A Long Sutton church leader has defended his staff after two people were told not to use a nearby car park while visiting their parents’ graves.

Sisters Vicky Sneath and Becky Butt, of Norwich and Canada respectively, had parked outside St Mary’s Church Hall, Long Sutton, while paying their respects to parents Barry and Anne Twite, who died in October 2009 and May 2013 respectively.

The sisters went to buy water for flowers next to their parents’ graves but when they got back, Vicky and Becky found a note on their car which said “St Mary’s Church Hall car park is not a public car park”.

Ray Ketteringham (82), of Lutton and who is related to the sisters, said: “There was no water available on the churchyard site, so they went across to the Co-op and bought some bottled water.

“But when they got back and saw the note on the car window, they were upset because they were visiting Barry and Anne’s graves to pay their respects.

“Their mum and dad were big church people in Long Sutton and I think it’s ridiculous that they should have to buy water to put on flowers because there’s no water at the churchyard.”

Father Jonathan Sibley, Priest-in-Charge at St Mary’s, said: “We don’t police people who park in the church hall car park which is used each day.

“The church hall itself is used each and sometimes you can have the whole of the car park full which makes it quite difficult to regulate.

“On market day, it gets totally impossible so we’re trying to be practical and polite in regulating the use of the car park.

“Unfortunately some years ago, somebody vandalised the churchyard tap but people can go inside the church and find bottles of water there.

“We do our best to be as beneficial and as helpful to people as possible.”

Police are warning residents about an increase in clown incidents - including ‘concerning’ reports of children being chased.

PCSO Daniel Widdowson said: “There seems to be an increase of incidents of sightings of people dressing up as clowns.

“The reports vary from low level sightings, to more concerning reports of children being chased by clowns.”

PCSO Widdowson said there have been a couple of incidents around the Mere’s Leisure Centre, Trent road, Hornsby Road and Barrowby areas of Grantham.

He said: “The NPT will be collating names of the people dressed as clowns and if appropriate will take any necessary actions to any offences committed.”

Anyone who sees someone dressed as a clown acting in a ‘suspicious manner’ is asked to call police on 101 giving a description of the clown(s) and what they are doing. In an emergency call 999.

Fire crews have had to pump flood water away from properties in Fleet after a water main burst in the early hours of this morning (Sunday, October 16).

Firefighters from Holbeach, Spalding and Long Sutton were called to reports of flooding following a burst water main on Fleet Road, Fleet at 2.47am.

Crews used light portable pumps and polybooms to remove flood water away from properties.

Firefighters have been called to a shed blaze in Gosberton Clough.

Crews from Donington, Billingborough and Spalding were called to the incident in Broad Drove at 7.58pm yesterday (Saturday, October 15),

There was fire damage to a shed containing a mains electricity box.

Firefighters isolated power and used one hose reel.

They say the blaze was caused by an electrical fault.

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. V/S means victim surcharge.

Boston Magistrates’ Court

September 28

Tina Benton (53), of Acacia Avenue, Spalding. Assault and criminal damage (Spalding). 12 months conditional discharge, £20 v/s, £86 costs.

Tomasz Ogrodniczuk (40), of Westside, Spalding. Failed to provide a specimen of breath (Boston). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 3 years.

Petrica Perian (27), of Station Street, Holbeach. Criminal damage (Holbeach). Restraining order, £200 compensation. No insurance. £120 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

James Lowe (26), of Arnhem Way, Donington. Drove while disqualified (Pinchbeck). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months. No separate penalty for no insurance.

