Eileen Geeson has made a habit of writing books and novels and putting them in a drawer.

They lay there gathering dust while the Holbeach St John scribbler moved on to the next tale.

In some ways that reflected her and husband Roy’s life together in this area for the past 40 years, moving on whenever a new house renovation project presented itself.

Now, Eileen wants to settle down in order to focus on her writing – and a lot of her manuscripts are starting to see the light of day.

The most current is her crime novel, Brothers in Arms, set in the Fens. It contains all the aspects of writing Eileen particularly enjoys: emotion, good characters, suspense and motive, and she quite likes a twist in the tale.

Yet crime is a million miles away from Eileen’s first work, The Complete Standard Poodle.

Eileen has kept Standard Poodles for years, starting to breed and show them soon after she married.

She says: “I have had great success in the show ring, bred several champions and I am a championship show judge. I have judged at Crufts, which is wonderful. It was absolutely fantastic and a terrific honour.”

Having poodles, she naturally needed to learn how to trim and look after them, knowledge gained with a job in a grooming parlour after school.

Later she wrote an article about taking her dogs into schools for children with mental and physical problems and then wrote more articles for Dog World.

That led to a couple of regular columns for the magazine, as well as work for other titles.

She was then asked to write The Complete Standard Poodle and since then has brought out Poodle – Best of Breed Book and Ultimate Dog Grooming, the update of which is due out later in the year.

Then there is the first book she ever wrote, Samantha, which she is thinking about publishing, a couple of Mills & Boon type novels that could finally make their way into print, and three children’s books. The first of these, The Mystery of Rainbow’s End, is to be published in the spring. A book signing for Brothers in Arms is at Fenland Flying Club on Sunday (3pm).

It has finally started to feel like winter and with some recent frosts hopefully this spring the land will work down in better order than the last.

That will enable us to get crops established and off to the best start.

We have just taken delivery of our Digestate application kit, which will enable us to spread the organic liquid fertiliser that comes from a Bio Gas plant. This will be spread on growing crops, and will reduce the amount of artificial fertilisers that we as a farm have to buy. It is a great product that is full of different nutrients so we will hope to see a big difference in the performance of the crops.

We are busy moving potatoes out of store at the moment. Demand seems to be slowing down year on year and as a industry we need to try and promote the crop better.

Next week, February 16-22, is National Chip Week, promoted by the Potato Council with the aim of getting more people enjoying the humble spud in the chip form. Visit www.chips.lovepotatoes.co.uk to find out more about what’s going on throughout the week.

With January a quiet time on the farm, it fitted in very well that my wife and I had our first child, a baby boy, born on January 13. He is doing very well and the sleepless nights are not proving too much at the moment.

It will be interesting to see how agriculture has changed when he is deciding what career to pursue.

Know your rights as a same-sex couple. Photo: www.rhapsodyroad.co.uk

You and your partner can register a civil partnership as long as you are both 16 or over, and meet certain other conditions. You will need the consent of a parent or guardian if you are 16 or 17.

You will need to give notice of your intention to register your civil partnership. Once the notice period has expired, you can register your civil partnership in a register office, or anywhere else that has been approved to register civil partnerships. Anywhere that has been approved to hold civil marriages automatically has approval to register civil partnerships. Non-religious venues cannot refuse to hold civil partnerships if they hold weddings. This would be unlawful discrimination. However, religious organisations can refuse to hold civil partnerships in their venues. Venues other than register offices can choose whether to register civil partnerships or not.

You and your partner will have legally registered your civil partnership once you have signed a legal document, known as the civil partnership schedule. This must be done in front of a registrar and two witnesses. There are no further legal requirements and you don’t have to have a ceremony, although you can choose to have one if you want.

A civil partnership can only be ended by getting legal permission from a court. You can only do this if the partnership has lasted at least one year

From December 10, couples in a civil partnership registered in England and Wales will have the option to convert it into a marriage. The couple will need to sign a declaration with the registrar which converts their civil partnership into a marriage. The conversion process ends the civil partnership and the couple are treated as having been married since the date they became civil partners.

