A former British army officer and retired teacher has resigned as a councillor for “personal reasons”.

The announcement that Conservative member Trevor Carter had stood down from Breckland District Council was made at a Thursday meeting.

The council's independent chairman Roy Brame said Mr Carter had done “a super job”, adding: “Everything that one could do for the community, Trevor did and did with aplomb.”

Conservative council leader Sam Chapman-Allen said Mr Carter’s resignation was “very sad” and “due to personal reasons”.

He added that Mr Carter had held several roles over his decade at the council since 2011, and had “worked for the residents of Hermitage ward diligently.”

Hermitage ward lies on Breckland’s north-western edge between Dereham, Fakenham, and Swaffham, and includes the villages of Mileham, Tittleshall, Weasenham and Colkirk.

A by-election is expected to be called to replace Mr Carter, who won the ward with a sturdy majority of more than 300 over his only opponent, a Labour candidate, in 2019.