William Alcock (28), of Fleet Road, Fleet. No insurance (Spalding). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Shane Crowther (28), of Priestley Square, Birstall. Speeding (Whaplode). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Anne Cunnington (51), of Wood View, Bourne. Speeding (Baston). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Katie Eley (39), of Westbourne Gardens, Spalding. Speeding (Whaplode). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Ben Jones (24), of Recreation Road, Bourne. Speeding (Bourne). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Daniel Mihai (24), of Cross Street, Spalding. Driving while using a hand held mobile phone (Spalding). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Costica Robert (28), of Whalley Street, Eastfield, Peterborough. Speeding (Baston). £440 fine, £44 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Artur Popielec (45), of Kime Mews, Kirton. Failed to give driver ID (Lincoln). £660 fine, £66 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Slawomir Sobala (48), of Station Road, Surfleet. Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence (Spalding). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Paul Taylor (52), of Peel Green Road, Eccles. Speeding (Little Sutton). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

James Wagstaff (49), of Black Prince Avenue, Market Deeping. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Steven Walker (41), of Billingborough Road, Horbling. Speeding (Aswarby). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Zophia Wren (51), of Langar Woods, Harby Wood, Langar, Notts. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £54 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

September 29

Denny Loveridge (36), of Mill Place Caravan Park, Datchet, Slough. Trespassed on land in search or pursuit of game, woodcocks, snipes or conies (Whaplode St Catherine). £375 fine, £38 v/s, £325 costs.

Philip Marsh (44), of Albert Street, Ramsbottom, Bury. Trespassed on land in search or pursuit of game, woodcocks, snipes or conies (Whaplode St Catherine). £525 fine, £53 v/s, £325 costs.

Lee O’nion (31), of Kirkmeadow, Bretton. Assault (Bourne). 2 years conditional discharge, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Darryl Armsden (50), of Davenport Road, Leicester. Speeding (Langtoft). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

James Blake (69), of Windsor Drive, Spalding. Speeding (Langtoft). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Allan Branch (72), of Greenwood Close, Normanton, Wakefield. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £440 fine, £44 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Maria Cartwright (48), of London Road, Spalding. Speeding (Spalding). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Carrie Chapman (33), of Tollgate, Spalding. No insurance (Weston Hills). £660 fine, £66 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for no MOT.

Martin Danfields (27), of Hawthorn Bank, Spalding. Failed to give driver ID (Lincoln). £660 fine, £66 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

James Evans (33), of Pennyfield, Pinchbeck. No insurance (Spalding). £660 fine, £66 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Paul Ghita (44), of Spalding Road, Holbeach. Speeding (Whaplode). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Raimondas Gilys (32), of Eleven Acre Lane, Kirton. Speeding (Quadring). £440 fine, £44 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Paul Huckle (25), of Main Road, Gedney Drove End. Driving without a seat belt (Spalding). £60 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Daniel Ketteringham (32), of Clough Road, Holbeach Clough. No insurance (Stamford). £660 fine, £66 v/s, £85 costs. No separate penalty for driving without a seat belt.

Paul King (62), of Holme Road, Kirton Holme. Speeding (Wildmore). £115 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Andzej Koltun (34), of Bluebell Walk, Boston. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Mark Matthews (45), of Wharf Street, Sutton Bridge. Failed to give driver ID (Lincoln). £660 fine, £66 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Petrica Perian (27), of Fleet Road, Fleet. Failed to give driver ID (Lincoln). £660 fine, £66 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court

September 20

Mohammed Almutairi (42), of Chestnut Place, Cringleford, Norwich. No insurance (Swineshead Bridge). £660 fine, £66 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 6 months.

Mark Richardson (45), of Baston. Speeding (Spalding bypass). £665 fine, £67 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 56 days.

Martin Clayton 53), of Aspell Close, Middleton. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £80 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Laima Mickiene (50), of Whaplode Manor Mews, Washway Road, Holbeach. Speeding (Spalding). £40 fine, £20 v/s, £40 costs, 3pts.

Sally Molony (52), of Westhorpe, Southwell. Notts. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

September 22

Adam Manning-Coe (25), of Wood View, Bourne. Criminal damage (Bourne). £150 compensation, £85 costs. No action taken on breach of conditional discharge.

