The votes have been counted - and the winners can be revealed.

After months of planning and preparations, we're thrilled to be able to announce the winners of the first ever North Norfolk News Awards.

It follows several weeks of voting where readers have been able to vote for your favourite nominee from a shortlist of three in eight different categories.

We've given each of the winners a trophy - a small thank-you for everything they have done to to make North Norfolk a better place.

Grace Burton from Sheringham Woodfields School won the Teacher of the Year Award, while the Sheringham Yesu Community Fridge won Fresh Idea of the Year.

Student Grace Gascoyne won Young Person of the Year, and Elaine and Tim Merritt of the Red Hart Inn in Bodham won Pub Landlord of the Year.

Nathan Liberman of Sheringham Community First Responders won the award for Uniformed Hero of the Year, and Julie Chance, from Trimingham, is our Community Volunteer of the Year.

North Walsham Premier stores owner Russ Harmer won our Businessperson of the Year Award, and our Moment of the Year Award went to street artist Banksy's contribution to a Cromer sea wall.

North Norfolk News: North Norfolk News chief reporter Stuart Anderson.North Norfolk News chief reporter Stuart Anderson. (Image: Copyright Archant Norfolk 2016)

A message from News' chief reporter Stuart Anderson

Our heartfelt congratulations to everybody who was nominated, and most of all to the winners.

On a personal note, it has been privilege for me to have now been covering North Norfolk for more than four years in my capacity as chief reporter for this newspaper.

With its towns and villages, parks and beaches, heritage and wildlife, what a beautiful part of the world this is.

But the real joy has been getting to know so many of the people who make North Norfolk such a special place.

People here are kind, talented, friendly and hard-working beyond compare, and these awards are our humble way of shining a light on just a few of them.

I'd also like to thank all of our readers for their help in keeping this newspaper at the centre of community life in North Norfolk - we wouldn't be able to do it without you!

From all the team at the North Norfolk News, we wish you a safe, healthy, and prosperous 2022.