When is a speed limit not a speed limit ? Well, further to Lynne Harrison’s article in the Free Press (Jan 20) regarding the signage and a letter published in your sister paper the Spalding Guardian (Jan 22) from a Pinchbeck resident on similar lines, please allow me to express a few views from myself and no doubt some of my/our fellow domestic inhabitants of Wardentree Lane.

For many years I have campaigned for a speed reduction on Wardentree Lane in light of the changing nature of matters in view of the mushrooming industrial growth which has crept up gradually to be almost on our doorsteps.

For most of those years I have hit numerous brick walls with very little help from either parish, local or county councils for various reasons.

Our local MP Mr John Hayes has on numerous occasions written to the afore mentioned and others in an effort to help to which I/we can only be appreciative, so it was with some happiness I became aware last July gone that the speed limit was to be reduced.

On receiving the news I 
telephoned both Lincolnshire County Council Highways and the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) in order to confirm a few details at which point my happiness turned to apprehension.

First LCC Highways told me we had only got the speed 
reduction by default on a technical issue and not to expect too much.

Next the LRSP. Their response when asked to what degree it would be policed was less than encouraging – the word ‘criteria’ is one that both these public bodies use a lot and I was not to be disappointed with the latter. Not much chance of speed checks due to resources and possibly no chance of “kill your speed” boards being used, so my happiness was all but blown away in two phone calls.

So after a wait of six months all my doubts and concerns suddenly became reality when I observed the two solitary miniscule 30mph sighs had appeared at the eastern end of the speed limit change – 
nothing at the western end where the traffic exits the Spalding main road.

So the situation we have is basically a “as you were” one, in so much as people used to travelling at 40mph and 
beyond do so and it’s pretty well the same from the other end.

Surely it’s not asking much to have proper signage in place in order to give all concerned fair warning.

I am a driver and on a daily basis negotiate the various speed limits of south Lincolnshire, hoping to remain on the right side of the law.

So come on Lincolnshire County Council, cut out the condescending remarks in regards to people’s comments and let’s be given proper 
signage and road markings in order for all concerned to benefit, least of all the long suffering residents of this oasis of habitation called Wardentree Lane!

Reuben Holmes

Pinchbeck

A man from Leicester has been charged with a South Holland burglary.

On Saturday Patrick Riley (42), of Allenwood Road, Leicester, was charged with a burglary that occurred in Festival Square, Sutton St James on October 23 last year.

He was been kept in custody and due to appear before magistrates yesterday morning (Monday).

Intruders have burgled a home in Deeping St James after getting in through a patio door before the weekend.

The burglary happened in Eastgate between 6.45am and 4.30pm on Friday.

Intruders have burgled a home in Deeping St James after getting in through a patio door before the weekend.

Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident number 282 of January 30.

You can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

A parish that could be home to three power stations is objecting to Defra’s plans to close 2,500 local authority air monitoring stations.

Sutton Bridge Parish Council says its existing power station isn’t sufficiently checked as the district council’s monitoring equipment is based at the primary school in the heart of the village rather than the Wingland industrial site.

And Defra’s nearest monitoring station is around 50 miles away at Wicken Fen, near Ely.

The existing power station has two chimneys, where yellow smoke plumes are regularly seen, and two more power stations are in the pipeline including a controversial gasifier.

Coun Jenny Rowe said: “We could end up with 17 chimneys on Wingland. We need to object to Defra and to ask South Holland to monitor Wingland before they consider any more applications.”

She said residents are keeping records of the yellow plumes, which were not meant to appear once it had been fully comissioned.

This February marks another awareness month that will be proudly supported by Boston College. It is the month in which LGBT History Month is held annually, celebrating the lives and achievements of people within the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Community.

LGBT month is something that Boston College support every year, to raise awareness within the college and to show their support. This year the college are holding a variety of workshops throughout February, covering various topics relating to the importance of LGBT History month.

