Lincolnshire breaking news: Latest updates

Summary

Grantham man, 81, loses £10,000 in 'cruel' scam
Hospitals trust defends work to prevent cyber attacks
Thousands of homes to miss out on superfast broadband
New Scunthorpe United stadium plans in doubt
Newly released US files reveal Grimsby tip-off before JFK killing
Lincolnshire 'pumpkin cannon' becomes national attraction
Updates on Friday 27 October 2017

Live Reporting

Harry Parkhill

Six hundred-tonne bridge slid into place for Lincoln bypasspublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Harry Parkhill
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire
It's hard enough to squeeze a sofa through a door, so imagine trying to slide a 600-tonne bridge deck into place.
That's what happened over the past weekend, marking a major milestone in the construction of Lincoln's eastern bypass:
Image source, Lincs CC
The bridge deck is needed for the railway to pass over the new bypass, which is due to be completed in 2019.
The deck itself is 40m long and needed two 750-tonne cranes to lift sections of it into place.
Quote Message
The new bridge will support the railway between Lincoln and Spalding and provide a more modern network for rail users. The project as a whole will support economic growth in the area and provide significant benefits to the people of Lincoln."
Stephen hind, Network Rail Route Enhancements
Did you see cyclist knocked off his bike in Scunthorpe?published at 17:30 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Clare Crooks
BBC Local Live, Hull
Police are looking for witnesses after a man was seriously injured in Scunthorpe.
The man was cycling away from the Jet filling station on Normanby Road on Wednesday 18 October at about 16:00 when he was knocked from his cycle by a passer-by.
Officers especially want to speak to a woman who assisted at the time.
'Sufficient laws' to deal with cyber abuse - Lincoln academicpublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Harry Parkhill
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire
We mentioned earlier that there have been 170 reports of online abuse in Lincolnshire in the last year...
Image source, Getty Images
An academic from Sheffield Hallam University has told the BBC that one of the main reasons so-called "trolling" is such a problem is that people think they can get away with saying something "they wouldn't be able to say in real life".
But Barry Turner, a senior lecturer in media law at the University of Lincoln says there are already laws to prevent these sorts of crimes from happening - they just need to be enforced:
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We do have sufficient laws in place to control it, providing the authorities are prepared to use it... If a crime is committed, it really doesn't make any difference if it takes place in cyberspace or in the High Street. The police's responsibility to deal with it is exactly the same."
Barry Turner, Senior lecturer in media law, University of Lincoln
CCTV appeal after theft from Skegness pharmacypublished at 17:09 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Harry Parkhill
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire
Several Christmas gift sets have been stolen from a pharmacists in Skegness.
Two separate thefts happened on 7 and 10 October at the Boots shop on Lumley Road.
Police say they want help identifying, external this woman who was seen on CCTV in connection with the thefts.
Image source, Lincolnshire Police
Veteran's Lancaster bomber return after over 70 yearspublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
A World War Two veteran has come the closest he's been to a Lancaster Bomber since flying in one in the war.
Eddie Humes, who was navigator on 12 bombing runs, has visited the Lincolnshire Aviation Centre and watched the centre's Lancaster, known as Just Jane, taxi on the runway.
Forces Friends, a project run by the Age UK charity, tries to help older lonely military veterans by arranging trips like this.
It comes after research suggested that more than 40% of veterans have felt lonely or isolated since leaving the armed forces.
Louth hospital 'not fully operational' until 2018published at 16:39 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
County Hospital in Louth won't be fully operational again until at least the spring, health bosses say.
Image source, ULHT
The number of beds at the hospital was cut four months ago after fire safety concerns.
The hospital used to have 50 beds, but at the moment only 16 of them are in use.
Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, says a lot of work still needs to be done to make it fully safe for staff and patients.
Principal of Bishop Burton College resignspublished at 16:20 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Linsey Smith
Journalist, BBC Lincolnshire
The principal of Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire has stepped down following allegations of mismanagement.
Image source, Bishop Burton
Jeanette Dawson has been CEO of Bishop Burton, which also runs Lincoln's Riseholme College, since 2003.
Details of the allegations remain unclear at this stage, but the college says enquiries are ongoing and students remain a priority.
Deputy principal Bill Meredith has been made acting chief executive and principal of the college, pending a permanent appointment by the board of governors.
Quote Message
The college has been made aware of some allegations of mismanagement. At this stage the allegations have not been substantiated and it is not appropriate to comment further while enquiries are ongoing. As always, the success of our students will remain the priority of everyone at the college."
Statement, Bishop Burton College
Watch: Grantham girl celebrated over bone cancer battlepublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Harry Parkhill
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire
Chris Evans dedicated this morning's BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show to a 12-year-old Lincolnshire girl after she finished 18 rounds of chemotherapy.
Alice Rossington, from Grantham, suffers from a rare form of bone cancer.
Staff at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge gave the youngster a standing ovation after enduring treatment there for over six months:
Rent-to-own firm ordered to pay out £14.8m to customerspublished at 15:30 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
BrightHouse, the retailer which provides household goods on hire-purchase agreements, has been ordered to pay a total of £14.8m to 249,000 customers.
Image source, Brighthouse
The company, which has stores in Hull, Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Boston will compensate customers who had cancelled agreements after one downpayment but had not been refunded.
It will also make payments to those who signed up to lending agreements that "may not have been affordable".
The Financial Conduct Authority said BrightHouse had not acted as a "responsible lender".
