The number of child cruelty and neglect cases recorded by Lincolnshire Police has almost trebled in the last five years.

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A total of 287 serious incidents have been dealt with in the county since 2014, according to new figures from the NSPCC.

The charity says that nationally cases have gone up by nearly a fifth in the last year alone.

Andrew Fellowes, from the NSPCC, says the increase is "deeply disturbing".

"We believe there could be several potential reasons for this rise, from better police recording and greater public awareness, to increasing pressure on parents and the lack of investment in early intervention services."

Workers at a Lincolnshire food factory didn't expect so many jobs to be at risk as the company bids to "optimise" the facility, according to the GMB union.

McCain Foods Ltd said yesterday there could be about 230 job losses at its plant at Easton, near Grantham, as part of efficiency savings, with about 150 roles retained.

David Shamma, from the GMB union, says staff at the factory are devastated.

"People had known for a little while that the facility wasn't running anywhere near its full capacity, but I don't think anybody saw the projected reduction in the workforce of the numbers the company's talking about," he said.

A spokesperson for the company said its priority was to ensure everyone affected by the announcement was "treated with fairness and respect and given our full support" while a consultation over the proposed job losses takes place.