The first event being held is a ‘Question Time’ discussion with a panel, to which a specially invited audience will attend. There are also a number of guests attending from Lincolnshire’s LGBT Community to speak and present to students and staff at the college. Events are not only being hosted by external speakers, but also students from the college themselves. The Uniformed Public Services students will be presenting to other members of the college on the importance of all Uniformed Public Services being LGBT friendly.

Alongside each of these events, Boston College are supporting Stonewalls national campaign to tackle homophobic language. This campaign came about in response to YouGov polling, which highlighted that in the last five years 2.4 million people of working age have witnessed verbal homophobic bullying, this is therefore why the college are doing their bit to educate students and staff through training and learning resources on the importance of the campaign.

To tie in with the support of LGBT month, the library at Boston College will be presenting a wall display to promote the importance of understanding gender identity throughout February. Through this display, staff at the college intend to get across the importance of understanding the diverse human race and the need to respect everyone. It is a great opportunity for all at the college to learn more about the LGBT community.

Frank Hanson, Equality and Diversity Manager for the college, believes that this is an excellent opportunity to help build the confidence and maturity of students, and said “Many of our students will progress onto careers where excellent customer service skills are essential requiring an understanding of LGBT in today’s global and diverse community.”

If you would like more information on the events being held by Boston College in support of this, please contact the college on 01205 313218.

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

December 22

Aleksandrs Skubilins (26), of Winsover Road, Spalding. Two counts of defective tyre (Whaplode). £130 fine, £20 
victim surcharge, £85 costs, 3pts.

Stephen Bettney (62), of Smedley Street, Matlock. Speeding (Swineshead). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 
3pts.

Sebastian Lewandowski (31), of Woolram Wygate, Spalding. Driving otherwise than in accordance with a 
licence (Spalding). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Jekaterina Maksimova 
(20), of Apeldoorn Gardens, Spalding. No insurance (Spalding). £250 fine, £25 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a 
licence.

Daniel Matthews (29), of Broadway, Crowland. No 
insurance (Surfleet). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Trevor Morriss (68), of Fleet Road, Fleet. Speeding (Holbeach). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Andrius Vaitkus (24), of Cannon Street, Wisbech. No insurance (Sutterton). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 
6pts.

Edvins Villaks (39), of 
Hartley Street, Boston. 
Speeding (Whaplode 12.5.14). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts. Speeding (Whaplode 10.5.14). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

January 8

Joanne Brennan (44), of 
Fairfields, Holbeach. Drink- driving (Holbeach). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 3 years.

Ana Ribeiro (45), of Acacia 
Avenue, Spalding. Stole a HSBC bank card and £400 (Whaplode). £280 fine, £400 compensation, £28 v/s, £85 costs.

January 12

Jorge Carmezim (34), of King Street, Kirton. Speeding (Spalding). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Alison Taylor (58), of Old Main Road, Kirton Holmes. 
No insurance (Kirton). £120 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for 
defective tyre.

Rute Audrius (34), of 
Stevenson Road, Norwich. Speeding (Whaplode). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Ramunas Bukleris (26), of Patriot Close, Spalding. 
Driving without due care and attention (Spalding). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Shane Drury (21), of Redstone Caravan Park, Boston. Exceeding laden weight limit (Donington). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs.

Richard Gratton (50), of High Road, Weston. Speeding (Scampton). £100 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Ashley Hilliam (35), of West End, Whittlesey. Speeding (Quadring). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Grantham Magistrates’ Court

January 12

Adam Towers (33), of Burghley 
Court, Bourne. Resisting a police officer (Bourne). 12 months conditional 
discharge, £15 v/s. No separate penalty for causing harassment, alarm or distress.

Richard Tilley (44), YMCA, St Rumbolds Street, Lincoln. 3 counts of assault (Market Deeping). Community order with 60 hours’ unpaid work, restraining order, £60 v/s.

