Diss Town Council has appointed a new mayor of the town.

Town councillor Julian Mason, of Lord Road, has succeeded Keith Kiddie as the new mayor of Diss. The new deputy mayor is Mike Bardwell.

Mr Mason, 67, said: 'I am honoured to have been appointed mayor. It was not something I had planned for.

'I joined the council to make a difference and I am looking forward to the new challenge.'

The former Eye Grammar School pupil has spent his first week as mayor of Diss learning what the position entails and getting to know his colleagues.

Mr Mason said: 'Everyone has been very nice and helpful. It is a learning curve but one that I am going to enjoy.

'It has been a little surprising to have people stop me in the street to congratulate me on becoming mayor.

'Keith Kiddie has also been incredibly gracious and supportive and offering me advice whenever I need it.'

After being made redundant from Hamlin Electronics, Mr Mason, a father of two, now part owns the Larter and Ford hardware store on Market Hill with his brother-in-law.

At a town hall event last week Mr Kiddie performed one of his last duties as mayor presenting the citizen awards at the 2015 Diss Annual Parish Meeting.

Diss Corn Hall volunteer and Fair Green committee member Suzanne Kayne won the Honoured Citizen Award and 16-year-old Diss High School student Ellen Nicholas was awarded the Junior Good Citizen Award for her volunteering work at the Weavers Court care home on Mount Street.

The event was held at the Diss Youth Centre and was attended by councillors and representatives from organisations such as the East of England Ambulance Service and Norfolk police.

Do you have a Diss story? Email michelle.finch@archant.co.uk