The team behind a huge sculpture of a Lancaster bomber on the Lincolnshire border say work has slowed on the project because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, BOMBER COUNTY GATEWAY TRUST

The completed structure will be 26m long and mounted on a steel frame on land at Brills Farm, just off the A46 in Norton Disney.

The Bomber County Gateway Trust says some of the firms donating free labour have had to pause their work because they're struggling to survive themselves.

Pictures taken by construction firm John Laing of its company away days have been put online.

Charlie Sergison took the car in a fit of rage because he believed his partner was having an affair.

It will be a wet end to the day in Lincolnshire.

Here's the latest forecast:

Police are investigating reports of an "altercation" which left a man with a broken jaw in Grimsby.

Image source, Google

The incident involved two men who were known to each other, according to police.

It happened close to the junction with Eleanor Street and Hainton Square (pictured) between 18:30 and 19:00 on Monday.

Anyone who saw what happened is being asked to contact Humberside Police

Managers at Lincoln's Drill Hall say community groups, aspiring musicians and artists will all lose out after the venue lost its council funding.

Image source, Google

City of Lincoln Councillors voted to withdraw funding last night because they say the authority can no longer afford it.

Managers at the Drill Hall say there's still some sort of future for the centre, but what it offers will most likely be very different.

Lorena Hauton, whose son attends the Butterfly Club - a disco night for people with disabilities - at the venue, says she hopes similar events will still be able to continue there.

A driver is in a serious condition after a crash in Lincolnshire this morning.

Image source, PA

Police were called to Moor Lane with the junction of the A153 near Sleaford just after 08:45.

A white Vauxhall Corsa and an HGV which was transporting live poultry were involved.

The driver of the Corsa has been taken to hospital with what are described as serious injuries.

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with any dashcam footage to contact them.

A Lincoln councillor says the authority ended up with little choice but to vote to remove funding from one of the city's arts venues.

Image source, Google

Councillors voted unanimously last night to end the £187,000 yearly grant to Lincoln Drill Hall from April.

More than 5,000 people had signed a petition urging them to continue supporting the centre which stages theatre, music concerts, comedy shows, community workshops and classes.

However, the council said it was not financially viable in the long-term.

Councillors said they felt they could no longer support the venue with public money, saying they had to make the move due to cuts in government funding.

This year's Boston Marathon has been cancelled, with race organisers being told not to go ahead with the event with just over three weeks' notice due to "significant" fears over coronavirus.

Almost 2,000 runners have been training for the event which was due to take place on Sunday 13 September.

Organisers say they respect the decision by the Boston Safety Advisory Group (SAG), but admit it's disappointing.

They say volunteers had organised an event which follows Covid-19 safety rules and the decision represents a missed opportunity to promote Boston and Lincolnshire in a positive way.

The next event is scheduled for April next year.

People in Gainsborough are being warned to stay vigilant following a spate of "sneak-in" burglaries in the town.

Image source, Google maps

A single offender is targeting the homes of older and vulnerable people, typically aged between 60-80 years old, although two have been in their 90s, police say.

The burglaries occurred over the past month in Aisby Walk, Middlefield Lane (pictured), Stirling Close, The Walk, Claremont Road, Pingle Close, Elsham Walk, Ravendale and two in Newlands.

Cash, jewellery and even a TV were taken, often while the house was occupied.

The crimes usually happen between 18:00 and midnight, with the offender gaining access through insecure doors or windows, according to Lincolnshire Police.

Insp Gail Hurley says: "These crimes have been committed by an offender sneaking into homes when the residents have been relaxing or watching television which is extremely worrying and we need to catch this person quickly."

The A153 is currently closed in Lincolnshire.

Police say it's because of a "serious" road traffic collision:

An egg shortage during the height of the coronavirus lockdown has now lead to a surge in demand for re-homing hens in Lincolnshire.

The Boston branch of a national charity says it was inundated with requests for chickens at the start of the pandemic because of a shortage of eggs on supermarket shelves.

Fresh Start for Hens is a non-profit voluntary organisation which re-homes ex-commercial hens after they are past their peak laying period.

Wendy Williams (pictured), who runs the charity's Boston collection point, says: "People normally go on the website and say which collection site they want, because we've got them all over the country.

"But it went so berserk, we had to take that down and put a waiting list because we just didn't have the hens."

The decision to end council funding for an arts centre in Lincoln is "heartbreaking", according to the venue's trustees.

Image source, Google

Lincoln City councillors voted unanimously to end the £187,000 yearly grant to Lincoln Drill Hall from April.

More than 5,000 people had signed a petition urging them to continue supporting the centre which stages theatre, music concerts, comedy shows, community workshops and classes.

However, the council said it was not financially viable in the long-term.

