Church leaders in Sutton Bridge are trying to stamp out thefts and vandalism in St Matthew’s churchyard – by asking families to remove some items left on loved-ones’ graves.

Vicar, the Rev David Oxtoby, said: “Keeping out those within the community who don’t respect others’ grave spaces is always going to be difficult.

“The PCC (parochial church council) will be writing to some families and asking them to please remove items that don’t conform to churchyard regulations – therefore removing the opportunity for theft and also making the whole churchyard more in keeping with its surroundings.”

The church may also step up surveillance to keep thefts and vandalism in check.

Mr Oxtoby said: “The church does have CCTV inside so one possibility is for an extra camera to be located outside at the rear of the church.”

He said some villagers have complained to him about grave spaces that they claim are “spoiling the overall look of the whole churchyard”.

Mr Oxtoby said: “I’m aware that there have been a few incidents where items have been taken from grave spaces and not been returned, such as lanterns.

“The PCC have decided to review the whole churchyard against churchyard regulations to ensure our churchyard is a place of peace and beauty for the current and also future generations.”

Applications made to the local councils.

South Holland District Council

Mr G Dainton, rear 4 Foxes Low Road, Holbeach. New vehicular access for 6 Foxes Low Road.

Mr K Shepperson and Mr G Freeman, Old Crown Farm, Carrington Road, Moulton Seas End. Details of external materials, doors, windows, etc.

Mrs S Mitchell, 8 Albert Street, Holbeach. Removal of defective render, remove cement based pointing and re point in sympathetic lime based materials and various other work (retrospective).

Proctor Brothers (Wingland) Ltd, Lighthouse Farm, East Bank, Sutton Bridge. Detail of external materials.

Mr D Robinson, rookery Farm, Joys Bank, Holbeach St Johns. Expansion of nursery and glasshouses.

Mr D Franklin, 79 Little London, Long Sutton. Details of external materials, landscaping and boundary screening.

Mr and Mrs Woolsey, 3 The Paddocks, Holbeach. Extension.

Bernard Matthews Ltd, Paradise Farm, Mill Drove North, Cowbit. Amendment to nine biomass heating packaged plant rooms.

Mr and Mrs P Horry, 3 Paddock Lane, Roman Bank, Holbeach Bank. Loft conversion and alterations to garage.

Mr K Sharpe, 1 Sunningdale Avenue, Spalding. Relocation of boundary fence.

Mr and Mrs J Carnell, 8 Delamore Way, Long Sutton. Extension.

Boston Borough Council

Ms N Dunlop, Brinsworth Farm, Holme Road, Kirton Holme. Amendment to siting of annex.

Miss S Luker, The Villa, Asperton Road, Wigtoft. Extension.

South Kesteven District Council

Peach, 5 Westwood Drive, Bourne. Demolition of rear porch and build extension.

Twine, r/o 33A Horsegate, Deeping St James. Single storey detached dwelling with car parking.

Bourne United Charities, The Well Head Fields, South Street, Bourne. Fell two willow trees.

John Kearsey, The Grange, Callans Lane, Kirkby Underwood. Conversion of cart shed to dwelling.

Turner, 4 Galletly Close, Bourne. Extension, replacement garage with first floor above.

Welsh, 27 North Road, Bourne. Extension.

Moody, r/o 37 West Road, Bourne. Three dwellings.

Health Matters by Jenny Hinchliffe, Head of Clinical Services for the South at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust

An estimated three million people have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in the UK, and most people are not diagnosed until they are in their 50s.

Some of you might not have heard of COPD before and many of you won’t realise a specialist respiratory team work across Lincolnshire to support patients to make living with the condition more manageable.

COPD is a long-term lung condition which makes breathing difficult and is caused predominantly by smoking or breathing in other harmful substances. COPD is a broad term that covers several lung conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

The majority of people living with COPD will have symptoms of breathlessness of varying degrees.

No two people are the same and some people cope with their breathlessness with very little support from any health services, however, for many people living with COPD is a disabling and exhausting experience because their breathlessness makes all aspects of daily living very hard work.

