The Elizabeth Cross, which honours the relatives of servicemen and women who have died in conflict, has been awarded to 10 families in Norfolk.

They received their medals at a ceremony in Norwich, attended by a former head of the British army, on 13 December 2010.

"The upsurge in support for the armed forces has been quite fantastic," said General Sir Richard Dannatt.

The ceremony was attended by around 50 people at the city's Great Hospital.

Named after the Queen, the Elizabeth Cross was unveiled by the Ministry of Defence in 2009.

The new medal is granted to the armed forces' next of kin to mark their loss, unlike the George and Victoria crosses that are specifically aimed at servicemen and women.

Each family who attended the ceremony received the sterling silver emblem, plus a memorial scroll signed by the Queen and bearing the name of the person who died.

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