Sushma Bragg (51), of Manor Road, Kirton. Speeding (Spalding). £220 fine, £22 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

We write in response to the article by Lynne Harrison on the proposed housing development in Spalding Road, Pinchbeck.

I totally agree with what Nigel Greenwood has to say and would also like to share our views with you.

It was a lovely picture in your newspaper of the proposed site entrance, but I would like to invite you to see the view that we will have if this development goes ahead.

We will stand to lose all the wildlife from the site, while our privacy will be non-existent.

So much for moving to a county which we thought prided itself on its conservation areas and greenbelt land.

The traffic we have to deal with has increased fourfold over the three years we have been here.

Therefore we feel that with this new proposed site, bearing in mind that Lincolnshire has an extremely high accident rate as it is, new luxury houses (not even affordable houses for local people) will only increase traffic problems.

It is already a difficult route for pedestrians on this stretch of road, which we believe will get worse. So much for councils and the government trying to encourage us to keep fit and active.

How will local GP surgeries and schools cope with a new influx of residents, especially when we are told they are already stretched.

The development may well provide the opportunity to extend St Mary’s cemetery, but perhaps we should be thinking of those who are still with us.

To class all those who voted to remain in the EU as members of a ‘metropolitan liberal elite’, as John Hayes did in his ‘Hayes in the House’ column in Tuesday’s Lincolnshire Free Press is as accurate as to call those who voted to leave as xenophobic bigots – no doubt both of these descriptions could apply to some in both camps, but by no means to all.

Many of us have been shocked at the referendum result and were dismayed at the preceding campaign in which neither side presented a clear picture.

Those in favour of remaining concentrated on the dire economic consequences of leaving, rather than putting the case for a tolerant outgoing country co-operating with its neighbours, while those in favour of leaving simply produced emotive slogans such as ‘give us our country back’ (which country?) and ‘Take back control’.

Mr Hayes talks of ‘building a united Britain’, but the referendum result has deepened divisions between the constituent countries of the UK and encouraged antagonism and intolerance towards immigrants.

He, of all people, must be aware of the benefit eastern Europeans have brought to our area.

As for our parliament taking back control – what does he think of the Government’s apparent determination not to allow MPs to have a say in Brexit negotiations?

The headline on Tuesday’s column read ‘They’re out of time’. Like his previous nostalgic wish to bring back the navy blue British passport, Mr Hayes shows that he is the one out of time, wanting to return to an era now seen through rose-coloured spectacles.

The world has moved on and we have to make our way from where we are now, not attempt to put the clock back.

If we want our country to have a voice in the world, we should not be turning inwards into a Little England mentality but looking out, open to new ideas and sharing our ideals.

Patients are seeing eye care being transformed following the introduction of a new clinic at Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital.

The new eyelid cyst clinic at Pilgrim Hospital aims to carry out assessment and surgery in the same appointment, with patients able to go home within the hour.

Those who are referred to the clinic within the Royle Eye Department aim to be seen within a few weeks by oculoplastic advanced care practitioner Carmen Clark.

Ms Clark. who has been carrying out similar procedures for more than 15 year and began at Pilgrim in May, said:“Generally, the whole appointment takes around 30-45 minutes from start to finish. I have also been able to identify other conditions and made the necessary referrals for patients during the assessment.

“I am treating patients in a hospital setting which means if other problems are identified they are in the right setting to get further treatment.”

The surgery only takes 10 minutes to carry out.

The clinic has received positive feedback from patients who feel safe, confident in Carmen’s care and pleased with the speediness of the process.

Patient Diane Turner, 52, from Boston, said: “I’m really pleased with the procedure. The anaesthetic was a little bit painful but I didn’t feel anything after that.

“I’m really glad to be able to have it all done in one day.”

Conditions treated include chalazions and meibomian cysts which are painless bumps inside the upper or lower eyelid caused by blockage of oil glands in the eyelid and eye lid papillomas which look like a skin tag and can be solitary or multiple, smooth or rough and is similar in colour to adjacent skin and skin tags.

