A seal sanctuary in Skegness says it will only escape financial ruin if visitors are able to return over the summer.

Natureland has been rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned and injured seals since it was founded in 1965.

However, the attraction has been forced to close for the first time in its history due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The centre rescues up to 70 seals every year and each one costs about £2,000 to rehabilitate.

Armed police were called to reports of several people carrying weapons in Grantham on Saturday.

Ipswich boss Paul Lambert is given a touchline ban for directing "abusive and insulting" language at an official after losing at Lincoln.

Butlins has announced that it has cancelled all live events in January and February, with the exception of two festivals:

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Three wards at Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital have been closed to new admissions following an outbreak of coronavirus.

Image source, Google

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) believes the cases are connected and has now restricted visiting in order to contain the virus transmission.

A ULHT spokesperson said: “We have a number of patients and staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston across three separate wards, and on each ward we believe the cases may be connected.

“Therefore, we have restricted admissions to the wards to ensure this is contained and does not impact on other staff, patients or services.”

They added that anyone with an appointment at the facility should still attend but can contact the relevant department if they had any concerns.

BBC Sport

Lincoln City have been drawn against Forest Green Rovers in the FA Cup first round.

Image source, PA Media

Michael Appleton's League One leaders will host the League Two side on the weekend of 7-8 November.

Elsewhere Scunthorpe United will be at home to Solihull Moors and Grimsby Town will travel to Dagenham & Redbridge.

This is the stage at which League One and League Two clubs join the competition - no crowds will be permitted for any of the fixtures as part of the coronavirus restrictions.

You can see the full First Round draw here.

Lincoln City are the highest-ranked side going into tonight's FA Cup First Round draw.

Image source, Lincoln City FC

The Imps will be ball number 26 this evening - you can watch it on BBC 2 from 19:00.

Manager Michael Appleton says it's great to be the team other clubs will want to avoid.

"From our point of view we've had a good start to the season as everyone knows and we are looking forward to the draw - especially myself.

"I've been quite fortunate to have some really good cup runs in this competition with various teams so hopefully it will be another one this season."

Cafes, restaurants and charities across Lincolnshire have been stepping forward to offer families free meals over the half-term holiday.

It comes as the government continues to face calls to perform a U-turn on its refusal to provide free meals to disadvantaged pupils during holidays in England.

The government has previously outlined that it has invested billions of pounds into welfare to help during the pandemic.

Nearly 22,000 children are entitled to help in the county.

A number of Conservative MPs have warned that Downing Street is out of step with the mood of the country.

In Market Rasen there's been huge support for a local scheme, and it's made an immediate difference.

Councillor Nicky Brooksbank said: "Children are my passion, it's never the child's fault. I've seen so many cases of families in need that you wouldn't necessarily think are in need, are in need.

"This scheme is for all children under 16 and we're trying to make sure that not only them but their families have a hot meal in their bellies on Wednesday and on Friday.

"We're trying to get it to where it is most needed. We've been doing this since the start of lockdown, delivering hot meals twice weekly - we're just doing extra this week."

Disagreement over the future of Lincoln's Usher Gallery appears to be deepening.

Image source, Google

Lincolnshire County Council wants to hold wedding ceremonies in the city centre art gallery, claiming it will make the site more viable and save money.

But the City of Lincoln Council is against the plans - and offered the City Hall as an alternative in a bid to find a way forward.

City council leader Ric Metcalfe says he's deeply disappointed.

Mr Metcalfe said: “We understand the county council wishes to use the Usher Gallery as a wedding venue and we remain willing to explore the potential for this, but at a scale that does not detract from the building continuing to function as primarily an arts venue across both floors of the building.”

But county council leader Martin Hill says the offer doesn't solve the problem that the gallery is under-used.

"The big problem we've got there is that not many people go to the Usher Gallery at present. It's underused and has been for many years, so there is a need to look at doing things differently."

The 31-year-old man will appear before magistrates in Lincoln later.

Levi Mitchell was serving a sentence for conspiracy to commit burglary, police say.

A 31-year-old man has been charged with murder after a 53-year-old died of serious injuries following an assault.

Officers were called to Newark Road in the city shortly before 16:00 on Saturday.

A 53-year-old man was seriously injured and died at the scene, Lincolnshire Police said.

Michael Lambert, aged 31, of Throckley, Newcastle Upon Tyne, has been charged with murder.

He will appear at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court this morning.

A 25-year-old man remains in custody and continues to be questioned.

A murder investigation is continuing after a man suffered serious injuries and died following an assault in Lincoln at the weekend.

Officers were called to Newark Road in the city shortly before 16:00 on Saturday.

A 53-year-old man was seriously injured and died at the scene, Lincolnshire Police said.

Two men, aged 31 and 25, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody.

Det Insp Chris Marriott, from East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said officers had to "lockdown the crime scene" and as a result residents and workers were unable to enter or leave the area for a time.

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the area at the time of the assault to come forward.

A 53-year-old man is seriously injured and dies at the scene in Newark Road.

Lincoln went top of League One after Jorge Grant's penalty sealed victory over Ipswich who finished the game with 10 men.

David Plummer says he dropped his bid to halt the "extraordinary legislation" to allow for talks.

Shop workers on the Lincolnshire coast say they're facing abuse for asking customers to wear a face covering.

Image source, Google

Gill Thomas, who works at Peter’s Newsagents in Skegness, says: "I won't repeat what they say, but they are quite nasty.

"When I go home from here I think what a stressful day that was, again. It gets you down after a bit," she adds.

It's been three months since the new rules on face coverings came in and Lincolnshire Police say they have only handed out one fine in that time.

Lincolnshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones says officers aren't bouncers, and it's their job to educate the public rather than just give out penalties.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

More students have been fined for having parties which broke coronavirus restrictions.

Nottinghamshire Police said one had even been advertised as a ticketed birthday party and had door security outside the house.

It comes days after four students were fined £10,000 each for hosting a party at their house in Lenton.

More fixed penalty notices were issued but for a lesser amount due to there being fewer than 30 people involved at each party, police said.

Image source, Google

Two of the parties were next door to one another, near Broad Street (pictured) - one of them had been advertised as a ticketed birthday party, police said.

A third party was shut down on Church Avenue in Lenton and the fourth party was on Hamden Street.

A University of Nottingham spokesperson said the majority of its 35,000 students were following the rules.

"Under our student code of conduct there are serious consequences for any students who breach the restrictions, including disciplinary action, fines and campus sanctions," a spokesman said.

A spokesman for Nottingham Trent University said: “Where we have evidence of any breaches, students will face immediate disciplinary action that may include further fines or expulsion.”

This weekend's closure of Greetwell Road is no longer needed as the Lincoln Eastern Bypass work is progressing well, it's been confirmed.

Lincolnshire County Council says favourable weather and good progress on-site is behind the decision.

It's expected Lincoln's new bypass will be open by the end of the year.

Some Lincolnshire businesses say they fear the effect on trade if Nottinghamshire is moved into the highest level of coroanvirus restrictions.

Image source, Google

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said conversations with "local leaders" in Nottinghamshire - which could see the county go into tier three - were ongoing.

Helen Lower, who runs The Plough pub in Swinderby, just three miles from Lincolnshire's border with the county, says 80% of her customers have a Nottinghamshire postcode.