What was on the front of the Evening News this week five, 10, 15 and 20 years ago

20 years ago

• The last obstacle in the way of a new £170 million general hospital for Norwich was cleared today after the threat of court action to halt the plans was abandoned.

Norwich City Council announced it was dropping its legal challenge to the decision to build a new privately-funded hospital at Colney after taking top level legal advice.

The city planning committee heard that a barrister had told the council that any legal challenge to South Norfolk Council's approval of the development was unlikely to succeed.

• A top Norwich judge is calling for the free sale of replica guns to be banned after hearing how pub regulars froze in terror when faced with a fake pistol.

Mr Justice Blofeld issued the appeal at Norwich Crown Court yesterday after hearing how a man pointed a gun at a group of men outside the Three Horseshoes at Hempnall, near Long Stratton.

He said: 'I am sorry that it is still possible for members of the public to buy them without any inquiry, without any licence, because they can fall into the wrong hands and be used to terrify people.'

• An investigation was launched today after a boy aged four was discovered wandering half-naked in the middle of Norwich.

And city police have spoken of their anger after the little boy's plight was ignored by passers-by during the morning rush-hour.

The blond-haired boy was spotted alone in Chapelfield Gardens wearing just a jumper.

• A prostitute was left for dead by a punter who beat her up and dumped her half-naked at the roadside.

The 20-year-old woman was left unconscious at a secluded spot in Trowse and later discovered wandering alone by a passing motorist.

She had face and head injuries and was still recovering in the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital this morning from Saturday's attack.

• More than 200 jobs have been promised by Tesco in plans to build another new superstore in Norwich.

And those jobs would go to people on the city estates hit hardest by unemployment. The supermarket giant wants to build a new store in the heart of Earlham.

It says its new out-of-town store at Harford Bridges is already overused and that a new store on the former Bowthorpe School site off Guardian Road would serve local needs.

15 years ago

• More than 100 cancer patients have been told they face delays for life-saving treatment after a vital piece of equipment broke down.

One of three linear accelerators - a radiotherapy treatment machine - used by the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital failed two weeks ago and replacement parts have not yet arrived from Switzerland.

About 130 people have been affected by the break down and the hospital says it will be another two weeks before the machine is working again.

• This is the human cost of the extreme pressures placed on the accident and emergency department of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

Grandfather Walter Curson spent around seven hours waiting for someone to see him after he suffered a suspected heart attack.

By the time Mr Curson was finally examined, his lungs were two-thirds full of fluid and his heart rate was up to 180 beats a minute.

He was treated and admitted to the N and N but his condition deteriorated and he died three days later.

• Police today revealed drivers using city streets for illegal races are using the internet to arrange the clandestine meetings.

The racers, mainly young people, are using chatrooms within legal websites to arrange meetings and agree routes. The news emerged as the Evening News

joined undercover officers - led by Insp Jeff Anderson - during a crackdown launched this weekend.

Over the last few days police have been gathering information about yobs plaguing our streets.

• Police fear a maniac who slashed a motorist with a six-inch blade after he stopped on an isolated road may strike again.

The victim had pulled over into a layby on the Haveringland Road, near Felthorpe after being flagged down by what appeared to be a stranded motorist.

The unsuspecting Good Samaritan got out to offer him help, but the man suddenly lunged at him with a knife.

He suffered a sickening gash across his arm, including a 6mm deep slice to his forearm, before managing to scramble back to his car and escape.

10 years ago

• Moves to use private business money to build a £100 million northern bypass today met with fierce criticism, as County Hall prepares to examine the controversial funding option.

Politicians voiced their horror at the prospect of Norfolk County Council entering into a PFI deal to build the road, after recent private finance disasters at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the failed Jarvis schools' contract.

Councillors and officials will meet at County Hall to discuss launching a bid for a large slice of £600 million in PFI credits from Government in order to help fund the Northern Distributor Route (NDR).

• A woman who was told she would never be able to have children is coming to terms with the joys of motherhood after giving birth to identical

twins.

Vicki Mileham, 36, only discovered she was pregnant when she visited her doctor after developing stomach pains.

Suspecting possible appendicitis, she was transferred to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston. It was only after being examined that doctors thought Mrs Mileham could be pregnant.

A test confirmed the happy news and then a few weeks later Mrs Mileham and her husband Alan were even more astounded when a scan revealed they were

expecting twins.

• Increasing numbers of children are being kicked out of school for attacking teachers, new figures reveal today.

The latest statistics show 179 Norfolk pupils were excluded from school for assaulting staff in just one year.

Teachers say hostility in the classroom is on the increase, while Norfolk County Council has revealed it has had to resort to banning orders to protect teachers from violent parents.

• A teenager today told how his life had been ruined after his body was contaminated by 12 toxic metals.

The family of 18-year-old Tom Rossington claim the rare condition has been caused by emissions from the Bacton Gas Terminal in north Norfolk, which is based close to where they lived for several years.

After years of problems, Tom, who now lives in Cawston, was referred to the Breakspear Hospital in Hertfordshire, which specialises in environmental diseases.

The findings from the tests shocked the family to the core, showing that Tom's body contained high levels of the toxic metals arsenic, lead, tin, mercury,

aluminium, nickel, copper, thallium, tungsten, beryllium, bismuth and cadmium.

Five years ago

• A baby and a teenager escaped serious injuries but a woman was in a critical condition after a car smashed into a tree near Aylsham.

Three fire engines - from Aylsham and Reepham and the Norwich heavy rescue pump - were called to the B1145 Aylsham-Cawston road at 6.20pm on Saturday.

Police said a blue Mazda 3, which was travelling towards Cawston, lost control, spun and hit a tree.

• Families in Norwich are to be asked to pick and choose from a list of almost £1m of proposed cuts to front-line council services, including plans which could see streets cleaned just once a month and the number of Christmas lights in the city slashed.

Norwich City Council needs to make £4.6m in savings in the next financial year and today launched a consultation asking the public to help decide how to

do that.

Having made millions of pounds of savings behind the scenes over the past three years, officers have warned it is now impossible to deliver future savings without hitting public services.