Clinics run fortnightly and Carmen has treated 22 patients since May.

The ten new pupils at Edenham Primary School are pictured during their first month at school.

Photo (TIM WILSON): SG280916-102TW

Pictured are the youngsters who have started Thurlby Primary School this term.

Our photographer spent September taking photographs of the area’s new reception intake and the final few will be published in upcoming editions of the Free Press and Spalding Guardian.

To order a photograph call 03301230203 or visit spaldingtoday.co.uk and click ‘Buy A Photo’.

(SG260916-126TW)

Before the local councils

South Holland 
District Council

J Halifax and Sons, Warehouse and premises, East Bank, Sutton Bridge. Details of external materials and surface water disposal.

Mr and Mrs Melton, Station Road, Tydd Gote. Amendment to detached dwelling to include rear extension (appeal decision).

Mr and Mrs Payne, 1 Common Way/Forge Cottage, Common Way, Tydd St Mary. Change of use from agricultural land to residential garden.

Market Homes, former Ye Olde Dun cow, Barrier Bank, Cowbit. Amendments to approval of pair semi-detached dwellings.

Fenhouse Land, plots 1 and 5 William Close, Donington. Details of scheme to deal with contamination of land.

A Gurry, Sudbury Lodge, Hazelwood Lane, Fleet. Extension.

O Sneath and D Szafalowicz, former Sessions, Sheep Market, Spalding. Change of use of Sessions House to residential, including internal alterations.

T Hicks, 104 Barrier Bank, Cowbit. Extension, garage/store, amendment to approval.

Loveden Estates, land east Durhams Road, Wiles Farm, Durham Road, Dawsmere. Lined earth bank reservoir.

Chestnuts Tea Room Farm Shop, Topsgate, Gedney. Conservatory.

JEPCO, Onslow Farm, Onslow Lane, Gedney Drove End. Continuation of siting of temporary accommodation facilities for student farm workers.

E Morton-Rowell, adj Koraleigh, 19 Station Road, Gedney Hill. Residential single garage.

J Fossett, former North Drove Station, North Drove, Spalding. Buildings for storage of showman’s vehicles.

R C Tinsley Ltd, Campains Lane, Deeping St Nicholas. Residential development with field access.

M Drury, Enterprise Way, Pinchbeck. Extension of tray storage area and addition of changing room to fruit and vegetable storage and distribution dept (modification of approval of wording relating to finished floor levels).

F Earl and Son, 62 Austendyke Road, Weston Hills. Residential development.

Boston Borough Council

Burrow, Sunset Farm, Mill Lane, Fosdyke. Change of use of barn and manege to equine business use and agricultural land to paddocks for uses ancillary to the occupation of the dwelling house (private use).

South Lincs Property Ltd, land rear 7-17 Station Road, Kirton. Demolish outbuildings and build six dwellings.

Larkfleet Homes T/A Allison Homes, land north Middlegate Road (West), Frampton. Up to 215 dwellings.

McMillan, land north of Meeres Lane and adj Pick’s Barn, Kirton. Non material amendment to approval of installation of ground mounted solar PV array to make revisions to mounting structure.

South Kesteven 
District Council

A Manna, 7 Aveland Way, Baston. Extensions.

Mr and Mrs Dodd, 5 Beaufort Avenue, Market Deeping. Extension.

Mr and Mrs Smith, 32 East Lane, Morton. Extensions.

Mr and Mrs Rojek, 7 Horsegate, Deeping St James. New dwelling on land to rear of existing house.

A Hodgkinson, land opposite The Sugar Mill, Milestone Road, Bourne. One free standing sign and two building mounted signs.

Mr and Mrs Aspinall, Alnmouth House, Aveland Way, Aslackby. Extension.

A tougher line on alcohol licences in Spalding has claimed another victim after a shop had its application rejected by district councillors.

