Did you know?

21 years ago, the final curtain fell on 120 years of the Royal Tournament, and with it the final field gun competition at Earls Court.

Field Gun had been part of the military showcase event since triumphantly returning from the relief of Ladysmith during the Boer War in 1900, with Shotley man Ernest Abram, one of the original gunners.

The last Inter-Command competition was run between Portsmouth, Davenport and the Fleet Air Arm.

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Today's sunrise: 05:21

Today's sunset: 20:40

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Tide Times:

00:04 3.92m

05:51 0.76m

12:28 3.9m

18:27 0.48m

Felixstowe floodgates open

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Weather:

A fine start for most, with early cloud breaking to give some warm sunny spells. Some cloud will build through the day, bringing a slight risk of heavy showers. Maximum Temperature 23C, low of 15c

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Orwell Bridge: Open

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Quote of the day:

Once a Field Gunner always a Field Gunner.

Bonded for life by the violence and brutality of a sport that leaves a trail of injuries and fingers amputated between the clash of steel upon steel.

Every Jack Tar among them is a volunteer. He receives no money above his regular service pay. He can claim no compensation for accidents. The physical tests to make the team are the most merciless and ferocious I have ever seen.

What follows is even tougher. No prima donna would ever survive it.

Sport? Yes, sport by the true Olympian definition.

Crazy? Certainly, but so are so many of the greatest British traditions.

The challenge, at the crack of a thunder flash, is to haul a field gun and limber weighing a little matter of 2,092lbs across obstacles that require them twice to be dismantled, hurled through small holes in walls and then, wireborn, over a 24ft chasm, twice firing volleys of three blanks in between.

Even with a full month's training I would challenge any rugby union, rugby league, American football, TV Gladiators or night-club bouncers team to accomplish this inside a quarter of an hour.

The standard time for a Royal Naval Field Gun team is two minutes 46 seconds.

Ian Wooldridge - widely acclaimed journalist

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Joke of the day:

Dave joined the Navy purely out of spite

He longed to become a Petty Officer.

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Today's Post Office Openings:

Bent Hill, Wolsey Garden – 10.30 – 12.30

Felixstowe, Hamilton Road - 09.00 – 15.00

Old Felixstowe, High Road, East – 09.00-17.30

Walton High Street – 08.15 – 17.30

Trimley High Road – 06.00 – 22.00

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Today's supermarket shop openings:

Co-op Hamilton Road – 08.00-20.00

Co-op Wadgate Road – 06.00-23.00

Co-op High Road West - 07.00-23.00

Co-op King Street – 06.00-23.00

Co-op Walton High Street 06.00-23.00

Morrison's – 07.00 – 21.00 (petrol 08.00-22.00)

Tesco metro – 07.00-22.00

Sainsbury's Warren Heath – 08.00-22.00

Lidl Langer Road: 08.00 – 21.00

Lidl Haven exchange: 08.00-21.00

Wear face covering. Respect social distancing rules and treat shop staff with respect.

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Link here to see which other businesses are now open

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This weeks' surgeries and dispensary times:

Grove Medical centre 08.00-18.30 (283197)

Haven Health 08.00-18.30 (670107)

Howard House 09.00-17.00 (282706)

Felixstowe Community Hospital (458820)

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Live travel updates: 

Train times and traffic hold ups

Bus services:

Check here for Monday to Friday timetable

Ferrys

Felixstowe-Harwich-Shotley Foot Ferry[L+] running

Felixstowe to Bawdsey running from 10am.

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See which businesses are still operating with our Felixstowe Business Directory: Add your business or community group to our [L]https://felixstowe.nub.news/directory[L+]Local List

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