BBC Sport

Lincolnshire referee Darren Drysdale will not referee Southend's game with Bolton on Saturday after being charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.

Image source, Matchday Images Ltd

He has apologised for locking heads with Ipswich player Alan Judge during Tuesday's draw against Northampton.

Drysdale moved his head towards Judge in the 90th minute and briefly appeared to square up to him.

The official has until 4 March to reply to the charge and has been replaced by Declan Bourne for the League Two match.

In a statement released by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, Drysdale said he "did not maintain his composure" in the incident.

Lincolnshire County Council says it's disappointed the government has cut the amount of money it's getting to spend on the county's roads.

Image source, Google

The Department for Transport announced this week Lincolnshire's roads would receive £12.3m less funding this year compared to last.

The county's capital maintenance grant for 2021-22 is £38.7m compared to £51m for the previous year - that's a reduction of almost a quarter.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: "For such a vitally important service to be cut so drastically is frustrating and disappointing.

"We operate as efficiently as we can, and ultimately the limit to how well we can maintain and improve our roads is based on how much money we can invest in it. This funding cut will mean less road resurfacing, fewer potholes filled."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Grantham Hospital has had no patients contracting Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, with health bosses now calling that a "substantial achievement".

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They say since the start of the pandemic, no coronavirus-infected patients have been treated on the so-called "green site" so important procedures such as cancer treatment could take place there.

Grantham’s "green site" status was introduced in June 2020 and has seen the hospital operate as a Covid-free facility in all departments except the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC).

Simon Evans, Chief Operating Officer at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, said: “[This] is a substantial achievement and reflects the enormous efforts of the teams over there, who are increasingly more and more vigilant.”

The temporary arrangements are set to finish on 1 April, but this will go to consultation in March where health bosses will confirm the move.

This will also turn Grantham’s UTC back into its A&E centre.

Coronavirus infections in parts of Lincolnshire are rising, the latest figures show.

Boston, West Lindsey and Lincoln have all seen an increase.

Boston's rate is currently 188 infections per 100,000 people - which is above the national average of 137.

The number of infections in South Holland is also higher than the England average, but has seen a fall.

Meanwhile, East Lindsey continues to have the lowest rates in the county.

Here are the full details:

• Boston: 188.1 infections per 100,000 people
• South Holland: 165.2 infections per 100,000 people
• West Lindsey: 133.8 infections per 100,000 people
• North Kesteven: 124.0 infections per 100,000 people
• Lincoln: 117.8 infections per 100,000 people
• South Kesteven: 108.8 infections per 100,000 people
• East Lindsey: 71.3 infections per 100,000 people

Joel Ajewole is serving a nine-and-half year jail sentence for rape and sexual assault.

Seven people were arrested in several raids in Lincolnshire last month in an effort to crack down on "county lines" drug gangs, police have revealed.

Three warrants were carried out simultaneously in Grantham at the end of January in relation to Class A drugs, the Lincolnshire force says.

Four men aged between 32 and 50 and two women aged 29 and 51 were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Meanwhile, a man aged 41 was arrested on suspicion of possessing a Class B drug, officers say.

Drugs, drugs paraphernalia, cash, mobile phones and weapons including knives and a knuckleduster were seized during the raids, they add.

Those arrested have since been released under investigation while inquiries continue, according to Lincolnshire Police.

So-called "county lines" operations see young and vulnerable people used as couriers to move drugs and cash between cities and smaller towns.

BBC Weather

This morning will be dull. Around noon a band of heavy rain will push in from the west.

However, that will quickly clear to sunshine and isolated showers in the afternoon. Feeling chillier.

Through this evening, any isolated showers will die away, leaving a dry night with clearing skies and easing winds.

It will be quite chilly with a touch of frost possible in places:

Lincoln City boss Michael Appleton says he's "proud and delighted" of his team, despite their Wembley dream being over after they were beaten by Sunderland on penalties in last night's Papa John's Trophy clash.

Image source, Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Sunderland beat League One leaders Lincoln on penalties to reach their second EFL Trophy final.

Imps manager Michael Appleton told BBC Radio Lincolnshire the players were "bitterly disappointed".

"We will pick them up as quickly as we can because we have more crucial league games coming up," he said.

"I was really proud and delighted the way the lads went about it - I thought for the first half-an-hour, 35 minutes we were in control and looked the better side.

"Having said that, I knew coming in at half-time we had a few players who looked a little bit leggy and tired and that's not like us. We're going to have to make sure we look after the players in between games."

However, Appleton admitted Sunderland "showed their real experience when it came to penalties".

BBC Weather

This evening, showery rain will continue to push in.

Rain will clear later in the night, but it will be often cloudy.

Continuing breezy and mild:

Lincoln Cathedral reopens today for public worship after being closed during the current coronavirus lockdown.

The team at the historic cathedral plan to allow people to attend services for Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.

The cathedral's doors had been closed due to fears around the high numbers of Covid-19 infections in Lincolnshire, with services instead being held online.

The Very Reverend Christine Wilson, Dean of Lincoln Cathedral, says the regular congregation and other attendees have been "missed".

"What will be great will be being able to connect again with some of our folk who have absolutely no opportunity to be online," she says.

"It's going to be lovely to just see them, check in with them and know that they're well - and have them as part of our life again."

