A Norfolk casino worker who stuffed thousands of pounds into his socks before escaping to Thailand has been jailed for a year. Peter Smith stole GBP 8,500 in one night while working at the Palace Casino in Yarmouth in May. The 37-year-old cash desk worker has spent much of his life working in casinos all over the world - but was yesterday told his career was over after he admitted theft.

A GBP 3.5m casino at a seaside resort in Norfolk is due to be officially opened. The casino, within Great Yarmouth's existing Palace Bingo centre, is expected to attract 75,000 visitors a year and has created about 70 new jobs. It is the third casino to be opened in the town. Plans for a fourth have been submitted in a seafront development. Great Yarmouth was one of eight places in England and Wales to be granted permission by the government in 2007 to build a super-casino.