Locals camp out to save shelter from demolition

The shelter in Sheringham, close to the North Norfolk Railway, features steam train artwork

Campaigners have been camping out in a 1950s bus shelter in a bid to prevent bulldozers razing it to the ground.

Norfolk County Council said the shelter, on Station Approach in Sheringham, does not meet "modern accessibility standards and is unsafe" and ran a public consultation on the plans earlier this year.

It features a mural of a steam engine travelling through fields of poppies - a tribute to the resort's railway heritage.

A county council spokesperson said: "An application made to list the shelter was rejected by Historic England and we are continuing with our work programme to carry out improvements in the area."

They added: "The scheme is already under construction and is fully supported by bus operators, the North Norfolk Railway and other key local stakeholders."

Steffan Aquarone, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, backed the campaign, adding: "Norfolk County Council has got to engage with proper discussion with the community before these plans are finalised, let alone builders turning up to start to make it happen."

Paula Bastow spent most of the night at the bus shelter and said it was the heart of the seaside town

Campaigner Paula Bastow, 56, arrived at the shelter at 19:30 GMT on Monday and told the BBC she did not regret her decision to spend the night there.

"This is the heart of Sheringham, this is where people meet [and] wait for buses," she said.

Rob Emery, 55, said he was at the shelter until 00:30 and returned just before 05:00 on Tuesday.

"There are some people who feel very strongly in the town about preserving this bus shelter," he said.

"There are but a handful of these left in the country and Norfolk County Council almost in an act of spite want to try and knock it down.

"We had to do something immediately to try and stop the demolition."

Campaigners stand at the shelter in Sheringham which has been closed off with barriers, awaiting demolition

The county council previously said the current bus stop did not meet modern standards and was unsafe due to its close proximity to the edge of the pavement.

A spokesperson said on Tuesday: "To address this issue, contrary to false claims made in the petition, both the bus shelter and planting have been redesigned to provide an increased footway width, ensuring a safer, more accessible environment for all users.

"The scheme went through a full public consultation, which shaped the final bespoke design of the replacement 'steel and glass' shelter; modified to stay in keeping with the heritage of the area."

But Mr Aquarone added: "I'm absolutely shocked that it has reached the situation that it has, but it just goes to show how strong the local feeling is both about the shelter itself and the failure of being heard.

"I don't think this needs to be a stand off, I think there is a solution that can please everybody."

A North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) spokesperson said: "NNDC has very limited powers over this development because Norfolk County Council has responsibility for highways and doesn't need our permission or approval under permitted development rules."