 book Paper Pools at a Salvation Army shop in Norwich sold at auction for £41,160. Volunteer Jemma Banks found the rare artwork, which contributed to fundraising efforts for the charity. The anonymous buyer expressed appreciation for both acquiring a significant piece of art and supporting the Salvation Army’s community work.

A pop-up shop on Bridge Street in Peterborough will offer free or swapped school uniforms and prom clothes on 31 July, aimed at easing financial pressure on families and promoting reuse and recycling. Peterborough City Council highlights the event’s environmental and cost-saving benefits, with support from cabinet members for children’s services and environmental services. The initiative follows a similar event held last summer and encourages residents to donate clean, good-quality items.

A Cambridge University student, Jim Gleed, created a detailed 10,000‑brick Lego model of Christ’s College’s historic 1887 boathouse, complete with interior features and rowing equipment. Gleed said the project helped him appreciate architectural details and hoped it would promote both rowing and the boathouse. The model reflects his long-standing interest in Lego and his involvement in rowing since 2020.

About 60 firefighters responded to a large overnight fire affecting industrial units, vehicles and mobile homes in High Ongar. Essex Fire and Rescue deployed 12 crews despite limited water access, later scaling back to eight as the situation improved. Residents were advised to keep doors and windows closed due to smoke and possible explosions from involved cylinders.

Davina McCall narrates a short film promoting the forthcoming Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, a £41m facility integrating clinical care at Addenbrooke's Hospital with research from the University of Cambridge and Cancer Research UK. McCall, recently cleared after breast cancer surgery, highlights the impact of cancer and praises the hospital’s collaborative approach. Project leaders say the new centre will advance prevention, diagnosis and treatment when construction begins in 2027.