More than half of adults who feel lonely in Norfolk and Suffolk fear something will happen to them and no one will notice, according to new research released by the British Red Cross.

The Red Cross found about half (48pc) of people in the two counties feel always, often or sometimes lonely.

The research found that:

• Three in ten (30pc) people say they often feel alone, like they have no one to turn to;

• More than two fifths (45pc) people say their neighbours are like strangers to them;

• And more than two fifths (41pc) of those who do have people they feel close to or can rely on say those people live far away from them.

In Norfolk and Suffolk, the charity urgently needs more volunteers who can spare some time to visit people coping with loneliness and other issues in their homes. To find out more, call 01473 219 260.