The decision about which medicines to use depends on how severe the COPD is, how it is affecting everyday life and whether the person has a lot of exacerbations of their condition (a worsening of symptoms, very often caused by a chest infection). The treatments available for COPD help people to breathe more easily but they don’t repair the damage to the lungs.

Stopping smoking is extremely important if you have COPD to prevent further and ongoing damage to the lungs. Your GP, practice nurse, respiratory team or a specialist advisor from the Phoenix NHS Stop Smoking Service will all be able to offer you support and help to do this. Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy will greatly increase your chance of quitting.

The specialist respiratory team at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) provide a number of services specifically tailored to supporting patients with COPD.

These services include:

* Specialist COPD nurses who support when symptoms get worse, medicines management and all aspects of living with COPD, especially keeping well and avoiding going into hospital.

The nurses also support patients after discharge from hospital to ensure they make a good recovery.

* Pulmonary Rehabilitation – a 10-week programme of exercise which improves patients’ breathing control, fitness and health related quality of life. The sessions also include education which teaches patients how to manage their condition.

* Adult Home Oxygen Assessment Service – some patients may have low oxygen levels and require oxygen therapy at home. It is important that patients are fully assessed for this therapy and then reviewed regularly.

* Respiratory Physiotherapists will visit patients at home who need support with breathing control, coughing and clearing sputum from their chests.

If you have COPD and think you may benefit from one of these services please contact your GP or practice nurse who will be able to refer you if they think it will help you.

If you would like more information or support to quit smoking, contact the Phoenix NHS Stop Smoking Service for free, confidential and non-judgemental advice on 0800 840 1533.

The following decisions have been made by magistrates at court hearings. In all drink-drive cases the legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine. Addresses of defendants published here are taken from the legal records held by the magistrates’ courts.

Boston Magistrates’ Court

August 4

Thanasi Greenfield (19), of Havelock Street, Spalding. Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £300 costs, disqualified from driving for 42 days.

Luis Freitas (37), if Millgate, Whaplode. Speeding (Gosberton). £100 fine, £20 v/s, 4pts.

Lee Overton (37), of Spinney Lane, Stretton. Driving while using a mobile phone (Market Deeping). £100 fine. Defective tyre. £185 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Stacey Wing (30), of Crosslands, Donington. No insurance (Boston). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Arthur Zealand (65), of Churchill Way, Heckington. Speeding (Quadring). £230 fine, £23 v/s, 385 costs, 6pts.

August 6

Scott Biggs (22), of Spalding Common, Spalding. Possession of amphetamine (Spalding). 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs, drugs to be forfeited and destroyed.

Richard Chapman (32), of Harriet Close, Sutton Bridge. Drunk and disorderly (Sutton Bridge). 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs.

Martin Greenfield (46), of Frampton Place, Boston. Stole cosmetics belonging to Boots (Spalding) and other theft offences in Boston. Six weeks prison sentence concurrent.

Nikolaj Rusanov (30), of London Road, Spalding. Drunk and disorderly (Spalding). £50 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Egidijus Stasiulaitis (35), of Crocus Walk, Spalding. Drunk and disorderly (Spalding). £50 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Aaron Barker (18), of Hurn Road, Holbeach Hurn. Had a knife in a public place (Holbeach), two counts of theft of pedal cycle (Holbeach). Community order with 8 week curfew order, knife to be forfeited and destroyed, £60 v/s.

Darius Mazeika (22), of Hannam Boulevard, Spalding. Drink driving (Spalding). Community order with 175 hours unpaid work, £60 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 30 months.

Kieran Sands (18), of Park Avenue, Sutterton. Possession of cannabis (Sutterton). 18 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, drugs to be forfeited and destroyed.

August 7

Alexanders Cernuchins (35), of Carrington Road, Spalding. Drunk and disorderly (Spalding). £95 find, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Dominic Cooper (26), of Holyrood Walk, Spalding. Stole a pedal cycle (Spalding). 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs.

