A milestone in every sense of the word was the cause for celebration in a Norfolk village.

After two years of work, a 200-year-old milestone showing the distances from Brinton to Holt and Dereham, has been moved and restored.

Norfolk county councillor, Dr Marie Strong, who attended its unveiling on Friday, after supporting the project, said two years was taken because the stone is regarded as a significant part of local history and needed to be dealt with carefully in conjunction with the county council's archeology department.

She said: 'Once we started the journey I began to look out for other milestones - some looking like rejected and illegible, others restored and proudly marking the mileage to the next destination - a reminder of those who needed the stones on their travels two hundred years ago – an historic GPS!'

She added: 'When people were worried it might never happen I saw a picture in the EDP of Prince Charles helping to renovate the milestone at Anmer and thought, if he can do it, surely we can too!'

The milestone is 14 of 15 on the B1110 Holt to Dereham road.

It was damaged and had sunk to the point where the word 'Holt' could no longer be seen.

The milestone has been moved back a few centimetres, a new base has been constructed and it and been painted and refurbished.

Dr Strong was joined on Friday by Nigel Ford, from the Milestone Society, who carried out the work, Brinton and Sharrington Parish council chairman Debbie Hyslop and vice-chairman Mike O'Kane, and Jeremy Bagnall-Oakeley, from the Friends of Brinton.

The work cost £150 and £60 was provided by the parish council, £60 from the Friends of Brinton and £30 from Norfolk County Council.

It was the 117th milestone that Mr Ford, from Hardingham, has restored.

He said: 'This milestone is a part of local history that needs preserving.

'It's also a fact that milestones make people feel good - many say they instantly feel good having seen one.

'It is important now that the milestone is well looked after.'