Work to complete the Northern Distributor Road, external (NDR) in its present form is continuing and the road will be open by this time next year.

Today the Salhouse Road closes for construction of a new roundabout (pictured), and the A1151 Wroxham Road is down to one lane for a stretch while work continues on the diversion of a water main.

The county council's spokesman for the NDR is John Birchall. He says the £178m dual carriageway will ease pressure around the city.  

On Friday, the Conservatives gained complete control of the county council.

As part of their manifesto, they've promised to complete the "missing link" of the Northern Distributor Road, external (NDR), connecting it from the A1067 north of Taverham to the A47 west of Norwich.

Image source, Norfolk County Council/Ordnance Survey

Previous plans were abandoned because an environmentally acceptable and affordable way of crossing the Wensum Valley couldn't be found.

Council leader Cliff Jordan says the link to the A47 is vital.

Simon Bailey, Norfolk's chief constable and the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead for child protection, says the police service alone cannot deal with the problem of child sex abuse on the internet.

He said: "The police service across the UK is arresting over 400 men every month, we're safeguarding over 500 children every month, but it cannot simply be an exercise in arrest, arrest, arrest... whilst we're doing more than any other country in the world within this field, we simply cannot arrest our way out of it."

Mr Bailey says they have to look at the root cause of the exploitation, and he believes tech companies hold the key.

The Chief Constable of Norfolk, Simon Bailey, says it's the internet companies that hold the key to stopping people from viewing images of child sexual abuse online. 

It comes as six police forces across our region team up with the charity The Lucy Faithfull Foundation to encourage offenders to get help.

Mr Bailey, who's the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead officer on child protection, says he believes the internet has opened up a whole series of opportunities for men who've always had a sexual interest in children to now fulfill their perverted obsessions.

"It is now terribly unfortunate that that facility now exists and I would be very public in saying the web is a force for good, but there is a dark side to it and unfortunately one of the elements of that dark side is the abuse of children and the proliferation of indecent imagery."

The police forces which are working together are Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

A man has been charged in connection with a fatal road traffic collision in Suffolk last year.

Police were called just after midnight on Friday, 11 November, to reports a vehicle had been found off the southbound carriageway of the A11 at Red Lodge near Mildenhall.

Lauren Danks, 22, from Soham in Cambridgeshire, who was found inside the car, died at the scene.

A police investigation discovered a second vehicle had been involved, and a man was arrested on the same day and questioned before being released on police bail.

Now the man, a 64-year-old from Lakenheath, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop after a collision and failing to report a collision.

He's been bailed to appear before magistrates in Ipswich on 23 May.

Kate Scotter
BBC News

More on that white-tailed eagle.....

As we've been reporting, the huge bird, which is also known as the sea eagle, was spotted at Buckenham Marshes at Cantley, Norfolk, on Wednesday and Thursday.

The RSPB said it has now flown to Essex.

We'd like to hear from you if you've spotted it:

• It has brown body plumage with a conspicuously pale head and neck
• Tail feathers of adults are white - but the RSPB said this one is an immature bird. 
• In flight it has massive long, broad wings with "fingered" ends. 
• Its head protrudes and it has a short, wedge-shaped tail.

Let us know if you've seen it, by clicking "Get involved" above.

Image source, James Lowen

Plans to re-introduce the bird to East Anglia with an official programme failed to get off the ground in 2010.

Kate Scotter
BBC News

Sightings of a white-tailed eagle have caused a ripple of excitement across East Anglia.

Image source, James Lowen

Britain's largest bird of prey was most recently spotted, external at Buckenham Marshes at Cantley, Norfolk. 

The RSPB said it is now thought to be in Essex.

Often described as a "flying barn door" due to the size of its broad wings, the bird stands almost a metre (3.3ft) tall.

An RSPB, external spokeswoman said people had been visiting the reserve at Strumpshaw Fen with the aim of spotting the bird.

She said: "The bird has been wandering around East Anglia for the last month and has probably flown over from the near continent. 

"It’s likely that it’s an immature bird looking for a nesting site and that it will probably head back over the North Sea soon."

A large quantity of lead has been stolen from the roof of St Margaret's Church, in Witton.

It was taken from the church, near North Walsham, sometime between midnight and 05:00 on Saturday.

Anyone who has information is asked to contact Norfolk Police, or Crimestoppers, external if they wish to remain anonymous.

Image source, Gary Brothwell/Geograph

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

Norfolk Police have joined five other forces across the region to tackle the sharing of child sexual abuse images online.

In the initiative, Operation Netsafe, they'll be working with the child protection charity The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, external, along with former probation officers and social workers to work with victims, families and sex offenders.

Norfolk's chief constable, Simon Bailey, is the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead officer on child protection. Last year, he announced that more than 100,000 individuals from across the country were regularly assessing indecent images of children on the internet.

A 67-year-old man has been jailed for 22 years after being found guilty of a number of rapes and sexual assaults.

Philip Hipperson, of Longmead, Norwich, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court. 

He'd been found guilty on five counts of rape and three of indecent assault.

The offences were committed between 1980 and 2015 against three victims.

Image source, Norfolk police

Hipperson, who was also convicted of one count of possession of indecent images of children, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. 