Shaun Smith (36), of Hereward Road, Spalding. Intended to cause racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress (Spalding). Community order with 75 hours unpaid work, £60 v/s, £200 costs.

August 11

Brian Fulcher (80), of Mayflower Gardens, Bishop Stortford. Driving without due care and attention (Spalding). £160 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Darren Jenkins(38), of St Thomas Way, Hawkesyard, Rugeley. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £140 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Raimondas Liogerpusis, of Arundel Road, Peterborough. No insurance (Crowland). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Karnail Singh (55), of Marlingford Road, Easton, Norwich. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Marcin Cyganowicz (37), of Queens Road, Spalding. No insurance (Spalding. £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Angelo Melisi (50), of Wignals Gate, Holbeach. Speeding (Spalding). £215 fine, £21 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

August 13

Ashley Chapman (21), of Downes Crescent, Long Sutton. Two counts of assault (Long Sutton). Community order with 70 hours unpaid work and alcohol treatment requirement, £60 v/s, £85 costs.

Joshua Bloodworth (23), c/o Roman Bank, Spalding. Assault (Spalding). Community order, £60 v/s, £85 costs.

Ashley Bray (24), of Green Lane, Spalding. Breach of a non-molestation order. Community order, £60 v/s, £85 costs.

Christopher Baggaley (34), of Bridge Road, Sutton Bridge. Stole packs of meat belonging to Co-op Stroes (Long Sutton). 18 months conditional discharge, £20 compensation, £5 v/s, £50 costs.

Jacob Hart (18), of Oxford Gardens, Holbeach. Possession of cannabis (Holbeach). 6 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs, drugs and cannabis grinders to be forfeited and destroyed.

Anthony Holmes (33), of Hall Road, Haconby. Drunk and disorderly (Spalding). 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £40 costs.

James Caraccio (43), of Balmoral Avenue, Spalding. Rode a cycle on a road without consideration for other road users (Spalding). £37 fine, £20 v/s. Commission of a further offence during period of a suspended sentence order. Suspended sentence increased from six to seven months. No action taken on breach of conditional discharge.

Skegness Magistrates’ Court

August 12

Ritchie Eldinc, of Craven Avenue, Kirton. Insurance offence (Boston). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £110 costs.

Donna Hodgett (46), of Coupledyke Lane, Kirton. Insurance offence (Boston). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £110 costs.

Pedro Lopes, of Fleming Court, Wyberton. Failing to give driver ID (Wyberton). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Maciej Olesik (33), of Church Street, Holbeach. Unlicensed vehicle (Spalding). £200 fine, £46.67 back duty, £90 costs.

Jordan Sesstein (20), of Spalding Road, Sutterton. Failing to give driver ID (Spalding). £150 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Michael Walls (32), of Snaith Avenue, Fosdyke. Insurance offence (Boston). £50 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court

August 13

George Cafe (18), of Marriots Gate, Lutton. Driving without due care and attention (Holbeach). £85 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Karen Tilbrook (53), of Goodfellows Road, Spalding. Speeding (Spalding). £80 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Saulius Butkevicius (40), of Woad Farm Road, Boston. No insurance (Kirton). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Christopher Carrott (50), of Browns Road, Boston. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £80 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Kim Cowling (34), of Mill Green Road, Spalding. No insurance (Boston). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Peter King (41), of Warham Road, Binham, Fakenham. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £80 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

August 14

Mark Jackson (34), c/o Gaunt Close, Spalding. Used threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour (Spalding). £100 fine, £20 v/s. No action on breach of conditional discharge.

August 16

Stuart Grogan (32), of Pennygate, Spalding. Stole steam cleaning mop worth £79.99 belonging to Poundstretcher (Spalding). 6 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £25 costs.

For the last three decades I’ve been hoping to see my favourite football club win a major trophy. And the wait goes on...

As a supporter of West Ham United, I don’t really expect too much.

A mid-table finish and a cup run would usually keep me happy. I’d settle for that this season.

Right now I’m in a very good mood because the Hammers produced an excellent performance on Saturday to beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park.

