A view from the steep road into Pennan, where it looks as if the houses are actually in the sea. They’re not far off, of course.

Dramatic scenery, and drama at North Walsham too today. After calling at the cemetery we visited Dot’s aunt. Fortunately we got the cup of tea in fairly quickly, because we were suddenly all asked to evacuate the house – together with everyone else in the street. Apparently a guy in the parallel street (ie just behind Queensway) had turned all his gas on and was threatening to set light to it. We had to go to the nearby football ground and pavilion, which was opened up for us. There were probably a couple of hundred people there. Police vehicles descended on us from all over the county – or so it seemed – and for a couple of hours we had to amuse ourselves. Happily the weather was warm and sunny, and I had had the foresight to take a photo album with me. (I felt no-one had their full attention on it, though.)

I tried to persuade them to let me drive out, but the road was blocked by fire engines at the end, so we had to wait. The police were actually extremely friendly and not at all officious. I had visions of us being kept there for hours and was thinking about getting a train or taxi home, but after about 90 minutes one of the policemen told me they had taken the guy into custody, and it was just a question of making the property safe. This took a further half hour or so.

On the plus side, people got to meet their neighbours, and Dot got into conversation with someone whose brother – Billy Turner – was very friendly with her father.

Earlier at the cemetery we bumped into Sandra, Dot’s childhood friend, who we hadn’t seen for a while. Even earlier I preached at St Augustine’s to a small but select congregation. First time back there for five weeks.