IT MAY be the address of the village church, which dates from the 12th century. It may have been known for decades as Church Lane. But this has not stopped council officials in West Norfolk deciding that the road has been wrongly named, and replacing the signs.

Church Lane in the village of Roydon, near King’s Lynn, has been renamed Hall Lane by council officials. This, they say, is its original name.

The council said that it discovered the error when it was asked to replace a damaged sign, near the junction with the main road. It examined its records and discovered that the road used to be known as Hall Lane. All Church Lane signs have now been removed, and new Hall Lane ones put in their place.

Businesses in Church Lane are concerned that the name-change causes confusion, and fear that it could affect their customers. A vet at the Sunnyside practice in the road, Justin Kirkland, told the Eastern Daily Press: “I’ve been here 15 years, and the practice was here about five years before that. . . I’m very worried that someone bringing a pet to us, who is looking for Church Lane, which is our postal address, won’t find us. . . In a life or death emergency, that could be very serious.”

Churchwardens at All Saints’, Roydon, said that they were aware of the signage change, but weren’t rushing to change their address.