More than 1,600 responses have been sent in during a consultation exercise looking at routes for a proposed bypass for a Norfolk village.

A Norfolk County Council spokesman said on Thursday the deadline for responses to the Long Stratton bypass consultation had passed.

The council will meet in the new year to consider the responses.

Villagers were asked for their views on five possible routes for the diversion of the A140 around Long Stratton.

Villagers took protests to the streets in 1996

Residents have campaigned for over 60 years to get heavy traffic on the road, which runs from Norwich to Ipswich, diverted around their village.

Norfolk County Council has given the bypass priority in its local transport plan, and is beginning a major public consultation exercise.

The various routes are between two and four miles long, and will cost between �6m and �16m.

Work is due to begin on the new road in 2006.