Hopes have been raised for a resolution into what happened to a north Norfolk doctor who died in "unclear" circumstances in South Sudan.

Dr Ding Col Dau Ding, who lived in Cromer, is believed to have been murdered in the war-torn African country in October, 2015, where he was practicing medicine.

In a debate in Parliament, Hannah Bardell, an SNP MP, called for improvements in consular services provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in such cases and said a right to consular assistance should be enshrined in law.

Duncan Baker, North Norfolk MP, drew attention to the Dr Ding's case as part of the debate.

Mr Baker said: "The circumstances surrounding his death, and possible murder, remain, more than six years later, unclear and unanswered.

"Dr Ding was a highly qualified medical doctor and brain surgeon also working in the NHS, and was by all accounts an extraordinary man.

"I know that his passing is felt as strongly today as it was six years ago. His friends and family have, for many years now, sought answers and justice, but they have neither."

Dr Ding was 39 when he died.

His brother, Dr Dau Ding, who practices in London, said his family were convinced Dr Ding was murdered and they have evidence for it, even though the South Sudanese government had declared the death a suicide.

He said UK Foreign Office had wrongly accepted this, rather than pushing for an investigation into what happened.

He said: “For us as a family, and for the many friends of ours who are here, there has to be accountability for the killing of my brother.

“The British government can do something very simple by communicating with the South Sudanese government and say that this is something we are still monitoring."

Dr Ding grew up in Aylsham from age 10 and he completed his A-Levels at Paston College, before studying medicine and neuroscience at the University of Bristol and at Oxford.

Mr Baker said the British Embassy in Juba, South Sudan's capital, was "seemingly making progress" into finding out what happened to Dr Ding.

He added: "However, the efforts to ascertain the facts surrounding the death of a British citizen have plateaued since that ambassador’s end of tenure in 2017.

"I hope that by raising this case today on the floor of the house, much like other members, Dr Ding’s case can now be revisited with renewed vigour and a concern to mirror that of his family and friends.

Mr Baker called on foreign affairs secretary Liz Truss for assurances everything possible was being done to help Dr Ding's family.