Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

Councillors will be told next week to continue to explore plans for completing the northern distributor road around Norwich.

A report for the environment and transport committee says doing so would reduce congestion, and support new housing and economic growth.

And the report's authors say they have “sufficient confidence that there is a case to continue with the delivery of the project”.

The route from Postwick to Taverham is due to open next year - but the Conservatives said they would try to continue it round to Easton to form a proper ring road if they won the local elections.

Martin Wilby, Chairman of Environment and Transport Committee said: “This is an important project for Norfolk with a number of significant benefits......manage the additional traffic and improve quality of life for people living in the area."

There will be big environmental objections to any plan and the report warns that more data will need to be collected.

Any decision is probably at least two years off so many months of debate and protest lie ahead.

Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal road traffic collision on the A47 to the west of Norwich earlier this morning.

It happened at around 03:00 when a white Vauxhall Vivaro and a female were involved in a collision at Longwater.

The woman, who was in her 40s, died at the scene.

The road remains closed while emergency services deal with the incident.

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

Councillors are being told they should continue to explore plans for completing the Northern Distributor Road, external (NDR) around Norwich.

The 20km (12.4 mile) dual carriageway, which runs from Postwick in the east to Taverham, is due to open next year.

But there have been calls for it to be continued across the Wensum Valley to the A47 at Easton.

Image source, Norfolk County Council/Ordnance Survey

The Conservatives promised to complete the NDR in this year's local elections.

A report for next week's environment and transport committee concludes that doing so would reduce congestion and support economic growth.

It says there's a strong case to continue with the project.

But this would be controversial - earlier plans to complete the link were dropped after residents in Ringland expressed concern about the environmental impact.

The report says a lot more data will need to be gathered - it could be another two years before any routes are drawn up.

But it looks as if this issue is back on the agenda - many months of debate and protest lie ahead

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

A generally cloudy and windy day, with some warm or bright spells.

It'll be mostly dry, with the chance of a few spots of light rain or drizzle.

It's very warm for the time of the year, with temperatures peaking at 19C (66F).

BBC Weather has a more localised forecast for you.

A mother has criticised the trust over the treatment of her son in a mental health unit.

Staying fine and dry across the BBC East region with clear spells, but variable cloud arriving from the west.

It'll drop to 9C (48F).

Friday will be rather cloudy at times, but high pressure to south and east will bring sunny spells and highs of 20C (68F).

The spacecraft fell into the sea, washed up in Germany and was returned to the school.

Two squadrons from RAF Marham have been recognised for their gallantry, and will have the honour of emblazoning the battle honour "Libya 2011" on their standards..

The Queen has approved the award of Battle Honours to 27 squadrons, including the two at the west Norfolk airbase.

Battle Honours are given to commemmorate notable battles, actions or engagements in which aircrew or RAF Personnel played a memorable part.

On 19 March 2011, under strict secrecy, four Tornado fast jets from IX (Bomber) Squadron at RAF Marham took off at night to deliver long-range airstrikes against Libyan regime targets.

For the mission, II (Army Co-operation) Squadron personnel at the west Norfolk base planned and prepared the aircraft which IX crew flew and delivered a successful mission.

This event was the first direct delivery of airborne weapons launched from RAF aircraft based in the United Kingdom since World War Two.

Greater Anglia passengers are being asked not to pull the emergency cord if there's a medical emergency on board a train.

The rail company and the East of England Ambulance Service have agreed a new process for their control rooms to work together to allow them to get to the aid of sick passengers as quickly as possible.

It asks passengers to either dial 999, or ask a member of staff for help, but not to pull the emergency cord.

The ill passenger would be helped off the train when it arrives at the next station.

If the cord is pulled, the train might stop between stations and may be inaccessible for a conventional ambulance.

This could result in the passenger having to wait longer for medical assistance, as well as causing delays to train services.

Last year it says trains were delayed to the equivalent of seven days due to passengers becoming ill on the Greater Anglia network.

Former Liverpool FC player Frank Lockey was found dead in his chair at Julian Hospital in Norwich.

Paul Moseley
BBC Radio Norfolk

Plans for a big air show in Great Yarmouth are expected to move forward next week.

A four-day event planned for June this year was cancelled, leaving many businesses out of pocket.

It was expected to attract thousands of visitors, and generate £10m for the local economy.

Organisers from the Business Improvement Area board blamed spiralling costs.

Now borough councillors are due to look at plans for a show to take place next year.

They're expected to offer the council's support for an air show, along with ideas including pop-up bars on the beach.

They're due to talk about the plans next Tuesday.

Neighbouring Lowestoft held an annual summer air festival, which began in 1997.

However, it ceased to exist, citing funding problems, after the last one in 2012.

Novice fighter Jakub Moczyk died two days after he was knocked down during his first fight.

Chris Goreham
BBC Radio Norfolk sport

Former first team player Darren Huckerby has confirmed that he has left his coaching job with Norwich City's Academy.

