Mental health services in Norfolk are 'not acceptable' but could be 'revolutionised', Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb has said.

Mr Lamb, who has first-hand experience of the mental health provision in this region after his son was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder when he was a teenager, said waiting times had to be addressed.

And launching the Liberal Democrats' manifesto on mental health he also praised the EDP for its Mental Health Watch campaign launched in 2015.

The Liberal Democrats are proposing an extra £1billion in funding for mental health as part of a windfall for the NHS and social care by adding 1p to income tax.

Mr Lamb, the Lib Dem health spokesman and parliamentary candidate for North Norfolk, said: 'This money could revolutionise mental health care in Norfolk – and across the country.

'I know that we have very serious issues with waiting times in this region and it is frankly not acceptable.

'Recently at one of my advice surgeries a father came to see me and told me that his teenage daughter had been to an initial meeting with health care professionals about her illness. But afterwards she was told her wait for any treatment would be between six and nine months. Any of the hope she had gained simply drained away.'

Mr Lamb and his family faced a similar situation after his son's diagnosis.'When my son needed mental health care we were told it would be six months,' he said. 'We were lucky enough to be able to pay for treatment but I am very aware that this will not be the case for most people and that is a disgrace.

'The Liberal Democrats are committed to ending the historic injustice against people with mental ill health.

'We will invest in improving waiting time standards for mental health care in the NHS, end the scandalous use of force against people with mental ill health and prioritise national action to dramatically reduce the number of people who take their own lives.'

Mr Lamb is standing in North Norfolk against James Wild for the Conservatives and Stephen Burke for Labour.