Summary

  • Live updates on Wednesday 15 April 2020

  1. Vaccine hope for care home devastated by viruspublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January 2021

    Two thirds of the residents at the home in Spilsby lost their lives to Covid-19 in a matter of weeks.

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  2. 'Don't act like a 'Dick'' coronavirus campaign launchedpublished at 13:39 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January 2021

    A campaign telling people to not "act like a 'Dick'" has been launched by an emergency response team in Lincolnshire.

    PosterImage source, Lincolnshire Resilience Forum

    The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum, made up of teams from Lincolnshire councils and the emergency services, has launched the campaign to encourage people to follow coronavirus rules.

    According to the campaign material, only 8% of people are responsible for 60% of Covid transmissions.

    It characterises different types of rule-breakers or rule-followers as either a "Tom, Dick or Harriet".

    Those behind the campaign say: "'Dick' represents a minority of people in Lincolnshire who don’t stick to the rules."

    The social media campaign has drawn some criticism for its cartoon characters, with one commenter saying: "It’s not CBeebies".

    Another queried whether people unable to wear face coverings for health reasons are "being called a 'Dick'"?

    However, others have praised the campaign for its humour and drawing attention to coronavirus rules in a different way.

  3. Lincolnshire's weather todaypublished at 09:26 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January 2021

    It should remain dry but overcast across the county today.

    No snow is forecast after yesterday's fall.

    Weather forecast

    You can find your latest local forecast here.

  4. Police child protection 'missing opportunities'published at 06:54 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January 2021

    Government inspectors say Lincolnshire Police has to improve its child protection work.

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  5. Lincolnshire's locked down pets celebrated on the airwavespublished at 17:30 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2021

    A news bulletin for pets broadcast by BBC Radio Lincolnshire has earned high profile fans after being shared online.

    Musician KT Tunstall shared the news:

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    It's also featured on BBC Radio 1 and has been shared by comedy Twitter account Larry the Cat.

    The comedy account, which pretends to be No 10 Downing Street's cat, suggested future editions could be called "Newshound" or "The 6PM Mews"...

  6. Children's 'secret' art mission to thank teacherspublished at 17:15 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2021

    The artwork was hung on the school fence during the night to surprise staff as they arrived.

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  7. Mental health hotline inundated during Covid-19 pandemicpublished at 16:37 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2021

    Thousands of calls have been made to a mental health helpline in Lincolnshire during the coronavirus pandemic, a health trust has said.

    poster for mental health hotlineImage source, LPFT

    The free service, which was set up last year, supports anyone suffering with mental health issues.

    Workers have handled up to 1,800 calls per month at some points during the pandemic.

    Data shows that as many as 25% of the callers phone daily for help.

    Eve Baird, from the health trust behind the hotline, says: "Often people wait too long before asking for help and bottle up their feelings until they can’t cope anymore."

    “We want people to know that it’s OK not to be OK. Even the most resilient of us may sometimes struggle", she adds.

  8. Hospitals treat 200-plus Covid patients daily - Trust bosspublished at 14:19 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2021

    The boss of the trust which runs Lincolnshire's biggest hospitals says staff are regularly treating hundreds of patients for Covid-19.

    Andrew MorganImage source, ULHT

    Andrew Morgan (pictured), CEO of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, says pressure on the hospitals hasn't stopped since early November.

    He adds that staff in the trust's hospitals have been treating over 200 patients for Covid every day.

    Despite relatively low infection rates in Lincolnshire - with the county's infection rate below half the national average - Mr Morgan says he's urging people not to be complacent.

    Quote Message

    Since November, we've been at levels around over 200 in-patients at any one time for several weeks now, so this wave is very much longer and more plateaued than the quite sharp wave one."

    Andrew Morgan, CEO, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  9. Snow falls across Lincolnshirepublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2021

    Police officers say they're dealing with several crashes after snowfall across Lincolnshire.

    snowImage source, Lincolnshire Police

    Snow is settling across the county and police say it's particularly bad in southern parts of the county.

    Forecasters say snow and rain will continue today, but that it will become warmer this afternoon.

    normanton on cliffeImage source, Chris Sharman
  10. Flood warning for Lincolnshire Villagepublished at 10:57 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2021

    A flood warning has been issued for the village of Swaton, near Sleaford.

    Flood mapImage source, EA

    The Environment Agency (EA) says rain, and sleet have already caused some flooding on low-lying land and roads.

    It says it now expects water to affect homes and low-lying properties near the Swaton Eau on West Street are most at risk.

    Staff have been sent to monitor flood defences and clear blockages, according to the EA.

  11. Headteacher's concerns over free lockdown mealspublished at 09:44 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2021

    A Lincolnshire head teacher says school staff have had "incredibly little time" to produce food hampers for students learning from home during the current coronavirus lockdown.

    Free school mealsImage source, Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo

    Children who would usually be given free meals at school are entitled to them at home during lockdown.

    Katie Barry, headteacher at St George's Church of England Primary School in Gainsborough, says staff had just a few days to go from making food for children at school to arranging the assembly and delivery of 250 food parcels.

    She says the school is being paid the equivalent of £8.50 per week by the government to provide five meals per child, and five members of staff have had to scour the town's supermarkets for food for the hampers.

