Local councillors Robert Kybird and Marion Chapman-Allen met with Norfolk Conservative candidate for the county’s first Police and Crime Commissioner, James Athill, when he visited Thetford.

The group took the chance to walk around the town alongside South West Norfolk MP Elizabeth Truss and visited Keystone Development Trust on Bridge Street.

Mr Athill heard about problems with street drinking in the town, and steps being taken to tackle the issue, as well as the services the charity offers to migrant workers.

He said he initially came to Thetford to meet Ms Truss, and added: “This is a combined effort to meet her and lean more about Thetford.

“The issues seem to be different in different parts of Norfolk - this is a good example of a migrant community and I’m trying to get some up to date context.”

Mrs Chapman-Allen, a Breckland district councillor, said the way the town was growing would be important in tackling crime in the future.

“The way the town has increased is significant and the way the police still manage to patrol Thetford is excellent,” she said. “Their responsibilities have increased and I would like that to be reviewed because you can only stretch officers time so far.”

Thetford town and Breckland district councillor, Mr Kybird added: “I think the overall police effort has been successful and it’s moving in the right direction and it’s a question of filling the gaps and trying to improve what we’ve got.”

“We’ve the lowest crime county in the country already and we hope to be top of the division in the premier league.”

Ms Truss said: “It’s important to engage with the local community and for businesses and organisations to work together and an important part of the visit is to try to see what’s going on.”