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Sat Nav pensioner drives into River Deben

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By Courtney Pike
Angling Correspondent

A Norfolk pensioner drove her car into the River Deben after her Sat Nav sent her to Waldringfield instead of Great Waldingfield.

Betty Hampton, 79, from Norwich, decided to pay a visit to her twin sister, who lives in a pretty cottage in the small village of Great Waldingfield near Sudbury in Suffolk.

But she got a little confused when using her new car satellite navigation device for the first time – and mistakenly keyed in Waldringfield, the riverside hamlet near Woodbridge, as her destination.

Betty headed off happily enough down the A140 and then dutifully followed the Sat Nav instructions to head east to Woodbridge, rather than west towards Sudbury.

She trundled along the windy country lanes near Waldringfield, went down Cliff Lane towards the river – and kept going at 20mph, straight into the water.

car-in-debenMaking waves: Betty Hampton’s car stuck in the River Deben

Luckily, her car was not completely submerged in the River Deben, and the landlord of the nearby Maybush Inn heard her cries for help and managed to pull her out.

“She was wet, cold, and a little dazed, but otherwise unhurt by her ordeal,” a local fisherman said. “She told us she thought she was in Great Waldingfield, and that there is no river there, so she was a little surprised to drive into one.

“She was able to have a chuckle about it while she dried out next to the fire in the pub, and staff allowed her to ring her sister to tell her she wouldn’t make lunch.”

Mrs Hampton’s car was written off, and a kindly police officer gave her a lift to Ipswich Railway Station, from where she was able to get a train back home to Norwich.

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Greater Anglia trains least likely to have an accident

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Greater Anglia bosses were celebrating today after a new report revealed their trains were the least likely in the country to have a major accident.

By Casey Jones, Railways Correspondent

Despite a separate Which? survey declaring less than half of passengers were satisfied with the Greater Anglia service, management pointed to the safety report as a true reflection of their track record.

But they failed to mention the small print, which stressed that Anglia trains were the safest only because they never go fast enough to be dangerous.

greater-anglia-trainSafety first: Greater Anglia
One of the Train Safety Report authors told the Suffolk Gazette: “Anglia trains either do not run, or they tend to crawl to and from London. The branch line trains are so slow a man walks in front of them waving a red flag.

“So it’s no surprise their trains are the least likely to be involved in an accident because if there was a collision, nobody would notice.”

Greater Anglia bosses insist repeatedly they are spending £40 million on improvements so that passengers can be more comfortable while they crawl along through Shenfield, or stop for no apparent reason somewhere in East London.

But the Which? report, published today alongside the Train Safety Report, concludes passengers are not getting the Anglia message.

It found 47% of them are unsatisfied, making Anglia one of the worst operators in the country.

Teachers told not to work in pyjamas

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EXCLUSIVE
By Suffolk Gazette staff

Suffolk teachers have been ordered to wash in the mornings and not turn up to lessons in their pyjamas.

School heads have noticed a rise in staff arriving still in pyjamas to teach their first class – and some have even worn them all day.

A shock Ofsted report revealed one teacher even attended a parents evening still wearing pink pyjamas and a pair of slippers, while another refereed a school football match while sporting a green-patterned onesie.

A county council letter to all teachers, seen by the Suffolk Gazette, warns them that keeping to a strict dress code is essential if pupils are to be set a good example.

The move comes just weeks after a headteacher in Darlington made the headlines by writing to parents asking them not to wear pyjamas on the school run.

Teaching bad habits: A Suffolk chemistry master in class yesterday

One Suffolk head, who asked not to be named, told the Suffolk Gazette: “It’s hard enough keeping kids awake in class without their teacher standing in front of them in their nightwear.

“Some pyjamas can look quite smart, but most of the time they are embarrassing and not at all appropriate. And the fact they are being worn implies the teacher has not even bothered washing in the morning.

“We have enforced a blanket ban and any teacher refusing to comply will face disciplinary action.”

But a spokesman for the local National Union of Teachers branch insisted: “We will defend our members. Teachers are often so overworked at home with marking and lesson planning that they don’t have time to get dressed in the mornings.”

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Hadron collider to be built on Suffolk coast

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Scientists have played down fears that a new Hadron Collider will tear through the fabric of space and time – destroying Aldeburgh, Walberswick and Southwold.

Planners have given the green light for a multi-billion pound particle accelerator which will link the three towns – before looping back to Aldeburgh via Blythburgh church.

Powered by Sizewell B Nuclear power station, the 37-mile atom-smasher will be a ten times more powerful than the Large Hadron Collider in Cern on the Swiss-French border – and will therefore have a much greater chance of creating black holes and detecting other universes.

A train-sized, concrete-cased tube will be sunk in Aldeburgh harbour before re-surfacing next to Maggi Hambling’s Scallop sculpture on the beach. It will then continue overground, ripping through Minsmere Nature Reserve, Walberswick and onto Southwold pier.

imageAtomic bombshell: particle accelerator will be powered by Sizewell

Responding to concerns that the posh coastal towns will disappear into a large black hole, Professor Kat Schrodinger from the Cern Institute said: “There is a risk, of course, and that is why our original plan was for it to pass through Haverhill as no-one would have noticed if it got sucked in.

“But there is unfortunately no large power source in the west of the county so we are pretty much restricted to the East coast.

Yacht club

“The people of Aldeburgh and Southwold are particularly known for embracing technological change and we have a very good relationship with the community. We have already agreed to slightly change the route of the tunnel so that it doesn’t go through the wine cellar of the Aldeburgh Yacht Club.”

The Suffolk Gazette understands that boffins have also reached a compromise deal with town council chiefs to only switch on the accelerator during weekdays when all the wealthy property owners will be safely living in their primary residences in north London.

The detection of alternative realities may also provide hope for local first-time buyers desperately trying to get on the property ladder.

Prof Schrodinger said: “It’s going to be very exciting as the possibilities are endless. Who knows, we may uncover a parallel universe in which Ipswich are playing sexy football in the Premier League rather than hoofing it in the Championship – or an alternative reality where BBC Look East journalists report outside of Norfolk.”

A footpath will be created alongside the route of the machine so while sub atomic particles smash into each at the speed of light, dog walkers and ramblers will be able to enjoy the coastal scenery at a more gentle pace.

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Police probe Valentine’s Day massacre

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By Rob Banks
Crime Editor

West Midlands police have launched a major investigation after a Valentine’s Day massacre in Birmingham today.

They say the victims were rounded up in the Aston area and severely beaten by a gang with Merseyside accents.

The eleven battered men were said to have been easy targets, who were completely unable to defend themselves for an hour and a half.

Suffolk Police have offered the assistance of specialist officers to help investigate the crime, which was witnessed by more than 35,000 people and was caught on Sky CCTV.

“It was quite horrific to see these men being repeatedly attacked by a well-drilled gang on St Valentine’s Day,” a spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa were thrashed 6-0 by a rampant Liverpool at Villa Park today.

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Bungling Bungay Town FC stuck with £77 tickets

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EXCLUSIVE
By Bob Paisley

A tiny non-league football club has egg on its face after raising its admission price to £77 to match Liverpool’s plans – only for the Merseysiders to back down at the last minute following fan protests.

Bungay Town FC, currently second in the Anglian Combination League Division 1, decided to raise revenues by charging their handful of hardy fans the same as the lofty increase proposed by Premier League Liverpool.

But the move backfired when Liverpool changed their minds, realising £77 was far too much to charge hard-working supporters, even for a Premier League club.

While Liverpool were able to make the switch, prompted by fans’ protests at their last home match, it was sadly too late for North Suffolk side Bungay.

The club is already advertising prices and printing tickets for next weekend’s crunch match against Bradenham Wanderers.

It means the team, which is in the TWELTH tier of English football, is now the most expensive side to watch in England. Club officials took to Twitter to vent their frustration…

It is believed the club, known as the Black Dogs, will reduce prices as soon as they can in the coming weeks.

A Bungay Town FC insider said: “It’s all rather unfortunate. We thought we couldn’t go wrong by raising prices to £77. If it’s good for Liverpool, then it’s good enough for us.

