Public health managers in Lincolnshire say they're aware of an error in the NHS test and trace app which is placing the county in the wrong coronavirus risk threat category.

Lincolnshire is officially in the "medium" risk category, but some people in the county say they're being put into the "high" risk bracket by their app.

The categories are part of the three-tier system introduced by the government from today.

Professor Derek Ward, Lincolnshire's director of public health, says he has raised the issue at a national level.

The errors can be to do with phones slowly updating themselves, and should be addressed by tomorrow, Prof Ward adds.

However, people's threat area can also be set to "high" if their postcode straddles a county border, he says.

A Skegness bar manager has criticised the government's 22:00 coronavirus curfew for pubs and restaurants .

Image source, Busters Fun Bar

Yesterday, a total of 42 Conservative MPs - including Lincoln's Karl McCartney - voted against government regulations linked to the 22:00 curfew for pubs and restaurants in England

But they did not inflict a defeat on Boris Johnson, with most Labour MPs abstaining in the vote.

Earlier this week, Mr McCartney told the BBC he thought the curfew was "not helpful to the hospitality industry".

During the debate, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the curfew was a "matter of policy choice" and was needed to restrict the number of cases and to keep schools and workplaces open.

He added there was "direct and approximate evidence" of it having a positive impact, citing a fall in alcohol-related A&E admissions late at night.

But Richard Hutchinson, who manages Busters Bar (pictured) on the Grand Parade in Skegness, says the new policy is "very silly".

He says: "When it comes to closing time there's literally hundreds of people going into the street at once. It's really silly, they've not thought it through.

Four Lincolnshire parks have been commended by the government for being "the benchmark" for outdoor spaces.

Wyndham Park in Grantham (pictured), The Arboretum, Hartsholme Country Park, and Boultham Park in Lincoln have all been given the Green Flag Award.

The award, which is given out by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the government, recognises "well-maintained parks and green spaces".

A Lincolnshire Conservative MP has criticised the government for its coronavirus restrictions, which he says are causing business closures.

Image source, UK Parliament

In the Commons, Sir Edward Leigh, MP for Gainsborough, said government rules aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 were "forcing more and more businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, out of business".

He asked what the Treasury was doing to "row back against other parts of the government" and asked for scientific evidence to support the closure of pubs at 22:00.

Responding, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Barclay, said: "The package of measures put in place by the Prime Minister has resulted in a subsequently lower infection rate".

A ticketing system has been introduced to reduce the number of visitors to a reserve for grey seals in Lincolnshire because of fears over coronavirus.

Image source, Lesley Robb/Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust

During the pupping season Donna Nook, on the Lincolnshire coast, usually attracts over 60,000 visitors, with up to 5,000 on a single day.

Officials said they were limiting numbers to 600 a day and asking people to maintain social distancing.

In 2019, the first of 2,186 pups was born on 27 October.

A one-way system will now be put in place at the reserve, to ensure Covid-19 rules are followed.

Paul Learoyd, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's chief executive, said: "We understand how much people enjoy and look forward to visiting Donna Nook. For many, it's a yearly tradition."

However, with the usual high numbers, social distancing would be impossible to maintain, he said.

"I'm pleased this new system will still allow visitors to come and see this wildlife spectacle."

The system will be introduced on 24 October and bookings can be made via the trust's website.

Making Grantham Hospital a "Covid-safe" zone has allowed staff to carry out over 1,000 urgent treatments there.

Image source, Google maps

Earlier during the coronavirus pandemic, the hospital was turned into a so-called "green site", meaning patients with Covid-19 would be admitted to hospitals in Boston or Lincoln instead.

The change was designed to help tackle the growing backlog of patients who had their treatment delayed as NHS staff tackled the pandemic.

Mark Brassington, deputy chief officer at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, says "If we didn't have this model in place, we wouldn't have been able to treat that many patients over the last few months.

"Also we've provided over 2,000 chemotherapy sessions here at Grantham - and these are our most vulnerable patients who we need to protect."

Police are asking for help to find a huge metal horse sculpture which has been taken from a garden in Belton.

Image source, Lincolnshire police

The unusual item was stolen from a home in Barkston Heath Road and was reported to police on 10 October.

Police say the sculpture is clearly "unique and very distinctive".

Image source, Lincolnshire police

If you have information, or you see this horse for sale, Lincolnshire Police are asking you to call 101 with reference number 88 of 10 October.

Have you seen Dean Gibbens? He's gone missing in Lincolnshire and police are trying to find him.

Image source, Lincolnshire police

The 45-year-old was reported missing from the Boston area last Friday and officers say they're concerned for his welfare.

