The fight to cut crime and protect people from the scourge of illegal drugs in Norwich has been handed a £5m boost.

Norwich has been picked as one of five areas to be part of a pilot project combining targeted and tougher policing with better treatment and recovery services.

The government says that money will allow Norfolk police to target local gang leaders driving the drugs trade, while better helping people to recover from addictions.

The £4.8m for Norwich is part of a £28m package the government is investing into piloting Project ADDER.

Standing for Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery, Project Adder will bring together partners including the police, local councils and health services, and run for three financial years.

Norwich has been picked, along with Blackpool, Hastings, Middlesbrough and Swansea Bay because of high rates of drug misuse.

The money is part of a £148m investment announced by home secretary Priti Patel and health secretary Matt Hancock.

The government said it represented the largest increase in drug treatment funding for 15 years.

It includes £40m of new money to tackle county lines - which has been a particular issue in Norfolk - and drugs supply.

And the government says an extra £80m will also be invested in drug treatment services across England to give more support to offenders with drink and drug addictions, which can fuel crime.

Norwich Evening News: Prime minister Boris Johnson.Prime minister Boris Johnson.

Prime minister Boris Johnson said: "Drugs are a serious driver of the violence which devastates communities and robs young lives.

"That is why we must take action to cut off supply and cut the head off the snake by tackling the criminal gangs which exploit young people.

"We must also help people to get off drugs in the first place and that is why we are launching Project Adder, a new, targeted approach which will ramp up local enforcement, while at the same time diverting more people into recovery, backed up by the largest investment in treatment in 15 years."