Politics runs in the family for North Norfolk District Council's new chairman, Annie Claussen-Reynolds.

Mrs Claussen-Reynolds, who was elected at this evening's first meeting of the new council, represents Fakenham's Lancaster North ward, as does her fellow Conservative husband, Roy Reynolds.

And her brother Paul Claussen is a former chairman of Breckland District Council where he is still a councillor.

Their late father was a German prisoner of war who was held in East Anglia and met their Norfolk-born mother at Thornage, near Holt.

Mrs Claussen-Reynolds and her husband were both first elected to the council in 2011. They run a Fakenham-based business, Roy Reynolds Electrical, and have a 20-year-old son, Edward.

In their spare time the couple enjoy classic vehicles and own a Spartan kit car.

Cromer fisherman John Lee, a Conservative member who represents the town's Suffield Park ward, was elected vice chairman.

The Conservatives increased their majority on the 48-seat council in this month's elections and now hold 33 seats while the Liberal Democrats lost two seats and now have 15 councillors.

Tom FitzPatrick was re-elected as leader of the council, and Angie Fitch-Tillett is his deputy.

Ann Moore remains leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on the council, with Barbara McGoun as her deputy.

? Retiring chairman Trevor Ivory, who did not seek re-election to the council, welcomed new members and said he was especially delighted at the success of Nick Coppack, who took the Gaunt ward for the Conservatives from Graham Jones, an often-outspoken Independent councillor.

His comments were greeted with a round of applause in the chamber.

Addressing Mr Coppack, Mr Ivory joked: 'You've only got 15 minutes before you too must storm out in a big girly huff - but only do that when the press are here.'