For the first year, all couples who formed their civil partnership before March 29, 2014 will receive a £45 fee reduction.

Fraudulent investment schemes targeted at the over-55s are 
probably the biggest risks posed by the pensions flexibility and choice changes, according to investment specialists Hargreaves Lansdown (HL).

The firm says pension fraudsters who have already liberated hundreds of millions of pounds worth of pension fund money in recent years by using scam pension schemes will find it even easier to target the over 55s with seductive offers of “too good to be true”, guaranteed investment schemes.

But in publishing its top ten risks for investors, HL claims the Government has done little to address the problem.

In its list, unexpected tax bills and transfers out of final salary schemes were listed second and third in the top ten.

HL head of pensions research Tom McPhail said: “The pension freedoms are hugely popular but they are not risk free.

“The first wave of investors taking advantage of the new rules in April this year are particularly vulnerable to unwanted or unexpected problems with their pensions.

“Therefore it is vital that everything possible is done to make sure they are well looked after because once cash has been withdrawn from a pension and the tax paid (deducted by the pension provider before the money is handed to the investor), it will be too late.”

Other potential pitfalls could include an investor’s pension pot running out too soon because they have under-estimated their life expectancy or withdrawing capital during market downturns.

Also if investment returns fail to meet expectations, investors overestimating state benefits, pension guidance services are unable to cope with demand and where investors buy poor value annuities.

In addition, pension schemes that aren’t ready in time, investors not drawing their money quickly enough or withdrawing money unnecessarily.

South Holland council tax payers will have to find seven pence more a week from April to help plug a £3.2 
million gap in the county’s 
policing budget.

Council tax bills in 2015-16 will go up by £3.78, based on an average band D property, after a precept rise of nearly two per cent was unanimously agreed by Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Panel at a meeting on Friday.

The 1.95 per cent rise was put forward by Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Hardwick who warned the panel that the force was facing a cash squeeze of almost £8 million over the next three years.

Mr Hardwick said: “I am delighted about the unanimous vote by the panel to approve the 1.95 per cent increase in the police precept which I had proposed.

“This means that my pledge to keep 1,100 front line officers and 149 PCSOs (police community support officers) can continue to be honoured. “Neighbourhood policing will not be under threat and we continue to be in dialogue with the Home Office and the Policing Minister (Mike Penning MP) about funding for the force.

“A positive result of our interaction with the Government is that Chief Constable Neil Rhodes has been invited by the Policing Minister to the top table Gold Group which discusses the police funding formula and I am pleased the Government has listened to us.”

During the meeting, it was revealed that both Mr Penning and Home Secretary Theresa May have agreed to visit Lincolnshire to see how the county is policed.

Deputy Chief Constable Heather Roach, who was at Friday’s meeting, said: “Our invitations to the Home Secretary and the Policing Minister to visit the force have been accepted.

“But ahead of that, we will be welcoming a team of Home Office officials to examine the way we police and whether in the short term we are eligible for a special Government grant.

“We have balanced the budget for the next financial year ahead, but there is the prospect of a £4.5 million deficit in 2016/17 unless further funding is found.”

Police and Crime Panel chairman Norman Norris said: “Lincolnshire Police remains one of the most underfunded forces in the country and the precept increase proposed is needed to ensure a robust and effective standard of policing can be provided to the people of Lincolnshire in the year ahead.”

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

January 14

James Baker (18), of Hall Hill Road, Holbeach. Theft of a 
tablet computer worth £139 (Long Sutton). 12 months 
conditional discharge, £139 compensation.

Davis Molotanovs (24), of Cowbit Road, Spalding. Drink-driving (Spalding). £215 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 20 months. No separate penalty for failing to surrender to custody.

Carol Crabtree (69), of 
Wiltshire Road, Doncaster. 
Owner of a dog that was 
dangerously out of control 
and injured two people 
(Sutton Bridge). £110 fine, £250 
compensation, £20 v/s, £85 costs, unless the dog is kept under proper control by 
being kept on a lead and 
muzzled when in public it must be destroyed.

Daniel King (33), of Little 
London, Spalding. Drink-
driving (Spalding). Community order with requirement to participate in Drink Impaired Drivers Programme for 14 days, £60 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 42 months.

Dawid Szumlanski (28), of Spring Street, Spalding. Drunk and disorderly (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

January 21

Tadeusz Dabkowski (56), of Pinchbeck Road, Spalding. Criminal damage (Spalding). £300 compensation, £85 costs.

Grantham Magistrates’ Court

January 13

Edward Bedkowski (50), of Hawthorn Bank, Spalding. 
Failing to give driver ID 
(Nettleham). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 6 months.

Fatos Cenay (41), of Ives Road, Norwich. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Juri Gavrilov (40), of Cradge Bank, Spalding. No insurance (Spalding). £600, £60 v/s, 385 costs, 6pts. 
Driving otherwise than in 
accordance with a licence. £200 fine.

Markus Wierenga (44), of Bluestone Lane, Mawdesley. Speeding (Swineshead). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

January 14

Donald Paterson (52), of 
Ashgrove Road, Aberdeen. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £75 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Victoria Wood (32), of 
Britannia Road, Norwich. Speeding (Whaplode). £155 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

January 15

Mark Couzens (42), of Wellington Way, Market Deeping. Caused unnecessary suffering to a female and male Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Market Deeping). 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, disqualified from keeping all animals for 5 years.

January 19

Emma Cowell (36), of Chapel Lane, Folkingham. Drink-driving (Bourne). £350 
fine, £35 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months.

January 21

Daniel Storey (18), of Meadow Close, Bourne. Driving without due care and attention (Bourne). £111 fine, £20 v/s, £100 costs, 3pts.

Daniel Storey (18), of 
Meadow Close, Bourne. No 
insurance (Bourne). £233 fine, £23 v/s, £43 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court

January 16

Zac Key (25), of Station Road, Tydd. Criminal damage and assault (Walpole St Peter). 12 months conditional discharge, £200 compensation, £15 v/s.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court

January 12

Carl Boag (27), of Daniels Crescent, Long Sutton. 
Possession of cannabis (Sutton St James). 6 months conditional discharge, cannabis to be forfeited and destroyed.

January 14

Graeme King (55), of Hereward Road, Spalding. Speeding (Deeping Common). £35 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Somphorn King (39), of Summerson Close, Donington. Speeding (Welby/Dembleby). £35 fine, £20 v/s, 385 costs, 3pts.

Leigh Middleton (35), 
of Columbia Road, Grimsby. Driving without due care and attention (Morton). £120 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Philip Dilks (63), of Church Street, Deeping St James. 
Failing to give driver ID 
(Nettleham). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Aleksandras Losevas (52), of Tennyson Road, King’s Lynn. Speeding (Whaplode). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Shaun McIvor (30), of Eastgate, Bourne. No insurance (Tallington). £20 fine, £85 costs.

Kathryn Butcher (30), of Main Road, Tydd. No insurance (Long Sutton). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £40 costs, 6pts.

Samantha Butler (33), of Broadgate, Sutton St Edmund. Speeding (Whaplode). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Emma Devan (31), of Farrow Avenue, Holbeach. Speeding (Whaplode). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £40 costs, 3pts.

Robert Duggan (37), of Newton Avenue, Arbroath. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Christopher Jenkins (61), of Bullock Road, Terrington St Clement. Speeding (Whaplode). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Mantas Maceikis (23), of Chestnut Avenue, Spalding. 
Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Kimberley Stall (46), of Pinstock Lane, Gedney. Speeding (Whaplode). £200 fine, £20 v/s, 4pts.

Marcin Troszynski (34), of Riverside Park, Spalding. 
Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Before the councils...

South Holland

District Council

C Wright and Son Ltd, white House Farm, Main Street, Gedney Dyke. General purpose agricultural building and new farm access.

Mr S Kennally, off Mill Lane, Gedney Hill. Bungalow and detached double garage.

Mr S Kennally, The Barn, West Drove, North, Gedney Hill. Renovate barn and outbuildings and change the use to a three bed residential unit (re submission).

Malthurst, Main Road Service Station, Wisbech Road, Long Sutton. Details of landscaping.

Mr J Viner, adj 48 Station Street, Donington. Residential development.

Mr and Mrs Walters, 32 Spalding Road, Holbeach. Extension.

R Green, 33a High Street, Long Sutton. Works to trees in conservation area.

Long Sutton Parish Council, St Mary’s closed churchyard, Market Place, Long Sutton. Works to trees in conservation area.

Mr and Mrs D Weston, Orchard House, Blue Gowt Drove, Spalding. Extension, raise existing lobby flat roof.

Mr and Mrs W Gatford, 57 Battlefields Lane South, Holbeach. Extension to form annexe(retrospective).

Mr R Hillard, 26 Bridge Road, Long Sutton. New vehicular access.

Mr A Roberts, 8 Clay Lake, Spalding. Modification of conditions to detached house and garage.

Jonquille Properties, Laws Yard, Willow Walk, Spalding. Residential development of 19 dwellings (re-submission).

Miss C Blundell, 1A Hereward Road, Spalding. Dwelling.

Broadgate Homes Ltd, former Lloyds Chemist, 7 Bridge Street, Spalding. Change of use of ground and first floor A1 use to A2 use (financial and professional services).

Mrs A Parkinson, Ashgrove Lodge, Austendyke Road, Weston Hills. Extensions and alterations.

Ms Z Moncauskaite, 39 Chaucers Way, Spalding. Fencing to side and part front.

The Cod Squad, 7 Gosberton Road, Surfleet. Refrigeration store extension (retrospective).

Mr G Knipe, 87 Broadgate, Weston. Modification of condition to amend window positions/style.

Mr G Knipe, 87 Broadgate, Weston. Details relating to bricks and tiles.

South Kesteven

District Council

Brudenell-Maylin, Japonica House, 19 Main Street, Baston. Conservatory to rear.

Bowtell, Parkwood, park Road, Deeping St James. Removal of nine ash trees and removal of overhanging branches of one ash tree.

Ash, 3 Douglas Road, Market Deeping. Dwelling and extension to existing.

Kerry, 11 Haconby Lane, Morton. Two garages.

Alston Country Homes, Corner Farm, Towngate West, Market Deeping. Demolition of agricultural building, conversion of barns (three dwellings).

Westleigh Partnerships Ltd, County Car Auctions, East Gate, Bourne. Screening opinion for demolishing existing building and erect 34 dwellings etc.

Wenman, 11 Willow Drive, Bourne. Extensions and new wall.

Delaine Buses Ltd, 11 Eastgate, Bourne. Demolish outbuildings and change of use of land to storage/parking.

Peters, Lake View House, Northfield Road East, Market Deeping. Extension and create accommodation in existing roof space.

Boston Borough Council

S Coulam, White Haven, Gypsey Lane, Station Road, Swineshead. Steel framed cattle building (re submission).

D Quincey, 2 Hemington Way, Kirton. Works to TPO.

Holbeach Hospital bosses have thanked pensioners Jack and Joan Turner for a donation of more than £620.

The couple, who are in their eighties, collected the money from visitors to their magnificent Christmas lights display at their Fleet Road home.

Hospital council of management member Dorothy Ellerbroek said: “This is the second year they have donated money to the hospital and we are very grateful to them.”
• Our picture shows the couple with granddaughter Chloe-Hart Carpenter and Spalding Guardian reporter Winston Brown when they won our readers’ Christmas lights competition in 2013. SG311213-113TW

The ‘Night Zoo Keeper’ visited to train up pupils for the job and also to create new animals who might join the ‘Night Zoo’.

The childrentook part in art and craft activities, creative writing workshops, storytelling sessions and ICT work.

Staff at Thomas Cowley have been reminding students what the UK has gained from its rich multicultural past and present through a whole school celebration of cultural diversity.

At the centre of this celebration is a film which features both students and teachers proudly proclaiming their cultural heritage.

