Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

More now on the driver from Dereham who's been found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

Image source, Julia Quenzier/BBC

Alan Smith, 67, was tried alongside his employer, Mazher Mahmood, the journalist known as the "Fake Sheikh", who worked for The Sun and the News of the World. 

The pair were found guilty of tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of singer and former X-Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos. 

Ben Rose, Miss Contostavlos' defence lawyer, said: "The real scandal in this case is that Mahmood was allowed to operate as a wholly unregulated police force, 'investigating' crimes without the safeguards which apply to the police.

"That he and his driver have now been convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice will hopefully deter other journalists from using entrapment to drive celebrity gossip stories." 

The Crown Prosecution Service is reviewing 25 past convictions linked to him and has dropped live criminal cases in which Mahmood was to be a witness. 

Substantial claims for compensation are expected from people convicted up to 20 years ago.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

Commuters in the East can expect to travel on new trains as part of the Abellio franchise from spring 2019. 

Abellio UK, which was awarded a new nine-year East Anglia rail franchise by the Department for Transport in August, says it has finalised contracts worth nearly £1.5bn to procure and finance the replacement of all existing trains on its routes.

The company says its fleet will increase by 10%. All the new rolling stock will be in use by autumn 2020. Two-thirds of the 1,043 carriages will be built in Derby, and the rest in Switzerland.

Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK, said: "They will be the centrepiece of many other improvements, including more frequent services, faster journeys and more capacity with 55% more seats into London in the morning peak."

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) says it will be a few months before the cause of a plane crash in Norfolk on Sunday can be established. 

The plane, a two-seater P-51 Mustang from World War Two, came down close to Hardwick airfield, near Bungay. The passenger, a man in his 80s, died at the scene.

Pilot Maurice Hammond, from Eye, remains in hospital in a serious condition.

An AAIB spokesman said it was planning for the wreckage to be brought to its facility in Farnborough, "where more detailed examination of the wreckage will be carried out".

He said: "The other aspects of our investigations include talking to witnesses and looking at available data such as weather conditions and radar tracks where available.

"When our investigation concludes, we will publish a report which will be published on our website."

Undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood, known as the Fake Sheikh, has been found guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Mahmood (below, left), 53, of Purley, south London, was found to have tampered with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of singer Tulisa Contostavlos.

His driver and co-defendant, Alan Smith (below right), 67, of Dereham, was also found guilty of the same charge following a trial at the Old Bailey.

Prosecutors said Mahmood had a "vested interest" in her prosecution. Both will be sentenced on 21 October.

Image source, PA

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

The company where refuse workers are threatening strike action over pay says the majority of staff are paid above the living wage. 

Kier Environmental Services says it's "surprised" that 26 of 106 staff collecting refuse for North Norfolk District Council voted for the strike. 

Managing director Julian Tranter said unions agreed earlier this year a two-year pay deal of 1.2% in 2016 and 1.2% in 2017. It claims the GMB is asking for an increase of 20%. 

"We will continue to pursue resolution, and in the interim will do our utmost to offset any potential impact on service," he said.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

Refuse collectors in North Norfolk have voted to go on strike in a dispute over pay.

The GMB union , externalsays 93% of members balloted voted in favour of industrial action at the end of the month, if discussions tomorrow with mediators ACAS fail. 

The refuse collectors are employed by Kier Environmental Services, which in turn provides bin collections for North Norfolk District Council.

Ivan Mercer, GMB regional organiser, said: "Two offers that barely put members above the minimum wage have already been rejected and members are sick of feeling undervalued by the company. 

"North Norfolk District Council have reserves available to finance a reasonable rate of pay but Kier appear unwilling to speak with them about renegotiating the terms of the contract."

Kier Environmental Services, external says the strike is only being sought by a minority of staff and a two-year pay deal was agreed at the beginning of the year. 

Jay Lawrence
BBC Radio Norfolk

Norwich City's under-23 team won 5-0 at Barnet last night to progress to the next round of the Checkatrade Trophy with a group game to spare.

A hat-trick from Josh Murphy, as well as a strike apiece from Nelson Oliveira and Sergi Canos, gave the Canaries young guns an assured win in the revamped Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Norwich have one home game left against MK Dons before they find out their last-32 opponents. 

Image source, Getty Images

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

Police say that they're no closer to finding the men who tried to abduct a serviceman near RAF Marham.  

The serviceman was running near the base in July when a man tried to bundle him into a car, while a second man threatened him with a knife. 

A BBC Crimewatch reconstruction resulted in 40 calls but the investigation team says they have so far revealed no significant leads in relation to the suspects.