Police say the journey was "not essential" and put people at "real risk".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Lincolnshire Police receive around 250 Covid-related calls a week over alleged lockdown breaches, force bosses have revealed.

Image source, PA Media

Ch Supt Paul Timmins answered a question about groups of young people congregating near the River Slea, in Sleaford, and breaching lockdown during a Facebook live Q&A on Tuesday.

He said the force received around 40 calls a day for Covid-related issues and that police do “go through each and every single one”.

“Where we get reports of those sorts of activities...we do risk assess and have a proportionate response to them,” he said.

Ch Supt Timmins added this did not just mean enforcing incidents but figuring out why they occurred - for instance “family set-up issues that might mean the children feel better being outdoors.”

This included working with partners such as local authorities or Trading Standards for advice and guidance.

That way, he said: “We’re able then to provide a really decent quality service to that individual [and] can provide them with the right outcome rather than just saying, sorry it’s not our problem.”

Lincoln City have their eyes firmly on Wembley tonight for only the second time in their history.

Image source, Google

The Imps take on Sunderland in the EFL Trophy semi-final this evening.

The winner of tonight's match will take on Tranmere at Wembley.

Lincoln boss Michael Appleton says his side needs to seize the moment.

"This is a great distraction away from the league - not a bad distraction, a good one," he says.

"You have the opportunity to play a game where there aren't three points at stake. You can take the shackles off, just relax and go for it."

Test and trace officers are planning to visit people in north east Lincolnshire who haven't taken up the offer of a coronavirus vaccine to find out why.

Image source, PA Media

Council officers will carry out doorstep visits to offer support to people who are self-isolating and to answer questions from those who haven't yet had the jab.

Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for health, wellbeing and adult social care at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “The officers are predominantly there to make sure that those people who are self-isolating at home have got the necessary support.

"They’re also going to be contacting local residents who have been offered the vaccine but have not engaged with the NHS to book an appointment.

"This is just to make sure they are OK and to answer any questions they might have about the vaccine.

“The vaccine is our best chance at fighting off this disease and reducing the numbers of people ending up in hospital as a result of its effects.”

BBC Weather

This morning, a band of rain will push in from the west, soon clearing eastwards. This will leave the afternoon dry with sunny spells for a time, before cloud begins to build in. Breezy, but mild.

This evening, showery rain will continue to push in. Rain will clear later in the night, but it will be often cloudy. Continuing breezy and mild.

Two men who made a 130-mile round trip from Leeds to Lincoln have been fined for breaking lockdown rules.

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The pair, who claimed to be vloggers, were spotted filming outside South Park Police Station and Lincoln Prison on Monday.

Lincolnshire Police said the men, aged 28 and 44, had both been fined £200.

Ch Insp Andy Morrice said: “The majority of the public have worked with us and I thank them for that.

“With a virus spreading so rapidly through contact with others we should all be asking ourselves whether our reason to leave home is truly essential. In this case travelling was not deemed essential.

“There is a real risk that our health service could be overwhelmed and people - our friends and family - could die needlessly from this virus.

“Those personal decisions are critical."

BBC Weather

It will be a dry night in Lincolnshire.

Here's the latest forecast:

A shop in Lincoln has lost its alcohol licence after police found vodka containing 150,000 times more industrial alcohol than is legally permitted.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

Five bottles of illicit Krackoff Vodka were seized from the Zabka store on Portland Street in December along with 190 illegal medicine products and 62 bottles of non-duty paid alcohol, according to Lincolnshire Police.

The vodka was "a totally illicit product", the force added.

At a hearing on 11 February, the shop's licence was revoked.

There is a 21-day appeal process and if no appeal is submitted then the revocation comes into action, Lincolnshire Police said.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Schools in Greater Lincolnshire have lost more than £20,000 after a lettings firm went into administration.

Image source, Reuters/Carl Recine

Schools Lettings Solutions (SLS), which rents out school facilities, went into administration last year, leaving over 300 schools nationally £4m out of pocket.

They include the David Ross Education Trust, with 11 schools across Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, which has lost out on £17,212.

A list posted to Companies House revealed the business also owed £2,474.75 to Beacon Academy in Cleethorpes, and £1,000 to Clifton Promotions, whose owners run a dance academy in Grimsby.

A spokesperson for the David Ross Education Trust said: "Like a number of academy trusts, we worked with SLS to manage our sports facilities bookings. This relationship was limited to just three of our academies.

"As soon as we had notification of the firm going into administration, we were in touch with the administrators to make a claim and that process is ongoing."

The Times reported that some schools said children were likely to go without books, trips or supplies.

When the company went into administration, it blamed the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown when schools were forced to close and team sports were banned.

Daniel Taylor, of Fortis Insolvency, which was appointed as the administrator, said at the time: “The directors initially took steps to try and protect the business and jobs by using the furlough scheme, although they have been unsuccessful in raising funds from Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

“With all the current uncertainties which exist, and the tapering of the furlough scheme in the coming months, there really is no option but to close the business.”

Over 9,000 rapid Covid-19 tests have been carried out in Boston in recent weeks.

Tests are available at the Peter Paine Performance Centre and at Tollfield Campus Haven High.

People without coronavirus symptoms are being encouraged to go along to get tested: