The fourth annual Beccles and Bungay Waveney Valley Rowing Challenge is set to firmly establish the event as a key date on the local calendar.

The contest, unlike the famous Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, is intended for novice rowers, who receive training on Sundays during February and March to prepare them for the race.

The race takes place on April 1st over a 1000 metre course on the River Waveney, with teams cheered on by spectators from both towns.

Reigning Bungay Champion Mark Taylor, of Ringsfield, told the EDP: “Everyone who took part in the race had an enormous sense of achievement and it is surprising how quickly a group of complete novices can get a boat moving.”

After Bungay’s victory last year, the pressure is on, with both towns hoping to be victorious. If you’re interested in representing your town and further establishing this great annual event, call Mark Taylor on 01502 710794.

Bungay is one of three finalists in a BBC Radio 5 Live competition that will see the winner granted city status for a day to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Jubilee year will see one of Britain’s towns permanently granted city status, but the 5 Live competition aims to celebrate Britain’s often overlooked smaller towns.

Bungay is up against Whitby and Bradford on Avon, with the winner to be announced after the competition closes on the 20th January. If you’re a proud Bungay resident, this is a great opportunity to show the nation just what a cracking little town Bungay really is.

To show your love for one of Suffolk’s best kept secrets, vote for Bungay by texting CITY B to 85058

Texts will be charged at your standard message rate. One text per number. Texts above this limit will not count but you will still be charged.

Theatre Lovers in Bungay are looking forward to a Dickens Classic

Lovers of classic literature are in for a treat this summer as the Baroque Theatre Company hits the road with its new stage adaptation of Dickens’ classic Great Expectations. As part of national celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Dickens’ birth, this new production promises intrigue, humour and romance, all wrapped up in Dickens’ signature dramatic flair.

Great Expectations thells the story of young Pip, a poor blacksmith’s apprentice who encounters an escaped convict and sets in motion a train of events that will affect his life and the lives of those around him. Baroque Theatre Company

The fascinating characters of Great Expectations are brought to life by a talented and charismatic cast, from the menacing convict Abel Magwitch to the haunting Miss Havisham, making this immersive production a treat for the whole family.

The production will be performed at Bungay’s Fisher Theatre on June 1st and 2nd, with performances scheduled for 7:30pm. For tickets and other information, call the Fisher Theatre box office on 01986 897130 or visit their website, and make sure you and your family don’t miss out on this unique performance.

This year’s annual Bungay Boxing Day Hunt saw thousands of onlookers gather to watch the horses, hounds and riders of the Waveney Harriers.

Beginning with a parade through the town, the Harriers were greeted by a record number of spectators, all eager to catch a glimpse of this most traditional of British country pursuits.

Joint master of the hunt Dominic Parravani told the EDP ‘We always have a huge show of support from the town and the local area.

It just gets bigger and bigger every year and this year we had about 3,000 people turn out.’

The event raised money for All Hallows Hospital and East Coast Hospice, and is fast becoming one of the most popular events in Bungay’s calendar.

This year the Bungay Town Football Club are offering you a chance to see the new year in with a bang, while supporting this vital local institution.

The New Year’s Eve party at Bungay’s Maltings Pavilions is set to be a great night for all, with local favourite DJ Carlos from the King’s Head providing the music.

Tickets are available from the Sports Club Bar, so next time you’re passing, get your ticket and get ready for a New Year’s full of fun and celebration.

New Year’s Eve in Bungay has never been more fun, with a truly family friendly atmosphere, so people of all ages can come along and share a great night out.

St Mary’s Church has been one of Bungay’s most beautiful buildings since Gundreda, Countess of Norfolk, and widow of Hugh Bigod, of Bungay Castle, established the church in the late 12th century.

Though the church itself is now redundant, the building is cared for by the Friends of St Mary’s Church, who organise tours of the church’s stunning interior. As well as a place of worship, the church is also known for a terrifying paranormal incident in the 16th century: the legend of the black dog.

The church faced diminishing congregations in the 20th century and was forced to close to worshippers, but in its heyday it was at the very heart of Bungay life. The church was just one part of a complex of buildings that included a Priory, chapel, refectory, guesthouse, hospital and dormitory, all of which ran the whole length of St Mary’s Street. The nuns who lived in the priory provided care for the sick and needy, education for children and money, food and clothing for the poor.

The main building dates from the 14th – l5th century. The great tower, rising to approximately 90ft. high was completed by c. 1480. After the demise of the priory it became the parish church. It was during this period that the black dog appeared to the congregation.

On Sunday 4th August 1577 a thunderstorm raged over Bungay as worshippers gathered in the nave of St Mary’s Church for evensong. Lightning struck the church, and a ferocious black dog suddenly appeared in the aisle, dashing round the church, attacking the congregation, howling and snarling. At the height of the chaos, the dog suddenly disappeared, only to reappear again just as suddenly in the church at Blytheburgh over 12 miles away, again howling and raging and attacking members of the congregation.

The dog has been associated with Black Shuck, the legendary dog that supposedly haunts the coasts of Norfolk, Essex and Suffolk. An image of the Bungay Black Dog has been incorporated into Bungay’s coat of arms, and has been used in the titles of various enterprises associated with Bungay.