Shoppers in Lincoln started to queue outside Primark from as early as 05:00 ahead of it opening its doors today for the first time since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.

The chain, which like other clothing shops has been closed since 23 March, does not offer online shopping, meaning customers can only buy in the store.

Shopper Mya told the BBC: “I came from Horncastle, which is about 45 minutes, away so I was up at 06:00 to get here for 07:00.

“I’ve been doing online shopping, but it’s not the same. Going in to the shop is better, you’re able to see things in person.

"I will probably go to a few other shops as well, see if there are any good sales," she added.

Another shopper, Libby, said: “I’ve come for everything. I prefer going to the shop in person because it’s easier and you don’t have to wait. I’m quite impatient.”

Police have issued an urgent appeal to find a man who has gone missing from Lincoln.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

James Harvey, 24, was last seen leaving Lincoln Hospital at about 06:00 this morning.

Lincolnshire Police say they have concerns for his welfare and have asked anyone who sees him to come forward.

Long queues were seen at Primark stores across England as the retailer opened its doors for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown started.

This was the scene earlier today in Lincoln where dozens of people lined up in High Street and into Saltergate waiting to go inside.

Image source, Steve Moreton

Image source, Steve Moreton

Queues were also forming outside St Marks shopping centre.

Shops in England selling non-essential goods can reopen today for the first time in almost three months.

Image source, John Lewis

While food shops, pharmacies and other essential retailers have been open throughout lockdown, non-essential stores have been locked since 23 March.

This includes retailers offering clothes, toys, books and electronics - as well as record shops, tailors, auction houses, photography studios and indoor markets.

The government says they must meet Covid-19 guidelines, external to keep shoppers and workers safe, but Boris Johnson has urged people to "shop with confidence".

He said he was "very optimistic" about stores reopening - although acknowledged that retailers did not know whether there will be a "huge wave of customers" or a "trickle".

Earlier this morning queues were already building outside Primark in Lincoln's High Street, with the first person joining the line at 05:00.

The unlocking comes as face coverings become compulsory when travelling on public transport in England from Monday. Children under the age of 11 will be exempt, and the rules might be waived for people who have a legitimate health reason for not wearing one.

However, face coverings in shops will not be mandatory, with retailers hoping their introduction of an array of other safety measures will be sufficient.

The "feckless" trio are the first to be charged with possessing a chemical weapon in the country.

A Lincolnshire schoolgirl has been revealed as the bronze winner in her age category, in the BBC's 500 Words competition.

Image source, Butler family

Lola Butler, who lives in Stamford, wrote a story called 'Shoo' about a fly.

It was read to millions of listeners during Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show this morning.

Lola says she was surprised to get so far in the competition: "I was speechless, I just couldn't believe it. It's been a rollercoaster."

BBC 500 Words is one of the most successful short story-writing competitions for children.

This year's attracted more than 130,000 entries.

These are the latest pictures from Stamford where a fire broke out in a school building earlier today.

Lincolnshire Fire & Rescues were called to the Stamford School this afternoon after a blaze started in an upper floor of the Principal’s house.

In a statement the school said the fire had been contained and no-one was hurt.

Image source, @stamfordliving1

Image source, @craigDLyons

Image source, Steve Morris

Staff at Stamford School have been left "shocked and devastated" by a fire at the site this afternoon.

Image source, @craigDLyons

The school, which is owned and run by Stamford Endowed Schools, was "evacuated immediately" and nobody was hurt in the blaze, the school says.

About 25 firefighters remain on scene at the school on St Paul's Street and local residents are being warned to keep doors and windows shut.

In a statement, Stamford Endowed Schools says: "The fire started on an upper floor of the Principal’s house and took hold very quickly.

"We are extremely grateful to the emergency services for their swift actions this afternoon, which helped to contain the fire and prevented it from doing even more damage."

The school adds that the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage is still unknown.

Provision for Year 10 and 12 pupils who are returning to the school on Monday is "unaffected", the school adds.

A large fire's broken out in a school building in Stamford.

Six fire engines are at the scene of the blaze on St Paul's Steet, in a property belonging to Stamford Endowed Schools.

In a statement on social media, the school says the building's been safely evacuated.

Six current and former pilots from the world famous Lincolnshire-based RAF aerobatic team the Red Arrows are set to take part in a so-called "Armchair Airshow".

Image source, PA Media

Current Sqn Ldr Martin Pert, Mike Ling (pictured), who's the Red Arrows' longest-serving pilot, and Henry Prince, who was one of the original members of the RAF's Aerobatic Team when it launched in 1965, will all take part.

The event, which takes place online on 20 June, will feature all six pilots providing commentary on in-cockpit footage from Red Arrows displays.

They'll also discuss the history of the squadron and talk about what it means to be part of the world famous team, which is based at RAF Scampton.