While Mr Gibbens may still be in Boston, there is a possibility he could be in the Skegness area, according to police.

He is described as white, of slim build, with short grey hair, a beard, and he's about 5ft 8ins tall.

Anyone who has seen him or knows his whereabouts is being asked to contact Lincolnshire Police.

A huge vulture spotted on the Yorkshire/Derbyshire border and in Lincolnshire was born in the French Alps last year, according to new genetic research.

Image source, Ashley James

The bearded vulture is one of the largest wild birds ever seen in the UK and was seen in the Peak District in July.

Birdwatchers flocked to Howden Moor, near Sheffield, to catch a glimpse and grab a photograph of the rare raptor, which is larger than a golden eagle.

It's thought the vulture was blown off course by bad weather.

Image source, Ashley James

Feathers collected by Yorkshire birder David Ball, and analysed by the Vulture Conservation Foundation, show the female bird was born in the French Alps last year in a wild nest.

The bird, nicknamed Vigo, spent much of her summer in the Peak District, but has also been seen in Lincolnshire.

Image source, Ashley James

A dealer caught with a stash of drugs at a Lincolnshire music festival claimed he was simply trying to make people happy, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Image source, Lincolnshire police

Daniel Edun, from north London, travelled to the Equinox Festival at Chalk Farm near Louth in Lincolnshire, in September 2019.

Lincoln Crown Court heard he made the comments after being challenged and later detained by security staff.

Edun, 39, of Camden, was jailed for three years and four months.

The defendant, who the court was told had no previous convictions, admitted six charges of possession of drugs with intent to supply and a further four charges of possession.

The court heard he was caught with a stash of drugs, including LSD, ecstasy, ketamine, cocaine and magic mushrooms as he tried to enter the main arena on 23 September, the final day of the three-day festival.

A fast-track scheme has been launched for people wanting to become a detective with the Lincolnshire Police force.

Image source, Lincolnshire police

The scheme aims to speed people through the recruitment process, with a guaranteed getective job at the end.

The traditional path to becoming a detective sees officers spend over two years in a Neighbourhood Response role before being able to apply.

However, the Detective Fast-Track scheme allows successful applicants to join a specialist investigation teams at just 42 weeks.

The force says the pathway is demanding, but in turn a great deal of support and guidance is available from the very start.

Applications, external are open till 6 December, the force adds.

The traditional Boxing Day fixture at Market Rasen Racecourse will instead take place on Wednesday 30 December due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials have confirmed.

The annual Boxing Day races usually draws in crowds of over 9,000 people every year.

With the sport continuing behind closed doors for the foreseeable future, fixtures over the festive period are being rescheduled in the hope to generate more betting-related revenue for the industry.

Anyone with tickets or hospitality for this year’s Boxing Day fixture will be contacted by the racecourse via email, officials say.

The rare raptor named Vigo hatched in a wild nest in the French Alps, DNA analysis shows.

A man from Scunthorpe who stole more than £1,500 raised at an event in support of a cancer charity has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Image source, Google

Paul Stocks, 32, pocketed the cash rather than transferring it to MacMillan Cancer Support after the event at the Cocked Hat pub in Scunthorpe in June 2017.

Prosecutor Sarah Wood told Grimsby Magistrates' Court the father-of-four had ignored several requests from the charity to hand over the money after a member of the public raised concerns.

The court heard Stocks,of Reginald Road, Scunthorpe, had used the £1,554 in an effort to prop-up the pub, which he was involved in running at the time.

Stocks, who pleaded guilty to one count of theft, was sentenced to 26 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

Steve Clayton, Chief Financial Officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “It is vital the public, whose invaluable support Macmillan continues to rely on during this pandemic, are confident their donations will be used to help people living with cancer.

“Today’s sentencing will go a long way to reassure our loyal supporters and people living with cancer that we will not hesitate to pursue vigorous action against fraudulent activity, which thankfully remains very rare."

Lincoln's Drill Hall won't benefit from a new cultural arts fund aimed at helping support venues through the coronavirus pandemic because it was "asked to withdraw" its funding bid, the trust which runs it says.

Image source, Google

A total of 18 arts venues in Lincolnshire were awarded nearly £3m in funding yesterday as part of the government's Cultural Arts Fund.

But Lincoln Drill Hall, which closed in early October with a loss of 19 jobs, wasn't on the list of beneficiaries.

Phil Hamlyn Williams, chairman of Lincoln Arts Trust, which runs the Drill Hall, says it was asked to withdraw its funding bid because the venue has no funding beyond March next year.

Mr Hamlyn Williams says the government grants are to help arts venues through the pandemic, but after City of Lincoln Council withdrew its funding for the venue, the trust doesn't have enough money to sustain itself next year.