Steve Sneddon, leading the ‘One School, Many Cultures’ campaign, said, “We are proud of the fact that nine different languages are spoken by our students, our school is home to 40 cultural identities, 6 ethnic groups and 4 religions. We are a truly cosmopolitan, culturally diverse setting – but we are also one school, one solid community. That makes us very proud.”

Next term, Year 7 students will be continuing to learn about diversity through the school’s innovative literacy strategy. This connects the text being taught in English with every other area of the curriculum. ‘The Skin I’m In’, a novel by Sharon Flake, tells the story of Maleeka, who is taunted at school for her cultural difference. It is a reminder of what can happen when schools are not proactive in promoting tolerance and inclusion.

A man attacked his girlfriend while he was driving and 
almost had a couple of head-on crashes when their baby was in the car.

Evidence about the attack in the moving car emerged only when Daniel Holyoak (31), of Spalding Road, Gosberton, had committed his second assault on his ex-wife, Georgina Holyoak.

Boston magistrates heard Holyoak assaulted his ex-wife in the street when he was upset over a family matter on December 9 and again after she left the police station on February 2 because he was angry she hadn’t withdrawn her original complaint against him.

Holyoak was arrested at his girlfriend’s address and while he was in custody it was revealed he had assaulted her as they were driving to Boston from Wisbech.

Shelley Wilson, prosecuting, said the couple got as far as Long Sutton when Holyoak grabbed her by the hair at the back of her head, shook her head by her hair and then punched her forehead

In a statement, the girlfriend told police: “We almost had a couple of head-ons because we were driving across the road.”

As they neared Boston, Holyoak again grabbed her by the hair and tried to “bang my face on his knee”.

The girlfriend continued: “We pulled up in the car park and Daniel checked my face for marks and asked if I was going to the police. This was only because he was hoping to get back into childcare.

“He risked the life of our baby and I was scared because of that.”

Mrs Wilson told the court: “I would suggest that takes it to the very, very top end of a common assault.”

Earlier, Mrs Wilson told the court that Holyoak had kicked his ex-wife in the back of her leg on December 9. At the time he was subject to a non-molestation order imposed by Peterborough Family Court – an order that continues until April 17.

She said Mrs Holyoak allowed him to get into her car following her police station visit, but he ended up punching the rear view mirror – which smashed – and then punched her head four or five times.

Mrs Holyoak told police: “I was screaming and the punches stopped.”

Magistrates committed Holyoak in custody to Lincoln Crown Court for sentence.

Presiding magistrate Julie Nuttall said: “These are very, very serious offences and would have been very frightening for everybody concerned and for all passers-by as well.”

Holyoak, who appeared in custody on Wednesday, pleaded guilty to three counts of common assault, two breaches of a non-molestation order and criminal damage.

Solicitor John Storer, mitigating, said: “Holyoak fully accepts that his behaviour in this matter has been awful.”

He outlined background to the couple’s five-year marriage, which ended in divorce in November 2013, and family matters that had caused him to be upset.

Mr Storer told magistrates: “It is clearly a matter for you. I understand what my friend (the prosecutor) says about sentencing guidelines, but I would ask you to consider having a pre-sentence report at this stage to see whether this is a matter that can be dealt with.

“It would be very unusual for a man – effectively with his first real offences – to receive a custodial sentence.”

Children in the after school cooking club at Bicker Preparatory School learned how to make vegetable samosas with tuition from a professional.

Victoria Howe, founder of the award-winning Farm Kitchen school meals provider, visited the group to demonstrate how healthy, fresh ingredients can be used in their cooking.

Teacher Joanne Hubbert, who runs the weekly club, said: “It was great for the children to gain an insight from a professional from the catering trade to see how healthy food can be quick to prepare and tasty as well as being good for you.

“Cooking club is just one of the ways in which the school continues to communicate the importance of good, healthy food to young people.

“Hopefully the children will use the new skills throughout their lives.”

Cooking club members have been visited by local restaurant chefs and will be visited soon by an Indian restaurant chef who recently featured on TV.

The people of South Holland had a chance to find out about courses and apprenticeships on offer at Spalding’s Boston College site.