William Sturgeon (21), of North Street, Bourne. Assault (Bourne). Community order with 100 hours’ unpaid work and 3-month curfew requirement, £60 v/s, £85 costs.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court

January 7

Liam Manning-Corcoran (25), of Earlsheaton, Dewsbury. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £185 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Stewart Rankin (43), of Belford Drive, Wirral. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Ryan Forsyth (21), of Rockingham Road, Corby. No insurance (Hop Pole). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 28 days. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Robert Holmes (56), of Church Lane, Croft, Skegness. Speeding (Moulton Seas End). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Krystina Shah (29), of 
Ibberton Road, Birmingham. 
Speeding (Whaplode). £230 fine, £23 v/s, £85 costs, 
3pts.

January 8

Timothy Musson (30), of 
Aswarby. Speeding (Moulton Seas End). £150 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

January 9

Roger Spurgeon (68), of Bull Road, Ipswich. Driving without due care and attention (Sutton Bridge). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 9pts.

January 10

Valerijs Matutis (31), of Albion 
Street, Spalding. Criminal damage (Spalding). 6 months conditional discharge, £250 compensation, £15 v/s, £85 costs. No separate penalty for failing to surrender to Boston Magistrates’ Court.

Skegness Magistrates’ Court

December 30

Vaidas Skyrelis (27), of Farrow Avenue, Holbeach. Drink-driving (Gedney). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 20 months.

December 31

Artis Linins (22), of Ayscough Avenue, Spalding. Possession of methylmethcathinone (Spalding). £75 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, drugs to be forfeited and destroyed. No insurance. £110 fine, disqualified from driving for 6 months. Obstructing a police officer. £35 fine. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and no MOT.

Christopher Williams (58), of Low Lane, Holbeach. Drink-driving (Holbeach). Community order with alcohol treatment requirement, £100 compensation, £60 v/s, disqualified from driving for 3 years. No separate penalty for no insurance.

Four men aged between 24 and 37 have been arrested on suspicion of poaching in Crowland.

The men, from Leicestershire and Teeside, were arrested in the Deeping High Bank area on Friday in connection with an alleged report of trespassing in pursuit of game.

They were taken to Boston Police Station for questioning and the released on police bail until March 26.

People across the globe marked Holocaust Memorial Day in various ways last week.

Many events were focused on the liberation by the Russians of Auschwitz 70 years earlier.

In fact, most of the documentaries and newspaper articles since the end of the war have principally been about Auschwitz and some of the other extermination camps liberated by the Russians.

However, Spalding resident Reg Chalkley says: “We must not forget the British troops who had to deal with Belsen.

“The British didn’t come across Belsen until April 15, 1945, and at that time nobody knew about these camps. It was all on the newsreels, all these naked bodies in heaps. It must have been horrendous for the troops.”

Belsen was a prison camp, rather than an extermination camp. Of around 80,000 prisoners, roughly 30,000 Jews died, either of starvation or typhus, including the diarist Anne Frank.

The first British troops on the scene not only had heaps of dead bodies to deal with, but people who were starving and diseased.

Sixteen years later when Reg was posted to the camp during National Service the huts of the old concentration camp a short walk away had been demolished. Huge mass graves were a reminder of what had taken place there.

Reg says: “I had seen the newsreels and it was such a horrible shock that it’s always been in my mind. All those naked bodies. Why were they naked?”

Afterwards, Reg says people in Britain naturally wanted to put the war years behind them and there was barely any mention of this shameful era of history.

The Holocaust Memorial Day has only been established within the last 20 years, much of its focus on Auschwitz, the network of German Nazi concentration and extermination camps. By contrast, there has been very little said about Belsen.

Reg says: “I thought it was a bit unfair to the memory of the troops who had the horrible job of clearing it up.”

Reg is not alone, as it’s a point that was made by an MP in the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday.

As conscription in the United Kingdom ended in 1960, Reg was among the last of the men on National Service.

When Reg Chalkley did his National Service he was posted to a place called Bergen-Hohne in northern Germany.

It was a camp that had been taken over from Nazi Germany and Reg soon learned its real name was Bergen-Belsen, the former concentration camp site just a short walk away.

According to the internet, almost 20,000 Soviet prisoners of war and a further 50,000 inmates died there, up to 35,000 dying of typhus shortly before liberation.

