Summary

  • Live updates on Wednesday 15 April 2020

  1. Driver jailed over police officer's broken skullpublished at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time 27 February 2021

    A court hears Daniel Noddings was assisted by the officer at Sainsbury's before reversing into her.

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  2. 'Shift focus from infection rates' - Public health bosspublished at 17:31 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2021

    Lincolnshire's most senior health expert says in the coming months there should be less focus on how high rates of coronavirus infection are due to the impact of the vaccines.

    Vaccine being administered

    Professor Derek Ward, Lincolnshire's director of public health, says: "We need to start to shift our gaze a little bit and move away from looking all the time at our rates of infection to looking at how many people who do catch Covid actually then need treatment and support."

    Professor Ward adds that infection rates will rise as the economy opens up again, but that's not as important if those people aren't as seriously affected by the virus.

    He told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: "I think we will see more infection, especially when we open up schools and the economy".

    However, he added that "as long as it's just a mild infection in people" people shouldn't be as concerned "if vaccination goes to plan".

    Quote Message

    We are moving into a situation where we will keep vaccinating and protecting our most vulnerable, but we also need to open up our economy and therefore I think the figures will go up."

    Professord Derek Ward, Director of public health, Lincolnshire

  3. 'Risk not over' for Lincolnshire's Covid-hit businessespublished at 15:09 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2021

    Over 200 firms in Lincolnshire could fold this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the county's Federation of Small Businesses has warned.

    lincoln high street

    In December, Katrina Pierce, the federation's local representative, said 218 businesses were at risk of closing their doors, but now she says "that number remains, and has probably grown".

    Restaurants, theatres and high street retail are among the businesses considered most at risk, she says.

    Ms Pierce adds that despite the government announcing its plan for a return to normality, with the gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions, "the risk is not over".

    She says: "Having this plan from the government doesn't mean the end of restrictions and doesn't mean the end of the crisis. There are many businesses in real dire straits."

    "All eyes are on the budget next week", with hopes that will provide certainty and continued support for small businesses, she adds.

  4. Spy plane makes final flight ahead of retirementpublished at 14:34 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2021

    The Sentinel R1 is being retired after serving in the skies above Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

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  5. RAF spy plane makes its last flightpublished at 13:36 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2021

    The Sentinel R1 is being retired after serving in the skies above Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

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  6. Lincolnshire's Friday weather forecastpublished at 10:21 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2021

    BBC Weather

    Today, it will be dry and bright with the odd patch of cloud but plenty of sunshine throughout.

    Remaining mild for the time of year.

    Tonight, it will remain dry with clear spells and the odd cloudy patch.

    Feeling chilly, with temperatures dropping under mainly clear skies.

    There is the chance of mist or fog patches:

    Weather graphic
  7. Big fall in number of Lincolnshire's rough sleeperspublished at 09:00 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2021

    The number of rough sleepers in Lincolnshire has more than halved in the last year, according to latest figures.

    rough sleepers boston

    New statistics for the county show a dramatic reduction from 75 people sleeping rough daily in 2019 to 34 in 2020. Lincoln saw the biggest fall - from 27 in 2019 to eight last year.

    The figures for Lincolnshire follow the national trend, which has seen a drop of 37% in rough sleepers across England.

    The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which compiled the figures, says the sharp reduction is likely to have been affected by measures taken by government to tackle Covid-19, including the Everyone In scheme, which put up 33,000 people during the pandemic.

    Experts say that scheme, and lockdown restrictions, makes comparison with previous years difficult.

  8. US Late Late Show success for Lincolnshire musicianpublished at 18:09 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February 2021

    A Grantham musician who got her start on BBC Introducing in Lincolnshire is to be featured on one of America's biggest talk shows tonight.

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    Holly Humberstone will have a performance, filmed in Lincolnshire, featured on the Late Late Show with James Corden.

    The show, which is famous for introducing Carpool Karaoke to the world, has over 1.5 million regular viewers in the US and is broadcast on Friday Nights on Sky Comedy in the UK.

