A PARISH clerk in west Norfolk has been suspended, it emerged today.

Beverley Boughen at various times has been clerk to a number of parish councils, including Marshland St James near Wisbech.

West Norfolk Council checked their yearbook and gave the name of Mrs Boughen as clerk but later confirmed she had now left and a replacement found.

Recently Mrs Boughen has been clerk of Snettisham Parish Council where she has been suspended on full pay and the council office in the village has been closed.

The locks have been changed on the office in Lynn Road, which has been closed since July 19.

A notice on the door states: “The parish office is closed until further notice.”

Council minutes posted on the nearby village notice board say: “Members carefully considered letters from the clerk, the chairman and the Trustees of Snettisham Memorial Hall and playing field.

“After discussion it was resolved to suspend the clerk on full pay, resolved to ask the clerk for the key to the office and all passwords, resolved to change the locks to the office.”

Parish council vice chairman David Bocking said: “It’s very delicate at the moment and there’s nothing we can say.”

Mrs Boughen was also parish clerk to Ringstead and Burnham Market parish councils.

Burnham Market Parish Council could not be contacted. In May Mrs Boughen hit the national headlines, when she defended villagers’ cockerels against complaints they were crowing too loudly.

Mrs Boughen also could not be contacted.

A man who answered the phone at her home in Snettisham said: “She’s been set up.”