Improvements to cycle connections, external in Norwich are set to start on Wednesday, 4 January.

A section of the pedestrian and cycle path on Newmarket Road, which runs out of the city between Daniels Road and the area opposite the Unthank Road junction, will be widened and resurfaced.

Image source, Google

Priority cycle crossings across side roads will also be put in place to provide an uninterrupted route, along this part of the A11 which connects Wymondham, Hethersett and Cringleford with Norwich.

The work, part of the Transport for Norwich scheme, external, is scheduled for completion on Friday, 7 April, 2017. 

Work is to begin in the new year on the final phase of improvement works to the Westlegate/Golden Ball Street, external area of Norwich.

From 3 January, All Saints Street and part of All Saints Green will permanently close to all traffic, with new disabled parking bays installed on Ber Street.

The work is part of the Transport for Norwich project, external which started in January. 

It's designed to increase footfall in the area and boost trade to local businesses. 

It's scheduled for completion on Friday, 28 April, 2017.

Image source, Google

Diss Express

The Group Property Director for Marston’s says they will be bringing forward “further proposals in due course” after their planning appeal for non-food retail units, external in Diss was dismissed on Friday.

Image source, Diss Express

Festive envelopes in red, gold and glitter, whipping along the conveyor belt to be sorted and delivered in time for Christmas.

There's an impressive amount of mail coming through the Royal Mail's sorting office in Norwich today.

More than 190,000 items will be processed, making it their busiest day of the year. An extra 248 casuals have been employed to make sure your Christmas cards get to their destination on time.

Two men had to be rescued by fire crews when their cherry picker froze, leaving them stuck in mid-air.

It was a tall order for fire crews in Norwich earlier today.

They were called to rescue two men who were stuck 30ft (9m) in the air on a cherry picker's basket.

It's believed the men were cleaning gutters in Davey Place, near Gentleman's Walk, when their machinery froze.

It's thought they'd been there since 09:00. Firefighters used an aerial ladder to bring them back down to earth... they landed safely at 11:30.

Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live

I've just spoken to Greater Anglia, external, to see if there are any residual problems for commuters between Liverpool Street and Norwich, and there's just one peak inter-city service that's been cancelled.

It's the 18:10 from Liverpool Street, which would have arrived in Norwich at 20.09.

If I hear anything else from them, I'll let you know.

A boy who admitted his role in a multi-million pound data breach at TalkTalk has been ordered to pay £85 court costs and £15 victim surcharge, in addition to a youth rehabilitation order.

The 17-year-old sat with his mother in Norwich Youth Court today, speaking only to confirm that he understood the proceedings. 

The data breach, in October 2015, was described by the phone and broadband provider as "significant and sustained", with the fallout from the cyber attack costing it £42m. 

The teenager had found a vulnerability in the website, and shared this information online.

Speaking after the hearing today, Laura Tams, of the Crown Prosecution Organised Crime Division, said the case "involved the deliberate exposure of a security issue on the TalkTalk website which is used by thousands of people every day".

Prosecutors used analysis of online chats and other digital footprints to demonstrate how the defendant had found the weakness and shared the details online.

Back to our story on the teenager who's been sentenced after admitting hacking offences linked to the TalkTalk data breach.

An application to lift reporting restrictions on the court case and name the 17-year-old boy was refused by magistrates at Norwich Youth Court. 

Chris Brown, mitigating, said naming the teenager could harm his rehabilitation.

"Part of the work that's ongoing is to draw him out of his bedroom and into the family and properly into the public arena, to someone who doesn't hide behind a computer for nefarious reasons. 

"He has already committed an offence that has changed his life within his family, his home, his future prospects".

The boy was from a "protective" family, he added, but the "one place you can't be so protective these days is online".

Network Norfolk

The Catholic Diocese of East Anglia is to be among the first to open new Catholic schools, external after the proposed removal of the 50% faith admissions cap, with plans for up to eight in the pipeline, including four in Norfolk.

Image source, Network Norfolk

Despite Greater Anglia saying earlier that disruption on the main line to Liverpool Street from Norwich was only expected to last until 14:00, it looks as if services aren't quite back to normal yet:

Five people have been arrested following the death of a woman in Thetford.

