The Norwich and Norfolk branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has announced its pubs of the year.

The King's Head, in Magdalen Street, Norwich, is named as 2017 City Pub of the Year, and is also named the branch's overall Pub of the Year for the third time.

It was taken over in 2013 by landlords Stephen and Lesley George, who also own the Humpty Dumpty Brewery in Reedham.

Image source, CAMRA

Another city pub also scooped an award: the 2017 Cider Pub of the Year was won for the sixth time by the White Lion in Oak Street.

The Star Inn at Lessingham is named as the Norfolk and Norwich CAMRA's 2017 Rural Pub of the Year. Its owners, Sue Winter and Mick Yaxley, are former customers of the pub, near Stalham.

Image source, Google

Both The White Lion and The King's Head will go up against other Norfolk winners in the next round, with the victor progressing to further levels of the competition.

Norwich Castle and the City Hall will be lit up in blue and yellow tonight, in recognition of World Down Syndrome Day., external

It's been organised by two Norwich mums, Zoe Lee and Emma Taylor. They both have young sons of a similar age with the condition and have a Facebook page, external where they chart what the boys are up to.

Emma says they found quite a lot of negativity when their boys were diagnosed, and even now people are quite sorry or sad for them... but they want people to know it's not a sad thing.

As the song goes, they've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil.... even in Kenya, Colombia and now perhaps Norfolk.

A team of scientists in Norwich is bringing together some of the world's leading experts in plant genome technology for a project to develop new strains of coffee plant to help the industry worldwide.

The work will be carried out at the Tropic Biosciences base on the Norwich Research Park, external . 

Image source, New Anglia LEP

Advanced genome techniques will be used to develop the commercially beneficial traits in existing coffee varities, with the first young plants bearing the traits likely to be produced within 18 months.

Dr Eyal Maori and Gilad Gershon, the founders of Tropic Biosciences, say the coffee industry is constantly facing fresh challenges, with growers looking for plant varieties that have stronger disease-resistance and a higher yield.

A £60,000 grant from the Eastern Agri-Tech Growth Initiative, external has helped make the £133,000 project possible.

The Commons has been told that more help is needed in Norfolk for expelled school children.

The North Norfolk MP,  Norman Lamb, told ministers that the county had one of the highest numbers of children permanently excluded in England, with 296 in 2015-16 compared to 170 in 2013-14.

The rise was worrying, said Mr Lamb, as excluded children often ended up with wasted life chances, poor mental health and poor educational attainment and worklessness.

Education Minister Edward Timpson has agreed to meet with the North Norfolk MP to discuss what's happening in Norfolk.

Image source, Science Photo Library

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Pocahontas is not best-known for her marriage to John Rolfe - many people's knowledge of the princess comes from the Disney version of the story where she rescues and falls in love with John Smith. 

There was, indeed, a rescue but given that she was only about 10 years old at the time, romance was unlikely.

So what happened?

• In 1606, Captain John Smith sailed to the new continent in a party with more than 100 other Englishmen
• After about four months, they arrived at a peninsula which they named Jamestown after their king, James I, and established a colony
• There was a struggle for food and on one of Smith's expeditions to find some, they were surrounded by the Native Americans. Smith shot an arrow towards them, killing one
• He was taken to Chief Powhaten who decided he should be killed
• As he was thrown before the chief, ready to be killed, the chief's daughter Pocahontas threw herself across his body and begged for his life to be saved
• Eventually the chief relented and spared his life
• Smith lived with the tribe for a while where, grateful for what she had done, he became a good friend to the young princess
• Eventually he was escorted back to Jamestown, to where Pocahontas made many trips with food for the colonists

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Why was Pocahontas, the daughter of Chief Powhatan of the Virginian Indians in the Tidewater region of Virginia, in England in the first place?

In April 1616, she travelled on a ship from to England with her husband John Rolfe, secretary of the Virginia Colony, who hailed from Norfolk, and her young son Thomas.

Image source, PA

The voyage - the idea of colony governor Sir Thomas Dale – was meant to be a fundraising initiative for the colony which was on the brink of bankruptcy.

They landed at Plymouth and made their way to London, although it's not clear if they went over land or sailed round the coast.

They arrived in London in June and Pocahontas was received at the royal court. It is recorded that Pocahontas was presented to Queen Anne, Consort of James I.

During this trip it is thought they visited John Rolfe's family home in Heacham in Norfolk - but there is no actual evidence this happened.  

She spent 10 months in England, but her health was failing and when, she began her journey home from London in the spring of 2017, she got as far as Gravesend, Kent, where she died and was buried on 21 March.

The picture is of her statue in Gravesend.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

In 1612, Pocahontas was taken hostage by other settlers on the new continent and taken to Jamestown, Virginia, where she was given religious instruction and baptised a Christian.

Whilst there, she met John Rolfe, a young widower from Heacham in Norfolk, who had set out with Sir Thomas Gates to seek his fortune overseas.

He grew fond of her and admired her and told governor Sir Thomas Dale of his feelings. Sir Thomas approved of the romance, feeling it could reconcile the English and the native Americans.

They married in April 1614, settled in Jamestown, and had a son in January 1615.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

The idea for the research into the Heacham Manor Hotel tree was mooted by retired college lecturer and history enthusiast Christine Dean who lives in Heacham and has been researching the Pocahontas legend for a couple of decades.

She told me what fascinated her about the story.

"It's not just village history, it was a crossroads in world history. It was the start of Anglo/American history," she said.

"They were a very special family, their marriage joined our nations for the first time and that's a very big thing."

