BBC Local Live: Norfolk

Thanks for joining us today, we'll be back on Wednesday, 28 December.

Just before we drive home for Christmas, here's a little festive offering featuring Clementine, the sparkly Living Fashion Doll, and her version of Santa Baby.

The creation of Norfolk puppeteer Mark Mander, Clementine is alleged to have been discovered in the surf off Sheringham Beach looking for mermen! 

Her new award-winning show will feature as part of the Manipulate Festival, a celebration of visual theatre and animated film, at the Norwich Puppet Theatre in January.

Take a look at Day 23 on our advent calendar by clicking play for a BBC Weather Watchers scene:

And, as we're not returning tomorrow, here is the all-important Christmas Even window number 24. Can you resist saving it until tomorrow?

A brief period of heavy rain and gusty wind are possible at first, but clearing to the east by about 20:00, leaving a dry night with clear skies across the BBC East region.

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Strong southwesterly winds at first with some gusts over 50mph (80 km/h)possible, but winds easing to moderate after the rain clears as the temperature dips to 2-4C (upper 30sF).

Christmas Eve will be dry and long spells of sunshine, but turning cloudier later from the west, with the temperature peaking at 9-10C (upper 40sF).

Visit BBC Weather for a more detailed forecast where you are.

Earlier we reported that a 34-year-old man has been given a three-year sentence for an attack on a prison governor at HMP Wayland, near Watton, which left him needing to have a metal plate put in his face.  

Now the Prison Service has issued a statement which says: "We do not tolerate any violence against the hard-working and dedicated prison staff who work with our offenders."  

Some 88 years ago this month, the lifeboat HF Bailey II entered the new boathouse at Cromer beach. 

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An 11-year-old girl from Norwich, who is to be treated for cancer, has thanked all the listeners of BBC Radio Norfolk who have sent her cards and presents.

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Faith Barnard (pictured above) will start treatment in the New Year after a lump was found in her arm.  

Her mother Tequila appealed for people to send her Christmas cards.

BBC Radio Norfolk has collected thousands of items and presenter Wally Webb handed them to Faith this morning.

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Faith told the BBC: "Thank you so much. I wish I could give all of them hugs."

Her parents Ady and Tequila (pictured) said they were amazed by the number of cards and presents.

Tequila said: "The response has been overwhelming. Just to see her face. It means everything to us."

Some 56 years ago this month a worker at a Bernard Matthews turkey farm in Norfolk was photographed checking the temperature of turkey eggs.

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Train company Greater Anglia is reminding customers about planned disruption to rail services due to engineering work over the Christmas period.

Engineering work is due to take place from 24 December to 2 January.

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There will be no Greater Anglia services between Ingatestone/Billericay and London Liverpool Street during this time.

There are no services at all on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, apart from a special Stansted Express service from 06:30 on Boxing Day.

At weekends and bank holidays (24, 27, 31 December, 1 and 2 January) there will be rail replacement bus services between Witham/Ingatestone and Billericay to Newbury Park for Central Line services.

From 28 December to 30 December, passengers from Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Braintree, Clacton, Walton-on-the-Naze and Harwich should change at Witham for rail replacement bus services to Stansted where they can catch the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street.

Passengers from Hatfield Peverel, Chelmsford and Ingatestone should use a rail replacement service from Ingatestone to Newbury Park for Central Line services.

On 1 January, London Liverpool Street services will be replaced by buses between Cheshunt and Bishop’s Stortford. Stansted Express services will be replaced by direct buses between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport.

We've been covering the news that Writers' Centre Norwich has been awarded £789,435 by Arts Council England to help it develop the city's medieval Dragon Hall.  

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We've had some more reaction on the plans. 

Alan Waters, Labour leader of Norwich City Council, said: "It is only fitting that England's first UNESCO City of Literature should be home to the new National Centre for Writing.

"Norwich City Council is very proud to have worked with Writers' Centre Norwich on this ambitious project and delighted that the new centre will be housed in one of our most iconic buildings."

