Hospitals, education and beautiful countryside and wildlife have received high praise from hundreds of Norfolk residents.

Eastern Daily Press: The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Picture: Nick ButcherThe Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant © 2018)

Around 500 people took part in the online Great Norfolk Life Survey launched by the EDP as part of the first-ever Norfolk Day.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Police officers. Picture: ArchantNorfolk Police officers. Picture: Archant

Just over half the respondents were women and nearly 66pc were aged 55 and over.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Day LogoNorfolk Day Logo (Image: Archant)

The majority of people who answered - just over 91pc - had lived in Norfolk for 10 or more years.

When asked about the best thing about living in Norfolk, just over 28pc responded with beautiful countryside and wildlife.

But nearly half of the people who took part - just over 46pc - believed that overall life in Norfolk was generally worse compared with 10 years ago.

Nearly 27pc and 25pc of the respondents agreed their experience of using their local hospital, either as an emergency patient or inpatient, had been excellent and good, respectively.

Another important aspect of Norfolk life - education - was also thought of highly with nearly 81pc of people rating their child's school as excellent.

The survey provided a boost for tourism as more than 31pc agreed they have/would be prepared to take a staycation in Norfolk.

However just over 38pc admitted to visiting a Norfolk tourist attraction as a day visitor once or twice a year.

Areas rated as fair included mobile phone signal - just over 29pc - broadband service - just over 37pc - the train service - nearly 45pc - the bus service - over 41pc - and the roads network - nearly 47pc.

The majority of respondents - 32pc - agreed that it was quite easy to get a GP appointment but nearly 30pc said it was not easy.

Nearly 55pc of the survey participants felt very safe in Norfolk and the nearly 35pc felt drug crime should be prioritised by Norfolk Police.

Just over 63pc believed it was very important to have visible policing on the street.

In terms of transport nearly 72pc of people agreed the A47 should be fully dualled and nearly 34pc broadly agreed the NDR has made Norfolk travelling easier.

Some 68pc were unhappy about plans to build thousands of more homes in the county over the next 20 years.

And just over 37pc said too much growth was the biggest problem facing Norfolk today.

Individual survey responses

All the people who took part in the Great Norfolk Life Survey were asked to put down the one thing they would change about the county.

Below is a selection of the responses:

'Move all the military bases to Scotland.'

'More affordable activities for kids.'

'Improve opportunities for young people in terms of travel, housing and jobs.'

'Better public transport - more frequent, cheaper, more reliable buses.'

'Less focus on Norwich, more focus on the rest of the county, particularly when it comes to resources such as public transport and NHS facilities.'

'Better cycling infrastructure.'

'Prevent selling of second homes to outsiders and reserve the stock for families.'

'Less student housing.'

'Less economic migration from other countries.'

'People having more respect for the countryside.'