Reg says: “Naturally, I went along to visit the camp site but I only went once because being there brought back images of piles of naked dead bodies being bulldozed into mass graves which I had seen on newsreels shown in cinemas at the end of the war.”

Rodney Sadd has had his eyes firmly on the ground over the past week, despairing about street drinking and the associated rubbish in the town centre that “seems to have got worse over the past few days”.

But when the Free Press strolled into town with him on Friday, he couldn’t ignore the dilapidated state of some of the buildings.

He said: “I think landlords are missing a trick here.

“If the empty space above shops was made into executive flats and the fronts renovated it would completely transform the town.

“Some of the buildings are beautiful – I’d live here. I’d like to know what the new town centre manager thinks.”

Town centre manager Dennis Hannant said: “I have had many discussions about this and the cleaning, refurbishment and better use of shops is part of a plan I have for the town that I hope to announce soon.”

However, Coun Gary Porter, leader of South Holland District Council and vice-chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “I’d love to see empty space above shops made into flats.

“It would bring people back into town.

“The problem is the buildings above shops are taxed separately – that’s why people who owns shops are reluctant to do it.

“But the LBA has been trying to lobby the Government on this.”

Regarding the build-up of drink-related rubbish, Community Policing Inspector Jim Tyner said: “This is an area we are already aware of and regularly patrol. The litter linked to street drinking is an issue.

“The council works hard to clear litter from all public places. The problem is that when the beer cans are discarded on private property it is down to the property owners to clear it. Unfortunately, 
this can mean that people will see the same litter on a daily basis until it is cleared.”

Residents of Sutton Bridge fear there could be a flood risk posed by an energy company’s bid to drill 40 metres under the seabank at Sutton Bridge to bring cables ashore from a wind farm off the Norfolk coast.

DONG Energy plans to insert two or three hollow ducts under the seabank between April and August subject to planning consent.

But residents and local marine watchdog King’s Lynn Advisory Group (KLAG) say it’s possible the ducts could be breached and allow water to flow under the sea defence wall and onto the landward side of the development.

KLAG has also raised concerns about “environmentally friendly” chemicals that will be used when break out occurs in the horizontal directional drilling bore.

They say chemical specification sheets for one, Diamond Seal, state it doesn’t dissolve in water and can affect the human body if inhaled, ingested or makes contact with the eyes and skin, and it should not come into contact with soil.

Resident Colin Blundell told Sutton Bridge Parish Council that hundreds of gallons of water will be needed every day for the drilling.

He said DONG is suggesting it could get the water in three ways – pumping it from the Nene, which needs a licence, taking it from a nearby drainage channel or transporting it by tankers along East Bank at the rate of three in/three out every hour on days and nights when drilling takes place.

Mr Blundell fears such heavy traffic could undermine the man-made bank on the east of the river and wants to know who will foot the bill for any repairs.

He said: “East Bank is built out of silt – with tankers going backwards and forwards along East Bank to that extent, I reckon there could be up to 21,000 movements per six month period.”

Centrica tried horizontal directional drilling (HDD) in 2010, but had to abandon it and put its cables through the sea wall.

KLAG says it broadly agrees that HDD “is the favoured method for bringing the cables ashore as this provides few disturbances to the marsh and intertidal foreshore than the cable laying/backtrack infill used previously.”

Parish councillors decided to object to the plans, incorporating some of the comments from KLAG, and voiced concerns over flooding, noise from hovercraft used in the operation and traffic on East Bank.

Parish councillor Jenny Rowe said: “We need to make a stand down here. We are not just going to roll over and keep accepting this industry. I think the planners need to look into this one properly.”

A spokesman for the energy company said: “DONG Energy is currently consulting as we consider the best option for bringing ashore power cables from the proposed Race Bank offshore wind farm.

“We are fully committed to maintaining the integrity of the local flood defence infrastructure and the sensitive local environments, such as the saltmarsh. Dialogue is now taking place with regulators and the local community to ensure that this is the case.”