The college arranged an open evening, with lecturers from the 21 course options available at the Red Lion Quarter on hand to talk about their subjects.
Marketing assistant Matilda Henry said there was also someone talking about courses at Boston, something people can find out about tonight (5-8pm) at Boston College.

Pictured are students Zoe Ealham (left) and Olivia Fisher with tutor Becky Loader. SG050215-150TW

Cabinet member Howard Johnson steps down from the district council in May with one date firmly in his mind – July 11, the day he marries his new love, retired nurse and midwife Sally Dunkley.

Howard (71) and Sally, 65 next month, will tie the knot at Garnsgate Hall, Lutton Garnsgate, surrounded by family and friends.

Howard popped the question on Christmas Day.

“It was quite romantic,” said Sally.

Howard said: “I have done 16 years now as a district councillor – I did eight years as a county councillor – and I totally, completely and utterly enjoyed it.

“What I want to do now is spend more time with Sally and the family.”

The father of three’s roles with local authorities have seen him chair committees as well as being a portfolio holder: “I would recommend anyone whose heart is in the right place – be they Labour or Conservative – to consider standing for council.

“The difference you can make is amazing.”

Howard moved to Spalding in 1975 to work within the Geest horticultural group, but as computers came in he switched to project managing the installation of computer systems with Geest/Bakkavor.

Mum of two Sally worked for many years as a nurse and midwife – spending much of her career at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn – and retains an interest in health by practising in homeopathy.

Travel is on the cards for the couple as Howard’s youngest son, Nicholas, lives in Australia.

Howard, who has five grandchildren, has also “just bought a place” in Spain.

Business leaders wanting the A16 to be dualled to keep South Holland as the home of the UK food industry have been backed by a top county councillor.

Coun Richard Davies, in charge of highways and transport at Lincolnshire County Council. has pledged to look at “the most feasible options” for “improving capacity” on the A16 between Spalding and Peterborough.

A number of meetings have taken place between industry leaders and John Hayes, MP for South Holland and the Deepings about the future of food production and distribution in south Lincolnshire.

The most recent meeting took place at Spalding-based fruit and vegetable importer FESA at the end of January when Mr Hayes was told that 75 per cent of freight in South Holland was related to the food sector.

Spalding and District Chamber of Commerce president Phil Scarlett, who attended the FESA meeting, said: “I met with Lincolnshire County Council officials last year to talk about highways and transport improvements within the county.

“But it was obvious that they had no plans to do anything beyond Sleaford and they didn’t appreciate the volume of transport from businesses in this area.”

But Coun Davies said: “The county council is exploring options to improve capacity and reduce accidents on the main economic corridors within Lincolnshire on the A16, A17 and A15.

“Some further work is currently underway to cost the most feasible options and determine the benefits which include the adding of extra lanes.”

A campaign about the importance of internet safety has been backed by police in Lincolnshire.

Schools, businesses and politicians joined Safer Internet Day on Tuesday with the theme of “Let’s create a better internet together”.

Detective Superintendent Dave Wood, director of intelligence for Lincolnshire Police, said “The internet is an amazing source of information, so long as you have the information you need to use it safely.”

The day was also backed by Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Hardwick who said: “Sadly, the truth is that hardly a day goes by when we don’t hear some story about the dark power of the internet.

“There are huge positives to the internet but there are also some evil people out there with the potential to ruin your life.”

A live-evidence video link to courts in other towns could be the last flicker of life in Spalding’s centuries old role as a seat of justice.

There were courts here several centuries before British history’s most memorable date, 1066.

The Sessions House – also known as Spalding Magistrates’ Court – opened for hearings known as midsummer quarter sessions on June 30, 1843 and continued until the lights went out in 2013.

A former clerk to the justices at Boston often recounted a tale of JPs from that town taking a horse-drawn carriage ride to Spalding’s Sheep Market to look with envy on the new court building in all its castle-inspired splendour.

Civic rivalry meant Boston couldn’t be outdone. The clerk would say: “The justices said ‘we’ll have one just like it, but make ours bigger by one-third’.”

Boston’s copycat court in the shadow of The Stump is bigger by one-third, but it closed around nine years ago and has been a huge drain on the public purse ever since with no users or buyers.

