MISSING copies of Suffolk's oldest newspaper have found their way to Suffolk Record Office making their collection the best surviving set in the world.

MISSING copies of Suffolk's oldest newspaper have found their way to Suffolk Record Office making their collection the best surviving set in the world.

The Suffolk Mercury, or St Edmund's Bury Post, first appeared in 1717 – the Bury St Edmunds Record Office already had copies of the paper from 1717 to 1727 and 1732 to 1740, but it has now filled in some gaps by acquiring the years 1728 and 1731.

Ed Button, the librarian for the Suffolk Record Office, said: "The paper is an interesting example of an early English provincial newspaper, it was printed in Bury and contained chunks of news copied from the London newspapers with local advertisements on the back page.

"It was not until later in the 18th century that local newspapers, as we know them to day, started up all over the country.

He added: "I had been aware of the existence of another set of the newspaper, held in private hands, and always hoped that one day they would come to the Bury Record Office. I am very pleased that we have now got them since they could have ended up in an university abroad or in the hands of private collectors. Although incomplete, this is now the best surviving set in the world."

Anyone wanting to see the Suffolk Mercury, or St Edmund's Bury Post can do so by visiting the Bury Record Office.