One of north Norfolk's most well-known characters has been made chairman of Norfolk County Council.

Hilary Cox, who earlier this married former fisherman William Cox at St Paul's Cathedral in London, was sworn in for the role at a meeting of the council on Monday.

She said: 'I am delighted to be the new chairman as it is such a privileged position and will use the opportunity as a platform to show my commitment to local issues and values to more people in the county.

'It is a great honour to be chairman of the county council and I hope to fulfil the role with great enthusiasm.'

Mrs Cox entered local politics as a Conservative member of Cromer Town Council in 2002 and was elected to the county council in 2009.

Born in South Wales, she came to Norfolk aged five, spending her childhood in Mundesley where her parents ran the former Sea View Hotel.

She is a local preacher in the Methodist Church and belongs to the women's section of the Royal British Legion, acting as standard bearer for Cromer Town and the county of Norfolk.

A governor at Suffield Park Infant school and Cromer Junior School, she was elected as chairman of the county council by 40 votes to 39 with four abstentions. James Joyce is interim vice-chairman until the next meeting on May 24.