    Quote Message

    £8.50 is not a lot to get five healthy meals for a growing child who's expected to be doing home learning."

    Katie Barry, Headteacher

    Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said the government will "support any school that needs to take action".

  12. Lincolnshire's weather todaypublished at 09:14 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2021

    Keep warm at home or wrap up if you are going out for your exercise today.

    Snow is forecast for much of the county during today.

    Lincolnshire weather forecast

    You can find the latest weather forecast for your local area here.

  13. Lincolnshire Covid-19 infection rate dropspublished at 17:37 Greenwich Mean Time 13 January 2021

    Lincolnshire's Covid-19 infection rate has fallen again, according to the latest figures.

    Test centre signImage source, Reuters/Phil Noble

    All areas have shown a drop in infection rates except Boston, which has seen a rise of three cases since last week.

    The figures include infections in the week up to and including 9 January.

    The lowest rates are in North East Lincolnshire and East Lindsey at 154 and 160 per 100,000 people respectively.

    The highest rates are in South Kesteven and Lincoln, where case rates are 354 and 348 respectively per 100,000 people.

    The current average infection rate in England is 618 per 100,000 people.

  14. Woman fined after 100-mile trip to buy burgerpublished at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 13 January 2021

    North Yorkshire Police said it had issued more than 70 fines over the weekend.

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  15. PPE skin damage inspires NHS 'pick-me-up' packspublished at 16:23 Greenwich Mean Time 13 January 2021

    The packs, containing products to help skin heal, will be given out to front-line health workers.

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  16. Woman fined for driving 100 miles for burger with sisterpublished at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 13 January 2021

    A woman has been fined fined for breaking the "essential travel" coronavirus lockdown rule and travelling from Lincolnshire to North Yorkshire to eat a burger with her sister, police say.

    McDonalds in ScarboroughImage source, Google

    Police in North Yorkshire say the woman, in her 30s, who hasn't been named, has been given a fixed penalty notice for the 100-mile journey to Scarborough.

    Under current government rules, people are being asked to stay at home and only travel from their local area if it's essential.

    Ch Insp Rachel Wood, from North Yorkshire Police, said: "Driving through three counties to get a burger is not classed as essential travel.

    "Most people in North Yorkshire are trying really hard to stop the spread of Covid in our communities and protect the vulnerable," she added.

  17. Taxi driver jailed for two years over fatal Lincoln crashpublished at 14:16 Greenwich Mean Time 13 January 2021

    A Lincolnshire taxi driver has been jailed for two years and banned from driving for six years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

    Wendy ShortImage source, Family photo

    Wendy Short, 79, from Lincoln (pictured) died, and another passenger was seriously injured, when the driver of the taxi she was in used his mobile on the A46 at Lincoln in July 2019.

    Lincoln Crown Court heard Ian Penman had used his phone for over 30 seconds just before crashing into the back of a lorry.

    Penman, 67, of The Burrows, in Nettleham, admitted the charges in May last year and was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court yesterday.

    He was also ordered to pass an extended retest before he can legally drive again.

    Passing sentence, Judge John Pini QC said: "This case demonstrates, if proof were needed, the real dangers of using hand-held mobile phones.

    "Here such use has killed one person and seriously injured another."

    Mrs Short's family has appealed for drivers not to use mobile phones when driving to prevent similar accidents in the future.

    In a statement, a family member said: "If you think of using your phone when driving, remember her name and the pain and loss we will feel forever. Your call can wait."

  18. Lincolnshire Covid infection rate half England averagepublished at 13:11 Greenwich Mean Time 13 January 2021

    The coronavirus infection rate in Lincolnshire is less than half the rate of England's, according to the latest figures.

    facemask wearerImage source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

    Latest figures, which reflect the week ending on 7 January, show Lincolnshire's infection rate as approximately 261 cases per 100,000 people.

    The England average is currently 625 cases of infection per 100,000 people.

    The highest rate nationally is in London, where 1,527 people per 100,000 in Barking and Dagenham have tested positive.

    The district with the highest infection rate in Lincolnshire is South Kesteven, with 389 per 100,000 people.

    Four of Lincolnshire's districts are falling or showing no change in virus rates, while three - Boston, South Holland and East Lindsey - are seeing rising numbers.

  19. Officers put at risk by Covid rule-breakers - Policepublished at 10:48 Greenwich Mean Time 13 January 2021

    There's been an increase in people breaking coronavirus rules in Lincolnshire and those rule-breakers are putting officers at risk, one of the county's most senior police officers says.

    Police JacketImage source, PA

    Officers say they're giving out more fines and getting more complaints about people breaking Covid rules, according to Lincolnshire Police.

    The forces's Assistant Chief Constable, Kerrin Wilson, says rule-breakers should consider the families of officers they're putting at risk.

    Quote Message

    It's pretty selfish sometimes, some of the behaviours we've seen. You're putting other people at risk, other families, other vulnerabilities, and my officers are out there every day, but have to come back to their families."

    Kerrin Wilson, Assistant Chief Constable, Lincolnshire Police

  20. Lincolnshire's weather todaypublished at 09:06 Greenwich Mean Time 13 January 2021

    Expect a chilly day with rain later in the afternoon.

    There may even be sleet mixed in as we head into the evening.

    Lincoln weather forecast

    You can find the latest forecast for your local area here.