Some of the country's first nursing associates are graduating in Lincoln today.

The county has been one of the pilot areas to train the new band of nurses, who will bridge the gap between registered nurses and health care assistants.

The 32 new nursing associates have worked in a care role previously, but many of them didn't have the qualifications to go straight to university.

They will be the first in the country to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council following their two-year foundation degree.

There are more than 370 nurse vacancies at Lincolnshire's hospitals and these new nursing associates will help plug some of those gaps with them all being assigned jobs across the county.

Lincolnshire Police are asking people to take care on the icy roads and call them if they are involved in an accident.

It's after officers spent time in the night searching for a person who crashed into a water-filled drain near Boston, only to discover they were safe:

Lincolnshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Marc Jones, tweeted: "If your car leaves the road and you leave it to make your way home, stay safe, get a lift and call 101 and let the police know you’re OK. They don’t know if you’re near the car and will waste resources searching."

Servicemen and women living in South Kesteven could soon get a discount from local businesses.

Image source, PA

The district council is looking into having a scheme for members of the forces as part of the Armed Forces Covenant., external

This is a pledge to support people who have served in the military and their families, taken by authorities and organisations.

It could involve offering service personnel a reduced price, two-for-one offers, or weekly special offers.

Lincoln sign Peterborough midfielder Mark O'Hara on loan until the end of the season.

Senior police in Lincolnshire say they're worried about a spike in violent crime, revealed in figures out today.

Latest statistics show there's been a 44% increase in violent crime across the county in the year to 2018 compared to the previous year.

Nationally it's gone up by 19%.

Lincolnshire Chief Constable Bill Skelly says the increase in violence is particularly concerning "with these incidents typically happening in the night-time economy and being alcohol-fuelled."

Police and Crime commissioner Marc Jones says he'll want action:

He added that the police need to work with other agencies to address societal issues that lead to people, for example, "getting into fights when they drink too much" as these kinds of problems require a wider response than just policing.

A pirate ship, an octopus see-saw and a play house are just some of the things on a £127,000 wishlist before Boston councillors next week.

The Boston Town Area Committee will be looking at where it can spend some of its cash in the coming months to further improve open spaces.

There has been a 12% increase in crime recorded by Lincolnshire Police in the year up to September 2018.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics, external show there has been an increase in violence, public disorder, drugs trafficking and sexual offences in the county.

But the force recorded a decrease in burglaries and vehicle crime.

A change to the way the force records crime last year means it now records more crime than it did previously.

For example, if two offences, such as stalking or modern slavery, are disclosed they are recorded separately.

This evening will be mostly dry with cloud occasionally breaking to leave a few brighter interludes.

Staying chilly, though, with just the small chance of a shower:

The top stories so far today from our Lincolnshire newsroom include:

• 12% increase in crime in Lincolnshire
• Missing footballer and pilot search continues
• Stateside sojourn for Lincolnshire's stars of the sky

The Lincolnite

An arson attack at a children’s football club storage unit, external in the Birchwood area has left the club with thousands of pounds' worth of damages.

Image source, Lynne Mott

Funding cuts could bring an end to ground-breaking work in Lincolnshire to reduce the number of victims of sex crimes, it's being warned.

Volunteers from the Circles, external programme meet convicted sex offenders after their release from prison to help with their rehabilitation.

But funding from the National Probation Service is coming to an end in March.

Francis Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, says money for groups which help with rehabilitation should not be cut:

Peter Johnson, who flew 27 operations with 101 Squadron, died earlier this month at the age of 98.

Dundee sign former Manchester City and NAC Breda right-back James Horsfield on loan from Scunthorpe United until the end of the season.

The Conservative MP for Boston, Matt Warman, says he's spoken to Marks and Spencer's head office about plans to close the town's branch.

Image source, Google

Last week, M&S announced 17 proposed store closures across the country as part of the clothing, homeware and food retailer's five-year plan to shut more than 100 stores by 2022.

Mr Warman says it's clear the firm's decision over the Boston store has not been taken without careful consideration.

However, he says he wants to make sure M&S explores all options for retaining a presence in the town.

An open day is being held at RAF College Cranwell today for people who want to rejoin the armed forces.

It's for anyone who has left the forces and wants to come back, whether to the same role or for something completely different:

Montague Street in Lincoln is currently closed in both directions due to a gas leak between Monk's Street and St Rumbold's Street.

Avoid the area if you can:

Image source, Google

A tired area of Skegness foreshore is to get a £75,000 restoration to return it to its former glories.

Image source, East Lindsey District Council

The Rockery Gardens are to get new paving, a sensory garden, a "bug hotel" and CCTV.

A total of £50,000 of the money will come from the government after a successful bid by East Lindsey District Council which will make up the rest.

The Red Arrows have announced when they're touring the USA and Canada later this year.

Image source, Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

It's more than a decade since the Lincolnshire-based aerobatic team visited the United States.

The Red Arrows, who are based at RAF Scampton, will fly to North America after July's Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.

Defence Minister Mark Lancaster said it was only right that after a decade the team should return to the home of Britain's closest ally.

The landmark event will generate a significant amount of investment, he adds.

The Red Arrows will put on displays at several US air shows and areas with strong UK links, according to the RAF.

Abbie Dewhurst
Weather Presenter, BBC Look North

A cold, frosty start but with some sunshine in places to be followed by a dry day with further sunny spells.

Watch my full forecast:

The search for a Premier League footballer and a pilot from Lincolnshire whose plane vanished over the English Channel has resumed.

Image source, Getty Images/David Ibbotson

Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson, who's from Crowle, were on the plane which vanished from radar on Monday.

A search of some 1,500 sq miles of the English Channel has found no trace of the missing aircraft.

Rescuers made the decision to carry on the search following a meeting early this morning.

Tweeting on Thursday morning, external, Guernsey Police said: "We are commencing a coastal search using the Channel Islands Air Search plane of Burhou, the Casquets, Alderney, the north coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula, north coast of Jersey and then back over Sark."