Summary

  • Updates on Friday, 13 October 2017

  • 10-year contract to manage Cromer Pier

  • Woman dies in A47 collision

  • Plans to extend NDR 'back on the agenda'

  1. Norwich City 1-1 Hull Citypublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 14 October 2017

    Nelson Oliveira's 96th-minute equaliser rescues a point for Norwich against Hull after Nouha Dicko's earlier strike.

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  2. Hospital worker stole £152k from charitypublished at 18:40 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    The judge brands Steven Hart "mean and despicable" as he jails him for nearly three years.

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  3. The weekend weather: Warm, with sunny intervalspublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    Julie Reinger
    BBC Look East weather

    A dry and cloudy night, with some clear intervals.

    Feeling warm and humid for the time of the year, with temperatures only falling to 13C (55F).

    Saturday will be mostly dry with a fair amount of cloud, but there should be some bright or sunny intervals.

    The moderate SW wind should eventually fall light, and temperatures should reach around 20C (68F).

    Weather graphic for 05:00 Saturday

    Another dry day for Sunday, with more in the way of sunshine - although high cloud may turn it hazy at times.

    Temperatures could climb to 24C (75F).

    Looking ahead to Mnoday - it's expected to remain largely dry and warm, with sunny spells. There's some uncertainty as to when a cold front will push in from the west, bringing the risk of a few showers and cooler air.

  4. Boxing death coroner's safety fearspublished at 16:50 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    Jakub Moczyk was knocked out in a fight at an unlicensed boxing event in Great Yarmouth last year.

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  5. Bursary withdrawal hits applications to UEApublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    There's been a big drop in the number of applications to study nursing at the University of East Anglia.

    Figures obtained by the Sunday Politics programme show a 15% drop in applications this year. The slump is being put down to the decision to stop giving bursaries to nursing students.

    Until this term, student nurses could claim a means tested bursary of around £5000 a year. The government withdrew it to save money and nurses are now expected to fund themselves through college like all other students.

    The Royal College of Nursing says it's concerned by the fall in applications at a time when there's already a shortage of nurses.

    "In five years time these applicants would have been nurse leaders and in seven years time they would be nurse specialists and all that has gone over this decision to remove the bursary," said Tony Durcan from the RCN.

    The government says there are still more people applying to study nursing than there are places available and it says it remains confident that it can fill all available nursing places.

    There's more on this on the Sunday Politics programme this Sunday at 11am on BBC1.

  6. NDR: Wroxham Road to reopen on schedulepublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    The A1151 Wroxham Road is on course to reopen by 06:30 at the latest on Monday.

    It had been closed for drainage work for the Northern Distributor Road.

    During the closure, the A1151 was resurfaced at the site of the new junction with Green Lane West.

    Further west, a temporary traffic control will be used on the A140 Cromer Road as work continues on a new roundabout.

  7. Magpies coach reveals hockey heartbreakpublished at 15:26 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    Chris Goreham
    BBC Radio Norfolk sport

    The new coach of Harleston Magpies has been talking about the blow of missing out on the last Olympics.

    Tim Whiteman grew up in Norfolk before going on to play hockey more than 50 times for his country but he was dropped from the national squad in the build-up to the Rio games.

    Tim WhitemanImage source, Getty Images

    Whiteman returned to the county in the summer and was appointed player coach of Magpies Mens team. He'll lead them at Chelmsford this weekend.

    "My goal was always Rio so to have that cut six months before was really tough," Whiteman told me.

  8. Runway intersection works completed at RAF Marhampublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    Resurfacing work has been completed at the intersection of two runways at RAF Marham, external.

    It's part of a £250m Defence Infrastracture Programme to get the base ready for the arrival of the new F-35 Lightning fast jets.

    The project will also provide hangars for 12 aircraft, and an air crew feeding facility.

    Resurfacing work at RAF MarhamImage source, MOD

    More than 13,000 tonnes of asphalt were removed for the resurfacing work, which saw more than 18,000 tonnes laid over an area equivalent to more than five rugby pitches.

