BRITANNIA Building Society is an institution with its roots deep in Suffolk, and today's news that it is to merge with Co-op Financial Services will be welcomed by many people.

BRITANNIA Building Society is an institution with its roots deep in Suffolk, and today's news that it is to merge with Co-op Financial Services will be welcomed by many people.

In creating a “super-mutual” organisation, there is now a real alternative for people seeking a one-stop shop for their money away from the hands of greedy bankers who have caused so many problems for the economy.

The merger looks like the perfect fit - Britannia is a modern building society offering old-fashioned values and specialising what it does best in lending money to allow people to buy homes while the Co-op bank has invested heavily in internet and phone banking.

It also has a great reputation for its ethical standards - ensuring that it only invests in organisations which benefit society and the planet.

Marry up the Co-op's internet presence and Britannia's extensive branch network and today could see the birth of a formidable new financial giant on the High Street for those people who are fed up with hearing horror stories about their own banks.

There may need to be a change in legislation to allow a co-op to merge with a mutual organisation, but that seems set to be a formality as the logic of the move becomes clear.

And across the country - and especially this region - there will be many people who will be wishing the new organisation all the best as it launches in the current worrying economic climate.

DAYS are rapidly ticking down to Ipswich's match of the season against the Premier League millionaires of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

A serious case of cup fever has broken out all over the area as the Tractor Boys prepare to park themselves in The Shed for the big match on Saturday afternoon.

And one thing is for certain, the Chelsea fans are going to feel the presence of the Ipswich fans after all 6,000 visiting tickets were quickly snapped up.

Part of the Bridge will sound more like Portman Road for three hours on Saturday afternoon!

The Evening Star is backing Town all the way - with balloons, special bills, and a superb poster we will be printing in Saturday's paper.

Back the Blues - show your support with the Star.

STAR is such an adorable young dog, it is sometimes difficult to forget that she is being trained for a very important mission in life.

But now she has started her training in earnest for her new job as a guide dog for a blind person in the future and is learning how to negotiate some of the hazards that will become part of her everyday life.

Her first train trip may have been relatively straight-forward but for her it was a real adventure - one that should hopefully stand here in good stead for the future.