Hopefully that will be followed up by a couple of home wins this week.

But there will be spells when things are not going quite as well as they did at the weekend.

The highs and lows are all part of being a fan, whoever you support.

The play-off final win at Wembley Stadium just over two years ago was my greatest day as a Hammer.

I’ve seen more than 200 live matches – a figure which would have been much higher if I hadn’t been covering Rushden & Diamonds home and away for 12 seasons.

Over the last three years I’ve been to the majority of games at Upton Park plus a few away fixtures, especially during the promotion campaign.

Personally I like Sam Allardyce and he’s doing a good job. I really don’t understand why he always seems to be under pressure and facing the sack.

Unfortunately he can’t get rid of this tag of long-ball tactics.

But I don’t believe West Ham have been playing that way and you only have to look at the quality of the goals scored by Mauro Zarate and Stewart Downing at the weekend.

It would be great to see them playing ‘the West Ham way’ every week but I care more about results than performances.

And in two years I feel confident the Olympic Stadium will be full of more than 50,000 happy Hammers.

Town centre businesses who complain not enough people are visiting Spalding have their chance to shine - literally - this week for a film crew working on a £30,000 television advertising campaign to be broadcast next year.

A call has gone out to businesses to be in tip-top shape today and tomorrow for the arrival of a film crew - because “they could be filming near you”.

That means cleaning windows and washing shop fronts - basic actions to attract shoppers but too often neglected in the town centre.

The £30,000 cost of the project has come from a S106 pot provided to benefit Spalding when Springfields shopping centre – this week celebrating its 10th anniversary – was built.

Phil Scarlett, president of Spalding and District Area Chamber of Trade, said: “My request is for all businesses and shopkeepers to look at the front of their shops and make sure they are tidy and presentable because they are possibly going to appear in an advert on national television.”

The crew are expected to film a family of professional models exploring the market, looking in windows of shops in the town centre, The Crescent and at Springfields, the growing café culture, Spalding Water Taxi and Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens.

The finished advert will be shown on ITV on its Yorkshire, Central East and Anglia West regional editions.

If filming does not go ahead this week, it is likely to happen on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.

Mark Huggins (44), of Romford, Essex, has appeared before Lincoln magistrates charged with ten sexual offences alleged to have taken place in Bourne between June and August 2013.

They include six counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity and one count of rape, all against a person aged under 16.

A plan to double the county’s agri-food sector’s contribution to the economy within the next two decades is to be shared with farmers and growers at a meeting in Spalding on Tuesday, September 2.

The National Farmers Union, in conjunction with the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise partnership which published the Agri-Food Sector Plan 2014-2020, is to present the vision at the Patio Room, Springfields Events Centre (8am for a 8.30am start to 10am).

Mark Tinsley, Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise partnership Board member and Martin Collison, the agri-food sector paper’s author, will explain the plan and how it will be taken forward.

Farming and horticultural businesses will benefit in the overall growth objectives, but to do that the NFU says they need to be part of it.

Places can be booked for September 2 by calling Brenda Goode or Laura Harrison on 01572 824250 or email brenda.goode@nfu.org.uk by August 29.

When it comes to medium-sized growers it’s not just diversification that’s needed to survive, but a second job.

That’s the experience of Darien Long who grows cut flowers under 4,000 square metres of glass on a site at Gosberton Clough.

However, to help make the business sustainable Darien also keeps pigs – and does some lorry driving.

Darien specialises in column stocks in the spring and is just planting his second crop, ornamental cabbages.

The ornamental cabbages were grown for the first time last year, and this year Darien expects to have around 110,000 stems to supply to supermarkets to go in bouquets around Christmas time.

The main crop though is the stocks, and about 350,000 stems went to the supermarkets this year.

The cabbages are fairly easy to grow, whereas the stocks are prone to disease.

The government ban of methyl bromide in 2010, which Darien previously used to sterilise the greenhouses, has added to the problems – and cost the business a lot financially.

