From sports stars to chart-topping musicians, a whole host of celebrities were born in Norfolk and their star-studded careers started in these towns.

1. North Walsham - Lauren Hemp

Eastern Daily Press: England star Lauren Hemp will be on World Cup duty this summer

The Manchester City star, who helped England win the Women's Euros last summer, was born in North Walsham and first played for the local team.

Her face now adorns the wall of the town's Cafe Kitale, after the owner came up with the idea while on a long trip across Europe driving aid to Ukraine.

As a youngster, Hemp played for North Walsham Town FC before being picked up by Norwich City's academy programme at nine years old.

2. King's Lynn - Roger Taylor

Eastern Daily Press: Roger Taylor in his Queen heydays (pictured second from left)Roger Taylor in his Queen heydays (pictured second from left) (Image: Archant)

A member of one the most famous rock bands in the world, Queen, Roger Taylor was born at West Norfolk & Lynn Hospital in King's Lynn.

He said of his time living in Belulah Street: "The road used to be very quiet. I remember going down to the end of the street and looking into the river.

"I used to see the odd pike or two. I was constantly warned not to fall in."

After moving to Cornwall, Taylor would regularly come back to visit his grandmother Annie Hickman who lived in Birchwood Street in King's Lynn's North End.

As a teenager on visits to King's Lynn he would stay with a friend at the post office in Tennyson Avenue.

3. Great Yarmouth - Jason Statham

Eastern Daily Press: Jason Statham PA IMAGES

A-lister Jason Statham moved to Great Yarmouth with his family when he was young.

A former professional diver, who competed for England in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, Statham went on to star in hit films The Italian Job, The Expendables and the Fast & Furious series.

For some of his time in Great Yarmouth, Statham lived above a pub on the seafront with former Norwich City player Dion Dublin and his brother Ash. 

4. Gorleston - Myleene Klass

Eastern Daily Press: Myleene Klass. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Myleene Klass made her name in Hear'Say before finding success on the silver screen as a contestant on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. 

The 45-year-old attended Cliff Park Ormiston Academy, when it was still Cliff Park High School, for part of her secondary school education.

Speaking at the opening of IntoUniversity's Great Yarmouth learning centre earlier this year, she said: "Norfolk is in my blood. And it was people from this area who helped me hone my skills. I want to pay it forward now."

5. Dereham - Todd Cantwell 

Eastern Daily Press: Todd Cantwell starts for Norwich City this evening in their Championship match against Queens Park Rangers.

Todd Cantwell attended Northgate High School in Dereham from the ages of 11 to 14, with his old headteacher Andy Mason being among his top supporters. 

He joined the Norwich City Academy at under-10 level in 2008.

Cantwell has always honoured his roots, with the player handing out presents to locals last December who dubbed him the 'Dereham Santa'.

The 25-year-old left the Canaries in January and signed for Rangers.

6. Reepham - Sigala

Eastern Daily Press: Sigala was born in Norwich in 1992. Picture: PA Archive/PA Images/Isabel Infantes

Bruce Fielder, known professionally as Sigala, is an English DJ and record producer.

He was born in Reepham in 1993 and has had eight songs in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart.

He attended Reepham High School and Norwich City College before graduating with a BA honours degree in commercial music from the University of Westminster.

7. Cromer - Sir James Dyson

Eastern Daily Press: Sir James Dyson. Picture David Parry/PA Wire

Sir James Dyson was born in Cromer in 1947 and attended Gresham's school as a boy, paying tribute to his "wonderfully empathetic headmaster" Logie Bruce-Lockhart after his death in 2020.

In his mid-teens, his mother Mary moved to Cley next the Sea, but Cromer remained Sir James' "local city" and he remembers taking part in music competitions at the Pavilion Theatre on the pier.

The 76-year-old founded a manufacturing empire that spans the globe and, as well as his line of vacuum cleaners, he has been responsible for inventions including the Airblade hand dryer and the Supersonic hair dryer.