    Holly began by uploading her music to BBC Introducing, which has kickstarted the careers of many global artists including George Ezra, Florence and the Machine, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Blossoms.

  9. A-Level students pleased with teacher assessment planspublished at 17:42 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February 2021

    A-Level students in Lincolnshire have welcomed plans for teacher-assessed grades this summer, rather than exams.

    examsImage source, Getty Images

    Today it's been confirmed schools, not exams or algorithms, will decide A-Level and GCSE grades.

    At Haven High Academy in Boston one student says its "definitely a good idea".

    Sophie, who's studying in the Sixth Form, says "it takes a lot of anxiety off the situation" which she says has already been difficult.

    "Stress of the exams is a lot, and to miss a lot of education time... we have had online schooling, but it's still different from being in a classroom."

    Classmate Mark, who's also taking his A-Levels, says the idea of using teacher assessment is a "fairer" system than exams.

    He says "If we had to go to tests, grades wouldn't be as high as it would normally be. Having our teachers assessing our grades is definitely a beneficial thing."

    Last year the government had to perform a U-turn after students had their grades reduced because of an algorithm used.

  10. Over a third of Lincolnshire adults have had Covid jabspublished at 15:53 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February 2021

    More than a third of people aged over 16 in Lincolnshire have now had a coronavirus vaccine, it's been confirmed.

    vaccine shot in lincolnsihre

    An additional 34,000 injections were given in the seven days up to Sunday, new figures from NHS England show.

    The vast majority were first jabs, with two being given 12 weeks apart to give maximum immunity from Covid-19.

    A total of 237,000 have now been given in Lincolnshire, that's 37% of the population aged over 16.

  11. Rural Lincolnshire 4G 'not-spots' to get upgradepublished at 14:44 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February 2021

    A total of 15 areas of Lincolnshire with poor mobile phone coverage are to get a 4G upgrade by the end of the year, it's been confirmed.

    new mast in moorsImage source, BT

    The areas due an upgrade include parts of East Lindsey, South Holland, South Kesteven and West Lindsey.

    On average, 4G is three times faster than 3G connections.

    The upgrade, by phone network EE and subsidised by the government, is to help tackle so called "not-spots".

    Boston and Skegness MP, and Minister for Digital Infrastructure, Matt Warman, says he's "delighted" at the upgrade.

    Areas due an upgrade in Lincolnshire are:

    • A153, Haltham, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
    • Addlethorpe, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
    • Mareham le Fen, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
    • Roughton, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
    • Wragby, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
    • Broughton, North Lincolnshire
    • Moulton Seas End, South Holland, Spalding, Lincolnshire
    • Bitchfield and Bassingthorpe, South Kesteven, Lincolnshire
    • B1176, Little Bytham, South Kesteven, Lincolnshire
    • Careby Aunby and Holywell, South Kesteven, Lincolnshire
    • Stoke Rochford, South Kesteven, Lincolnshire
    • Swayfield, South Kesteven, Lincolnshire
    • Witham on the Hill, South Kesteven, Lincolnshire
    • Bullington, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire
    • Market Rasen, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire
  12. 20,000 rapid tests 'a success' - Public health bossespublished at 13:46 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February 2021

    Around 20,000 people have had a rapid Covid test at sites in Lincolnshire since they were introduced at the start of the year, it's been revealed.

    community testing Lincoln

    A total of 1.47% of those tests at sites in Boston and Lincoln (pictured) have picked up Covid cases which would have otherwise gone undetected.

    Public Health Lincolnshire says that's around 300 people who could have otherwise gone on to infect other people.

    Andy Fox, assistant director for public health in Lincolnshire, says: "That represents a success, definitely.

    "That is a significant number where we have found some cases that otherwise wouldn't be picked up, and we have broken those chains of transmission."

    Some rapid testing sites in Boston are to move in the coming week, but Public Health Lincolnshire says there should be testing across the county until after June.

