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Notorious twins from the East End of London, Ronnie and Reggie Kray have an unexpected link to Hadleigh.

The Kray twins have many ties to Suffolk, their love for the place fuelled by childhood nostalgia.

This nostalgia has its roots in their carefree childhood at Hadleigh after they were forced to evacuate the East End during the war.

They were placed at East House Lodge, Hadleigh where they soon fell in love with the charms of the place.

In an interview with Robin McGibbon , Ronnie Kray described how they fell in love with the place as "the quietness, the peacefulness of it, the fresh air, nice scenery, nice countryside - different from London... We had a good time there, you know."

From playing cowboys and Indians with his brother to apples picking, during a time of turbulence, Hadleigh was their refuge.

However, they soon began to miss the East End and their mother, Violet. After a couple of years in Hadleigh, their mother brought them back to Bethnal Green.

However, their love for Hadleigh and Suffolk remained in their hearts as, in the same interview, Ronnie claimed that the twins always wanted to get a place in the country once they had made enough money.

In 1967, they did just that. After acquiring wealth through their infamous means, they settled on nearby Bildeston. Specifically, they bought a pink country cottage for their parents and The Brooks for themselves. Ronnie found the countryside "very peaceful."

Their life here seemed a mile away from their notorious activities in the East End, with reports of them giving donkey rides to local children and giving them money to buy ice creams.