The company’s main method for providing fresh water would be a hosepipe from the Nene and “water trucks would only be used as a last resort”.

DONG say it will use chemicals “specifically designed to cause no damage to the environment” and described the use of hovercraft as “the only allowable and safe method of transporting staff to the drilling site”.

A homeless man who was 
assisted by an old school friend in his time of need went on to break into the property of the man who helped him.

Damien Baker was allowed to pitch his tent in the garden of the home of Gary Scott at Stickney when he had nowhere else to live.

Andrew Vout, prosecuting, said that Baker was given meals and his clothes were washed for him while he stayed at the property.

Mr Vout said “The relationship became rather strained by the beginning of August and Mr Scott asked Baker to pack up and leave.

“The defendant asked to return to collect his tent on August 2 but the Scotts had a long-standing arrangement to take their children to Skegness that day and told him it was not convenient.”

Mr Vout said that Baker, knowing the family were away, went to the property and let himself in with a key. He helped himself to a number of items including a lap top computer and charger.

The Scotts returned later to find the items missing. They tracked down Baker and confronted him at a fast food restaurant in Boston.

Baker sold the lap top for £70, claiming he used the proceeds to take his children bowling and to buy them a McDonalds meal.

Baker (29), who gave an 
address in Gleed Avenue, Donington, admitted burglary. He was jailed for 12 months.

Mark Knowles, defending, said Baker had previously served a jail sentence for 
attempted robbery and found it difficult to obtain accommodation following his release.

He urged that Baker be 
given a chance and said that his client’s position has changed since the burglary.

Mr Knowles said “He is in a new relationship and his partner is two and a half months pregnant. He feels he is in a much more stable position.

“He fully accepts his responsibility for this matter and fully accepts it was for financial benefit.”

Give your partner or someone you’d like to be your partner a cheeky nudge with a free Valentine’s message in the Spalding Guardian.

They will appear in the Guardian on Thursday, February 12 – giving the object of your affections a chance to do something special for you on the big day itself!

All you have to do to have a message appear is fill in the coupon in today’s Lincolnshire Free or Thursday’s Spalding Guardian – or send us an email.

And if you really want your message to stand out you can pay £5 to have it in a box.

You can book a box by bringing the coupon and £5 in cash into our reception (please do not send a cheque as we are unable to accept them).

Or you can post it through our letter box when we are not open.

For debit/credit cards phone Denise Vickers on 01775 765400 Tuesday to Friday.

To fill in the coupon write one word in each box and PLEASE USE CAPITAL LETTERS.

Please send your coupon is as soon as possible.

Closing date is next Tuesday, February 10 at 4pm.

Make sure you include your own details on the coupon as anonymous coupons will not be accepted.

You can also email your greetings to denise.vickers@jpress.co.uk

We reserve the right to exclude any greetings we deem unsuitable.

Spalding Marching Ambassadors celebrates its 35th birthday this year with a grand reunion.

Bandmaster Jim Bright is calling on members past and present to join the celebrations at Spalding’s United Reformed Church on Saturday, June 27.

Jim (72) has been with the band since it was formed and says former members may number between 120 and 150.

He says a celebration this year is timely.

“When it came to 40 years I might not be here,” said Jim. “I thought we would have the celebration for 35 years while I was still going strong.”

The band – originally called The Spalding Drum and Trumpet Corps – grew from the merger of Boys’ and Girls’ Brigades bands.

Jim said: “The band has taken part in competitions, carnivals and shows as well as more high profile events such as the Olympics opening ceremony and the Tulip Parade.”

The band now has 19 members aged ten and upwards and is busy learning new music and routines.

Jim said the band has set up a Facebook group (Spalding Marching Ambassadors Band) and will post news about the reunion and upcoming events.

To join the band as a player or learner – or attend the reunion – please call Jim on 01775 723087 or email jim_bright@hotmail.co.uk

Deeping St James is to have a new priest when Sue Paterson is licensed at the village church on April 30 by the Bishop of Grantham.