The Armchair Airshow has been organised by the Aerobility charity.

Two men posing as cleaners stole £5,000 in cash from an elderly woman after forcing their way into her home after telling her they had received a report of Covid-19 at the property.

Image source, Google

The incident happened at about 16.40 on Thursday at an address in Heathlea, Scothern.

Lincolnshire Police said the men told the woman, who's in her 80s, they had come to clean her home before pushing past her and stealing a handbag and about £5,000 in cash.

The force has appealed for anyone who saw two men acting suspiciously in the area around the time of the burglary to come forward.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

One person who will be making use of the "social bubble" rule is learning disabilities and mental health support worker team leader, Cath Donnelly, from Leeds.

Ms Donnelly is planning to "bubble-up" with her boyfriend and his daughter who live in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

The single parent of two boys said: "It's just been me and boys since we went into lockdown. Usually I would have a lot of help from my parents but can't with lockdown and can't use them for a bubble because my mum is shielding."

Image source, Cath Donnelly

Her children have seen their father a couple of times, for a couple of hours outdoors, but cannot meet inside as he has a son who is vulnerable.

One of the hardest points for Ms Donnelly was "probably when I fell flat on my face and broke my nose, had concussion and bruised my jaw".

"I had had no one to help me with the boys and obviously they're too young to understand. So it was hard to recover," she said.

Ms Donnelly said it had been especially hard for her boys not to see their grandparents.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for a money-saving backroom merger between two Lincolnshire councils have been scrapped.

Image source, Google

Last month, East Lindsey District Council and Boston Borough Council unveiled a scheme to share services in a bid to save local taxpayers over £15m over 10 years.

East Lindsey councillors had approved the plan, with council leader Craig Leyland saying it was an "exciting opportunity for both councils".

But councillors in Boston have now rejected the idea.

Boston councillor Neil Hastie said he was not against the alliance but there had been more questions than answers. He called for more consultation to be carried out.

Responding to the vote, Councillor Leyland asked Boston's councillors to "think seriously about what they've done".

The move has also been criticised as "profoundly short-sighted" by Boston and Skegness Conservative MP Matt Warman.

He called on Boston's councillors to reconsider their decision "as soon as possible".

A warning's been issued about a new phone scam which has seen people in Lincolnshire being contacted by fraudsters claiming to be police officers.

They claim to be a constable or detective from a London-based force and say they're investigating fraudulent activity on people's bank accounts.

They then ask for bank details allegedly to help solve the crime.

The criminals have apparently been targeting numbers in Lincoln and Grantham over the past week.

However, so far no money has been transferred, according to police.

Campaigners are planning a "socially distanced" demonstration to protest against the changes.

Waltzer-like rotating seating will form the centre point of a new artistic installation near Boston planned to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers sailing to America.

Image source, Boston Borough Council

Lincolnshire County Council has applied to Boston Borough Council to install the new sculpture on the River Haven coastal footpath in Fishtoft as part of the programme of celebrations.

The design was chosen following a competition in 2018.

The structure will feature a 5m deck, and will be inscribed with symbols of maritime navigation, constellations.

People can turn the seats to look out at a variety of views and to create shelter from the weather.

An attached “mast” will act similar to a sun dial.

Boston leaders are keen to celebrate the town’s connection with the Pilgrim Fathers – though others debate the strength of the link.

People living in a town devastated by floods one year ago say not enough is being done to prevent it happening again.

Image source, PA

Almost 600 homes were evacuated when the River Steeping burst its banks in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, last June when two months' worth of rain fell in just two days.

An independent inquiry into the flooding found flood defences were not up to modern standards.

Jean Hart, whose home was badly flooded, said she is worried every time it rains.

"[The floods are] imprinted in my brain like it was yesterday," she said.

"It makes you feel physically sick actually - it's so scary that this could happen again."

Morgan Wray, Environment Agency flood risk manager for the county, said it had carried out routine maintenance and was looking to strengthen the defences and carry out targeted dredging later in the year.

Wainfleet residents say not enough is being done to protect them from future flooding.

Witnesses are being asked to come forward after a driver failed to stop when their vehicle hit a pedestrian in Louth earlier this week.

Image source, Google

A 33-year-old man suffered minor injuries in the collision, which happened on Charles Street between 13:00 and 14:00 yesterday.

Police believe there may have been other people nearby who may have witnessed the incident and are asking them to get in touch.

Plans to turn Grantham Hospital into a coronavirus-free site have been approved by Lincolnshire health bosses.

All unplanned admissions will be cancelled and instead routine operations, treatments and cancer care will be taken on for patients from across the county.

However, the move also means the hospital's daytime A&E unit will be temporarily downgraded to a 24/7 Urgent Treatment Centre.

Mark Brassington, deputy chief executive of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT), says the changes won't be permanent: