Things we’ve learned this week – A quick catch-up guide to the week’s stories

Bury BID chief executive Mark Cordell. Picture: OUR BURY ST EDMUNDS (Image: Archant)

1. Calls were made to “use or lose” town centre shops in Bury St Edmunds following the exit of another businessFrustrated business leaders say government, councils and landlords should be doing more to prevent shops from moving out of town following the relocation of Intersport.

Mark Cordell, chief executive of Our Bury St Edmunds BID group, said there needs to be a commitment from the local community “to use their town centre”.

2. Concerns were raised over plans to house sex offenders at a Suffolk open prisonThe Prison Service has confirmed Hollesley Bay is among several open prisons being used to accommodate the growing numbers of sex offenders in the criminal justice system.

In a letter to Hollesley Parish Council, governor Declan Moore said there would be no increase in prisoner numbers and that all sex offenders would be “suitably risk assessed”.

Therese Coffey, Suffolk Coastal MP. Picture: Gregg Brown (Image: Archant)

But Therese Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal, penned a letter to Prisons Minister Rory Stewart asking him to look again at the proposals.

3. A body was found in an Ipswich riverJoe Pooley, aged 22, from Ipswich, was found at around 10.30am on Monday in the River Gipping, near to London Road.

Police are continuing to appeal for information following the discovery of his body.

Mr Pooley’s body was first spotted by a dog walker near Suffolk Retail Park, walking along the footpath behind Argos, Dunelm and The Range.

Joe Pooley, from Ipswich, who was found in the River Gipping Picture: Suffolk police (Image: Archant)

A post-mortem examination carried out concluded that the likely cause of his death was immersion in water.

4. Suffolk students’ A-level results were better than the national average – with more than ever achieving the highest grades

Education chiefs revealed that there had been a 3% increase in those gaining the top grades of A* or A.

In Essex, more than one in four A-levels were awarded top grades – as overall results exceeded the national average.

Students celebrating at Clacton Coastal Academy Picture: HAMZA SLIM (Image: HAMZA SLIM)

5. Ipswich Town boss Paul Hurst called his players “warriors” after yesterday’s draw with high-flying Aston Villa at Portman RoadThe Blues exited the Carabao Cup at the hands of Exeter City on Tuesday night – a performance which was heavily criticised by Hurst.

But the new Blues manager was delighted with the reaction of his team on Saturday, who were forced to play more than 50 minutes with 10 men following the sending-off of Tayo Edun.

Town manager Paul Hurst applauds the Town fans after the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa. Picture: STEVE WALLER WWW.STEPHENWALLER.COM (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)