Darien has to bring someone in to steam sterilise the glasshouses, at a cost of £20,000 – in a process that uses £15,000 of oil.

He said: “They banned it because it’s not good for the environment, but they didn’t realise how much oil you are using instead. It’s crazy and very expensive for people like myself.”

The good news is that, though the stocks need heat in the spring, the ornamental cabbages prefer cooler temperatures, and in fact need them to flower and colour.

The stems, which grow to about a metre high with a single head on the top, come in reds and pinks but Darien is focusing on whites this year. It wasn’t by choice but because of limited seed supply, but it’s proved fortunate because white is easier to grow.

Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss has announced further details of what the new CAP greening rules will mean for English farmers.

She has also called on the EU to provide urgent clarity on the outstanding issues and review the three crop rule.

Whether a farmer grows traditional arable, potatoes, salads or speciality crops, Defra does not want them to be adversely affected. The three crops can be grown over the course of a year, with a two-month inspection window of May to June set for the five per cent of farms that will be inspected.

For crops harvested prior to this, stubble will count as evidence, and Defra wants more evidence, such as organic matter in soil or photographs, to be accepted.

NFU Mutual’s latest rural crime figures show that offences in the countryside, including the theft of expensive farm vehicles, fertilizers and livestock, is on the rise in the UK, with the figures for 2013 up 5.2 per cent on 2012.

According to the insurer, 2013 was the worst year on record for livestock theft.

Expensive farm machinery and vehicles are also being stolen, many being smuggled out of the UK.

The cost of crime to the UK’s rural economy reached £44.5million.

More than 600 people voted in a referendum to demand a public inquiry on two proposed power stations at Sutton Bridge.

Results of Wednesday’s parish poll will be sent by the parish council to the Secretary of State – and protesters hope the vote will persuade the Government to hold independent public inquiries to decide if the power stations are built.

Parish councillor Jenny Rowe said: “We hope South Holland District Council will now support us in trying to get a public inquiry into both the applications.

“That’s clearly what the residents want.

“They call themselves ‘the listening council’. If the council are listening to the people they will support us.”

Protesters are expected to speak at tomorrow (Wednesday’s) South Holland planning committee when councillors are asked to rubber-stamp a list of 32 conditions for the planned EDF gas-fired power station on the banks of the River Nene.

The district council is only a consultee for that application, made under the Electricity Act, but has already voted to raise no objections.

The far more controversial EnergyPark Sutton Bridge application for a wood-fuelled, biomass power station – branded a “cancinerator” by some protesters – is due to go before the planning committee on a date to be decided.

If both power stations are built, residents will live in the shadow of 17 towering chimneys – including the two at the existing power station – and fear the combined emissions will pose a huge health hazard.

They are also worried about the threat of fires following a series of blazes at wood-based biomass plants, one of which burned for nearly a fortnight, and the risk of explosions with the plant so close to potentially two gas-fired power stations.

Traffic pollution is another fear with HGVs going to and from the plant every five minutes.

The NFU has put together guidance for growers preparing for the first oilseed rape crop without neonicotinoid seed dressings.

Read the ‘good practice’ document at nfuonline.com

Handful of Harmonies musical director Andrew Clingo believes there are clear advantages to children getting involved in a choir.

He says they – just like his adult singers – can benefit from the health benefits of singing regularly.

Not least of these is the relief from the pressure of school exams placed on students – as last week’s GCSE results candidates can testify.

Andrew said the two hours on a Saturday afternoon was something they could do relax.

He said: “They are not going to be worrying too much about homework.

“If they are having a down day they can enjoy the feel good factor of singing. They can blow off some steam or just make some friends really.

“We are not looking at doing exams or anything like that, but it is going to be completely driven by them.”

Andrew will run sessions with assistant Mel Barber, who has two children. He says there are no auditions.

In the past three years inspirational conductor Andrew Clingo has persuaded just shy of 300 voices to sing.

They are members of his seven adult choirs that come under the umbrella name of Handful of Harmonies, and they’re located at places like Bourne, the Deepings, Spalding, Langtoft and further afield.