  13. Lincolnshire call for 'Dame Jo Whiley'published at 11:30 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February 2021

    BBC radio presenter Jo Whiley should be made a Dame after her campaign to get people with learning disabilities the Covid vaccine, a Lincolnshire woman has said.

    Lynn Bannister, from Market Rasen, who has learning disabilities herself, says she is "really pleased" at news people on the learning disability register should be bumped up the vaccine queue.

    People with a "severe or profound" learning disability in England and Wales were already in priority groups for the jab.

    But now everyone on their GP's learning disability register will be invited for vaccination regardless of how severe their disability is, Public Health England has confirmed.

    Ms Bannister described this as "the cherry on the cake" following a campaign by Jo Whiley, whose sister has a learning disability and diabetes.

    Ms Bannister has been self-isolating with her father in Market Rasen for the last year, but the increased chance of a vaccine means she may soon be able to return to living independently.

    She says she's going to call BBC Radio 2 about Jo Whiley's campaign and "get her made a Dame" and is calling for people across Lincolnshire to support the idea.

  14. Lincolnshire's Thursday weather forecastpublished at 10:05 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February 2021

    BBC Weather

    Any light rain around initially this morning will soon clear.

    Cloud will then gradually clear to the southeast this afternoon, to give some brightness before sunset.

    Still mild for the time of year.

    Dry and mostly clear tonight, allowing temperatures to drop away, making it much less mild compared to recent nights.

    Staying dry and clear through till morning:

    Weather graphic
  15. Cannabis grows found in northern Lincolnshire raidspublished at 09:21 Greenwich Mean Time 25 February 2021

    Two cannabis grows have been found in North East Lincolnshire, police have said.

    Cannabis plantImage source, Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

    A "sophisticated" set-up with about 200 plants was found in the attic of a property on Poplar Road in Cleethorpes at about 17:00 on Tuesday.

    Meanwhile, a grow of about 1,200 seedling plants was found inside a property on Church Street in Grimsby later that same day, police say.

    Inquiries are ongoing to find out who is responsible for the grows, officers add.

    Both had been "dangerously" extracting electricity and putting local residents at risk of harm.

    Anyone with information about the two grows is being asked to contact the Humberside force.

  16. Lincolnshire's Wednesday weather forecastpublished at 10:16 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2021

    BBC Weather

    It'll be dry and fine in Lincolnshire today, with patchy cloud and spells of hazy sunshine.

    Exceptionally mild, with temperatures reaching into the mid-teens. A moderate southerly breeze.

    This evening will be dry and mild.

    Overnight, cloud will build in, bringing a few spots of light rain or drizzle. Winds easing:

    Weather graphic
  17. County's recycling centres to fully reopen in Marchpublished at 09:02 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2021

    People in Lincolnshire will soon be able to take their rubbish to a local recycling centre any day they like as coronavirus restrictions are eased, it's been confirmed.

    At the moment, people can only take certain items on certain days, but restrictions will lift on 8 March, according to Lincolnshire County Council:

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    Councillor Eddy Poll, who is in charge of all the sites in Lincolnshire, says people must still remember to wear a face covering on site and respect social-distancing.

    He also emphasises booking will be essential at all the county's recycling sites - and that system is "here to stay".

    "It does a grand job keeping everybody safe on the site, but even without the public health considerations, the booking system is a far superior way of managing people's movements and people's safety whether there's a pandemic or not," says Mr Poll.

  18. Grimsby Town 2-1 Crawley Townpublished at 22:27 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2021

    Joe Adams bundles home the winner 10 minutes from time as Grimsby Town edge Crawley to move off the bottom of League Two.

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  19. Legal action over Barclays bank loans thrown outpublished at 21:23 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2021

    Eight councils sued the bank to cancel long term loans they took out between 2006 and 2008.

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  20. Lincolnshire's weather tonightpublished at 17:42 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2021

    It's going to be a dry and mild night in Lincolnshire.

    Here's the latest forecast:

    Weather Forecast