Det Supt Paul Durham said: “We received about 40 calls as a result of the Crimewatch appeal. All of these were followed up and as a result, we have now identified some the occupiers of some of the vehicles seen on the CCTV footage.

"However, no significant leads in relation to the suspects have been identified so far.”

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

An Ipswich man has been jailed for 10 months after attempting to throw a rucksack filled with mobile phones and other banned items into Norwich Prison.

Leroy Clarke, 27, of no fixed address, was arrested outside the perimeter fence of the prison in June in possession of a rucksack containing cannabis, two mobile phones, a SIM card, three mobile phone chargers, two sets of headphones, two small bottles of alcohol and five packets of cigarette papers. All the items had been wrapped in cling film and packed into socks.

Image source, Norfolk Police

Clarke, who admitted guilty to attempting to convey the prohibited articles into a prison was sentenced on Friday at Norwich Crown Court.

Stew Kelly of HMP Norwich, said: "We take a zero-tolerance approach to any illicit items being conveyed into the prison establishment. 

"Items such as drugs and mobile phones compromise the safety of staff and prisoners which has a wider impact on the local community."

Norwich Evening News

The back page of the Norwich Evening News:, external 

Image source, Norwich Evening News

Norwich Evening News

The front page of the Norwich Evening News, external: 

Image source, Norwich Evening News

Eastern Daily Press

The back page of the EDP:, external

Image source, EDP

Eastern Daily Press

The front page of today's EDP:, external

Image source, EDP

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

A former education secretary and Norfolk MP says the county's children are 'isolated' and need extra help to improve their lives.

Baroness Shephard has welcomed the government's announcement that it will spend about £69m on a new social mobility scheme in 10 places in the country, including Norwich.

She says the "initiative will give us access to attract top teachers to the area." 

Research suggests pupils in Norwich have a much lower chance of doing better than their parents compared to children elsewhere in the country. 

Education Secretary Justine Greening says there will also be additional support from organisations with mentoring from the CBI, the National Citizen Service and charities, to ensure "children not only get a good education but have their sights set really high".

Norwich will get about £6m of extra funding and the initiative has had a mixed reaction from some city schools. 

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

The demand for bungalows in the county is far outstripping supply, according to estate agents who say there's a shortage, despite an ageing population more interested in single-storey properties. 

Figures from the National Housebuilding Council, external show they made up just 2% of homes built in the UK last year with just 2,484 built in 2015, compared with 4,465 in 2005.

Steve Pymm, an estate agent in Norwich, says builders aren't keen on them because they take up twice the size on a building plot.

"You can build four town houses on one plot where you would put one bungalow. Mathematically when it comes to the bottom line a three-storey town house would make more profit than a bungalow would," says Mr Pymm. 

But one local developer, John Ingram, who has chosen to build bungalows in Salhouse (pictured), says they can prove profitable as the build costs are lower than multi-storey houses.

Georgina Burnett
BBC Weather

Today will be dry with some sunshine, but feeling rather cool, especially near the coast. Top temperature: 15C (59F).

It'll remain dry overnight, and become chilly by dawn, with lows of 8C (46F).

You can get a more detailed forecast from BBC Weather.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

Hello and welcome to Wednesday's Norfolk Live. Between now and 18:00, we'll bring you the news, sport, travel and weather updates as we get them. 

We start first with this fabulous picture from BBC Weather Watcher Wheatchief of Great Yarmouth taken just as the sun was breaking through this morning. 

We're always interested in what's happening in your part of Norfolk, so If there's anything you wish to share, contact us on email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.  

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Wheatchief

That's all from the Norfolk Live team for regular updates today, but check back throughout the night for any breaking news. 

Here's a quick recap of some of the stories we've brought you today:

• Norwich is to be at the centre of a new government initiative to improve children's life chances
• Nearly 2,000 pupils were excluded from Norfolk's schools more than once last year

And you'd better get your skates on if you're a keen skateboarder - a west Norfolk home has just come on the market, complete with its very own skate bowl!

We'll leave you with this photo of footprints in the sand, taken by one of our Weather Watchers, Tigger2.

Have a good evening. 

A £200,000 house which includes an indoor skate park has attracted global interest.

Conservatives at their party conference have been hearing proposals to reduce immigration to the UK.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said she wanted increased powers to get rid of foreign criminals and keep them out for longer. But she also talked of the benefits of allowing in the brightest and the best.

Image source, Getty Images

Home Office minister and Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis echoed her words, adding that the country has benefited from immigration and how it has contributed to our country. He says that he wants to make sure that continues and to do that we need to have a system that works for everyone in our country.

Image source, Conservative Party