SPORTING heroes from across Suffolk are to be welcomed home from the Commonwealth Games in a blaze of glory.Golden girl Karen Pickering MBE will be invited to a civic reception at Ipswich Town Hall, along with other stars whether they won a medal or not.

SPORTING heroes from across Suffolk are to be welcomed home from the Commonwealth Games in a blaze of glory.

Golden girl Karen Pickering MBE will be invited to a civic reception at Ipswich Town Hall, along with other stars whether they won a medal or not.

Swimmer Karen will bring home two gold medals for winning the 200m freestyle on Tuesday, and her part in the 4x200 relay last night, and just missed out on a bronze in the 100m freestyle.

Ipswich Women's and England hockey stars Leisa King and Jo Ellis won silver and compete for a gold medal tomorrow .

Hillary Rose from Bury St Edmunds is the third local member of the England squad.

The eight top Suffolk competitors also include shotputter Mark Proctor from Wenhaston, near Stowmarket, Newmarket-based javelin thrower Goldie Sayers, Welsh swimmer Dawn Jason from Newmarket who trains at Bury, and Ross Edgar from Newmarket who is affiliated to a cycling club in Bury.

The date and time of the reception have yet to be decided, but planning is underway and guests will hopefully be able to watch replayed films, highlighting this week's performances by our county's elite athletes.

Ipswich mayor Richard Risebrow had always planned to stage a celebratory event, but waited to make the announcement for fear of tempting fate.

Borough council officials are waiting until the athletes have travelled home from the Games in Manchester, before talking to them to arrange a suitable date.

Mr Risebrow said: "I would like to extend our congratulations not only to our own golden girl Karen, but to everyone in Suffolk who took part in the Games.

"The world has acknowledged this has been perhaps the best Commonwealth Games ever, and we feel it only right to pay tribute to all our athletes who took part in the Games, with a civic reception.

"I hope to be announcing more details early next week."

N Karen's double gold glory see back page