Weather forecasts could be affected by the global pandemic, a BBC meteorologist from Norwich has said.

Planes help to gather weather data, but the high number of those now grounded could start to hamper forecasters.

So far there has not been a massive impact on forecasting quality, but Dan Holley, from Weatherquest based at the University of East Anglia, said there was a developing problem.

"There are still a lot of flights going on in America right now... a lot of our weather depends on the jet stream configuration over the US, so as more flights get grounded over there it may have a knock-on effect," he said.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

Three British backpackers have managed to get a place on one of the few commercial flights leaving India.

Image source, Will Stammers

The country went into lockdown on 23 March including grounding most flights and stopping all travel, to try and curtail its coronavirus epidemic.

Graduate Joseph Hunt, 21, from Putney, west London, Will Stammers, 20, from Snetterton, Norfolk and Danny from Attleborough, Norfolk arrived in India at the beginning of March.

They along with 30 other travellers have been staying at the Moustach Hostel, in Pushkar.

Mr Stammers said he had been in a hotel at first but was forced to leave by police who said foreigners "had to go".

He added they were extremely sad to be leaving India, and that they had been very well taken care of by the hostel staff, with regular meals of dhal daily.

"We had a meeting last night and they were going to shut the hostel. So we all got into a bit of a panic and bought the flight," Stammers said.

Mr Hunt said they had not heard from the British Embassy unlike German and Isreali travellers whose embassies had organised flights for their nationals soon after India declared a lockdown.

The London graduate said both his parents have been diagnosed with Covid-19 and that he was concerned what he will face on his return home.

The travellers, who were not allowed to leave the hostel during their stay, kept their spirits up by playing football on the building's roof top.

They each paid £450 for a Finn air flight which they will board on Thursday morning.

Image source, Will Stammers

Police searching for a missing 59-year-old woman have recovered a body from the River Ouse.

Shirley Cranston, from Burgh-le-Marsh was last seen on March 12 when she left her car in a car park in Skegness.

Lincolnshire Police said the body of a woman had been recovered from the river at Clenchwarton, near King's Lynn.

A force spokesperson said: "Although the woman has not formally been identified, we believe this to be Shirley Cranston."

BBC cameraman Shaun Whitmore shares his top tips for getting great shots without leaving your house.

Coronavirus measures mean the annual event to mark the 2009 tragedy could not go ahead in Aberdeen.

Police officers arrested five people linked to a county lines drug line being run from Hackney to Norwich.

Image source, Met Police

Nine searches were carried out at addresses in Hackney, Ilford, Tottenham, Enfield and Islington.

All five have been arrested for conspiracy to supply class A drugs between April 2019 to the present day.

A large amount of cash was seized as part of the raids, the Met Police said.

The investigation, code-named Operation Clovet, commenced in early 2019 after officers received intelligence that established that gang members in Hackney were running a county line to Norwich and using vulnerable adults and children to do so.

Based on the information Met officers had, as well as intelligence from officers from Norfolk police, Operation Clovet was established to dismantle this drug line.

From medication deliveries to being able to walk your dog if you have underlying health conditions - Caroline Abrahams talks Covid-19 for the over 70s.

Grandmother Joy is discharged from hospital after a 10-day battle with Covid-19 and pneumonia.

Norwich City are the latest Premier League club to start furloughing staff during the coronavirus crisis.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Medical students in Norwich have been providing free childcare to NHS medics who are busy trying to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

Image source, PA

Trainee doctors, nurses and therapists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have had their courses put on hold due to the national lockdown.

They have offered free childcare for key workers, external so staff can continue working despite school and nursery closures.

The group Helping Hands East Anglia is part of a national movement to bring together medical students and families of healthcare workers.

Volunteers have been given exemptions from the lockdown.

Student Tanya Ta said: "We’re just trying to help those who are providing so much help for others in the most effective way we can."

Sarah Jenkins
BBC News

A town in Norfolk has set up a "kindness help hub" to support local residents in need.

