Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for a new £8.25m home for East Lindsey District Council and Boston College are to be considered next week.

Image source, East Lindsey District Council

Plans for the “public sector hub” to be built at the former Horncastle Residential College off the town’s Mareham Road will go before the authority’s planning committee on Thursday.

Recommending approval, council officers said: “The proposed development will provide for an appropriate use of a semi-redundant site within the built-up area of Horncastle.

“The nature of uses proposed will secure significant economic, cultural and social benefit for the town and substantial parts of East Lindsey.”

Council leaders say the project will be cost-neutral due to the sale and redevelopment of both Skegness Town Hall and Tedder Hall.

Opponents to the site, however, have previously raised doubts about the authority’s ability to raise the cash, as well as concerns over the increased travel time and distance.

The University of Lincoln has written to former students after their data was stolen by hackers.

Image source, University of Lincoln

The breach was discovered by Blackbaud, which supplies computer software to numerous organisations, including the National Trust, museums and schools across the country.

Officials at the university say no financial data was stolen in the so-called "ransomware" attack.

But names, emails, home addresses and employment details were taken, they add.

A Lincoln councillor says boredom brought on by the coronavirus lockdown could be behind the recent vandalism of a lion statue in the city's arboretum.

The Grade II-listed statue was doused in white paint at about 15:30 on Tueday.

Lincolnshire Police say a "group of young people" is thought to be responsible for the criminal damage.

Councillor Kathleen Brothwell, who represents the Lincoln Arboretum's area, said she was "shocked" when she first saw the damage.

She said: "With lockdown and the pandemic, a lot of things youngsters do have closed down. Summer holidays have just started, but some of them have had a long summer holiday. I think boredom could be a cause for it, but there is no excuse for it."

City of Lincoln Council says the statue will be cleaned in the coming days to restore it "to its former glory".

"Disgraceful" burglars target a widow in her home, taking her engagement ring and other jewellery.

A man has suffered a serious head injury after being assaulted in Boston.

Image source, Google

The man was injured in an attack on Red Lion Street (pictured) at around 18:15 yesterday.

Lincolnshire Police say he was later taken to Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham, for treatment

An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm in connection with the incident.

Officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.

Police are investigating after a Grade II-listed statue in Lincoln was vandalised yesterday afternoon.

A "group of young people" is believed to be responsible for the white paint being thrown over the lion statue at Lincoln's Arboretum, according to Lincolnshire Police.

It's believed the incident happened at about 15:30 on Tuesday.

Image source, Tim Wells-Cole

The statue has been a centrepiece of the Arboretum since 1872.

It was donated to the public park by Francis Clarke, a three-time mayor of Lincoln who made his fortune in medicines.

Anyone who saw what happened, or who has information about who's behind the vandalism, is being asked to contact police.

Owners of a Skegness children's play centre say they're disappointed that they still can't open because of coronavirus risks.

Image source, Tiny Tots Village

Soft play areas are among the few places the government says still can't reopen because of the chances of transmitting Covid-19.

Owners at Tiny Tots Village in Ingoldmells (pictured) say it's been a difficult few months because their business is so dependent on holidaymakers visiting the coastal resort in school holidays.

Helen Gray said she'd "hate to think" what it would mean for the business if they didn't have the cafe area which has been allowed to reopen.

A Lincolnshire mum says she's feeling anxious about taking her son, who's been shielding from the coronavirus, out again when restrictions are lifted at the weekend.

From this weekend, people in high risks groups are no longer being advised to self-isolate.

Six-year-old Sebastian, from Waddington, suffers from Muscular Dystrophy and autism, which puts him the in the high risk group for Covid-19.

But Sebastian's mum, Lizzie, says he already has a life-limiting condition so the thought of stepping away from shielding is a frightening one:

Police issue an image of a man they want to trace in connection with the incident.

A new CCTV system is to be installed in Gainsborough after a successful bid for £250,000 of government funding.

Image source, West Lindsey District Council

The money, from the Safer Streets Fund, external, will be spent on upgrading the town's existing system, adding new cameras and installing facial recognition and number plate recognition software.

Giles McNeill, leader of West Lindsey District Council said: “This project is another important step in protecting the community of Gainsborough from criminals and I am delighted the town will benefit from the grant.

“Our CCTV system is an important tool in both deterring and catching criminals and this project will allow us to upgrade and enhance the system to the best available technology.”

A woman was racially abused after asking a man to wear a face mask in a shop, police say.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

The alleged incident happened at about 17:45 on Sunday after the woman asked the man to cover his face at the Costcutter store in Boston Road, Kirton.

Lincolnshire Police say the man then got into a vehicle, as a passenger, before opening the door and shouting more racial abuse and threatening to damage the shop.

