A £4m project is under way to improve a privately-owned broad in Norfolk.

For decades, Hoveton Great Broad, external had pollution entering it from farms and sewage, leading to toxic algal bloom and the broad silting up. The River Bure feeds into the broad, and local farmers and Anglian Water have worked to improve the quality of the river's water.

It's got to the state now where it's so good that the multi-million pound restoration work will begin, and the water quality should get even better and fish and plant life will return. 

The scheme is being funded with money from the government, Heritage Lottery Fund and the EU.  

It's one of the very few places in the Broads where you can walk through the wet woodland, explains Chris Bielby of Natural England. 

"Boats haven't been allowed on this Broad for over a century and we will maintain that... this place offers something, it's different, we want to maintain the tranquility it offers," he said.

The Broad will open up seven days a week from April, and it's hoped the clear waters will return by 2020.

Changes in Defra's rules, introduced to prevent the spread of bird flu, mean that free-range poultry producers will be able to let their birds outside from today, as long as they aren't near areas with wild birds.

Image source, Getty Images

An interactive map, external shows restrictions still apply along the county's coast, stretching into Ipswich, Woodbridge, Halesworth and Lowestoft, where birds will still have to be kept housed or netted. 

An area north of Bury St Edmunds also faces restrictions, and a protection and surveillance zone remains around Redgrave where the H5N8 strain was confirmed earlier this month.

A spokesman for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, external , said it fully understood it would be difficult for keepers within the high-risk areas: "For those people, it will continue to be a hardship and we fully understand that.

"But we have to get back to the basic principle that the whole purpose behind these prevention zones is to continue to safeguard our poultry against the risks of introducing avian flu."

Work to fit 30,000 new water meters in towns and villages across the county begins today.

It all happens outside your property, and takes Anglian Water engineers about 30 minutes to do. The company says you will still get a choice on whether the meter is used to calculate your bills.

Spokeswoman Sarah Dobson says homes on a meter have a real incentive to manage their water usage because you only pay for what you actually use, with customers on a metered tariff tending to see bills about £150 cheaper.

It says if customers choose to go on to a metered bill, it can offer home visits and suggest ways to save water and money, including fitting water-saving devices.

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

The trial at Ipswich Crown Court, of a man accused of the murder of Peter and Sylvia Stuart from Weybread, has resumed after a break for lunch.

The defendant, who says he is Vital Dapi while the prosecution say he is actually Ali Qazimaj, says his father died in 2005 and his mother in 2012. 

He said he left school in Albania in 1989/90 and joined the army, which was compulsory at that time. 

He became a corporal, worked with "special forces" and left the forces in 1993. 

Initially, he worked as a security guard for his uncle, he said.

The defendant denies the charges.

A main road leading into Norwich city centre will close during the day tomorrow while a tree damaged in Storm Doris is removed.

The tree is in the rear garden of a private house, but for safety reasons the city council says it will need to close the city-bound lane.

Our Weather Watchers were up early to capture the early-morning sunshine across Norfolk - although it was cloudy for some.

The rest of the day will remain bright, with sunny intervals - although there will be some scattered showers, which could be heavy at times with some hail possible.

Temperatures peaking at 7C (45F) - but it'll feel cold in the wind.

The drivers of two vehicles are in hospital in a stable condition, after sustaining serious injuries when their vehicles were involved in a collision on the A47.

The incident, involving a black Ford Focus and a red Volvo, happened on the eastbound carriageway of the A47 at Brundall at about 17:40 yesterday.

Both vehicles were extensively damaged, and the road was closed for around five hours while emergency services dealt with the incident.

Norfolk police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them. 

Andrew Turner
BBC Radio Norfolk

Police say a large amount of money has been stolen in a burglary from a Great Yarmouth amusement arcade.

Thieves smashed a window at the back of Wellington Pier Amusements at about 02:00 this morning.

Forensics officers are at the scene. A police spokesman said a number of arcade machines had been smashed open and cash boxes within taken from the site.