There is also something called Harminnies, based at Langtoft and aimed at youngsters from six upwards. As well as taking part in sounds with movement activities, the children do displays at local events.

Andrew says the majority of them are aged six or seven, but now he wants to give older children the chance to sing.

He is launching Bourne Youth Choir with an open session at Bourne Abbey Church hall on Monday, September 1 (3pm to 5pm).

The youth choir is aimed at children aged from seven to 16, possibly pushing the upper limit to 18 in future.

Andrew said: “What we want to do is tap into that older market, and be a little bit more serious than the Harminnies.

“We are going to look at competitions and local events we can take part in, but for the people that get involved in the youth choir it is an opportunity for them to get involved in something they are going to lead.

“I don’t know if they will want a uniform, a particular colour or logo... there is no package. This is very much out there for the kids to take control and drive it.”

There are already about 20 youngsters signed up – mostly from the Bourne Youth Choir page on Facebook or the website bourneyouthchoir.co.uk – but Andrew is hoping that the choir will contain nearer 40 children.

Sessions, with live music, are being held at Bourne Abbey Church hall once a fortnight (2.30pm to 4.30pm) starting on September 20 at a cost of £3.

Andrew explains that Bourne was the natural choice because he has friends with children at the local primary schools who pushed for it.

He said: “They have said what a big part of the school life music and creativity is, so we are hoping we have kids there who are already interested and up for being pushed and stretched and to do amazing things.”

However, he’s quick to point out: “I run the sessions with humour as well, so it’s not serious and highbrow. We try to have a joke and a giggle and keep it topical.

“It’s something they can do on a Saturday afternoon and blow off some steam.”

A few thoughts to provoke controversy, writes Roger Welberry.

To allow more solar panels on Grade 3 land; to allow more wind turbines on isolated areas; for more farmers to grow forage maize and other diverse crops for biofuel to feed digesters, and so taking more land out of food production, as they did with set-aside a few years ago.

Another factor has come into the scenario now that Russia has banned European food imports (worth a billion pounds) . A lot of European food, if it does not go east, will come west, depressing our prices even further.

I have already heard of a cheesemaker down south who has lost a £2million contract to supply Russia and a Scottish company that exported £17million worth of frozen mackerel to Russia has also lost out.

Who knows, Russia might decide to cut off gas supplies to Europe? Let’s get fracking now! That’s another controversial subject.

Saying all that, how do we keep prices of British food up to a sustainable level? Last year’s potato crop is still being moved out of stores at £10 a ton for stock feed and this year’s crop is abundant, with very low prices, low demand, low orders. Beef cattle has dropped 20 per cent, as has lamb. There is nearly a milk lake in Europe and quotas finish soon. There will be a free for all and prices will drop further.

So do we produce less food to get prices up by diversifying into non-food crops?

A Holbeach mum was overpaid almost £11,000 in housing and council tax benefits after claiming to be the only adult in her home.

But investigators discovered Amanda Melling’s husband Carl had been living with her and his wages were being paid into their joint bank account, Boston magistrates heard.

Melling (39), of High Street, was given a year-long community order with 100 hours unpaid work when she pleaded guilty to a benefits claim offence on Wednesday.

She must also pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Ruksana Munir, prosecuting, told the court: “The claim was fraudulent from the outset and there were false statements made by the defendant.”

Mrs Munir said Melling was overpaid a total of £10,998.16 as a result, but was willing to repay that at a rate of £75 a month.

She said Melling’s claim was made on March 3 2011 – and back-dated to February 21 that year.

When interviewed, Melling admitted that her husband had lived with her from March 2011 to October 2012.

Solicitor John Storer, mitigating, said: “My client is adamant that when she made the claim it was a genuine claim.”

He said her husband – now her ex-husband – came to stay, but at that stage it wasn’t intended to be a permanent thing.

“They eventually decided to give the marriage another go and she fully accepts that she pretty much turned a blind eye to the fact that the claim was continuing at that point,” said Mr Storer.