Former teacher Sue (57) was ordained in 1995 and has so far spent all of her ministry in Leicestershire.

She’s looking forward to her move and meeting parishioners to share ideas on developing new ventures.

“We might for instance have a mother and toddlers’ service at church, we might go into schools and we might try and run a cinema club in the church hall,” said Sue.

Sue graduated from Oxford with a degree in modern languages.

She’s married to retired teacher Charles and they have sons Richard (30) and Jeremy (28).

A beauty therapist in Spalding is hoping her experience at Boston College will help promote the courses available.

The college is hosting an open evening at the campus in Red Lion Quarter, Spalding, on Thursday between 5pm and 7pm when prospective students are invited to go along and see what is on offer.

Steph Rowett said: “As a mobile hairdresser I wanted to be able to offer beauty services to my clients, but I was worried about the cost.

“Thanks to the payment scheme that the college offer, I’ve been able to pay in monthly instalments.

“The college campus in Spalding means that I can fit my course around my job and my children.”

The open event, which runs from 5pm to 7pm, is the ideal opportunity for students unsure of what to do after their GCSEs.

Every area of the college - which offers 250 academic and vocational courses - will be represented by teaching staff, who will be available to talk to visitors. The college’s learner services team will be there to offer advice on transport or funding. Employers are also welcome to discuss health and safety, apprenticeships or NVQ qualifications.

Pupils at Tydd St Mary Church of England Primary couldn’t wait to get to school during ‘National Breakfast Week’ to sample a variety of meals to start their day.

The event was funded by the PTA and aimed to make breakfast time much more enjoyable.

PTA members also wanted to raise the profile of how important this meal is for a child’s diet.

A free breakfast was provided for each child and headteacher Sonya Ripley said it was a great success.

“The children have all really enjoyed the experience and nearly all tried something new.”

Children were able to choose from a variety of foods on the breakfast menu.

It included crumpets, 
yoghurt and blueberries, three varieties of cereal, 
croissants and scrambled egg with a toasted muffin.

Toast and a variety of spreads such as jam and honey were also available.

Children were also offered many different nutritional drinks, such as fruit smoothies and fresh fruit juice, to accompany their meal.

Volunteers helped to ensure children remained settled in their usual classroom routine.

Alongside free breakfast, the school also put on activities to help encourage the importance of this meal.

Mrs Ripley feels reassured that the event has helped to encourage excitement amongst the children about the first meal of the day.

She said: “They unanimously wish us to repeat the event, or perhaps have breakfast in school throughout the year.”

Year 8 boys at Spalding Grammar School were tasked with a four week languages project which involved researching the different languages they learn (French, German and Spanish) and the countries where those languages are spoken.

Staff were so thrilled with the ‘outstanding and stunning’ work that they held a celebratory assembly and awarded prizes for the best projects. Lucas Thompson (pictured) won the prize for the best overall project.

Flytippers blighting the streets of Sutton Bridge have been dubbed the “dumb dumpers” by parish council chairman John Grimwood.

Tyres, furniture and even plastic debris from an 8ft by 10ft swimming pool are among items recently found in some of the village’s flytipping hot spots.

Coun Grimwood said flytipping is costly to deal with – and it’s council taxpayers who end up footing the bill.

He wants residents to report flytipping on the police 101 number.

• Coun Grimwood praised South Holland District Council’s rapid response in dealing with a flytipping incident near village firm Metalair.

A woman whose car was hit in a road crash at Sutton Bridge was tracked down by two men and “offered several thousand pounds” to take responsibility for the accident.

Parish councillor Vicky Hills gave details of the incident in which the woman’s car was hit as she waited to turn right in the Chestnut Terrace area and said two men knocked on doors until they found her address.

She told Sutton Bridge Parish Council: “Two rather large gentlemen asked her if she would take responsibility and they would pay her several thousand pounds.”

Coun Hills said police were aware, but she understood the woman was told what the men did was not illegal.

Police inspector Jim Tyner said police are investigating the accident.