Katie Drake

A fire spread across six acres of a field on Mount Road near Bury St Edmunds during an ongoing heatwave. Crews from Elmswell and Bury St Edmunds used hoses, water backpacks and beaters to tackle pockets of fire, while UK Power Networks checked nearby overhead power lines. Firefighters reported good progress in containing the blaze.

Memorial benches dedicated to loved ones survived a wildfire that devastated about 150 hectares of heathland and woodland at Dunwich Heath. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service shared photographs showing the benches standing amid charred vegetation, offering reassurance to the local community. The blaze prompted evacuations from homes, campsites and caravan parks, while residents of nearby Westleton and emergency organizations from across the region supported the response.

Firefighters are tackling a blaze covering about 10 hectares at Plantation House in Exning near Newmarket, involving grass paddocks, hedgerows and approximately 15 tonnes of manure. Crews and equipment from across Suffolk, including water carriers and bowsers, are working to contain the two-section fire. Smoke is visible from the A14, and drivers have been urged to take care.

An accidental fire that began in an outbuilding on Queen Street in Withersfield spread to an oil tank, caravan and adjoining workshop. Firefighters from Suffolk and Essex used multiple appliances and specialist equipment to bring the blaze under control by 3:14pm and prevent it from reaching a nearby home. The road was closed, the Environment Agency was notified after the oil tank was ruptured, and UK Power Networks attended. No casualties were reported.

A wildfire at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk burned 104 hectares of nature reserve, devastating habitats and threatening species including Dartford warblers, woodlarks, nightjars, adders, rare butterflies and other invertebrates. The National Trust is assessing the damage, making the site safe and planning restoration, while raising nearly three-quarters of a £500,000 emergency fundraising target. National Trust director-general Hilary McGrady said the blaze demonstrated the growing risks posed by climate change, including more frequent wildfires, heatwaves and droughts.

Donald Trump was reportedly transferred from Air Force One into a catering truck during his departure from a NATO summit in Ankara after an alleged assassination threat from Iran. The maneuver reportedly concealed his movements from journalists and some White House staff while he traveled on another military aircraft. The Washington Post cited sources familiar with the operation, but the Associated Press had not independently confirmed it. Trump was subsequently linked to a planned visit to RAF Mildenhall, where he was expected to show staff the transformed Air Force One, formerly a Qatari-owned jumbo jet.

RSPB Minsmere will reopen to the public at 9am on Tuesday, August 11, after an 11-day closure caused by the Dunwich Heath wildfire. The Visitor Hub and surrounding wetlands were not damaged and will be accessible, but the fire-damaged heathland will remain closed because of possible hotspots and the risk of re-ignition. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has ended the major incident designation, although the fire remains an active incident.

Weavers’ House Spa at The Swan in Lavenham has been shortlisted for Best Boutique Spa and Best Spa in the East Midlands and the East at the 2026 Good Spa Guide Awards. Spa director Alex Hurt praised the team and thanked customers for their support. Public voting is open until August 31, with voters eligible for luxury spa and voucher prize draws.

Twenty-two-year-old Solly Dickson of Belvoir Court, Haverhill, was arrested on August 5 on suspicion of driving while disqualified. He was subsequently charged with two counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of driving without insurance, and a Section 4 Public Order Act offence involving fear or provocation of violence. Dickson was remanded in custody and appeared before Suffolk Magistrates' Court on August 7, where he was further remanded pending a future hearing.

Rail services between Ipswich and London Liverpool Street were severely disrupted after a 6:30 a.m. Norwich train broke down at Gidea Park. Passengers faced delays and were advised to travel via Cambridge, with journeys from Ipswich estimated to take three hours. Services connecting London with Norwich, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester Town and Southend Victoria were also affected, but the problem was resolved on Monday afternoon.

Roads and public rights of way around Dunwich Heath remain closed while emergency services respond to a major fire. Closures affect Westleton Road, Dunwich Road, Mill Street, an access point north of Eastbridge, and several footpaths, bridleways and sections of the England Coast Path. Authorities cite ongoing firefighting, unstable ground, damaged vegetation and vehicle movements as safety risks, and ask the public not to bypass barriers. Diversions and maps are available through Discover Suffolk, while the wider Suffolk coast remains open.