He said Melling went home in October 2012 to find her partner gone – with no word of warning – and it was another three months before she even had any contact with him again.

Mr Storer said: “She’s never been in any sort of trouble with the police before or the authorities.

“The risk of re-offending is very low.

“This is possibly the most frightening experience she’s ever had.

“I don’t think we will ever see her inside a court again.

“She is very sorry, thoroughly remorseful and, as you can see, a very frightened lady.”

Presiding magistrate Steve Burgess told Melling: “We don’t feel on this occasion, although it’s very close, that the custody threshold has been crossed and, therefore, we are going to impose a straightforward community order for this offence.”

Blogger Trish Burgess writes for the Free Press

I admitted a couple of weeks ago that my baking capabilities fell short of British Bake Off standards.

Helen, a food blogger at ‘The Crazy Kitchen’, read my column and set me a challenge. I had to watch Episode Two and make a batch of Mary Berry’s Florentines.

While being somewhat grateful that I wasn’t being asked to make a 3D biscuit scene, I was rather nervous when it became clear that Florentines should have a lacy appearance, the chocolate shouldn’t seep through the biscuit and a definite zig­zag pattern was required on the back.

Looking at the results of Helen’s baking on her website, this was going to be a tall order.

Hearing about the challenge, husband Dougie decided to get in on the act. He’s usually a bit of a Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen, ­ organised if a tad bolshy, ­ but his signature dish is chicken stuffed with haggis so precise weighing and decorating aren’t really his modus operandi. He’s no Paul Hollywood.

We gave him a new name: Doc Hollywood.

I sent Doc out to buy the ingredients and he was most put out when the cashier failed to notice he would be making Florentines.

Did he really think she examines everyone’s basket and tries to work out what they are going to make, like Ready, Steady Cook?

Back in the kitchen, the challenge was on. With only one set of scales, there was some pushing and shoving. Dougie spilt the demerara sugar on the floor and blamed me for the way I had opened the packet.

The Doc was keen to cut his almonds, walnuts and cranberries into tiny pieces: I preferred a chunky, rustic look. He also annoyed me by using lots of individual dishes for each ingredient. “You’re not on the telly,” I admonished him. “Think of the washing up!”

I think mine looked better as I spooned them onto the baking tray. Dougie’s looked as if they had been regurgitated.

Neither set of biscuits looked to be spreading very well in the oven so we both battered them a bit to get them moving.

Once out of the oven, the Doc had no patience, keen to start adding the chocolate before the Florentines had cooled then even more desperate to do the zigzag pattern.

There was more waiting around before we could actually try them.

The result? Not much between them, to be fair, though my fork swirling was deemed superior. Dougie’s biscuits won the blind tasting, however, probably because they had less chocolate on them and, we both agreed, the plain chocolate was far too bitter. Sorry, Mary, but milk chocolate would have been preferable.

That evening, as we settled down for a cuppa in front of the TV, I asked Doc Hollywood if he fancied one of his Florentines to go with it.

“Nah,” he replied. “Can I have a Twix?”

* You can follow Trish on Twitter @mumsgoneto and read her blog at www.mumsgoneto.blogspot.com

An award-winning butchers could pull out of plans to move into Spalding town centre and create more jobs if its plans for a £200,000 major refurbishment of the shop front are refused this week.

Gary Simpson, of Simpsons Butchers, wants to replace part of the existing shop front at T Law & Sons Butchers in Hall Place and move the door to a central position so new counters can be installed on both sides.

In spite of planners recommending approval, the original plan – including the use of MDF panelling instead of timber – attracted oposition from Spalding Civic Society.

However, this has now been addressed and councillors will be advised of this at tomorrow’s meeting of South Holland District Council’s planning department.

But it is understood Mr Simpson is unhappy about the delay further discussions has caused.

Should he pull out of his plans it would leave another shop in a prime location empty, just as excitement is mounting about the arrival of linens and gifts shop Charmed Interiors, from Downham Market, expanding into a second shop in the Sheepmarket; Lloyds Pharmacy moving into the refurbished ex-Wimpy burger bar in the Market Place; and the refurbishment of the former Grade 11* listed building building next door, the White Hart Hotel.