Det Con Kim Taylor praised the victims for putting themselves through the trial.

Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision on the A47 in Scarning. 

The incident, which happened shortly before 15:00 on Friday, involved a burgundy Vauxhall Corsa and a blue DAF lorry.

The car was travelling on to the road from the Grange Road junction, and the lorry was on the A47 travelling towards Dereham.

The driver of the car, a man in his 60s, died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

The road was closed while emergency services dealt with the incident, and re-opened shortly before 21:00.

Adam Jinkerson
BBC Local Live

Six police forces across the East of England are launching a new campaign aimed at tackling online viewing of child sexual abuse images.

Operation NetSafe is a joint venture between the police and child protection charity, The Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

In February, BBC research found the number of suspected online child sex offenders identified in the East had nearly trebled in three years.

The operation will try to deter potential offenders in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, by raising awareness of the severe consequences for those who view such images. 

It also aims to hammer home that these victims are real children who are being abused.

Simon Bailey, National Police Chiefs' Council lead for child protection, said forces were dealing with "an unprecedented volume of child sexual abuse reports".

"Child sexual abuse is a crime and so is possessing images of that abuse. 

"Often offenders convince themselves that as the images already exist there isn't a victim as they don’t have direct contact with the children or young people involved. But these children were abused and exploited to make these images."

In just one year more than 1,800 people across Eastern England sought help to stop looking at child abuse images via the Lucy Faithfull Foundation's "Stop it Now!" helpline, the charity said.

Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy is "not massively" surprised that he is being released by the club after seven years.

Congratulations to Clive Lewis, who's looking to be re-elected as Labour MP for Norwich South.

On Saturday, he married Katy Steel, in a service in the historic Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Houses of Parliament.

Image source, Clive Lewis

It had looked as if the wedding plans for the Chapel would have had to be abandoned, as sitting MPs lose their standing as Members of Parliament during the pre-election dissolution - meaning they're unable to use the Chapel.

Black Rod and the Serjeant at Arms agreed to make an exception for the long-planned ceremony.

However, because of the snap election, the couple have cancelled their honeymoon. 

After a two-day break in the south west, Mr Lewis will return to Norwich to campaign.

He had a 7,654 majority over the Conservatives at the 2015 General Election.

BBC Weather

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

King's Lynn, external captain Danny Phillips was taken to hospital by air ambulance after sustaining serious injuries at Mildenhall, external yesterday.

Image source, Kings Lynn Speedway

The 20-year-old was treated at trackside for an hour and a half after he crashed heavily into the fence on the home straight, suffering a broken femur.

Fen Tigers chairman Kevin Jolly: "Our thoughts are with Danny Phillips this evening after his horror crash and hope that his injuries are not as bad as we are hearing. 

"I must praise Jason Gillingham and his paramedic team for their support, care and professionalism today, they are incredibly important to this club and we are very lucky to have them with us."

The Fen Tigers won the meeting, beating their Norfolk neighbours 63-27.

Chris Goreham
BBC Radio Norfolk sport

North Walsham ended the rugby season on a high, beating Diss 43-26 in the final of the Norfolk Senior Cup. 

The London One North team rounded off the campaign with a convincing win in the final at Holt, although they were 8-7 down in the early stages. 

Walsham scored seven tries against a below-strength Diss team who put in a spirited performance. 

The two sides will be in the same division next season after Diss won promotion from London League Two North East. 

Expect delays in the Great Yarmouth area later this morning.

A crane, measuring 6m (19ft) wide, and 23.5m (77ft) long, weighing in at 100,000kg (100 tonnes), is being moved from South Denes Road to South Beach Parade.

Starting at 10:00, its route will include Hartmann Road and other local streets. 

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

It's five weeks on from the disappearance of a man from Clacton and detectives in Norfolk - where he was last seen on or near the A140 - have said they're growing "increasingly concerned" for his welfare.

Image source, Suffolk Police

Nigel Kedar, 52, was last spotted at 09:30 on 4 April walking southbound through Dickleburgh in south Norfolk towards Suffolk, but there haven't been any sightings of him since.

Norfolk Police said their inquiries had revealed he visited Norwich on 2 April and afterwards made his way on foot through Long Stratton, Pulham Market and Dickleburgh.

His family have said it's completely out of character as he'd made plans to spend time with his teenage son over Easter.

Det Ch Insp Marie James said: "I would urge anyone who was travelling in the Dickleburgh, Scole or Diss areas to contact us as you may have vital information which will help us find Nigel."

He is described as being white, 5ft 11in tall, of a large build with short hair. He was wearing dark trousers with a lighter coloured long sleeved shirt.

Chris Goreham
BBC Radio Norfolk sport

Norfolk kept up their perfect start to the new Unicorns Trophy campaign, beating Northumberland by seven wickets at Manor Park. 

The visitors were bowled all out for 197 with Rob Taylor taking three wickets. Norfolk reached their victory target with 11 overs to spare.  Opener Sam Arthurton carried his bat, scoring 89 not out. 

Norfolk beat Cambridgeshire in their opening match and play Lincolnshire in their third group tie of the 50-over competition next Sunday.