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

The Heacham Manor Hotel has told me that as soon as fresh leaves shoot on its mulberry tree in May, a six-inch branch will be sent to the research lab.

Image source, Heacham Manor Hotel

The Northern Research Station (NRS) will then identify which species the mulberry belongs to.

The next stage, if the property owners agree to it, would be looking at the DNA connection between the hotel's tree and another three very old mulberry trees identified in the UK, at locations Pocahontas could have visited while she was in England.

Graham Bray from the hotel said that if the DNA was similar then it is "likely that Pocahontas planted it but obviously not conclusive".

"Many of the people who visit the hotel really like history and we're also expecting a big surge of American tourists coming to this region and they really love their history," he said.

"We hope it will be really big and the research could bring in some nice extra business for us."

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Earlier we told you that a mulberry tree in the gardens of the Heacham Manor Hotel is to undergo a DNA test in the hope it will prove Pocahontas' link to the county.

Image source, Heacham Manor Hotel

The Native American princess came to England in 1616 with her husband, explorer John Rolfe, who was born and lived in Heacham.

Local myth says that on a visit to the county with her husband she planted the tree in the garden of a nearby 16th Century manor house - which is now the hotel - but proof of this is non-existent.

An old mulberry tree is growing in the grounds of the hotel (pictured right) and still produces fruit which its chefs pick to produce a mulberry cordial concentrate.

The hotel has agreed with the Northern Research Station (NRS) in Roslin, Scotland, an agency of the Forestry Commission, to carry out initial research work on the tree to see what can be determined.

The next stage would be looking at the DNA connection between the hotel's tree and three other very old mulberry trees identified in the UK, at locations where it is believed Pocahontas visited and may have collected seeds.

The NRS has confirmed it has come to an agreement with the hotel to do some initial research work.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Today marks the 400th anniversary of the burial of Native American princess Pocahontas , external in St George's Church, Gravesend, Kent.

But what has this to do with Norfolk?

Image source, Geograph/Martin Pearman

Well, during the 10 months she spent in England before she died, it's believed she visited the family home of her husband John Rolfe in Heacham, and legend has it that while in the county she planted a mulberry tree in the garden of a nearby 16th Century manor house, now the Heacham Manor Hotel.

There is no actual evidence of this, but as we commemorate the anniversary of her death, the hotel is making plans to try to find proof by DNA testing a mulberry tree in its grounds.

The link to Pocahontas in Norfolk is celebrated by a memorial in St Mary’s Church in Heacham and a replica of the church plaque on the village sign.

Rob Butler
BBC Radio Norfolk sport

Norwich City should follow the Southampton model, according to a top football consultant.

The Canaries are expected to appoint a new sporting director in the coming days and Huddersfield head of football operations Stuart Webber has been linked with a move to Norfolk. 

Premier League Southampton have consolidated their position in the Premier League after adopting an approach the Canaries are looking to emulate.

Former Football Association man Adrian Bevington told BBC Radio Norfolk that it was unrealistic to expect an old-fashioned manager to cope with all the demands of modern football.

Image source, Getty Images

An artist from Norwich has won this year's Young Artist Award in a national art competition.

Jessica Burgess, 23, a MA Fine Arts student at Norwich University of the Arts, external (NUA), said she was "honoured" to have her work recognised by the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, external judges.

"The prize is one of the most prestigious awards to artists in the UK, so I feel beyond delighted to be part of it," she said.

Image source, Lynn Painter-Stainers

The 23-year-old student, who has her own website, external , wins £4,000 for her oil and acrylic collage, Victoria (pictured).

Image source, Jess Burgess

The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize was created in 2005 and is open to living artists over the age of 18, who are resident in the British Isles.

Norwich Evening News

The back page of the Norwich Evening News, external today: Canaries keep an "open mind" in drawing up head coach shortlist.

Image source, Archant

Norwich Evening News

Ten years after Richard Moore was killed in a one-punch attack, his partner tells of the ever-lasting impact - the Norwich Evening News, external has the story on its front page today:

Image source, Archant

Rail company Abellio has completed the sale of 40% of the Greater Anglia rail franchise to the Japanese company Mitsui.

The two companies first entered into a joint venture to bid for the West Midlands rail franchise in 2016.

Abellio will continue to have a majority stake in the business and will be in overall control. 

The company first operated the franchise from February 2012, and  re-won it in August  last year. 

Under the terms of the franchise agreement, it plans to spend £1.4bn on more than 1,000 new carriages, free wi-fi, station improvements and has a commitment to cut average journey times by 10%.

Rob Butler
BBC Radio Norfolk sport

Norwich City could be set to raid Championship high-fliers Huddersfield Town as they look to fill the role of sporting director.

The Terriers' head of football operations Stuart Webber has been linked with a move to Norfolk.

Webber has been credited with bringing German manager David Wagner to the Yorkshire club. They currently sit third in the Championship table.

Image source, htafc.com

It'll stay dry and sunny this afternoon, but feeling colder than recently with temperatures remaining in single figures - 9C (48F).

Our Weather Watchers have been out and about around the county, sharing their snapshots of a bright and breezy day.

Eastern Daily Press

Search for new sporting director hots up with Terriers man in the frame - the back page of the Eastern Daily Press, external :

Image source, Archant

A Norwich school has now reopened after being shut for two days for a deep clean.

Heartsease Primary Academy, external was closed to all pupils on Friday and yesterday because of a sickness epidemic.

All surfaces and objects that could have been contaminated were disinfected to help stop the virus spreading further.