A water tower which has been part of the Fakenham skyline for more than 70 years has been demolished to enable 24 affordable houses to be built.

The demolition of the Anglian Water tower, which was built in the mid 1930s, has been carried out over the last few days and just the base of the structure remains today.

The tower has been out of use for several years and is one of two large, white water towers between Holt Road and Greenway Lane, behind the former medical surgery. The other tower will not be knocked down.

Fakenham historian Jim Baldwin, 68, who lives in the town, said: 'I do feel a little sad to see this tower go down.

'It is seen as an iconic structure in Fakenham for people of my generation. Before all of the houses were built in that area you could see the tower from all directions and all parts of the town.

'It has been a part of Fakenham's skyline for so many years. Now a bit of the town's history has gone.

'There are several photographs of the tower in various stages, which we will keep on display in the Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History.'

We reported in November how East Anglian property company Pigeon signed an agreement with Victory Housing Trust for the �2.6 million affordable housing development.

The development will comprise a mix of one, two, three and four bedroom accommodation built to high energy and waste efficiency standards.

It will include a children's play area, car parking, gardens and landscaping.

The scheme is to be built for Victory Housing Trust by Chalcroft, with �1 million of funding being provided by North Norfolk District Council and �1.6 million by Victory.

The building work is expected to be completed at some point in spring next year.

A spokesman for Pigeon said the development would have a significant Norfolk character and will have a positive impact on Fakenham, with local people benefiting from the new affordable homes.

Keith Johnson, North Norfolk District Council cabinet member for strategic housing, has shown his support for the scheme, by highlighting the desperate need for affordable homes in north Norfolk and how the average age of a first-time buyer in the district is now 37, which he described as 'not acceptable.'