But Boston was lucky and allowed a magistrates’ court on another site.

Spalding Magistrates’ Court was ‘de-listed’ on December 19, 2013 – a cost-cutting decision to send Spalding’s work to Boston, Grantham, Skegness or Lincoln.

As the last case in Spalding’s Court 1 finished, presiding magistrate Richard Spinks said: “We could say this ends a chapter in the history of this court building and a new chapter is about to open up and we don’t know what that is.”

South Holland and The Deepings MP John Hayes, who teamed up with local lawyers and others to try to save the court from closure, has said repeatedly: “I am determined not to let that building become a white elephant. I want it put to community use.”

With help from the MP, Spalding branch of The Royal British Legion (RBL) is talking to the courts’ service and hope to lease the Sessions House as a headquarters in place of cramped accommodation in a detached house in Spring Gardens.

Other organisations, like Spalding’s Agapecare Foodbank, may go into the building under the Legion umbrella.

RBL branch chairman Colin Jackman said: “One of the things I would like to do as one of the lead officers is to get the schools involved and show them how a court works. It would be role play for them. We could do it because, in my view, that court room (Court 1) could not be changed. It would destroy what it’s all about.”

But one tiny corner of the Sessions House could have a connection with a real court.

Mr Hayes said a senior courts’ official has confirmed the option of a witness video link is being explored and the ‘long line’ has been tested.

The MP said: “They said it was working at the Spalding end, but they have got some issues at the court end to make sure that the images are of sufficient quality.”

Mr Hayes is pressing for Spalding’s court building to be the base for any video link, but says the courts’ service could choose to put it in another secure public building.

He said: “We want to get away from the issue of people having to travel long distances for hearings, which was one of the arguments we used against closure of the court in the first place.”

Solicitor Mike Alexander, who first sounded alarm bells about the latest closure threat to the court in August 2012, welcomed Mr Hayes’ ongoing fight for a video link.

Difficulties for defendants and witnesses travelling to other courts was one of the main planks of the campaign to save the court. It fell on deaf ears, but the reality is hitting home now.

Mr Alexander said: “There’s a young lad from Spalding who has missed three court appearances – in Lincoln and Skegness – because he lives with his mum, who’s on benefits, and they can’t afford to travel.”

He said there are legal and technical difficulties with a video link, as lawyers must get the court’s consent for a witness to give evidence that way – and the courts’ technology in Lincolnshire often suffers breakdowns.

Mr Alexander said police officers wouldn’t be allowed to give evidence via video link without a change in the law.

He said: “A video link is an absolutely brilliant idea, but there are a number of practical difficulties that have to be resolved first.”

Farmers, landowners and businesses in Lincolnshire should be given tax relief by the Government if they are willing to invest in vital local flood defence projects.

The CLA has called Chancellor George Osborn’s intention to introduce tax relief for businesses that part-fund Government-led flood defence projects “far too restrictive” and asked Ministers to re-think current proposals.

A man whose body was found in a waterway on the outskirts of Spalding has been formally identified by police.

The body of Vladeks Sinavskis (41) of Larkspur Way, Spalding, was found by a dog walker in the area of Vernatt’s Drain, off Pinchbeck Road, Spalding shortly after 2pm on Sunday January 25.

A cordon was set up round the are while a police underwater search team recovered the body from the water and it was confirmed two days later that Mr Sinavskis’ death wasn’t being treated as suspicious.

At the time, South Lincolnshire Coroner’s Office said an inquest into Mr Sinavskis’ death would be opened once a post-mortem had been carried out by a Home Office pathologist and formal identification of the body had been done by the dead man’s family.

Students at Bourne Grammar School were given an insight into a wide range of future career options at a careers fair held in the school.

The event, which was timed to help Year 9 students make decisions about which GCSE optional subjects to take, was supported by regional businesses as well as the Universities of Leeds, Cambridge and East Anglia.

It covered careers in healthcare, engineering, the armed forces, sports, performing arts and public 
services.

n Our picture shows Year 9 students at the Armed Forces career stand.