The project in Harleston is being supported by the local church and town and South Norfolk councillors.

The team of volunteers is prepared to help vulnerable and elderly people with shopping, prescriptions, friendly contact groups, phone calls and dog walks.

The group has also set up a dry food store and will distribute supplies to those most in need.

A woman is due to appear in court accused of repeatedly ignoring officers' requests to return home under new police powers brought in over the coronavirus crisis.

The woman, in her 40s, will be the first person in the county to be prosecuted since the policing measures were brought in on Thursday.

The force said a woman was asked to return home three times in Great Yarmouth on Monday, and will now be summonsed to attend magistrates' court.

Police have been given powers to fine people who are outside without "reasonable excuse" as part of the government's Covid-19 containment strategy.

Chief Constable Simon Bailey said: "Our communities are looking out for each other and listening to the government's message to stay at home, and I thank them for that."

Meanwhile, he also warned that anyone deliberately spitting or coughing on others would be dealt with "robustly".

The pet bird, called Oreo, flew out of a house in Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk, on Friday.

Christiane Hewiston, 72, says it is "amazing" to see her husband wearing his ring again.

Joe Skipper said with only one exercise outing a day allowed, he "better make it count".

A Norfolk and Suffolk college has donated thousands of items of personal protection equipment to its local hospital and police.

East Coast College, which is based in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, dropped off masks, disposable aprons and gloves to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston and Norfolk Police.

It said the items would have been used by students on a variety of courses.

"We will continue to support our local community during these unprecedented times," it tweeted.

Image source, Google

A stall which was used by volunteer groups handing out food to homeless people has been removed.

Norwich City Council said it had taken down the covered stall on the Haymarket opposite Primark, following advice on social distancing during the Coronavirus outbreak.

"We’re not planning to bring our stall back," it added.

"The expert medical guidance on social distancing has highlighted the importance of best practice around food provision for the most vulnerable.

"This is about making sure we get food to people safely, rather than bringing people to food, and we are working positively with a number of groups involved in providing food in this way."

It said it was working with organisations to engage with rough sleepers, secure temporary accommodation and deliver food to people directly.

Some volunteer groups criticised the decision on social media, as reported in the Eastern Daily Press, external.

Image source, The People's Picnic

Here's how the newspapers are reporting the coronavirus pandemic...

• The Norwich Evening News reports, external that OPEN, a Norwich charity supporting thousands of vulnerable young people, is fighting for survival after losing funding
• One of Norfolk’s oldest auction houses has cancelled auctions for the first time in more than 150 years, according to the Eastern Daily Press, external
• While the Great Yarmouth Mercury, external reports that a family has offered a four-pack of toilet roll as a reward for find their missing cockatiel

Image source, Residents' photos

A "thoughtful" garden centre worker has been thanked by his neighbours for leaving flowers on their doorstep.

David Barton, who works at Sprowston Garden Centre near Norwich, saved pot plants from going to waste while the business was closed during lockdown.

Last week, he put them outside front doors on his cul-de-sac in Sprowston, and was thanked on a community Facebook page.

"I can’t thank [in person] the lovely man who just delivered this beautiful flower to my door," said one neighbour.

"Such a kind gesture in these tough times."

"It has certainly put a smile on my face," said another.

Mr Barton said: "With the situation at the moment there would not have been adequate staff to care for the houseplants.

"We decided to distribute to the local community so people could enjoy them while they were looking their best and spread some happiness in this uncertain time."

Pete Cooper
BBC News

It is hoped a couple from south Norfolk will be able to get refuge in the US after four people died of suspected coronavirus on their cruise ship.

David and Heather Haycox from Brooke were transferred from the contaminated vessel Zaandam close to Panama over the weekend.

It is hoped their new liner will be allowed to dock in America, after numerous countries turned away their original cruise ship.

Image source, Reuters

The couple's daughter, Sami Haycox, said: "The next big thing is to be lobbying America to let the boat dock so they can come home from there but we don't know if that will happen."