Wearing a face covering is now compulsory in shops, supermarkets and while ordering takeaways in England. The rule has been in force since 24 July.

Officers investigating the incident have released CCTV image of a man they want to speak to in connection with the events.

A man who was selling illegal cigarettes from a shop in Lincoln has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Muhiballah Yasen, 36, of Monks Road, Lincoln, was caught after selling illegal goods to an undercover trading standards officer.

Officers went on to seize almost 90,000 cigarettes and nearly 30 kilos of tobacco from the European Foods store at 93 High Street in Lincoln and a nearby garage in 2019.

Yasen admitted 11 offences, involving possession of criminal property and breaches of packaging and trademark regulations, as well as breaches of regulations relating to the sale of dangerous cigarettes.

Appearing at Lincoln Crown Court, he was given a 15-month suspended jail sentence, ordered to pay legal fees and will have to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

Two men from Grantham who who stole £700 from a village shop after threatening staff with a hammer and knife have been jailed.

Image source, Google

Regan Carter, 22, and Daniel Fairbrother, 21, struck at South Whitham village shop, in High Street, on 4 November.

Lincoln Crown Court heard at one stage Fairbrother punched one of the members of staff in the face when he tried to intervene.

The two men stole £700 and cigarettes but were later traced after their DNA was discovered on an item of clothing found discarded nearby.

Carter, of Commercial Road, Grantham, and Fairbrother, of Oxford Street, Grantham, were both jailed for three years after they pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and possession of the weapons.

Police investigating an 'horrific' incident in which a sheep was set on fire after it and two others were run over have released a CCTV image of a woman they want to trace.

Image source, Lincs Police

The animals were targeted at Surfleet Marsh, near Spalding, on either 17 or 18 July, with a further eight sheep still missing since the attack and 30 more requiring veterinary treatment.

Officers have now released a CCTV image of a woman who was seen in the area at the time of the incident.

PC Martin Green said the woman was seen walking on Surfleet Bank at about 22:10 on 17 July at the same time as two or three vehicles and a group of people were in the field where the attack took place.

“The woman in the image is described as about 20-years-old, slim, brown bobbed hair, wearing light stone washed coloured ripped jeans and a sleeved bomber type padded jacket," he said.

"We believe this woman may have been in the field when this incident happened and may have seen it taking place. The woman then left the field on foot heading towards the village of Surfleet Seas End. She then walked along the road near the Ship Inn pub, along Surfleet Bank and Reservoir Road before returning to the field a short time later.

"We would like to speak with this woman and would ask her to make contact with us."

Anyone who recognises the woman or who has information about the incident is asked to contact police.

A robotics firm based near Lincoln says it's seen a huge surge in demand for its robots since the pandemic began.

OW Robotics makes a type of robot which moves shelving units around warehouses:

It says its aim is to make the warehouses of small businesses more efficient so they can compete with international internet giants.

Greg Downey, OW's robotics consultant, says though critics will worry about warehouses losing jobs, he says businesses can become more productive by having robots do menial tasks.

"They can take that workforce and re-purpose it elsewhere in the company. All those jobs they've put on the back-burner because they're so busy, those staff can now focus on that or maybe bring new business in," he says.

However, the team says the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic have driven an increased demand for the robots.

Joe Daft, OW head of robotics, said: "Covid has increased demand exponentially. We're getting inquiries all day every day."

The station is where the Dambusters squadron flew from in 1943, and is also home to the Red Arrows.

The grounds of Lincoln Castle are to be transformed into an outdoor cinema for five nights this summer.

Image source, Lincoln Castle

Luna Cinema will screen five films, including Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rocketman, and Joker, between 16 and 20 September.

Officials say the event will be Covid-compliant, and chairs will be provided.

Work is set to begin on a multi-million pound expansion to Skegness Business Park.

Image source, Google

Work will begin next month a new road between Holly Road and Hassall Road and the current business park will then be expanded along the new route.

Half of the £2.4m investment is coming from Lincolnshire County Council.

County councillors say they hope the £2.4m development will bring more jobs and "year-round employment" for a town which relies on jobs in the tourism sector.

A mother and her son have been rescued after getting into difficulty on a rubber ring off the coast of Skegness.

Image source, SOPA/GETTY IMAGES

Lifeguard Lois Kemp spotted the pair in distress at 15:00 BST on Sunday and swam out to them before members of the public on a boat took them to shore.

They were taken to hospital but have since been discharged.

The RNLI said people should only visit lifeguarded beaches, and warned inflatables were designed for use in pools not the sea.

A lifeguard spotted a woman and her son struggling to stay afloat off the Skegness coast.