Martin Slack
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

Boston's flood barrier has been officially given the go-ahead this morning.

It comes exactly four years on from a huge tidal surge that flooded hundreds of properties in the town.

The Environment Agency, which is behind the plan, says the barrier will feature a moveable gate across the Haven.

The agency says it will make Boston one of the best protected areas from flooding outside of London.

Martin Slack
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

Good morning from Lincoln, it's Martin with you today. I'll be bringing you all the latest news, sport, weather and travel from across the county.

If you want to get in touch you can. Just send me an email, or a message on Facebook, external or Twitter, external.

Send me your pictures, or any news or info about what's happening where you are.

Hope Bolger
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

That's it from me today. We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow with all the latest updates from across Lincolnshire.

Breaking news, sport and travel updates will continue right here throughout the night.

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with five things we've learned today:

• Lincolnshire Police to name and shame drink and drug-drivers in December
• Hospital car parks make over £1m in two years for Lincolnshire hospitals trust...
• ...And the union Unison isn't impressed despite the trust saying it's not made any profit
• The landmark Boston Stump is to receive £40k for urgent repairs
• And a man's treated in hospital after being found with serious facial injuries in Boston

BBC Weather

Mostly dry overnight, although becoming increasingly breezy.

There will be some clear spells, but often cloudy with a little light rain possible:

Hope Bolger
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

As we head further into December we can feel the Christmas spirit spreading across Lincolnshire.

Thanks to Steve Percival for sending us this great shot of shoppers enjoying the "bauble" at St Mark's in Lincoln:

Image source, Steve Percival

And the Big Wheel is going up ahead of Lincoln's Christmas Market starting on Thursday.

Fly-tipping is costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, according to North Lincolnshire Council.

The authority says it's picked up 2,460 piles of dumped rubbish in the last year, costing about £300,000 in clean-up costs.

The council says it's clamping down on fly-tipping in the run-up to Christmas and is asking people to make sure they use a licensed waste carrier if they are paying someone to take away their rubbish.

Work's beginning on a major project to replace water mains pipes in Skegness.

Image source, Science Photo Library

About £3.5m is being spent on the work.

Between now and August more than four miles of piping will be upgraded.

Lizzie Musham
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

A dispersal order is in operation in Deeping Saint Nicholas, near Spalding, following reports of hare coursing.

The police use dispersal notices where there isn't evidence to prosecute.

These are preventative and allow the police to ban people from the area and retain their dogs until the notice expires:

Hope Bolger
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

A further appeal for information's being made by Lincolnshire Police following a burglary and fraud in Lincoln.

Officers want to speak to the man in this photo:

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

The appeal's being made after a man entered the Newport Guest House on Tuesday 5 September and took a handbag from the staff room.

The victim's cash cards were used later.

Anyone with information about the incident, or who recognises the man in the picture, is being asked to contact police.

A man's being treated in hospital after being found with serious facial injuries in Boston.

He was discovered near the Rectory on Skirbeck Road in the early hours of Sunday morning, police say.

Officers say he was involved in an "altercation" a few hours earlier at the Mill Inn on Spilsby Road.

Lara King
Reporter, North East Lincolnshire

People in North East Lincolnshire are being asked to suggest possible locations for new traveller sites.

There are currently no temporary stopping sites in the area, but the council has a legal duty to meet the needs of members of the Gypsy and Traveller community passing through the area.

North East Lincolnshire Council says it needs to find space for 30 temporary caravan pitches, but has so far been unable to find any suitable sites.

It is now asking people to suggest possible locations.

Hope Bolger
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

BBC Radio Lincolnshire has teamed up with the LIVES charity and St John Ambulance to get 20,000 people in the county trained in CPR before the end of the year.

So far, more than 19,000 people have learned the lifesaving skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation - far more than the original target of 10,000.

And, as BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Scott Dalton's been finding out, it seems we can now add a few more to the list thanks to Lincolnshire Police:

Now we're in December, Lincolnshire Police is stepping up its warnings about drink and drug-driving.

And it's not just about drink or drug-driving on the night, it's also about making sure drivers aren't over the limit on the morning after:

The force plans to publicly name anyone charged with driving under the influence from 18 December.

The Lincolnite

Work is set to start this month on a brand new 72-bed residential care home, external on Long Leys Road on the edge of Lincoln.

Image source, The Lincolnite

The historic Boston Stump has been given an early Christmas present, with the National Churches Trust awarding the landmark building £40,000.

Image source, Boston Stump

The grant to St Botolph's will be used for urgent repairs to the roof and clock and to refurbish the kitchen.

It's thought the repairs will allow parts of the church, including areas of the tower, which are currently closed due to health and safety concerns, to re-open.

Khia Lewis-Todd
BBC Local Live

Earlier, we mentioned that figures seen by the BBC show that Lincolnshire's hospital car parks have made more than £1m for the trust which runs them over the past two years.

Image source, Thinkstock

Recently, United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust (ULHT) increased car parking charges for visitors from £1.40 an hour to £1.60 at all its hospital sites.

The trust says any money made is used to run the car parks at hospitals in Grantham, Boston and Lincoln - and to provide things such as CCTV and lighting.

But public sector workers union Unison says with ULHT currently in financial "special measures", car park charges have risen because the trust's trying to earn money from wherever it can.

The trust says it had a difficult choice to make between putting charges up or reducing services.

Suzy Lawson
BBC Local Live

Two men who stole a cash machine from a shop in Grimsby last week are being sought by police.

The men smashed their way into a convenience store on Convamore Road at about 05:00 on Sunday 26 November and stole the cash machine from the shop office.

It was later found on Roberts Street.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact the police.

Hope Bolger
BBC Local Live, Lincolnshire

Who can forget the ice skating Lincolnshire vicar who took a tumble on his church's own rink in 2015?

A glutton for punishment, this year Father Cradduck, from St Wulfram's Church in Grantham, has installed not only a rink in the middle of the church but also a toboggan run.

Now, he's asked BBC Radio Lincolnshire presenter Scott Dalton to see if he can do any better.

It's fair to say that Torville and Dean wouldn't have too much to worry about:

Barbara Stimpson
BBC Radio Lincolnshire News

The top stories so far today from our Lincolnshire newsroom:

• Lincolnshire's hospital car parks have made over £1m in two years
• A 92-year-old Lincolnshire man who says he's lost about £60,000 in mail scams in 20 years is calling on the government to crack down
• And a report by St John Ambulance says 70% of people are worried about using a defibrillator

BBC Weather

For most it's going to be a dry afternoon with bright or sunny spells.