They are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

The Weybread murders trial at Ipswich Crown Court has broken for lunch. We'll bring you more coverage this afternoon.

Norwich Evening News

Lafferty on target twice as young Canaries hand Zagreb a cup thumping - the back page of the Norwich Evening News, external :

Image source, Archant

Norwich Evening News

Disabled man says arson attack has taken away "'his lifeline" - the front page of the Norwich Evening News, external this Tuesday:

Image source, Archant

Funding for a new roundabout at Hales, south-east of Norwich, comes from money given to the county council from the government's National Productivity Investment Fund.

Image source, Norfolk County Council

The council received £5.1m, which is to be used in 2017-18 for local highway and other transport improvements which support local economic growth, and improve access to employment and housing.

As well as the new roundabout at Hales, about £2m will be spent on resurfacing roads and £400,000 on drainage improvements.

The remaining money will be spent on other smaller schemes and projects, including measures to help reduce congestion on key routes and in urban areas.

The £5.1m funding is additional to the county council's highways capital programme budget, which stands at £38.8m for 2017-18. 

Work will begin early next year on a new roundabout, to replace the existing T-junction of the A146 and B1136 at Hales, near Loddon.

The A146, which runs between Norwich and Lowestoft, has seen increasing levels of traffic over recent years, with a high number of accidents at or near the junction. Over the last 10 years, 50 people have been injured and one person has lost their life.

Image source, Norfolk County Council

Norfolk County Council is investing £1.63m to replace the junction. The money comes from £5.1m in funding the council received from the government's new National Productivity Investment Fund last month. 

The roundabout is due to be completed in spring next year. 

Eastern Daily Press

The back page of the Eastern Daily Press, external :

Image source, Archant

Eastern Daily Press

Nationally important discovery of 81 coffins cost builder £250,000 - the front page of the Eastern Daily Press, external today:

Image source, Archant

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

The number of people suspected of online child sex offences in Norfolk has risen to more to more than 1020 over the last three years.

In 2014, the figure was 152, rising to 352 the following year. Last year, it topped 517.

Norfolk has the second-highest number of people suspected of downloading and distributing indecent images of children in the East of England. Thames Valley has the highest number of suspects - at 1202. 

The figures were obtained under a Freedom of Information Act.

The NSPCC says downloading and distributing child abuse images "is an abhorrent crime", and the proliferation of the appalling images is a growing problem which needs to be tackled.

It wants to see a specialist digital child abuse unit in every police force, trained to deal with sexual and other online offences against children.

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

The defendant has told his counsel, Max Hill, that he had never been to the UK before his extradition in July.

He also denies ever using the name Marco Costa. He was asked "Did you kill Peter Stuart?" and replied: "No".

Asked "Did you kill Sylvia Stuart?" he replied: "No."

The defendant said the first he had heard of the Stuarts was when he was arrested in Luxembourg on 16 June.

The defendant, who the prosecution says is Ali Qazimaj, born on 7 July, 1973, has been answering questions at Ipswich Crown Court from his counsel, Max Hill.

He told Mr Hill: "My name is Vital Dapi, born in Albania" and said he was born on 24 July, 1972.

In response to defence counsel's question, he said: "I have never used the name Qazimaj".

Diss Express

Commuters in Diss are urged to seek alternative routes through the town centre, after a lorry became stuck, external in St Nicholas Street earlier this morning.

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

I'm at Ipswich Crown Court where the trial of Ali Qazimaj, who denies murdering Peter and Sylvia Stuart, of Weybread, is entering its fourth week.

The defendant, who claims he is not Ali Qazimaj, formerly of Tilbury, but actually Vital Dapi, is in the dock waiting for the jury to arrive.

His counsel says he is due to appear in the witness box. 

An interpreter is also present. 

The defendant is wearing a light grey T-shirt.

Mr and Mrs Stuart were last seen at a farm shop in Pulham Market, Norfolk.