Coincidentally, Mr Simpson would have been opening at Law’s just in time for the film crew tasked with promoting what Spalding has to offer for a television advert to descend on the town.

Filming of the £30,000 advertising campaign, which is likely to air next Easter or summer and is a joint enterprise between South Holland District Council and Springfields, is due to begin today and continue into tomorrow – with calls going out to businesses to make sure their frontages look in tip-top shape.

Mr Simpson was invited to look at the possibility of taking over T Law & Sons by the brothers Peter (56) and Simon (46) Law.

Deciding to sell it on to Mr Simpson marks end of an era for the shop – which has been in Hall Place since 1918 and is famous for its Lincolnshire sausages and pork pies.

Sleaford-based Simpsons Butchers – which also has shops in Heckington, Stamford and Lincoln – is renowned for having some of the smartest shops in the country and was named 2013 East Midlands Butchers Shop of the Year, as well as receiving a best butcher award for the East of England and being one of only 110 businesses in Britain earning a place in the Q Guild.

When the brothers decided to sell, Peter said: “The sale was brought about by my brother who is in the middle of having two hip operations.

“He decided that he’d had enough but rather than throw in the towel, I talked to a friend of mine in the butchery trade, Gary Simpson, about the idea of running the premises.

“Gary’s decided to go for it and I shall enjoy working for him because he’s a good, traditional butcher with new ideas and he likes a challenge.”

In the report that goes before councillors tomorrow, Mr Simpson stresses his long-term commitment to Spalding town centre and says he realises the importance of tradition.

If given the go-ahead, he plans to take on the six staff members currently at the shop and possibly recruit more, as well as pressing ahead with the major refurbishment of the shop front.

By moving the door, the two counters planned will create 20 times as much serving and display space and open up the shop, making it look less dark.

Goods are to be displayed slightly back from the windows to prevent an adverse affect on fresh products.

l Movements in the town centre will be of particular interest to the long-awaited town centre manager. It is expected an announcement will be made this week, after a third set of interviews to fill the position.

By MP John Hayes

John Buchan, author of the Thirty-Nine Steps, wrote that while we might think a ‘wall as solid as the earth separates civilisation from barbarism. I tell you the division is a thread, a sheet of glass.’

Buchan’s words ring true now in considering the threat of the so-called ‘Islamic State’ (IS) Muslim fanatics, spreading their barbarism across the Middle East.

The shocking images of an American journalist beheaded by a British national reminds us that the events in Iraq are not just a distant struggle between opposing Muslim factions, but a fight against an evil that poses a direct threat to our security and our values.

Those who share our Christian values are facing great peril in Iraq. While the terrible plight of followers of the ancient religion of Yazidi has been widely reported, Iraq’s sizable Christian minority has also been persecuted by advancing IS forces. Earlier this month, 50,000 Christians were forced to flee the city of Qaraqosh. Other Christian towns have been largely abandoned as residents are presented with the vile choice of fleeing their homes, converting to Islam or execution.

There is no comfort in the fact that these appalling events are taking place thousands of miles away.

We have learnt to our cost in the past that the fight against extremism is a battle for hearts and minds as much as for territory. As the Prime Minister said ‘we are in the middle of a generational struggle against a poisonous and extremist ideology.’ IS is already an established terrorist threat in Europe, which is why we are acting now to prevent the spread of this evil.

Britain is upholding its duty to support the crusade against barbarism in Iraq through both a concerted humanitarian effort to aid the Christians and Yazidis displaced and hounded by IS, and by supporting American airstrikes vital to averting full-blown genocide.

We are also acting now to fight this evil force here at home. We have already introduced a power to deprive naturalised British subjects of their citizenship if they are suspected of involvement in terrorism. The Prime Minister has made it clear that anyone displaying IS banners or attempting to recruit people to their wicked cause will be subject to arrest.

The threat posed by ISIS reminds us that the means of peace; the price of civilisation itself, is constant vigilance.