During a hearing on Friday, Zarid Limalia’s bid for a premises licence at VIP Alcohol in Winsover Road was refused by South Holland District Council after he was linked to two other shops in Spalding where illegal cigarettes were found.

Mr Limalia (19), of Magnus Road, Leicester, had applied for the right to sell beers, wines and spirits at VIP Alcohol for 14 hours a day, seven days a week, Monday to Sunday.

But Lincolnshire Police had challenged the application based on suspicions that Mr Limalia would be a “front” for traders suspected of selling illegal cigarettes at both the Baltic and Winsover Off-Licences in Spalding.

A report for the hearing by Police Constable John Evans, of Lincolnshire Police’s alcohol licensing team, said: “During a meeting with Mr Limalia on Thursday, September 15, he spoke about his experience of working in a shop.

“He also spoke about his current (loss-making) hair salon business, his financing of the proposed off-licence and other matters.

“We sought answers from Mr Limalia about any possible links to persons connected with the nearby shops, Baltic and Winsover, which had recently had their off-licences revoked.”

PC Evans said that Mr Limalia had assured them there was no connection between himself and Karwan Ahmad, licence holder for both Baltic and Winsover which had their right to sell alcohol revoked in February.

Almost 12,000 smuggled cigarettes were found at Baltic alone during a raid by police and trading standards officers last December.

Mr Limalia had pledged to train his staff on the licencing laws, install CCTV cameras and keep a record of attempted alcohol sales to under-18s.

But the council’s licensing panel said: “The police held the strong view that the applicant had been put forward as a front by others previously known to the authorities for the sale or supply of smuggled goods.”

“The panel was more than satisfied that the material provided by the police, and the lack of satisfactory explanations from the applicant that he has links to the Baltic store, meant the only option was to reject the application.”

Police are trying to establish how a 34-year-old man suffered serious injuries in Spalding over the weekend.

The man was taken to hospital after he was found in Winsover Road, near the Golden City Chinese Restaurant, after 7.15pm on Sunday night.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “The man is currently receiving treatment but we do not know how he came about his injuries.

“They could be the result of a fall or an assault, but the exact time the injuries occurred is not clear.

“Police are urgently appealing for any witnesses who can help establish a full picture of what has happened.”

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting reference 368 of October 16.

The teenage girl on trial for two murders was today (Monday) described as the driver behind the killings.

Peter Joyce QC , in his closing speech to the jury at Nottingham Crown Court, said the murders of school dinner lady Liz Edwards (49) and her daughter Katie (13) were cold and calculated but would never have happened if the 14-year-old had not encouraged a 14-year-old boy to carry out the killings.

Mr Joyce said the “sheer brutality and utter contempt” the girl had “oozes from every pore” during police interviews when she made a detailed and graphic description of the killings.

“You know from the first pages of her first interview with police just how determined these two children were to take two lives.

“You know how callous they were. You know how cold they were. You know how determined they were.

“She is a bright kid. She is not a fool. She knew exactly what she was doing.

“The truth is that so far as these two killings are concerned this girl and boy planned and carried out cold, calculated and callous killings. Afterwards there has not been a hint of remorse. She is as guilty of murder as he is.”

At the start of proceedings today the trial judge Mr Justice Haddon-Cave asked everyone in court to reflect on the fact that today would have been Katie’s 14th birthday.

The judge said: “I ask everyone to note and reflect on the fact that today would have Katie Edwards’ 14th birthday.”

The girl on trial denies two charges of murder but admits manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

The boy has admitted two charges of murder between April 12 and 15. Both were 14 at the time and are now 15.

Andrew Stubbs QC, representing the girl, said she had not attempted to evade responsibility for the killings. He urged the jury to look at psychiatric evidence which showed she was suffering from an adjustment disorder at the time.

He said: “The question is not whether she is responsible for the killings but the extent she is responsible.”