Homelessness in Lincolnshire has increased by nearly four times since last year - with the coronavirus pandemic at least partly to blame, a councillor has said.

The numbers of homeless people in South Kesteven, North Kesteven, South Holland and West Lindsey has risen from around 20 to 80 in the last year.

Councillor Ian Carrington, North Kesteven District Council’s executive member for housing, says much of that is "Covid-related, which means people cannot afford, access or sustain suitable accommodation".

In response, the Change4Lincs partnership has now been given £600,000 to tackle the problem of rough-sleeping across those four districts of Lincolnshire.

The money will be aimed at helping Change4Lincs support people at risk of homelessness and to help rough sleepers directly.

The group has 14 workers, including a nurse, four outreach workers, four tenancy support officers, two local lettings officers and two intensive support workers.

BBC Weather

After a dry and mostly sunny morning, cloud and patchy rain will spread in from the north by midday and into the afternoon.

A few bright and dry spells later, but feeling cooler than normal.

A mostly cloudy start to the night with a few spots of rain or drizzle.

Clear and dry spells becoming more widespread in the early hours, leading to some chilly spots:

A new pilot has taken over the role of leading the world famous Lincolnshire-based aerobatics team the Red Arrows.

Image source, MOD

Tom Bould, who's replaced Martin Pert as "Red 1", steps into the cockpit of the famous Hawk Jets for the first time as leader today.

The pilots of the famous team, based at RAF Scampton, usually rotate every three years and three leave the team annually.

This year, the other pilots will remain the same because the coronavirus lockdown has meant most of their displays have been cancelled.

A new arts grant will ensure some of Lincolnshire's theatres will be able to survive after the pandemic, according to trustees at Blackfriar's Theatre in Boston.

Image source, Blackfriars Theatre and Arts Centre

The government has released £157m in funding to help struggling arts venues across the country. In Lincolnshire, a total of 18 venues have been given a share of nearly £3m.

Among those benefiting are Lincoln's New Theatre Royal, Spalding's South Holland Centre and Blackfriar's Theatre in Boston.

Organisers of the Lost Village music festival, Lincoln's Engine Shed and Music Lincs are also being awarded funds.

The number of schools with confirmed cases of Covid-19 has grown in Lincolnshire.

Public Health Lincolnshire is currently working with 47 schools with positive cases.

On Friday, 43 schools were in the list.

Andy Fox, consultant in public health, says "All schools are taking action to limit the potential spread of the virus, with some pupils and staff self-isolating as a precaution where necessary."

Schools with current confirmed cases are:

• Lincoln College (open)
• Queen Elizabeth High School, Gainsborough (open)
• Hackthorn Primary School (open)
• Kesteven and Sleaford High School (open)
• Our Lady of Lincoln Catholic Primary School (open)
• Lincoln Christ's Hospital School (open)
• Priory City of Lincoln Academy (open)
• St Helena's Primary School, Willoughby (open)
• Somercotes Academy, North Somercotes (open)
• Lincoln Castle Academy (open)
• Lincoln Carlton Academy (open)
• Bluecoat Meres Academy, Grantham (closed)
• Boston High School (open)
• The Meadows Primary School, Lincoln (open)
• Waddington All Saints Academy (open)
• Dunholme St Chad's Primary School (open)
• Kesteven and Grantham Girls School (open)
• Hogsthorpe Primary Academy (open)
• Cliffedale Primary School, Grantham (open)
• Gosberton House Academy (open)
• Bassingham Pre-School (closed)
• Barrowby Primary School (open)
• Billingborough Primary School (open)
• Priory LSST, Lincoln (open)
• Priory Ruskin Academy, Grantham (open)
• Boston College (open)
• Hawthorn Tree School, Boston (closed)
• Caistor Yarborough Academy (open)
• Haven High Academy, Boston (open)
• Malcolm Sargent Primary School, Stamford (open)
• St George's Academy, Sleaford (open)
• St Peter and St Paul Academy, Lincoln (open)
• Kirkstone House School, Baston (open)
• North Kesteven Academy, North Hykeham (open)
• Stamford Endowed Schools (open)
• Manor Leas Junior School, Lincoln (open)
• St Hugh's Catholic Primary, Lincoln (open)
• Ermine Academy, Lincoln (open)
• St Giles Academy, Lincoln (open)
• Branston Community Academy (open)
• Grantham College (open)
• Kelsey Primary School (open)
• Birchwood Junior School, Lincoln (open)
• Great Steeping Primary School, Spilsby (open)
• Walton Academy, Grantham (open)
• Wragby Primary School (open)
• Woodlands Academy, Spilsby (closed)