Phil Hamlyn Williams, chair of trustees at Lincoln Drill Hall, said he understood the council was in a difficult financial position.

"I just feel desperately, desperately sad, it's heartbreaking, it's an institution that has done so much good for the city."

He said his main priority would be to speak to the centre's 18 staff.

The council's executive were told by officers the Drill Hall's current business model was unsustainable before the coronavirus pandemic.

It also remained unclear what the effect of the pandemic would have and for it continue to operate on its current business model significant additional funding would be needed.

This would impact on the council's ability to balance its own budget, as annual savings of between £1m and £1.5m would be needed in future years.

Ric Metcalfe, the council's leader, said it had been a very "difficult decision" to make.

Lincolnshire MP and Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins has defended the government's decision to change its advice about face coverings in schools in England.

Image source, Conservative Party

From September, in areas affected by local coronavirus lockdowns, pupils will have to wear face coverings in communal areas of schools such as corridors and stairwells.

Labour has accused the government of a lack of clarity and the NASUWT teachers' union said the government was putting politics before education.

But Mrs Atkins, the MP for Louth and Horncastle, has defended her department.

She says: "The World Health Organisation changed their advice a couple of days ago and the government looked at that advice and we have adjusted our advice acting on that advice.

"I think people understand this is a completely new virus and we are very much still learning as we go along."

Lincolnshire hospital staff have been given special rainbow design scrubs which have been made by volunteers.

They're made out of fabric donated by former BBC Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans' son Noah, who camped out to raise money during the coronavirus lockdown.

Since the pandemic began, the Lincoln group has delivered over 9,200 sets of scrubs to local NHS and front-line care staff.

Pearl Constance, one of the coordinators of the Lincoln group, says: "All of the groups are working together. We share resources where we can, we share fabric, patterns and we have a fantastic delivery network."

Seven unaccompanied child refugees have been taken into care in Lincolnshire in the last four months, it's been confirmed.

All were smuggled into the UK from countries including Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Most were picked up on the A1 along the Lincolnshire border.

However, Councillor Patricia Bradwell, Lincolnshire County Council's children's services portfolio holder, says: "We get a number coming down into the north of the county from the Immingham port.

"They've obviously come over the Channel in a container."

If the children are discovered in Lincolnshire, then it's down to the County Council to support them and the authority says it's lobbying the government for more financial support to cover the costs.

Almost 5,000 people have signed a petition to keep City of Lincoln Council funding the Drill Hall Theatre in Lincoln.

Image source, Lincoln Drill Hall

The authority will review its contribution to the arts venue later today.

It looks unlikely it'll continue because of doubts over the viability of the business and pressures on council finances.

Alice Kinloch, who works at the theatre, says: "I really do feel it's the end, because I can't see how the council are going to come back from this.

"After Covid-19, when all this is over, and it will be over one day, where are the people of Lincoln going to be able to go and celebrate and be together and have shared experience?

"There is not going to be anywhere that is going to be able to cater for the community like the Drill Hall does."

The coronavirus pandemic and lockdown has led to an increase in people giving up their pet birds, according to staff at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park.

Image source, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park

They say a large number of people have wanted to hand over their birds, with on average about seven birds being taken in over recent weeks - up from only one or two before lockdown.

Image source, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park

Steve Nichols, the park's chief executive, believes the lockdown restrictions have made people think differently about keeping caged birds.

Owners have had time to think about whether their parrots have enough space to move around in and whether they are seeing enough natural sunlight, he says.

A seal called Vision has been released back into the wild after being nursed back to health in Skegness.

Image source, Skegness Seal Sanctuary

Vision first arrived at Skegness Seal Sanctuary - underweight, dehydrated and with a head injury - in December.

Image source, Skegness Seal Sanctuary

He soon started to recover, but after being placed in the rearing pool he then suffered with a bloated stomach and became very quiet, according to staff at the sanctuary.

They said they were very worried he wouldn't make it. However, he was moved back into the hospital where he made a full recovery.

Image source, Skegness Seal Sanctuary

As you can see above, he's now set off back out to sea off the Lincolnshire coast.

A Lincolnshire bus firm has asked all pupils to wear face coverings on their school transport due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, Grayscroft Coaches

Grayscroft Coaches in Mablethorpe says its drivers can't ban pupils, but will notify head teachers if they repeatedly refuse to wear a face covering.

The firm's transport manager, Steve Mackay, says: "We can't insist on it on children under 11, but we are asking them to wear them if possible.

"It's basically to protect everyone. I think it's a bit unfair if 20 kids on a bus have to wear them and one gets on without it. So we are asking everyone to do the same."

It comes after a government U-turn, meaning secondary pupils will have to wear face coverings in school corridors in areas of England affected by local lockdowns.

Head teachers in any secondary school will also have the "flexibility" to introduce masks in their schools.