The judge is due to commence his summing up later today.

• The trial continues.

Previously...

Defendants planned suicide and wanted their ashes scattered together

A long distance walker is set to take on his toughest challenge yet to raise funds for charity.

Alan Bradshaw, from Deeping St James, will be walking nearly 300 miles in just 18 days with no break in support of the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance.

He has already completed several long distance walks, but this will be his toughest challenge yet and the first he has undertaken in support of the Ambucopter. The Pennine Way will see him starting at Edale in Derbyshire and finishing at Kirk Yetholm in Scotland 18 days later.

Alan said: “Living in Lincolnshire, this is very local, and with my hobby of walking, if in the unfortunate event that I, or any other walker, happens to get into serious difficulties, it could be the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance that comes to our rescue. It is a fantastic service which I would like to support”

As if the challenge was not difficult enough, Alan plans to undertake the walk alone with no rest days and camping and staying in bed and breakfast accommodation along the way.

Notts & Lics Air Ambulance Chief Executive, Karen Jobling, said: “What Alan will be undertaking in aid of our Air Ambulance is remarkable. I cannot even imagine how difficult it will be to walk so far for 18 days straight with no break and no home comforts. We are extremely grateful for his support and wish him luck in his amazing challenge.”

Caring Lincolnshire Free Press readers have contacted us with offers of help for a homeless man living on concrete stairs in a derelict Spalding building.

Adam Beeson (24) has been in the building for a more than a month after running out of places to sofa surf.

So far there has been one offer of work, several readers said they would like to buy food for Adam and one reader suggested a place where he can go for meals or to take a shower or bath.

No one has so far come up with a warm place he can sleep until he’s back on his feet and has an income again.

• We will be speaking to Adam tomorrow (Tuesday) to talk about the offers of help.

Jurors in the trial of a 14-year-old girl accused of two murders are to continue their deliberations in the morning.

The juror of seven men and five women spent just over half an hour considering the evidence at Nottingham Crown Court this afternoon before being sent home for the night.

The girl has admitted killing school dinner lady Elizabeth Edwards (49) and her daughter Katie (13).

The pair were both stabbed in the neck as they slept in their home at Dawson Avenue, Spalding in April this year.

Both Mrs Edwards and Katie were killed by a 14-year-old boy but the girl is alleged to have planned the murders with him and been the “driver” behind the offences.

The girl denies two charges of murder but admits two charges of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

The boy has admitted two charges of murder between April 12 and 15.

MONDAY, 4.25PM: Jury out to consider verdicts in Edwards double killing case

The jury in the trial of a 14-year-old girl accused of murdering Spalding mother and daughter Liz and Katie Edwards is now considering its verdicts. Members of the jury retired late this afternoon after hearing evidence in relation to the teenage girl who is accused of both murders.

The girl is alleged to have been “the driver” behind the killings of school dinner lady Liz Edwards (49) and her daughter Katie (13) who were both stabbed in the neck as they slept in bed at their home in Dawson Avenue, Spalding, in April 2016.

During a five-day trial at Nottingham Crown Court which began last Monday, the jury heard that the accused girl had plotted the killings with a 14-year-boy who previously admitted two charges of murder which took place between April 12 and 15.

The girl is alleged to have gone through the murder plan with the teenage boy “over and over and over again”, originally planning to carry out one killing each.

But the girl changed her mind at the last minute and the boy carried out both killings, with Katie having also been smothered with a pillow after she had been stabbed.

The girl denies two charges of murder but has admitted two charges of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

Previously...

Poignant moment in court on what would have been Katie’s 14th birthday

A man has been hit with a bill of £1,680.23 after his unwanted household items were found dumped in two locations near Crowland.

In October 2015, Brandon Campbell paid to have a number of items taken from his home in Thorney Road, Crowland.

However, he didn’t get any details of the person who took them or check whether they had a waste carrier’s licence.