Norfolk Police were called to Frobisher Close shortly after 17:30 yesterday, after concerns were raised by ambulance service who were in attendance. A woman in her 40s was pronounced dead at the scene.

The road and property have been cordoned off, and forensic officers are investigating.

Image source, Google

The five people arrested are in police custody for questioning.

Det Ch Insp Marie James says the investigation is in its early stages, and those involved are known to each other. 

There is not believed to be an ongoing threat to the wider community.

Officers will be in the area today, and anyone with concerns or information is asked to speak with them.

Jay Lawrence
BBC Radio Norfolk

Norwich City midfielder Graham Dorrans says they'll get a chance to put things right at home to Aston Villa tonight. 

The Canaries host the Villains in their latest tough Championship encounter. If the Midlands side gain three points they will leapfrog their opponents.

City have now lost six in seven league games. Despite their poor form, fans at Carrow Road have generally been behind their side. Dorrans has said he understands why they may be frustrated, but he's urged supporters to continue backing them.

Image source, Getty Images

Jay Lawrence
BBC Radio Norfolk

Norwich City manager Alex Neil says his job isn't on the line ahead of tonight's crunch clash with Aston Villa.

Former Canary Steve Bruce returns to Carrow Road knowing that if his side beat City then they will leapfrog them in The Championship.

Neil's job has looked at risk in recent weeks, but the Scot insists he's had the complete backing of the board this season. 

However, the boss also says that he feels like he's let down both the owners and the board with Norwich's lacklustre form.

Image source, getty

Here's a look at our top stories so far today:

• A teenager has been sentenced for his role in a multi-million pound data breach at TalkTalk
• There has been disruption to main line rail services due to a broken down freight train
• A young girl has been awarded millions of pounds following a traumatic birth which left her with severe disabilities

The latest weather forecast: Murky and mild, and remaining cloudy this afternoon, so this BBC Weather Watchers photo may be the only sunshine you'll be seeing today:

It's not everyday you expect to find a life-sized animatronic elephant's head in the classroom.

This jumbo creation is the work of former Norwich City College, external student Beau Townshend, and demonstrates the skills he acquired when learning about the different aspects of the film industry.

Beau, who's looking for work in the special effects industry, is showing his Sumatran elephant to students at the college.  

A teenager who admitted seven hacking offences connected to the TalkTalk data breach is given a rehabilitation order and has his phone confiscated.

There are more than 50 calls a day to Norfolk Police by victims of domestic abuse.

That's according to the county's Police and Crime Commissioner, Lorne Green. He describes it as an "epidemic", with women the victim in 75% of reported cases.

In an interview on the BBC Radio Norfolk's Nick Conrad programme, Mr Green says he's putting a lot of resources into mending broken lives and also to stop perpetrators from re-offending.

Image source, Science Photo Library

His office funds projects involved in victim support and domestic abuse. One of those that helps women is the Pandora Project in west Norfolk, external, and Mr Green says they'll be receiving £180,000 over the next three years to expand their services.

"It's difficult to turn people around, but it is possible and my commitment is to do more," he said. 

A programme in Norfolk to stop men abusing their partners and children has helped 40 men in its first six months.

Positive Pathways, external, based in King's Lynn, helps men from all over Norfolk men deal with anger problems so they have a better chance of developing healthy relationships.

Image source, BSIP Laurent/Science Photo Library

Nicky Hampson, who runs the programme, says their service also focuses on the needs of those who've been abused.

A teenager has been given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order for his role in a multi-million pound data breach at TalkTalk.

Image source, PA

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also had his iPhone and computer hard drive confiscated at his sentencing at Norwich Youth Court.

The teenager had found a vulnerability in the website using "legitimate software" and shared this online, an earlier hearing at the court was told. While he didn't exploit the information for gain, the website was targeted more than 14,000 times after the boy exposed the vulnerability. 

The boy told magistrates he "was just showing off" to his mates, as he admitted seven charges.

Sentencing him today over the multi-million pound data breach in October 2015, chairman of the bench Jean Bonnick told him "your IT skills will always be there... just use them legally in the future".

Image source, PA

Two of the charges related to the TalkTalk hack, and the boy admitting targeting other websites including Manchester University, Cambridge University and Merit badges, a small family company which supplies martial arts badges. 

TalkTalk described the attack as "significant and sustained", and said the fallout from the cyber attack had cost it £42m.