Two men were arrested in Bury St Edmunds during a Suffolk Constabulary operation targeting organized crime groups involved in selling illicit tobacco. Officers seized more than £2,000 worth of illegal tobacco products and £3,000 in cash, while warning that untaxed tobacco bypasses safety checks and age restrictions and harms legitimate local businesses.

Property prices in Suffolk’s IP postcode area fell by an average of £11,336, or 3.15%, between initial asking prices and final sale prices over the past year. The steepest reductions occurred in IP18, covering Southwold, where 34 homeowners cut their asking prices by an average of £18,896. Property Solvers co-director Ruban Selvanayagam attributed the gap to challenging market conditions, more discerning buyers and sellers testing the market at unrealistic prices.

An emergency appeal launched by the National Trust has raised £350,000 to restore Dunwich Heath after a wildfire destroyed about 150 hectares of heathland. The initial response and two years of intensive recovery work are expected to cost at least £500,000, while full restoration could take a decade and include safety work, environmental surveys, reseeding, habitat restoration, improved visitor facilities and repairs to damaged buildings. Donations above the target will support other National Trust landscapes affected by fires.

Crema Coffee, which has operated in Colchester for seven years, has opened a new cafe in a former Monsoon unit on Westgate Street in Ipswich under a ten-year lease. The dog-friendly cafe features a listed decorative ceiling and celebrated its opening with £1 coffee. Commercial agent Rachael Jackson said the business would positively impact and help rejuvenate the town centre.

A suspected explosion at a flat on Princes Street in Ipswich prompted an evacuation, road closures and a police cordon after a loud bang was reported on Friday evening. An 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of arson and criminal damage with intent to endanger life, while no injuries were reported. Police later said they believed an aerosol can had exploded after being placed on a heat source; forensic examinations and further inquiries were continuing.

Isaacs on the Quay waterfront pub in Ipswich is preparing to launch an augmented-reality darts experience in its transformed scrum room from August 3. The attraction will cost £12 per hour from Monday to Thursday and £16 per hour from Friday to Sunday, with two lanes accommodating up to eight players each. The pub has also recently introduced a summer menu featuring new small plates, lunch and dinner options, alongside established dishes such as fish and chips and burgers.

The UK Health Security Agency issued an amber heat-health alert covering Suffolk from 9am on Monday, August 3, until 9am on Wednesday, August 5. The 48-hour alert warned that high temperatures could particularly affect people aged 65 and over, those with health conditions, and other vulnerable people, while increasing pressure on health and social-care services. Authorities also warned of excessive indoor temperatures, higher power demand, travel disruption, and increased risks of cold-water shock and drowning. The alert coincided with expected rain and a hosepipe ban imposed by Essex and Suffolk Water.

Fire crews are expected to continue battling the wildfire at Dunwich Heath for several more days, with ten engines and support vehicles operating during daylight and six overnight. A helicopter and national support resources are being used to reach difficult areas. Authorities are urging the public to avoid the heath and keep access clear, while an Amber Heat-Health Alert is in effect from Monday through Wednesday ahead of hotter temperatures.

Three Suffolk-connected criminal cases resulted in convictions or prison sentences. Four men were jailed for targeting 449 new-build homes across 10 counties in a burglary spree that caused more than £1 million in losses. Former Royal Navy petty officer Allan Grimson was convicted of 13 historic sexual offences against four males and is due to be sentenced on November 6. Joseph Wicks received four and a half years for stalking his former partner and driving into three pedestrians in Colchester; the judge described his conduct as cowardly.

Felixstowe Lifeboat crews responded to three incidents on the River Orwell and near Harwich in one day. A personal locator beacon was accidentally activated near Ha’penny Pier, while two vessels later required assistance: one was secured to a mooring and another had its occupants brought safely ashore. The crews had been attending the RNLI Harwich Lifeboat Station open day alongside other emergency services, highlighting cooperation among maritime rescue organizations.

Suffolk public notices include claims procedures for the estates of Brenda Elaine Phillips and Basil James Gilbert, temporary road closures for surface dressing, road marking and a water-meter exchange, and a listed-building application for flood defences at Stanwell House in Earl Soham following damage from Storm Babet in 2023. The road closures include diversion routes and may remain in force for up to 18 months if necessary.

