We look back at what was happening in Norfolk this week five, 10, 15 and 20 years ago through the front pages of the Eastern Daily Press.

20 years ago

• The full scale of the beef crisis hit home in East Anglia with startling evidence that the industry is in desperate need of action to restore public confidence.

As desperate efforts by the Government to halt a worldwide ban on British beef ended in failure, the deepening gloom was reflected at both ends of the food chain.

At Lowestoft, Birds Eye Wall's announced it was suspending the production of beefburgers.

Meanwhile, at King's Lynn the empty pens at the livestock market, where only 11 cattle were sold, were a graphic illustration of the problems facing the region's farmers.

• The Prince of Wales revisited the flood-stricken nature haven which harbours happy childhood memories.

He trod along a brand new boardwalk across Cley Marshes which was shattered and strewn by surging storms just five weeks ago.

Huddled against a spring downpour he toured new thatched hides used by thousands of birdwatchers at the world-famous wildlife reserve.

• Robert Chase's 10-year reign as Norwich City chairman finally looked to be drawing to a close as he prepared to hand over the reins of power to one of the club's best-loved elder statesmen.

For the man now hoping to revive the fortunes of his beloved club for a second time is none other than 'Mr Norwich City' himself - 82-year-old club president Geoffrey Watling, who almost 40 years ago helped steer the Canaries away from the brink of impending bankruptcy.

Sources close to Mr Watling confirmed that a consortium led by the former City chairman and his business associate Keith Gregory expected to announce the purchase of Mr Chase's 34 per cent shareholding for around £1.2 million within the next week or so.

15 years ago

• This year's Royal Norfolk Show was sensationally cancelled for the first time in peace time - the latest casualty of the foot-and-mouth crisis gripping Britain.

The Suffolk Show was also called off after organisers of both showpiece events decided the stakes of gambling East Anglia's disease-free status were just too high a risk.

It is the first time in peace time for almost 150 years that the Royal Norfolk Show will not be staged and the decision came after a two-hour emergency meeting of the executive committee of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association.

10 years ago

• Parents across Norfolk are being warned about dangers to youngsters from a hugely popular chatroom website.

Bebo.com has gained 22 million members worldwide since its launch last summer and is at the heart of a growing social networking craze among schoolchildren.

But County Hall has sent an e-mail to all Norfolk schools warning them that the site is being used for 'bullying, pornography, drugs references and other unsavoury activities'.

• Hundreds of doctors and nurses look certain to be made redundant at Norfolk's biggest hospital.

And other hospitals in the region look likely to follow suit.

Two Norfolk MPs - Labour's Ian Gibson and Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb - have called for a countywide delegation to lobby for extra funding as the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital strives to meet a £22m shortfall.

It comes amid fears that at least 700 jobs could be cut at the N&N, which employs 5,700.

Five years ago

• Business leaders warned that it would be 'one more nail in the coffin' for Norfolk rural communities if the county did not secure vital government funding for better broadband.

Backing a campaign by the EDP and Norfolk County Council they said it would be the thousands of small and medium-sized rural businesses - and the communities in which they are based - which would be hit hardest if improvements were not made to the county's broadband infrastructure.

The EDP and county council launched its joint Broadband: Back the Bid campaign urging people to help bring the next generation of technology to this area.