A community bid to buy a popular dog walking and natural beauty spot has received a funding boost, but time is running out for the purchase process.
Holton Pits, near Halesworth, was put on the market in August by property consultants Fisher German on behalf of landowner CEMEX.
CEMEX were asking for £200,000 for the 20-acre plot of land, including the fishing lake.
This sparked a community outcry and fuelled the creation of the Holton Pits Community Interest Company (CIC) and action was taken to raise money to buy the land.
The campaigners managed to secure an Asset of Community Value (ACV) designation for the pits, preventing the immediate sale.
Now the CIC is in a race against time before the ACV status runs out in May, leaving CEMEX free to market the site again.
Marion Gaze, a member of the CIC, said: "It is a place people go and walk in the fresh air, go for recreational purposes and general wellbeing, dog walking and fishing and sports club use the area.
"The site has been used by locals endlessly since they stopped quarrying it
"We are facing a race against time."
In total, the CIC needs £200,000 but has already raised £140,000 in loan pledges from grants, businesses and individuals.
To raise the remaining £60,000 the group have created a gofundme page.
Group member Rachel Kellett has been cycling frantically to see how many miles she can cover on her bike to raise funds.
A big contribution has come from local business Hammonds, based in Halesworth, which generously donated £10,000.
While a reptile relocation scheme, being planned on neighbouring land and linked to a housing development plan, has donated £10,000 to Save Holton Pits.
The payment to the field by Hastoe Homes, together with their contractor Rose Builders, is part of a lizard and slow worm translocation requirement from their affordable housing scheme in Martlesham.
Ulrike Maccariello, development director at Hastoe Homes, said: “Our own work is designed to support local communities, with wildlife and sustainability."
With at least £40,000 still to raise, the group is facing a race against time.
To donate visit: //holtonpits.uk/how-to-give/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here