Residents are teaming up for a project to create a wildlife garden as a lasting memorial to a much-loved Suffolk GP who served his community for decades.

Cutlers Hill Surgery in Halesworth wants to create the garden outside its main waiting room in memory of Dr Richard Kell.

The project has captured the imagination of local residents - with many offering time and skills and plants and seeds for the project.

GP and health campaigner Dr Kell died aged 64 in July, 2019, after a battle with motor neurone disease.

He spent almost three decades as a partner of Cutlers Hill Surgery until 2016. As well as his role at the surgery, he campaigned for health services in the town and supported local health charities.

He was greatly loved and respected by his colleagues and patients and is remembered for his "wisdom, compassion, kindness and holistic care of patients".

Born in Wisbech to a farming family, he initially attended Framingham College before training in medicine at the London Hospital.

He settled in Halesworth as a GP in 1987 and as well as caring for patients in Halesworth and surrounding villages, he worked at the Patrick Stead Hospital and as a police surgeon for 20 years and was a trainer for new GPs and medical students.

He was also involved in the Halesworth Community Nursing Care Fund, now called the Pear Tree Fund, from its beginnings in 1989 and chaired it for nearly 20 years. The Pear Tree Centre, next to Cutlers Hill Surgery, has a sculpture forming the centrepiece of Richard’s Garden.

Cutlers Hill Surgery said: "The wildlife garden will be in memory of Dr Richard Kell who devoted many years of his life to the surgery and his patients in our community. He was loved and cared for by so many.

"If anyone would like to donate any plants, seeds or bulbs to the wildlife garden it would be so appreciated. If there are any children in the community who would like to build bug houses, bird feeders or boxes, these can also be put into Richard's Garden."