Alex Dunlop
BBC Look East

In July last year, 40-year-old Nicholas Churchill set off in his 20-tonne dumper truck from Spixworth Quarry near Norwich, following a row with his boss over the air conditioning in his cab. 

For more than 30 miles (48km) he evaded capture on the A11 and through Thetford Forest, driving at speeds of up to 30mph, repeatedly ramming police cars that were trying to stop him. One officer said: "I thought I was going to die. I was petrified."

When he reached Brandon, where he lives, the 40-year-old turned into a pedestrian precinct, sending people running for cover. Churchill earlier admitted dangerous driving and driving under the influence of drugs. Sentencing is continuing this lunchtime.

Norwich Crown Court has been hearing that Nicholas Churchill, 40, caused £26,000 of damage while behind the wheel of the dumper truck.

More from the sentencing of a dumper truck driver who went on a rampage through Norfolk and into Suffolk.

BBC Look East's Alex Dunlop is at Norwich Crown Court where Nicholas Churchill, 40, is being sentenced over dangerous driving in a dumper truck.

Churchill has previously admitted dangerous driving and being under the influence of drugs.

The sperm whale that has died after beaching at Old Hunstanton is the sixth to die on the East Coast in the past fortnight, and the 29th to have beached in Europe over the same period. 

Here's a short video explaining why it happens.                                        

Tests on the dead whale beached at Old Hunstanton are being carried out “in the wider context of the European situation”, according to marine scientist, external Rob Deaville. 

“This is now the 29th sperm whale that's died around the  North Sea so it's a hugely abnormal event," he said.

“In the coming weeks and months we'll be working very closely with our German, Dutch and French colleagues about gathering data, about what might have been going on in the North Atlantic to potentially bring them into the North Sea,” said Mr Deaville. 

The beaching of a sixth sperm whale on the East Coast is part of a worrying trend, according to a scientist.

Rob Deaville, expert on whale strandings, external, said if the whale was not part of the same pod found beached across Europe recently then this would be more concerning, as it could indicate "a systemic problem out there in the North Atlantic."

Despite efforts made to save the sperm whale which beached at Old Hunstanton yesterday, it died at about 20:00.

The 14m-long (46ft) bull was found about two miles from where another sperm whale died on 22 January.

This is the scene at Old Hunstanton beach this morning as experts examine the corpse of the whale, which died at about 20:00 last night.

Rob Deaville, of the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, external, said the death of the sperm whale that beached at Old Hunstanton yesterday was "probably the best outcome" for its welfare.  

Image source, Jemma Greef

He said: "No doubt it probably was suffering on shore, but it was probably very compromised by being stranded for such a long time.

"There would be no chance of being refloated or rescued, which is what a lot of people hoped would happen - and it wouldn't have been a good outcome here. 

 "So probably the best outcome in terms of the welfare of the whale is that it died fairly quickly."

Samples will be collected this morning from the sperm whale that died at Old Hunstanton last night. 

The whale was the second to have washed up there - and the 29th to have beached in Europe in recent weeks. 

Rob Deaville, of the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, external, said: "It was quite an emotional impact, going through the night and this dim shape appeared out of the gloom. You got closer and closer and there was this whale, lying on its side on the sand... it had been alive just an hour earlier." 

Mariam Issimdar
BBC Norfolk Live

A sperm whale washed up on the beach in Old Hunstanton has died, despite efforts from divers trying to save it. 

The sperm whale died at about 20:00 last night and is believed to have been from the same pod as five others that beached and died in The Wash last month.

Marine biologists will carry out tests to try to establish what went wrong.

BBC Weather

A mild day but cloudy with some patchy drizzle with winds really picking up this afternoon.

Temperatures around 11C (52F).

BBC Weather has more details. 

Mariam Issimdar
BBC Norfolk Live

This morning's main stories:

• A sperm whale washed up on the beach in Old Hunstanton has died
• Special Branch officers, external may have to be moved away from Norfolk to deal with the terror threat elsewhere
• The county's ambulance service, external says it has had its busiest January on record

Mariam Issimdar
BBC Norfolk Live

Between now and 18:00, the team here will bring you the news, sport, travel and weather updates as we get them. 

We're always interested in what's happening in your part of Norfolk.

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