Lincolnshire Police say businesses must take steps to protect themselves from fraud.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

It follows the conviction of 44 year-old Bayo Awornorin, who was part of a gang that conned public bodies, including the NHS in Lincolnshire, out of £12m.

He's been jailed for nine and a half years after Lincolnshire officers traced him to the USA and had him extradited.

A new exhibition is set to open at the International Bomber Command Centre near Lincoln.

It will showcase memorabilia brought in by relatives of the men and women who served in bomber command.

Chief executive Nicky Van Der Drift hopes it will be up and running by the end of next month.

The MP for Lincoln says it doesn't make economic sense for the government to sell off RAF Scampton.

Labour's Karen Lee argues the site may be potentially contaminated, which the Ministry of Defence has denied in the past.

The station is currently home to the Red Arrows and will be closed and sold off in three years time.

Ms Lee says it won't be in the government's interest to sell it:

Lincolnshire Echo

A former headteacher died in a crash while using her phone, drinking coffee and eating crumpets, external at the same time behind the wheel, an inquest hears.

Image source, Grimsby and Scunthorpe Newspapers

The Conservative MP for Gainsborough says he's managed to secure a debate over RAF Scampton.

The MOD says it wants to close the home of the Red Arrows, to the North of Lincoln, in 2022 and move it to a site "more fit for purpose".

The move has been met with some criticism, with a petition being set up demanding the MOD reverse its decision, external:

Retired engineers from Lincolnshire are using their skills to help people in need.

Two males, one aged 18 and one aged 15, have been arrested after a shopkeeper was threatened with a hammer earlier this week.

Four people entered the Ample store on Monday at Sincil Bank and demanded money.

After a struggle over the till, they left the shop empty-handed, but caused a lot of damage in the process.

Witnesses are still being sought by police.

The International Bomber Command Centre near Lincoln's celebrating its first birthday today.

Its official opening was last April, but visitors were first allowed on the site on this day last year.

The £10m centre has the UK's tallest war memorial, which stands at 102ft.

Bomber Command crews were tasked with attacking Germany's airbases, troops, shipping and industrial complexes connected to the war effort.

Almost half of the 125,000 personnel lost their lives and it is estimated between 300,000 and 600,000 German civilians died as a result of large-scale bombing.

Lincolnshire was chosen as the site of the IBCC because 27 RAF Bomber Command stations - more than a third of the total - were based in the county during World War Two.

BBC Weather Watchers

It's a day for big scarves and hot chocolate - but there are plenty of opportunities to put your camera to good use.

BBC Weather Watcher Marley has been out getting some winter sun in Irnham:

Air accident investigators say two seat cushions which washed up on the French shore are likely to have been from the missing plane taking the footballer, Emiliano Sala, to Cardiff.

Image source, GETTY IMAGES/DAVID IBBOTSON

The aircraft, piloted by David Ibbotson, from Crowle, disappeared last week.

An underwater survey of the seabed has been commissioned to try to locate the aircraft.

A man who scammed public bodies, including Lincolnshire's Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, out of millions of pounds has been jailed for nine and a half years.

Image source, Police

Bayo Awonorin, 44, from Nigeria, fled to the United States while on bail in 2012 and was later extradited back to this country to stand trial.

Leicester Crown Court heard that Awonorin played a leading role in the sophisticated scam, which involved sending fake emails from legitimate firms carrying out contract work.

A £1.28m payment to build a mental health unit at Lincoln's St George's Hospital was diverted when the NHS trust staff failed to check the new bank details supplied.

Awonorin is the 14th suspect to be convicted in the case, which was led by Lincolnshire Police.

Four British rescuers are among those on board a rescue ship being held off the coast of Sicily.

A total of 47 migrants and the crew of a rescue ship who've been kept on board the craft off the coast of Sicily for almost two weeks are now being allowed ashore.

Image source, REUTERS

Jon Stone, from Lincoln, is one of the crew of Sea Watch 3 which picked up the suspected migrants after they ran into a storm in the Mediterranean earlier this month.

Italy had initially refused to let them come ashore or leave local waters - accusing them of assisting illegal migration.

But Italy and six other countries have now agreed to share the responsibility for taking in the migrants.

Lincolnshire Echo

A Lincoln shopkeeper fought off a gang of armed robbers with a baseball bat after they tried to rob his shop, external.

Image source, Lincolnshire Echo

A child's been hit by a car outside a school in Lincoln.

Image source, Sir Francis Hill Primary School

It happened outside the Sir Francis Hill Primary School in the city at about 08:40.

The boy was taken to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham by ambulance.

His condition is not yet known.

Forget the Countryfile calendar, a Lincolnshire pub needs your help to capture the Best British Pub prize in the Countryfile magazine awards.

Image source, Ebrington Arms

The Ebrington Arms at Kirkby on Bain is one of six competing for the top spot.

Image source, Ebrington Arms

You can cast your vote here, external, with voting closing on Friday 18 February.

The Lincolnite

There is just one day left to sign a petition calling for the decision to close RAF Scampton, external to be reversed.

Image source, RAF

Boston Borough Council will soon start taking payments for garden waste collections again.

The brown bin service, which gets under way in April will cost £30 - the same as last year.

Local residents will be able to sign up online from this Friday.

They will also be able to register by phone or at the council offices on West Street in Boston from 11 February.

BBC Weather Watchers

It is very, very cold at the minute - especially when you're out of the sun.

Thankfully our BBC Weather Watchers are doing the hard work for us, venturing out to capture the best of the county while most of us are just trying to keep warm.

Thanks to Smartie999 who took this lovely shot in Holbeach:

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans to build a designer outlet near Grantham are likely to go ahead.

Image source, Oldrids

Oldrids wants to create the retail village on part of its Downtown site at Gonerby Moor.

The company has previously said it would protect its existing 700 jobs and create an additional 1,700 jobs.

Officers at South Kesteven District Council say it will enhance the image of Grantham as a retail, leisure and visitor destination.