Local Democracy Reporting Service

Health bosses in Lincolnshire have praised a “phenomenal achievement” after a third of the county's eligible population was vaccinated against coronavirus.

Derek Ward, Lincolnshire County Council’s director of public health, said the latest good news regarding Covid-19 included around 55,000 rapid PCR tests carried out a week, as well as a further 16,000 asymptomatic tests completed so far.

The county’s infection rate also continues to fall, with Lincolnshire currently hovering around 120 cases per 100,000 people — one of the lowest in the whole of the Midlands, compared to the England average of 158.

Mr Ward said “broadly speaking” about 200,000 people had been vaccinated out of approximately 630,000 of the population aged over 60.

“It’s really positive news, getting through a third of the eligible people in the couple of months since we’ve been vaccinating, considering we were starting from scratch, is a phenomenal achievement,” he said.

The government confirmed on Monday that those over the age of 65 and the clinically vulnerable were now being offered a coronavirus vaccine.

Household waste recycling centres in Sleaford and Lincoln will open extra days following the news some local bin collections have been cancelled.

Crews in North Kesteven have been affected by coronavirus, it's been confirmed:

The final bridge beams have been lifted in to place as work continues on the latest phase of the Grantham Southern Relief road project.

Image source, Lincolnshire County Council

Thirteen beams, each weighing 14 tonnes, were lifted into place last week.

Richard Davies, Lincolnshire County Council's Executive Member for Highways and Transport, said:"Getting the last of these massive beams lifted into place is huge milestone for the relief road since it means we're just months away from completing the second phase of this all-important scheme.

The multi-million pound scheme is due to be finished by the end of 2023.

BBC Weather

It'll be cloudy and breezy this morning, with a period of rain. Rain will clear to the east, and a dry afternoon will follow. Mild again today, with temperatures into double figures.

A few showers are expected this evening, perhaps heavy but passing through swiftly. The night will then be dry, with variable amounts of cloud. A mild night.

Two new testing centres have opened in northern Lincolnshire for key workers to get rapid coronavirus tests.

Image source, PA Media

The sites at Grimsby Town Hall and the Knoll in Cleethorpes are open to people who have to go out to work despite current lockdown restrictions, with a focus on identifying those who are asymptomatic.

A further site in Immingham could also be opened in the future, subject to demand.

Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “These tests will help us to identify coronavirus cases in those without symptoms that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise."

Becky Ellis Hamilton's mum had an alcohol problem but no-one talked about it - and this had tragic consequences.

BBC Weather

There'll be some cloud around in Lincolnshire to end the day and then a milder night compared to recently.

Here's the latest forecast:

Developers want to demolish an existing plant in Skellingthorpe and build a modern facility instead.

The MP for Lincoln Karl McCartney is among a number of Conservative MPs calling for coronavirus restrictions to be lifted by the end of April.

The Covid Recovery Group wants pubs and restaurants to be open by Easter:

The proposal has been rejected by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who told the BBC's Andrew Marr on Sunday that the government would be "cautious".

The government's plan to move England out of lockdown will be "cautious but irreversible", Boris Johnson has said.

The prime minister is due to set out the roadmap for ending Covid restrictions next Monday.

Charlie Smith has been nicknamed 'Car Park Charlie' by parents Harriet Hanson and Adam Smith.

Boston United's match against Darlington has been postponed, the club has announced.

The Pilgrims had been due to face The Quakers on Tuesday after their previous fixture was abandoned.

In a club statement, Boston said Darlington had told National League officials "they are unwilling to play league fixtures until the outcome of the vote to curtail the season is known".

Lincoln Cathedral will reopen for public worship this week.

The team plan to allow the public to attend services for Lent.

They originally closed the doors because of fears around the high numbers of Coronavirus infections.

The Precentor of Lincoln, the Reverend Canon Nick Brown, says they don't want to have to ticket services for now.

Public health officials in Lincolnshire are considering using fire stations as coronavirus testing sites, it's been confirmed.

Council buildings could also be used as test sites under moves to expand asymptomatic screening for Covid-19 across Lincolnshire.

The sites will be used to test public sector workers before later being opened up to the general public.

Smoking materials caused three house fires in Lincolnshire over the weekend, the county's fire service has said.

As a result, it's renewing warnings for people to take care to put cigarettes out fully and never to smoke in bed:

BBC News Travel

The northbound carriageway of the A1 is currently closed near Stamford after a lorry overturned.

Image source, BCH Road Policing Unit

The road is currently closed between the A47 at Wansford and the turn-off for Wittering as a result of the incident, which happened at about 08:30.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the area.

BBC Sport

Lincoln City have moved four points clear at the top of League One despite being held to a 2-2 draw by Accrington Stanley.

Image source, PA

Dion Charles, who had put Stanley ahead early on, equalised in the 90th minute after Morgan Rogers (above centre) and Tom Hopper's late header appeared to have turned the game and won it for the Imps.

Lincoln chose to restage the game with an 18:00 GMT Sunday kick-off time following Saturday's postponement due to a frozen pitch.

Michael Appleton's men, who face Sunderland on Wednesday, now sit four point clear of second-placed Hull City, who lost at home on Saturday to MK Dons.

Today will be a very mild day, with temperatures into double figures. It should be dry, with some brighter skies developing this afternoon.

Dry this evening, before a band of rain passes through overnight. Turning dry again later in the night, with variable amounts of cloud.

Plans for a new animal rendering plant to be built near Skellingthorpe could be approved today.

Image source, Google

DS Developing Limited want to demolish the existing plant at Jerusalem Farm and replace it with a new facility.

An original application was rejected by Lincolnshire County Council in July 2019, over concerns about the noise impact and smell, but fresh plans were submitted later the same year.

The application will be considered by the council' planning and regulation committee later and, according to council documents, external, officers are recommending the plans be given conditional approval.