Great Yarmouth police chief retires from force with a bang

Superintendent Nathan Clark is retiring from Norfolk Police on Friday after 24 years in policing.

He has been head of the borough's police for 18 months and has been in Great Yarmouth since 1999.

In February Supt Clark oversaw the massive operation to defuse a 250kg unexploded bomb, that spectacularly detonated as army experts were defusing it.

The bomb detonated Picture: Norfolk Police (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

He said: "The way the public responded and the way the local council supported people was fantastic.

"It was typical Great Yarmouth. It was a big problem and the people of Great Yarmouth were very resilient."

Supt Nathan Clark gives a media briefing during the unexploded bomb crisis Picture: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

Despite dealing with the evacuation of hundreds of homes and keeping thousands of people safe during the bomb crisis, Supt Clark said the largest incident he had dealt with in the town was at the turn of the Millennium when 1,500 travellers set up camp on the seafront.

Praising the community ethos of the borough, Supt Clarke said: "There is something unique about Great Yarmouth and that's the way people pull together.

"From our elected members, they have been fantastic. The council does not get the credit they deserve.

"We work very closely with them and you tend to get that from all partner agencies in Great Yarmouth, they pull together, probably better than anywhere in the UK.

"The public are lucky to have the public services in this area that do work so closely and are quite happy to share resources and do what is right for the public."

"The public have always been very supportive of local policing, we get a lot of support here.

"You don't get that everywhere.

"You know what I think of my officers, they are absolutely fantastic."

As well as 24 years in policing, Supt Clark had previously spent eight years in the military.

The new head of the borough's police, Supt Craig Miller, starts on Monday.