Local Democracy Reporting Service

Two South Lincolnshire districts continue to have among the highest Covid-19 infection rates in both the county and England in general.

According to the government’s coronavirus dashboard, Boston is still fifth highest with a seven-day infection rate of 151.1 cases per 100,000 people, while South Holland sits 11th at 143.1 per 100,000.

Lincolnshire’s health bosses, however, say numbers are falling and their most up-to-date figures show lower infection rates of 114 and 137.9 per 100,000 people.

Andy Fox, assistant director of public health at Lincolnshire County Council, says: "That has come down from more than 200 just a couple of weeks ago. But the issue is they’re probably not dropping down as fast as other areas."

Mr Fox added that the rest of the county was doing well, with the highest districts just under the national average, while the lowest were far lower.

Last week was the busiest of 2021 so far for the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.

The crew responded to 34 emergencies during the week.

The team is reminding people the service can only keep going through donations and support:

About 45% of adults in Lincolnshire have so far received a coronavirus vaccine, latest figures show.

More than 22 million people across the UK as a whole have now received a first dose of a vaccine, and more than one million people have had a second.

The current seven-day average for first doses is just over 300,000 doses a day - down from more than 400,000 a day in early February.

But Lincolnshire's public health team says the county is ahead of the curve, compared to the Covid vaccine rollout across the UK.

BBC Weather

It should stay largely dry through the day today, with patchy cloud and a few sunny spells.

The odd light shower cannot be completely ruled out. A gentle to moderate wind.

It will stay dry this evening, with cloud thickening from the west.

A band of heavy rain will push eastwards overnight, accompanied by a brisk wind:

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A new outdoor festival planned for Lincolnshire has been postponed until next year due to concerns about coronavirus.

Image source, Google

Organisers of the Lincolnshire Wolds Outdoor Festival - which was due to take place in May - said despite the easing of restrictions, too many uncertainties remained to do the event justice and ensure the safety of those attending.

Efforts will instead go to running a campaign celebrating the Wolds as a place to visit, get active and explore, they said.

The event – which replaces the Lincolnshire Wolds Walking Festival - involves a number of organisations, including The Ramblers, Heritage Lincolnshire, and East and West Lindsey district councils.

It is hoped it will return in April 2022.

BBC Weather

Outbreaks of showery rain will linger for much of the day today, although they should gradually ease as the day draws on.

It will be dull too, with overcast skies. Gentle to moderate winds.

This evening and tonight will remain dry with patchy cloud, but also some extensive clear spells in places.

A gentle to moderate south-westerly wind:

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

Ebou Adams scores the winner as Forest Green return to winning ways with a narrow victory at League Two bottom side Grimsby.

A teacher who was honoured for dropping off free school meals to pupils during the coronavirus lockdowns has been making his final deliveries before schools reopen on Monday.

Image source, Zane Powles

Zane Powles, deputy head at Grimsby Western Primary School, says he's made 15,000 deliveries and walked more than 900 miles since 23 March 2020 when he first began helping families.

Mr Powles was awarded an MBE in August for his efforts.

The 48-year-old has recently been handing out nearly 120 meals a day, compared to an average of 85 meals in the last lockdown.

He said the latest deliveries had taken a toll on a knee injury he sustained from running 18 months ago, for which he was awaiting surgical treatment.

Image source, Zane Powles

BBC Weather

Temperatures in Lincolnshire overnight aren't likely to go above 3C (37F).

A cold start is forecast for the weekend.

Saturday will start dry with brighter spells.

It will turn cloudy in the afternoon, though, with highs of 6C (43F):

The 1% pay rise offered to NHS workers in England is a "pitiful amount to be offered after such a long haul" fighting the coronavirus pandemic, a Lincolnshire nurse has said.

Melanie Kerr (pictured), a staff nurse and chair of the North Lincolnshire regional branch of the Royal College of Nursing, called the pay offer "infuriating".

She said: "We're going to haemorrhage staff and announcements like this make it all the worse.

"As we enter the recovery phase, there's still a lot of hard work that staff face. So in terms of trying to boost morale that is not the route to go down."

Nationally, unions are calling for strike action over the pay rise offer.

The Department of Health and Social Care recommended the 1% pay rise, external to the independent panel that advises the government on NHS salaries.

It would cover nearly all hospital staff, but not GPs and dentists. The panel is due make its own pay recommendations in early May, when ministers will make their final decision.

A government spokesperson said 1% was a "real-terms increase", as the latest official inflation figure was 0.9%, external.

Parents shouldn't see the return of children to school next week as a chance to mix with other people, Lincolnshire's director of public health has warned.

Professor Derek Ward said it was "vital" parents don't interact with others when dropping children off on Monday morning.

Although schools are returning, rules on social mixing remain in place.

The warning comes after new data revealed that Lincolnshire's Covid-19 infection rate dropped below the England average for the first time in weeks.

The father-of-three says he has delivered 15,000 meals for children since starting a year ago.

A convicted paedophile who tried to destroy evidence when police arrived at his home has been jailed for 20 months.

Image source, Lincs Police

Ian Picksley (pictured), of Hawthorne Chase, Lincoln, refused to answer the door so he could destroy his internet history.

However, more than 2,000 indecent images of children were found on his devices.

Picksley, 62, has 27 previous sexual convictions and had recently been released from jail after serving a nine year sentence for sexual offences against a girl aged under 13.

He was jailed at Lincoln Crown Court for 20 months after admitting three offences of making an indecent image of a child.

He also admitted possession of prohibited images of a child and possession of extreme pornography.

The tourism industry in Lincolnshire is being encouraged to cater for cyclists after a rise in people getting on their bikes.

Image source, Focus Rides

A new tourism group, Cycle Lincolnshire, says the county could be a prime destination for enthusiasts.

Previously, the Cycle England organisation has worked with tourism bosses in the county to help develop cycling holidays over the last two years.

Now, Cycle Lincolnshire wants to expand those holidays and create more routes for cyclists to travel while visiting.

Kevin Smith, who has helped establish those routes and is owner of a cycle park in the Lincolnshire Wolds (pictured), says the cycling industry is "serious money".

"The people investing in cycling have got the money to spend in cafes and shops", he says.

Lincolnshire's coronavirus infection rate has dropped below the national average for the first time in weeks, according to Public Health Lincolnshire.

Image source, Getty Images

Professor Derek Ward, director of Public Health Lincolnshire, says the county's rate is now 78 cases per 100,000 people.

The average infection rate in England is 81.3 cases per 100,000 people.

It comes after weeks of the South Holland and Boston areas having some of the highest infection rates in the country.

Data compiled by the BBC, which takes in figures up to the 28 February, showed South Holland as having the fifth highest infection rate in England.

Public Health Lincolnshire's figures are subject to changes as more of the data is assessed.

BBC Weather

There will be more breaks in the cloud later, allowing for more prolonged spells of sunshine in places.

A few clear spells this evening, but it will be dry with variable amounts of cloud tonight:

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Nearly a fifth of all Lincolnshire residents have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, it's been confirmed.

Over 271,000 doses of a Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Lincolnshire so far - of which 5,281 were second doses, according to new figures from NHS England.

A total of 266,323 people have received their first dose - that equates to 19.14% of the county's population based on the most recent population estimates.

The weekly data released today shows a total of 271,604 jabs have taken place between 8 December and 28 February - up by 34,577 on the previous week and higher week-on-week (34,228).

However, that figure was still lower than the previous weeks (36,828 and 38,365 respectively).