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

Charlie Carter scores twice as Stevenage record back-to-back League Two wins, beating Scunthorpe to move out of the bottom two.

Cambridge United win 2-1 at Grimsby in League Two to spoil Paul Hurst's return to Blundell Park as manager.

Officers appeal for information about a man seriously injured in a crash near Boston, Lincolnshire.

About 40 guests were dispersed from one party in Hull last night, Humberside Police said.

A man has died after the car he was a passenger in hit a tree near Alford last week.

Image source, Google

The single-vehicle crash involving a Renault Modus happened just before midday on Tuesday 22 December on Main Road in Withern.

Two passengers, an elderly man and a woman, were seriously injured and were taken to hospital for treatment. The man has since died, according to Lincolnshire Police.

Anyone who saw what happened, or who has dash camera footage from the scene at around the time of the crash, is being asked to contact police.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service is warning people to be careful if they're planning on letting off fireworks to celebrate the new year.

More people are going to buy fireworks than usual because of a lack of organised public displays due to coronavirus restrictions, the service says.

As a result, Paul Howes, fire service safety manager, says: "First of all make sure they're appropriate fireworks. Make sure you're getting them from a reputable high street-type retailer.

"I urge you not to buy them from these pop-up shops and so on as they may not be proper British Standard fireworks."

East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) says its crews are still expecting a surge in demand tonight despite pubs and clubs being closed due to coronavirus restrictions.

EMAS, which covers Lincolnshire, is urging people to drink sensibly at home and take extra care to avoid putting more pressure on the service.

Dr Leon Roberts, EMAS medical director, says: "If it's a slip, a trip, a fall, a heart attack - we want to be there for you this New Year's Eve.

"What we don't want to be doing is chasing around people at home who have drunk to excess, in small villages in rural locations which stretches our resources."

On the day the county is placed in the toughest tier four coronavirus restrictions, latest infection rate figures show Lincolnshire's seven districts are all below the England average.

Lincoln and Boston, which had some of the highest rates in the country just a few weeks ago, are continuing to fall.

They're now both outside the top 100 highest areas in the country.

However, infection rates are rising in the North and South Kesteven areas of the county.

A Lincolnshire man who helped restore windmills and a woman described as a "leading light" in flood protection feature on the New Year Honours list.

Jon Sass (pictured above), 78, who lives near Market Rasen, has been appointed MBE for services to the restoration of UK windmills and watermills.

Mr Sass restored Wrawby Mill, an 18th Century windmill near Scunthorpe used for producing wheat flour, in 1961.

He later became a founding member of the Lincolnshire Mills Group, which aims to preserve and maintain mills in the county. He said the honour was "a complete surprise".

Image source, MOD

There's also a British Empire Medal (BEM) for Deborah Campbell (pictured above), 47, for services to flood protection and voluntary service to youngsters.

Ms Campbell, a technical specialist for the Environment Agency, led flood protection schemes and relief efforts in Lincolnshire following flooding in 2013, 2017 and 2019.

She directed RAF crews in delivering more than 100 tonnes of ballast to block a breach in the River Steeping when it burst its banks in June 2019.

She said she was "delighted" to be awarded the BEM.

Lincolnshire Police have put our an unusual request to help them track down the owner of a badly damaged tractor.

Former Lincolnshire Chief Constable Bill Skelly and serving Assistant Chief Constable Kerrin Wilson have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list and will receive the Queen’s Police Medal.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

Mr Skelly (pictured above), who retired as Chief Constable earlier this month, is described as ”a visionary and inspirational leader, driven by a strong sense of justice” and someone who “made a real difference to the communities he served”.

At the time of nomination for the honour, ACC Kerrin Wilson (pictured below) was the only female chief officer in the UK from a BAME background.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

She has been recognised for “inspiring others to greatness” and “placing diversity at the heart of her work”.

ACC Wilson says: “It truly is an honour to receive the Queen’s Police Medal and I’m delighted that my work has been recognised in this way.

"This proves that efforts across the country to embrace diversity and ensure equal opportunities for all are being noticed, and it's important we continue on this path and continue to grow both within policing and as a society.”

The leader of North Lincolnshire Council has urged people to stick to social distancing rules to help stop the area being moved into the toughest tier four coronavirus restrictions.

Image source, Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Northern Lincolnshire remains in tier three - very high alert - restrictions despite neighbouring areas moving into tier four.

Council boss Rob Waltham says: "There are many smaller businesses we value going to every day that are now still able to remain open - but if we go into tier four then they have to close.

"This is exactly why we need to keep that intervention down and keep the number of people we're mixing with down, otherwise tier four is coming our way."

The owners of a Gainsborough gym which opened on Boxing Day say they're "heartbroken" at closing their doors after Lincolnshire entered tier four coronavirus restrictions.

Image source, Science Photo Library

Snap Fitness Gainsborough opened in Marshall's Yard Shopping Centre and Hannah Foster from the business said: "It's been a great few days but far too short unfortunately.

"Everyone is just so disappointed, it's been great we've been able to open for these few days and people were just starting to get into a routine."

Tier four coronavirus restrictions mean gyms, among other businesses, must shut.

You can find a full list of restrictions here.

A review of the system is due in a fortnight and staff say they're staying positive and hoping they can get back to business soon.

It's another chilly day across the county. Temperatures will be around freezing but there will be spells of wintry sunshine during the day.

You can find your local forecast here.

Grimsby Town re-appoint Paul Hurst as manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal to replace Ian Holloway.

The move to the toughest measures starts at midnight, with all non-essential shops having to close.

The leader of East Lindsey District Council says he understands why Lincolnshire is moving up into the highest level of Covid restrictions, but it's "not easy".

Image source, Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Lincolnshire goes into the toughest tier four restrictions at midnight due to rising coronavirus infection rates.

While East Lindsey now has the lowest rate of Covid-19 infections in Lincolnshire, Councillor Craig Leyland says he understands the government's decision as rates can rise again very quickly.

He says: "As leader of the council I can rationalise where the government is at with this. It's not easy and I'm struggling for words."

Mr Leyland adds that he can see the timing of the move is "to give the NHS breathing space to allow capacity".

"Of course, the NHS is not just dealing with Covid, it is dealing with all the other things we take for granted that the NHS delivers," he adds.

The boss of a Lincolnshire shopping centre says it's impossible to plan for the future due to a lack of clarity over when current coronavirus restrictions will be eased.

Image source, Google

Lincolnshire goes into the toughest tier four coronavirus restrictions from midnight due to rising infection rates, meaning all "non-essential" businesses will have to close.

Alison Shipperbottom, head of retail at Gainsborough's Marshall's Yard shopping centre, says the move into tier four is a big blow for retailers.

She says: "It's frustrating because stores have put in numerous measures, as has the beauty industry, hospitality and the gyms.

"They are very safe places to come and visit, however they are almost the first to shut down when numbers creep up."

The government says it will review the current tiers in two weeks' time.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Lincolnshire going into the toughest tier four coronavirus restrictions from Thursday is "devastating" for small businesses in the county, it's being claimed.

Image source, Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Tier four rules include a "stay at home" order and mean businesses such as hairdressers, gyms and all "non-essential" shops must close, along with indoor entertainment venues.

Katrina Pierce, development manager for the Federation of Small Businesses in Lincolnshire, says: "Entering a new year under the toughest restrictions after a turbulent 2020 will not only further knock morale among business owners, it will hit their accounts too."

Earlier, health secretary, Matt Hancock said: "I know that tier three and four measures place a significant burden on people, and especially on businesses affected, but I’m afraid it’s absolutely necessary because of the number of cases that we’ve seen."