Labour Party membership in North Norfolk has risen 60pc in the eight months since the general election the constituency party annual meeting was told.

Chairman Tim Bartlett said: 'The Labour Party has found new life around the country but especially in North Norfolk.

'We have elections in May and it will be the first opportunity for the electors in North Norfolk to tell the Tory government what they think of them.

'The Lib-Dems are finished, they've become a joke. The voters trusted them in North Norfolk and their trust has been rewarded with broken promises.'

The start of the meeting had to be delayed for additional chairs to be set up.

Mr Bartlett paid tribute to the other officers who had worked so hard during the year and a special mention to vice-chairman Mike Cox who was standing down due to ill health.

Sam Rushworth was appointed as constituency campaign organiser, a role he had carried out previously in Tatton.

Members felt there was a new momentum. Prospective candidates for the district elections had been selected and would be confirmed later, the meeting heard.

Officers elected were: chairman, Tim Bartlett; vice-chairmen Jono Read and David Spencer; secretary Phil Harris; treasurer Mike Gates; youth officer Callum Ringer; European officer David Russell; press and publicity David Phillip-Pritchard; electronic media Scott Eastwood; minutes secretary Sheila Cunningham; fund-raiser Pam Cowburn.