“Frankly I think it’s better value to be one of a dozen people watching us against Holt United than be part of the Kop watching Liverpool take on Manchester United.

“But it’s irrelevant now – Liverpool backed down and it’s too late for us. So we are now officially the most expensive team to watch in the country.”

For £77 spectators can take their pick of vantage points from which to watch Bungay Town at their impressive stadium at The Maltings. With only a few people attending, and the odd dog, it is certainly not cramped.

However, fans can enjoy brilliant hospitality in the Maltings Pavilion.

The club insider added: “As Liverpool have left us in a difficult position, perhaps they would consider loaning one of their players to us?

“If we could have England wide man James Milner until the end of the season, I am sure he could help us in our dream of winning promotion to the Anglian Combination Premier Division.”

Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp told the Suffolk Gazette: “We have not yet received an offer for any of our players from Bungay Town.”

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Quirky Norwich road signs to be torn down

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EXCLUSIVE
By Bernard Matthews
Norfolk Correspondent

Endearing road signs welcoming visitors to Norwich are to be torn down after complaints that nobody could understand a word they said.

Tourism bosses had hoped the signs would portray a warm and humourous side to the city by playing on the local accent and dialect.

Norwich road sign
One of the disputed Norwich signs
Seven of the signs were erected on major routes into the city at a cost of £40,000.

But local business owners say they have made Norwich a laughing stock, and are more likely to drive visitors away rather than attract them.

Graham Ruddy, spokesman for the local retail association, fumed: “If you can’t understand what the sign means, how are you likely to want to visit?

“We simply can not be taken seriously by promoting ourselves as weird hobbit-like people who do not speak English properly.”

Many ordinary Norwich residents love the signs, insisting a bit of quirkiness is good for the city’s reputation. “It’s good to have a sense of humour, hint et?” one pointy-eared resident told the Suffolk Gazette.

Conman ‘sold’ castle and supply of local women for a million

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EXCLUSIVE
By Hugh Dunnett, Crime Correspondent

Police are hunting a conman who “sold” Orford Castle to a gullible American businessman for a million pounds.

The elaborate hoaxer even told his wealthy Texan victim that a medieval charter entitled the castle owner to as many local women as he wanted – even married ones.

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He had set his trap by putting an advert in upmarket magazines in the United States, offering the castle, which was built by Henry II in 1165, at a “knockdown price” of £1 million.

It offered someone the “once-in-a-lifetime chance to own a real piece of English history”, with a live-in, full-restored castle that overlooked the North Sea.

orford-castle
Yours to keep: Orford Castle on the Suffolk coast

The victim, who police say made his fortune in the oil industry, responded to an email address in the advert, and flew to the UK to meet the “seller”, who claimed to have lived in the castle for 20 years.

Making sure it was a day the castle was open to the public, the conman arranged to meet the American at the nearby Jolly Sailor pub, where he plied him with the local Adnams beer before walking him up the road to view the property.

He impressed the victim with historical tales about the castle, which is regarded as one of the most remarkable keeps in England, with a unique design probably based on Byzantine architecture.

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And the crook even brazenly spun a yarn that by ancient charter, the owner of the castle was allowed his pick of the local women whenever he wanted, and that he need only ring a bell in the tower to summon them. Laughably, he claimed that is where the leering expression “ding-dong” came from.

The two men shook hands on the “deal” as they gazed out from the top of the central tower to the River Alde and the North Sea beyond.

Police say the conman showed the American all the alleged deeds and had contracts already prepared to go through when they went back to the pub. They signed all the documents but agreed not to exchange them until the sum of £1 million was transferred into a Swiss bank account the next week.

When the money was wired, the conman instantly withdrew it and has not been seen since.

The American, who has asked not to be named, was said to be distraught at missing out on his dream English castle, as well as pretty upset at losing a million.

A Suffolk police detective said: “It seems fanciful that someone would be foolish enough to think they can buy a castle for a million from a stranger they literally met in a pub. However, the conman was very plausible.”

The castle is in fact owned by English Heritage, which points out it is absolutely not for sale.

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