The items were later spotted dumped by the side of Sheppard’s Drove and Falls Drove by South Holland District Council’s environmental investigations officer, who was able to trace them back to Campbell’s address.

Last week Campbell was found guilty of failing in his duty of care to dispose of waste properly, at a hearing at Boston Magistrates’ Court.

He was fined £660 and ordered to pay compensation of £954.23, as well as a victim surcharge of £66.

The council would like to remind residents that they have a duty of care to ensure that waste is disposed of correctly. Failure to comply can result in a fine or even imprisonment.

Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, portfolio holder for environmental services, said: “If you hire someone to remove your household waste, that person must have a waste carrier’s licence.

“If they don’t and the items end up fly-tipped, you will be prosecuted, hit hard in the pocket and given a criminal record which will greatly impact on your daily life.

“This situation can be easily avoided, so please take necessary steps to ensure your waste is not passed on to unregistered persons.”

If you are thinking of hiring a private waste collector:

• Ask the waste carrier to provide you with their full address and telephone number;

• Ask to see their waste carrier license issued by the Environment Agency;

• Contact the Environment Agency directly on 08708 506506 and ask for a free instant waste carrier validation check – or you can check online on the Environment Agency website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency

Loving tributes have been paid to retired firefighter Roy Shipley who dedicated more than 40 years of his life to serving the people of Long Sutton and the surrounding area.

Mr Shipley, who lived in Long Sutton all his life, sadly passed away on September 16, a week after suffering a fall at his home. He was 88.

He is survived by daughters Debra Bath and Lisa Flaxman, both of Ashwell, in Hertfordshire, three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

Mr Shipley was well known in Long Sutton where he joined the National Fire Service during the war years as a runner. When it disbanded in 1948 he became a retained firefighter serving until his retirement in 1988, after which he continued to collect fire service memorabilia as well as restoring and showing trailer pumps.

He also worked for companies including Green King as a travelling salesman and in its offices.

Former colleagues, friends and residents have taken to Facebook to pay tribute to Mr Shipley, describing him as a true gentlemen, and one who always had time for others.

Mrs Bath said: “We had to have a bell in the house and it was right outside my bedroom door – so I knew every shout he went on, and I used to wait up for him wanting to know where he had been.

“There are so many stories I remember about him. He helped a lot of people, I am so proud of him. He was a firefighter, and one of life’s fighters.”

Long Sutton Fire Station manager Richard King described Mr Shipley as a great character.

“Roy would often attend our station on a Thursday night and reminisce about the incidents he and his crew attended during his lengthy career,” he said.

“He would also look to 
acquire any bits and bobs to keep his beloved trailer pump in good working order.

“I remember him and his friends and colleagues even attended an open day we organised just to show ‘us young uns’ – as he called us – how it was done.”

He said it was comforting to know Mr Shipley’s resting place prior to his funeral was the Co-Op Funeral Home, in West Street – the site of the town’s old fire station, which provided him with so many happy memories.

“Our station has a history of being one of the best, always performing well, and it’s all because of the teaching that Roy and his colleagues passed down through the generations – we just try to continue the legacy they gave us,” added Mr King.

“He will be very sadly missed by all at the fire station both past and present and it will be a great honour for our crew to escort Roy to the crematorium to say our final goodbyes.”

Mr Shipley’s funeral takes place on Friday, October 21, at South Lincolnshire Crematorium, Surfleet, at noon.

Donations to be split between the RBL, Fire Service Benevolent Fund and RAFA.

A white TowMaster trailer has been reported stolen from Lutton Bank, Lutton, during the past week.

It happened at about 7.20pm on Thursday, October 13, following the theft after a 3.5-tonne, 14ft x 6ft, 6” double axle Ifor Williams trailer was stolen from Ravensgate, Holbeach St Johns.

This separate theft took place between 7pm on Friday, October 7 and 10am on Monday, October 10.

Anyone with information should call 101.