An esteemed journalist and politician will be visiting Beccles to host a lecture reflecting the current state of news and its place in the modern world.

Martin Bell OBE is set to appear at Beccles Public Hall on Sunday, May 13 at 2.30pm.

The event will see Mr Bell draw from his 2017 book ‘War and Death of the News’ as he discusses his experiences and career.

A hall spokesman said: “Martin bell as been present in war zones as both a soldier and a journalist.

“From Vietnam to Bosnia to Iraq, he has witnessed first-hand the dramatic changes in how conflicts are fought and how they are reported.

“He has seen the truth degraded in the name of balance and good taste – grief and pain censored so the viewers are not disturbed.

“In an age of international terror, where journalists themselves have become targets, more and more reports are issued from the sidelines.

“The dominance of social media has ushered in a post-truth world: twitter rumours and unverifiable videos abound, and TV news seeks to entertain rather than inform.”

They added: “In this compelling account, one of the outstanding journalist of our time provides a moving, personal account of war and issues an impassioned called to put the substance back in our news.”

Mr Bell has strong link to Beccles having grown-up in nearby Redisham.

In 1962, having earned a 1st Class Honours Degree in English he joined the BBC in Norwich – eventually becoming diplomatic correspondent, chief Washington correspondent and Berlin correspondent.

The journalist was appointed UNICEF Ambassador for Humanitarian Emergencies in 2001 and along with his work with the BBC has covered assignments in 102 countries and 18 wars.

Mr Bell was wounded by mortar fire in Sarajevo in 1992. He left the BBC in 1997 stand as an Independent against the MP for Tatton – winning with an 11,000 vote majority and becoming the first elected Independent since 1951.

On the day Mr Bell’s books will be on sale and home-made cakes and refreshments will be available

Tickets for the event, which begins at 2.30pm, cost £9 and are available from the public hall box office on 01502 770 060 or at www.becclespublichall.org.uk