<b>EXCLUSIVE
By Bernard Matthews
Norfolk Correspondent

Endearing road signs welcoming visitors to Norwich are to be torn down after complaints that nobody could understand a word they said.</b>

Tourism bosses had hoped the signs would portray a warm and humourous side to the city by playing on the local accent and dialect.

<center><a href="http://www.suffolkgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/naaaritch.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-2721"><img src="http://www.suffolkgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/naaaritch.jpg" alt="Norwich road sign" width="540" height="420" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2721" /></a></center><center><i>One of the disputed Norwich signs</center></i><br><br>

Seven of the signs were erected on major routes into the city at a cost of £40,000.

But local business owners say they have made Norwich a laughing stock, and are more likely to drive visitors away rather than attract them.

Graham Ruddy, spokesman for the local retail association, fumed: "If you can't understand what the sign means, how are you likely to want to visit?

"We simply can not be taken seriously by promoting ourselves as weird hobbit-like people who do not speak English properly."

Many ordinary Norwich residents love the signs, insisting a bit of quirkiness is good for the city's reputation. "It's good to have a sense of humour, hint et?" one pointy-eared resident told the Suffolk Gazette.

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