Thanks a bunch!

A victory for Norfolks' bureaucrats...

A charity motorcycle cavalcade which attracts thousands of spectators each year has come to an end after becoming embroiled in a red-tape battle.

Last week the people in charge of this year's Eastern Lights Motorcycle Cavalcade, from Norwich to Lowestoft via Yarmouth, warned the event would have to be cancelled.

It came after organisers were given a licence deadline they said was impossible to meet. Police had said they would withdraw their cover if a temporary road closure licence was not obtained, and gave them just three weeks notice.

But there was hope over the weekend when police pledged to work with organisers to keep the event running. Today however, Eastern Lights confirmed it was too late for this year's cavalcade and that in future years the cost of obtaining a licence would rule out any more events.

Paul Howard, organising committee chairman for Eastern Lights, said: “We won't be having any more future events; it's the end of Eastern Lights.