    Contractors worked in multiple shifts for seven days a week and, during the three-week construction, a "no-fly" period was agreed with the station.

    Tornado jet on runway at MarhamImage source, MOD

    Earlier this week, it was announced 230 jobs will be lost at the west Norfolk air base as part of BAE Systems' plans to cut nearly 2,000 jobs across the country.

    The company maintains aircraft for the Tornado squadrons based at Marham, which are being taken out of service in two years' time.

    Just 50 BAE workers will remain at the base.

    Tornado in flight at Marham
  9. GP struck off for 'sordid' affairpublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    A High Court judge overrules a tribunal's decision not to remove Dr Robert Stone from the medical register.

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  10. A47: All lanes reopenedpublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    The Highways Agency has just tweeted that all lanes of the A47, to the west of Norwich, are now open following an earlier fatal traffic collision:

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  11. Hull City keeper Allan McGregor hopes Birmingham victory is springboard to successpublished at 13:11 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    McGregor tells Look North's Simon Clark the season so far has been below par

  12. Cromer Pier: Past and presentpublished at 13:11 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    A contract has been awarded to Openwide to manage Cromer Pier for the next 10 years... that's the future, but what about the past?

    Here are some facts for you to "peer" at:

    • The 495ft (151m) pier was built in 1901 and cost £17,000
    • It won Pier of the Year in 2015
    • It hosts the only traditional End of the Pier Show in the world
    • It's owned and managed by North Norfolk District Council since the council was formed in 1974
    • The cost of entry: it's free
    Cromer PierImage source, Martin Barber

    In 2015 the pier underwent a £2m refurbishment, and last year benefitted from an £8m coastal defence scheme.

    The council is planning further work, costing £500,000, which includes:

    • Improvements to the theatre roof, ventilation and electrical switchboards
    • Work to replace the sewerage system, housing and access gantry between the theatre and RNLI shed
    • Replace an area of decking before the forecourt and the front of the booking office and Tides restaurant
  13. Cromer Pier: 'A huge asset to North Norfolk' says council leaderpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    The leader of North Norfolk District Council says it will be supporting Openwide to help expand the attractions and vitality of Cromer Pier for years to come.

    The company has been awarded a 10-year management contract to run the Victorian structure.

    Cllr Tom FitzPatrick says the pier is an "iconic structure" and vital to North Norfolk tourism, bringing people in, not just from the town but from those who stay inland as well.

    Cromer Pier at sunsetImage source, Hilary Cook

    He says the future of the pier is in safe hands.

    Openwide have the contract for Bournemouth Pier, which has a shore zip line allowing you to soar over the sea and down to the beach. So can we expect that in Cromer?

    "I think that would be great... we're looking at anything, they're coming up with ideas and we'll work together", said Cllr FitzPatrick.

    Quote Message

    The pier was built when Queen Victoria was still on the throne, in 1901... we want things that are evocative, traditional but also up-to-date... evolving to meet the needs of the expanding and changing audience that comes to North Norfolk without spoiling the traditions."

    Cllr Tom Fitzpatrick, Leader, North Norfolk District Council

  14. Investment in mental health servicespublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    More now on the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, which has been put back in special measures.

    The Department of Health has released the following statement:

    "Patients in Norfolk and Suffolk deserve the highest quality mental health services and we expect the Trust to take immediate action to improve the care patients receive.

    "While there are many examples of excellent mental health care across the country, there is also clearly more to do and that's why we are undertaking probably the most widespread programme of mental health transformation in Europe, supported by our rigorous inspection regime and a record investment of £11.6 billion last year for mental health services.”

    The Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust baseImage source, Andy Parrett/Geograph
    Image caption,

    The Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust is based at Hellesdon Hospital on the outskirts of Norwich

    The statement continues by saying the government has increased investment in mental health services.

