The White Hart in Boxford, between Hadleigh and Sudbury, under new management as family-run catering business Spectre Leisure Ltd look set to take over

A popular pub in a large Suffolk village is under new management, with a family-run catering firm thrilled to be taking the reins.

Spectre Leisure Ltd will be moving into the White Hart in Boxford, between Hadleigh and Sudbury, at the end of the month, offering home-cooked food made from locally-sourced ingredients.

Set to reopen on December 27, the 17th-century building, which has changed hands in the past, will continue to act as a traditional pub and offer 'something special to the community and visitors'.

The pub will be open six days a week.

The White Hart will be Spectre Leisure's second pub, after the Maldon Grey in Sudbury.

Tony Bayliss, who runs the company, said someone spoke to him while he was sitting inside the Maldon Grey, asking if he'd be interested in running another pub.

He said: "I took a look around – and I could feel the atmosphere in the place – at which point I decided to take it on.

"My goal is to really bring it back to the community, as a hub people can use to get away from the real world.

"It'll be very traditional. We hope to work alongside local sports teams and schools to put on events and make it a bustling centre of activity."

The White Hart is most famous for being the home of village daredevil Tornado Smith, who shocked global audiences nearly 100 years ago with motorcycle stunts.

Rumour has it his pet lion, which he often used to place on his handlebars, is buried on the pub site, which the new owners plan to investigate.

The pub will also be used as a base for the family's awareness charity, TeiganSmile.

It was founded ten years ago, after Tony's daughter Tiegan was kissed by someone with cold sores that caused her to develop herpes meningitis that damaged part of her brain, leaving her quadriplegic.

Ambassadors to the charity include actor Ralf Little.

Tony added: "We very much want it to be at the heart of the community and offer something special for everyone.

"We're doing this because it's another venture, which excites us, but mainly to get in touch with residents.

"We hope to reach out to them, and, in turn, hope they will reach out to us."