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Margaret Dewsbury, chairwoman of the communities committee at Norfolk County Council, said: "The centre will provide flagship new cultural facilities and a wealth of opportunities for Norfolk as well as further strengthening its reputation as a vibrant and rich cultural destination."  

Earlier we reported the theft of lead from the roof of St Margaret Church in Toft Monks.

BBC Radio Norfolk has now talked to the rector of the church Reverand Nick Will.

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He said: "I have seen it before but it is sick. The thieves have obviously got no scruples and morals.

"It is going to be quite a big job to repair the roof and considerably expensive."

The rector said they are holding a service tomorrow aimed at the children of the parish and tarpaulin is being put over the roof as a temporary measure to protect the church from the weather.

"We are absolutely determined for the service to happen," he said.

"We don't want to be beaten and so many people are coming."

Police are investigating the theft of lead from the roof of St Margaret Church in Toft Monks, near Beccles.

It has happened sometime overnight on Wednesday to Thursday.

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A 34-year-old man has been given a three year sentence for an attack on a prison governor at HMP Wayland, near Watton which left him needing to have a metal plate put in his face.

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Thomas Howard pleaded guilty at Norwich Crown Court to two counts of assault on governor Paul Cawkwell and prison staff member Stephen Hyde occasioning grievous bodily harm.

The separate incidents took place on Saturday, 23 July and Wednesday, 27 July.

Howard, who was a serving prisoner at the time of the incidents, was sentenced to three years in prison.  

The court was told that Mr Cawkwell was hit in the face - causing multiple fractures. 

He now has a metal plate in his head - and no sensation on one side of his face.

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 A newsagents in Norwich has been robbed this morning.

Just before 07:30 a man entered the newsagents on Woodgrove Parade (pictured below) and threatened the shopkeeper with what is believed to be a knife.

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The suspect then stole cash from the till and fled.

He is described as a white male wearing a black hoodie, balaclava, gloves and dark trousers. It is believed he turned left when leaving the store heading towards Woodcock Road.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to call Norfolk Police.

We've been getting reaction to the news that Writers' Centre Norwich has been awarded £789,435 by Arts Council England to help it develop the city's medieval Dragon Hall.  

Writers' Centre NorwichCopyright: Writers' Centre Norwich

Chris Gribble, chief executive of the centre, said they wanted to create "something quite unique".

"We are delighted to have received this news. It is a ringing endorsement of our vision to create a centre of national and international literary exchange in this city with its unparalleled literary heritage," he said.

"In 2017, we will reveal ways in which individuals and companies can get involved in supporting the project, and receive lasting recognition for that support within the very fabric of the new building."

A writers' organisation has been awarded £789,435 by Arts Council England to help it develop the medieval Dragon Hall in Norwich.

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Writers’ Centre Norwich is to turn the historic building (pictured), which dates from 1430, into the National Centre for Writing.

If everthing goes to plan, the national centre will open in April 2018 and will incude educational and community spaces, office space and technical facilities and a refurbished public performance arena seating up to 120 people.

It will also include residential space for visiting writers to Norwich, which was England’s first UNESCO City of Literature.

We've learned that the Tower Complex in Great Yarmouth, where boxer Kuba Moczyk died last month, was not licensed for fighting.

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Great Yarmouth Borough Council's Environmental Services department is carrying out a safety investigation, and a separate investigation is being carried out on the licensing of the venue.

A spokesman for the council told me the premises licence for the Tower lapsed in August last year, as the owner filed for insolvency, and while temporary events notice licences can be granted, no licence was valid for the boxing match in which Kuba Moczyk was fatally wounded.

It will be breezy but dry this morning with sunny spells. However, the wind will increase during the afternoon and heavy rain and strong gusty winds will sweep in later, bringing difficult driving conditions during rush hour with a high of 10C (50F).

There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

Thanks for joining us.

We've got a stack of mince pies to keep us going through the day, while we check out what's happening across the county.

If you're planning to be out and about, you'll probably want to know what the weather's going to be like, so Georgina Burnett will be along shortly with the day's forecast.

Enjoy your day, whatever your plans are.