    "Since 2010, spending on mental health has risen to a record £11.6 billion this year, with a further investment of £1 billion on top of this by 2020/21 and we expect CCGs to increase their spending as set out in NHS England's Five Year Forward View."

  15. Cromer pier:'The jewel in the North Norfolk coast'published at 12:30 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    The new contract to run Cromer Pier - which has been awarded to Openwide - will start on 1 February 2018.

    It'll run for a minimum of 10 years, and will cover the 120th anniversary of the award-winning pier in 2021.

    The theatre on the pier

    Steve Cutbush, managing director of Openwide says they've a number of "really exciting new ideas" to bring more leisure to the pier, and they're not just entertainment-led.

    "Long-term it cannot survive on just having a summer and a Christmas show, with a few others peppered in along the way... we'll work with the council to bring in weekend festivals, maybe a street food festival, a seafood festival with local stakeholders involved... we're talking about bringing more leisure to the pier", he explained.

    Cromer pier

    The Grade II listed pier hosts the world's only remaining full season End of the Pier Show, which this year marked its 40th anniversary, which Mr Cutbush described as "a wonderful tradition".

    Quote Message

    It's a national treasure, a national heritage attraction and we want to build the rest of the pier around it... we want to develop the pier as a heritage attraction, it's the jewel in the North Norfolk coast and we want to work and build on that."

    Steve Cutbush, Openwide

  16. Mental health trust: 'We've a lot of changes to make'published at 11:34 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    For the second time in two years, a mental health trust has been put in special measures.

    As we reported earlier, the care provided by the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has been branded inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

    Bohdan Solomka is the medical director of the trust.

    In an interview with BBC Radio Norfolk's Nick Conrad, he said they fully accept the findings of the report.

    "We've got a lot of changes to make, and the support that comes with special measures will be valuable", said Mr Solomka.

    The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

    The Trust was first put in special measures in 2015 and taken out last year.

    "Looking back, why did we improve so much and get taken out of special measures... it's not good management and ...we should have focused more on basics".

    Mr Solomka said rising demand was a huge challenge, given the staffing levels that the CQC found needed to be improved on.

    Quote Message

    We still remain a caring Trust, according to the CQC... there's a lot of recognition of really hard working staff who demonstrate a lot of skilled effective treatments for our service users, who are caring and supportive at times of great crisis... but there are other areas the CQC have picked up on that we simply have to improve immediately."

    Bohdan Solomka, Medical director, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

  17. A47 remains closed at Easton following fatal collisionpublished at 10:41 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    The main carriageway of the A47 remains closed eastbound at Longwater following a fatal road traffic collision earlier this morning.

    If you're travelling towards Norwich from the Dereham or Swaffham direction, the road is closed at the Longwater flyover, near Easton.

    Diversions are in place at the junction, via slip roads.

    For westbound traffic, there are no closures or diversions.

  18. Man filmed dragging puppy along pathpublished at 10:18 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    Robert Loombe was fined £300 by magistrates but was not banned from owning animals in the future.

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  19. Contract awarded to run Cromer's Victorian Pierpublished at 10:12 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    A new 10-year management contract to run Cromer Pier has been awarded by its owners, North Norfolk District Council, to Openwide.

    The company specialises in resort and destination development, external both here, and abroad, and currently has a partnership to regenerate Bournemouth Pier.

    The Grade II listed pier, which measures in at 495ft (151m), was built in 1901.

    Earlier this year, it was damaged when a storm surge hit the north Norfolk coast.

    Cromer Pier, with beach visitors
  20. Paint sprayed at woman's face in road rage incidentpublished at 10:01 British Summer Time 13 October 2017

    A female driver was sprayed in the face with what's believed to be red spray paint in a road rage incident.

    The assault happened shortly before 18:00 on Wednesday, in East Wretham.

    The woman was driving a Ford S-Max on the A1075 towards Watton when she became involved in an altercation with the male driver of a Vauxhall Corsa.

    He sprayed the woman in the face before making off.

    Anyone who saw the incident, or has information, is asked to contact Norfolk police.