A councillor believes a Suffolk village wants its pub back open following news that it is under offer. 

The Trowel and Hammer in Cotton has been closed for almost a year, after the previous owners moved on. 

Andrew Stringer, who represents the Mendlesham ward on Babergh District Council and lives in Cotton, north of Stowmarket, said villagers want to see the pub return.

He said: "Since it's closed we have been running a community pub in the village hall.

"It has been lovely and a chance for the community to get together but we want our pub back.

"We need this pub open. It is a vital community resource. We just want to see it invested in." 

Previous owner Kaiylah Scott initially took over the pub just before the first Covid lockdown, before switching attention to the Blue Boar Inn in Walsham following the sale of the Mill Road pub. 

She told this newspaper last year: “Most of the village are disheartened that we are going.

“It’s a shame we haven't been able to get the pub as popular as we’d like."