Veteran buried in 'ghost village'

A World War II veteran has been buried in the churchyard of a deserted Norfolk village which is used by soldiers as a military training area.

William Hancock, 85, was the first person to be buried in Tottington near Thetford for more than 50 years.

Locals had to leave the village in the 1940s when the Thetford Battle Area was established by the military.

Soldiers suspended operations in the battle area while Mr Hancock was buried in the village in which he was born.

The Reverend Bob Nichols, who conducted a service in the nearby village of Merton before the burial on Thursday, said the funeral was the most unusual he had seen.

"It was a privilege to have been involved," he said. "The church at Tottington is effectively mothballed so the service had to be held in the nearest occupied village.

"But the military authorities agreed that the burial could take place in Tottington churchyard in accordance with Mr Hancock's wishes."