Boston firm criticises government over electric car infrastructurepublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Harry Parkhill
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire
The government is lagging behind in building infrastructure to support the electric car industry, according to a Boston company which makes electric charging points.
Image source, Rolec
It comes after Transport Minister John Hayes, who represents South Holland and the Deepings, said in a debate in the Commons that the technology could be "transformational".
The Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill includes measures on insuring driverless cars and improving access to charging points.
But Nathan Black, from Rolec in Boston, says the industry is making electric vehicles faster than the government is building the infrastructure to support them:
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The government needs to be more transparent on what it's funding and what it isn't funding. If you're a restaurant or a car park and you're thinking of installing a charging point, maybe you're thinking the government may give you a bit more of a subsidy so you're holding fire. We think that's causing an issue."
Nathan Black, Marketing manager, Rolec
Lincolnshire models with Down's syndrome get international attentionpublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Two boys from Lincolnshire have become some of the first models with Down's syndrome to have gained national and international attention.
Image source, River Island
Joseph Hale (pictured) and Jack Brumpton, from Cleethorpes, work for model agency Zebedee which represents people with physical and learning disabilities.
They've now landed contracts that have grabbed national and worldwide attention.
Joseph, 11, who's now involved in an advertising campaign for River Island, says he loved having his hair styled with hair gel, while his mum, Karen, says it was a really nice campaign to be part of.
Meanwhile Jack, 17 was photographed by world famous photography, Rankin for Hunger Magazine.
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"He's taken a lot of pictures of celebrities: Michael Jackson, Pixie Lott, Little Mix... and me!"
Jack Brumpton, Model
Stewart joins Lincoln until Januarypublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
League Two side Lincoln City sign winger Cameron Stewart on a short-term deal until January 2018.
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Skegness pavement cyclists facing finepublished at 13:55 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Harry Parkhill
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire
Cyclists caught riding on pavements in Skegness more than once could be given on-the-spot fines.
Police teams in Skegness will enforce the clampdown after business owners raised the issue.
Police say repeat offenders face fines of £50.
Image source, Google
PCSO's have already given warnings to two anti-social cyclists riding on the pavement on Lumley Road (pictured) today.
Lincoln City to get poppy badgepublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Melvyn Prior
Presenter, BBC Radio Lincolnshire
The poppy is an image which has endured as an icon of support to those who struggled through treacherous conditions, exhaustion and trips far from home...
Image source, Royal British legion/Lincoln City FC
The Royal British Legion and Lincoln City have partnered up to create a badge so you can support both causes in one.
Up until now only Premiership football teams have been officially allowed similar badges by the Royal British Legion.
The badges are £3 and all of the money goes to the Poppy Appeal.
Two men charged over police assaultpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Two men, including one from Grimsby, have been charged with assaulting police officers after an incident in Louth at the weekend.
Police were called to a shop on Newbridge Hill on Sunday morning after two men were reported to be acting suspiciously.
Jonathon West, 26, from Warwick Avenue, Grimsby, was charged with common assault, criminal damage and two charges of assault with intent to resist arrest.
A 17-year-old man was charged with criminal damage, and assault with intent to resist arrest.
Both have appeared at Lincoln District Magistrates' Court and have been released on bail.
Online abuse on the rise, new figures revealpublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Clare Crooks
BBC Local Live, Hull
More and more of us are receiving abuse online, new figures show.
Image source, Getty Images
Police forces across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire have recorded nearly 10,000 malicious communication offences in total this year.
A total of 2,676 reports were made to Humberside Police last year and about 200 incidents across the country were reported every day.
Police and experts say those reports are just the tip of the iceberg.
The chairman of the Digital Policing Board, which deals with digital crime nationally, says social network providers should do more to protect online users.
Pension advice for Scunthorpe steel workerspublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Amanda White
Reporter, BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Current and former workers at British Steel in Scunthorpe are being offered advice on how best to cope with changes to their pensions.
The original retirement fund is being replaced by two new plans to help secure the future of the business.
Advice sessions are being offered in Scunthorpe today.
Appeal after attempted robbery in Spaldingpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
A man was left shaken after an attempted robbery by another man in Spalding at the weekend, police say.
It happened near St Pauls Rd and Cherry Tree Grove between 05:30 and 06:00 on Sunday morning.
No-one was injured.
Anyone with information about the robbery, or who saw what happened, is being asked to contact police.
Scunthorpe boxer punches for the Olympic ringpublished at 11:20 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
This is Gemma Richardson training with her dad, Ricko Richardson, in Scunthorpe:
Gemma is a rising star in the boxing world. She is already three times National Junior Champion and a European gold medalist.
Now she's aiming for the Olympics and hoping to make it into Team GB with the help of her coach, who just happens to be her dad.
Watch: Whitehall thinks Parliament is "a nuisance", says MPpublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 24 October 2017
Alex Rhodes
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire
Government departments think Parliament is a nuisance, according to Gainsborough Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh.
Sir Edward made the joke while criticising the government for not providing MPs with more information on Brexit.
He said MPs needed more detail on the negotiations with the EU - and Prime Minister Theresa May gave her response: