TODAY'S tragic news that the mother of Natasha Coombs is believed to have died at the same place as her daughter will send shock waves through the community at Harwich and East Bergholt where the family used to live.

TODAY'S tragic news that the mother of Natasha Coombs is believed to have died at the same place as her daughter will send shock waves through the community at Harwich and East Bergholt where the family used to live.

The grief suffered by Joanne Coombs and her husband Gary was clear to all those who saw their dignified appeals to their daughter during the grim days at the start of August.

This is a tragedy of unimaginable proportions for the family and all who know them, and it is bound to send shockwaves through their wide circle of friends.

There will be a wave of sympathy from throughout the region for Mr Coombs and the rest of his family, but in truth nothing will truly help ease the pain of the horrendous events that have engulfed his family over the last two months.

Natasha and Joanne were beautiful people from a loving family with apparently everything to live for. This double tragedy shows just how devastating sadness, depression, and grief can be.

While the thoughts of everyone will be with the family of Natasha and Joanne Coombs at this time, there should also be a thought for the driver of the train involved in last night's tragedy.

It is always traumatic for any train driver involved in a fatality - many require counselling and support when they do return to work.

Last night's dreadful incident on the rail line was a tragedy for so many people. The hearts of the wider community go out to the Coombs family and all their friends.

IT is very worrying to hear that a Polish man was jailed after committing three drink-driving offences in 18 months.

Over the last few decades drink-driving in this country has gone from being an inconvenience to drivers to being a totally unacceptable offence which carries a serious social stigma.

According to the chief constable of Cambridgeshire some members of Eastern European communities do not realise how socially unacceptable the offence is.

Julie Spence said their attitude is similar to that in this country back in the 1980s. That is simply not good enough.

This country needs migrant workers to do tasks like seasonal agricultural work, construction work, and a number of different jobs.

We will welcome them and do all we can to make them feel at home.

But they have to abide by our laws and accept the British values.

One of those key values is the fact that drink-driving is unacceptable. It puts people's lives at risk - the drink drivers themselves and other road users.

Visitors who come to this country and use Britain's roads need to know that the drink-driving laws are not an inconvenience that motorists regularly flout.

They are rules that are strictly enforced - and anyone who breaks them will be dealt with severely by the courts. And anyone who breaks the law will not only face the wrath of the court but also the disapproval of society as a whole.