Around 90 to 100 firefighters and support personnel remain at Dunwich Heath more than 72 hours after a wildfire began at RSPB Minsmere. Crews are using up to 12 fire engines, water carriers and off-road vehicles, while firebreaks have been completed around the site and measures remain in place to protect nearby buildings. The public has been urged to avoid the area so emergency services can work safely, with roads and footpaths still closed. An information centre at Westleton Village Hall is due to reopen on Sunday.

Four crews from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service attended a fire at the derelict former ICI site on Factory Lane in Brantham after smoke was reported at 4:17pm on Saturday, August 1. Residents were advised to keep doors and windows shut because of smoke and a strong burning smell. Firefighters used breathing apparatus, hose-reel jets and covering jets before declaring the fire under control at 8:23pm and ventilating the site. The factory complex, which had operated under several plastics and chemical-industry companies, ceased manufacturing in 2007 after more than a century of industrial use.

Five Ipswich town-centre businesses are leaving or have left the high street in 2026: TGJones, Claire’s, Revolution, the Ipswich Fairtrade Shop and Tower Street Food Hall. Closures are linked to lease costs, administration, restructuring and broader financial pressures. The Fairtrade Shop will relocate to Felixstowe, while vacant premises are being temporarily reused, including as a designer sample shop. The changes reflect shifting shopping habits and the continuing evolution of Ipswich’s high street.

A wildfire at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk has spread rapidly, prompting a major incident response and the evacuation of residents. UK Power Networks shut off electricity in the Saxmundham IP17 area as a safety precaution, leaving 116 homes without power and with no estimated restoration time. Fire crews from across Suffolk are expected to continue fighting the blaze for another 24 to 48 hours.

Greater Anglia will operate additional late-night trains from Newmarket on July 31 and August 7 for attendees of Newmarket Nights. Services will run to Cambridge and Ipswich, with stops on the Ipswich route including Kennett, Bury St Edmunds, Thurston, Elmswell, Stowmarket and Needham Market. Passengers are advised to plan ahead, purchase tickets in advance and consider GroupSave discounts, while Newmarket Racecourse will provide a free shuttle bus from the railway station. The extra services form part of wider coordination among Greater Anglia, c2c and Network Rail Anglia.

William Silva De Nascimento, 27, of no fixed abode, was arrested after officers stopped his vehicle on Melford Road in Sudbury. He was charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine, driving without third-party insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, and acquiring, using or possessing criminal property. He was taken to Bury St Edmunds Investigation Centre and is scheduled to appear in court.

An unauthorized rave near Capel St Andrew in Rendlesham Forest attracted about 300 people and disturbed residents in nearby Boyton and Butley with loud music. Suffolk Police shut down the event, arrested ten people on suspected drug-related and public nuisance offences, and seized sound equipment and vehicles. East Suffolk councillor James Mallinder condemned the event over noise pollution, potential wildfire risks and damage to wildlife, while Forestry England cleared the resulting rubbish.

Police arrested Kevin Leci after a brief pursuit in Stowmarket when he failed to stop and fled on foot. He was charged with offences including failing to stop, driving without a licence and driving without insurance, and is scheduled to appear before Suffolk Magistrates Court. Police dismissed online rumours of weapons being involved, stating no weapons were reported or found.

Suffolk Police urge Latitude Festival attendees to minimise valuables, secure belongings and report suspicious behaviour due to common tent thefts during the event. Officers will be present as part of Project Servator, and motorists are warned of traffic delays on the A12. Sizewell C will pause freight movements to ease congestion, while local officials encourage festivalgoers to stay vigilant and safe.

A two-car collision on the A12 southbound at Copdock caused major delays around Ipswich. Police reported no injuries, and one lane reopened shortly after the initial full closure. The road was cleared before 12.45pm, but congestion remained on the A12 toward Capel St Mary and on the A14 between Wherstead and Sproughton.

A rapidly spreading fire at the National Trust’s Dunwich Heath in Suffolk prompted a major-incident declaration and the evacuation of nearby residents. RSPB Minsmere closed as a precaution, while 14 fire engines and specialist equipment worked to contain the blaze. Evacuated people were directed to Westleton Village Hall for updates.