Almost £8m has been saved by Lincolnshire County Council's Counter Fraud team over the last decade, it's been revealed.

Image source, Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Just in the last year, the team prevented the authority losing £1.5m in one fraud alone, according to the county council.

It also recovered £114,000 of taxpayers' money.

Members of the team deal with issues relating to fraudulent council tax and benefit claims, misuse of council resources and expenses by staff and also by outside sources attempting to steal taxpayer's cash, the council says.

Lincolnshire is likely to be placed in a higher tier of coronavirus restrictions once the current lockdown is over at the start of December, one of the county's health bosses has warned.

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Tony McGinty, assistant director of public health, says Lincolnshire is seeing "more cases in older age groups in some parts of the county this time around".

Health officials say they're most concerned about East Lindsey and Boston, which are both in the top 25 districts in the country with the highest Covid-19 infection rates.

East Lindsey has 525 cases per 100,000 people and Boston has 454.6. The England average is 270 per 100,000.

Roads near Lincolnshire schools which are repeatedly the scene of accidents could be closed as part of a new cycle scheme.

A total of £800,000 of government money is being given to the county in a bid to make cycling safer.

One potential use of the cash is to limit road access near schools to create so-called Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, and add segregated cycle paths.

Government research suggests that over 65% of people want more space dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists in their areas.

In Lincolnshire, one cycling app suggests that over 16,000 extra cyclists have been on the road this year compared to 2019.

Lincolnshire County Council says plans are still in early stages and roads won't be closed without local residents being consulted first.

But Councillor Richard Davies, highways boss at the county council, says: "It is an option, particularly around the towns and the city."

The money could be used for all manner of things, including "bigger cycle lanes, better cycle parking, better signage and wider paths", Mr Davies adds.

BBC Weather

It will be generally dry today but with plenty of cloud and a brisk south-westerly wind.

The odd bright spell cannot be ruled out. It will feel very mild for the time of the year, however.

Staying dry through the evening with cloudy skies.

Into the night, cloud may break to allow some clear spells to develop.

Blustery but it will stay fairly mild:

Ch Supt Paul Timmins says the Woodhall Spa site may be needed as hospitals approach capacity.

A Lincolnshire district has entered the top 20 coronavirus hotspots in England, latest figures show.

The statistics, which go up to the middle of last week, show there are currently 525 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in East Lindsey. The England average is 270.

Hull currently has the highest rate of infections in the country, while North East Lincolnshire is sixth highest.

BBC Weather

It will be dry tonight in Lincolnshire.

Here's the latest forecast:

A young boy who was spotted on CCTV wandering the streets of Grimsby last week may have been sleep-walking, police say.

Image source, Humberside Police

The Humberside force originally put out an appeal for information after the child, believed to be about eight years old, was seen walking alone around Harvey Walk, in the New Waltham area, at about 00:15 on Friday.

Investigations throughout Friday and over the weekend have "exhausted" all lines of inquiry to determine who the child was and the circumstances behind the sighting.

Det Insp Kerry Bull, from Humberside Police, says: "We never received a report of a missing person and inquiries have not led us to a crime having been committed.

A three-day "critical incident" at Boston's Pilgrim Hospital and Lincoln County has been stood down.

Image source, Google

The incident was declared at the end of last week because of the rising number of patients with coronavirus.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust says the situation has improved slightly, but there are still significant staffing challenges which are being continually monitored.

You can now nominate groups or individuals for the 2020 BBC Radio Lincolnshire Make A Difference Awards.

If you know someone who's "Made A Difference" to you or to others, the radio station wants to hear from you.

To make your nominations, go here:

Special measures remain in place at two of Lincolnshire's hospitals until at least Wednesday after "critical incidents" were declared there at the end of last week.

Image source, Google

The Pilgrim at Boston and Lincoln County have been affected by a rising number of patients with coronavirus.

The critical incident alert means training is being cancelled as well as study leave and annual leave where possible.

The NHS trust said low staffing levels had also compounded the issue.

A total of 80 schools in Lincolnshire have had confirmed cases of coronavirus, but most have remained open, it's been confirmed.

Image source, Google

Public health officials in the county say they're working closely with the schools affected and some classes or "bubbles" are having to self-isolate to stop the spread of the virus.

Glen Thompson, head of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar in Alford (pictured), says his school has managed to avoid full closure so far.

Meanwhile, John Spendluffe Technology College in Alford has announced it's closed all week due to the impact of the pandemic.

BBC Weather

It's going to be a grey day in Lincolnshire today.

Despite the cloud, there's only a small chance of rain:

You can find out the forecast where you live here.

Breaking news, sport, travel and weather updates from across Lincolnshire.

Jacob Bedeau and Kevin Van Veen get the goals as Scunthorpe end a run of five straight League Two defeats by winning at Oldham.

Two hospitals in Lincolnshire are on the highest level of alert after a rise in cases.

A sparrowhawk has had to be put down after being shot and left suffering serious injuries in Scunthorpe.

Image source, RSPCA

The RSPCA says a member of the public contacted the charity on Wednesday after witnessing the bird of prey fly out of woods near Darnholme Crescent before crashing into a car.

The bird was later found lying on its back with its wings spread out.

RSPCA inspector Claire Mitchell, who is investigating, said "This poor sparrowhawk was in a very bad way after being shot and, after further assessment, very sadly the decision was made to put the bird to sleep to end its suffering."

Graham Wynn, 75, who has dementia, was preyed on by scammers who stole £50,000 from him.

Police in Grimsby say they're carrying out "extensive inquiries" in their search for a boy who was seen on CCTV wandering in part of the town after midnight.

Image source, Humberside Police

While there has been no report of a child going missing, the search for the boy is continuing as there is "concern for safety", according to Humberside Police.

The boy, who is thought to be no older than eight years old, was seen wandering around Harvey Walk in New Waltham at about 00:15 this morning, wearing dark pyjamas and slippers.

Det Insp Kerry Bull says water, woodland, gardens and home out buildings are all being checked by officers.

"I would like to reiterate that while our search remains ongoing, and we understand and take seriously the level of concern of this report, we still do not believe or have any evidence to suggest the child has come to any harm," she adds.

"It is possible the child has left a property to go to a friend’s and returned without waking anyone in the house, or has left in their sleep and doesn’t remember this, again being in bed when they’ve woken up."

Anyone with any information is being asked to contact Humberside Police.

There's been another rise in the number of patients in Lincolnshire hospitals with coronavirus, it's been confirmed.

Image source, Google

Staff are caring for 136 people who've had a positive test for Covid-19 - that's up from just under 100 at the start of this week, according to United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT).

A total of 41 of those are being treated in Lincoln County Hospital, while 95 are at the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, ULHT adds.