Speculation had been mounting that the former City winger was leaving the club after a review of the youth set-up.

Huckerby has tweeted that he his "disappointed".

There's been no official comment from Norwich City, but several other jobs have also been under review as the club looks to cut costs and improve the efficiency of an academy which has struggled to create many first team regulars in recent years.

Ex-striker Darren Huckerby is among a number of departures at Norwich City after a review into staffing at the club's academy.

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

New figures from the government show that 89% of premises in Norfolk now have access to superfast broadband.

Image source, Science Photo Library

It means they should be able to access download speeds of 24 megabits per second or more.

Matthew Hancock, minister for digital services at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, said "Getting to 90% of coverage in some of our most rural counties is good progress, but we know there's still more to do"

The government has pledged to make sure 95% of homes and businesses in the UK can access superfast broadband, external by the end of this year.

But Mr Hancock admitted that in rural areas it will take longer.

He's now pledged that high speed broadband (10 megabits or more) will be available everywhere by 2020.

"We've got a plan to get there so that by 2020 everyone will have decent broadband speed," he said

The project to upgrade the Ely rail junction will see both the Greater Cambridge Greater Anglia LEP and New Anglia LEP fund technical and feasibility work associated with the Ely area.

They will each provide £3.3m, along with £2.2m from the Strategic Freight Network.

This study, carried out by Network Rail, will provide options for funders to increase rail capacity and provide improvements for freight and pasenger services from King's Cross to King's Lynn, Ipswich to Peterborough, and Felixstowe to Nuneaton and beyond.

The following rail lines are served by the Ely area:

• Norwich to Thetford, Brandon and Cambridge, currently an hourly service
• Norwich to Liverpool via Peterborough, hourly
• Ipswich to Peterborough, two hourly
• King's Lynn to London, half hourly at peak times, hourly at other times.
• Wisbech to Cambridge where the track is in place and available to reopen

Gary Barlow is to perform live in Thetford Forest as part of next summer's open air Forest Live concert series organised by the Forestry Commission.

The singer-songwriter and record producer says he's "really looking forward" to the gig, on Friday, 8 June.

Image source, Gary Barlow

Gary found worldwide fame as a member of Take That, who sold more than 45m records and more than 8m concert tickets since they formed in 1989. The group has also won eight BRIT awards.

In June, thousands of fans filled the Carrow Road stadium in Norwich, for two concerts by the act.

Image source, Caroline Willington

Image source, Caroline Willington

Gary's last solo album, Since I Saw You Last (2013) sold more than 600,000 copies.

He has also co-written and produced music for other artists, including Robbie Williams, Sir Elton John and Dame Shirley Bassey.

Tickets for the concert will go on sale, external from 10:00 on Friday, 20 October.

Barlow is playing one other forest gig - at Delamere in Cheshire on Saturday, 9 June.

The transport secretary Chris Grayling says work to upgrade Ely's rail junctions will be done between 2019 and 2024.

The South West Norfolk MP Elizabeth Truss secured the promise from the minister yesterday, when she led a delegation of local MPs, train operators and business organisations to argue the work was vital for the eastern region.

Image source, Elizabeth Truss MP

Ms Truss said the Mr Grayling agreed the Ely programme was a priority.

She said one of the key aspects was ensuring the scheme was property costed by Network Rail and the local enterprise partnerships have agreed to provide every assistance with this.

The work will begin once the costings are finalised.

Ely serves trains heading in five directions, external - to Peterborough, King's Lynn, Norwich, Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge.

Brenner Woolley
BBC Radio Suffolk sport

Ipswich Town Ladies, external hammered their Norwich City counterparts 8-1 in the South East 1 Division of the FA Women's Premier League, external last night.

Image source, Ross Halls

After a 5-0 victory in Norfolk just three weeks ago, the Blues were once again way too strong for their East Anglian rivals.

Winger Zoe Cossey hit a hat-trick, with Roxy Small, Amanda Crump, Lindsey Cooper, Miagh Downey and Sophie Welton also on target.

It takes their goals tally to an incredible 35 in 10 matches this season.

"In my time with the club we've generally always scored goals," said manager Ralph Pruden.

"We have an attacking mindset and like to play entertaining football."

It leaves Ipswich third in the table behind leaders Wimbledon and second-placed Leyton Orient, while Norwich are second from bottom in 11th place.

Chris Goreham
BBC Radio Norfolk sport

Image source, Getty Images

A number of positions have been cut at Norwich City Football Club, external after a review into staffing at the Canaries' Academy.

The highest profile casualty is former winger Darren Huckerby, who worked as a coach.

We understand about 20 positions are under review and a number of those posts have been cut already.

Sporting director Stuart Webber said last week that an internal review would allow them to "strip back what they don't do well".

Head physio Stuart Wardle announced his departure last night.

Head of Academy Recruitment Gregg Broughton is also one of those who are leaving the club.