Columnist James Waller-Davies gives his view of some of the recent events on television.

Mesmerising audiences with the same trick again and again is a good trick indeed. David Attenborough and his documentary team have been doing it for decades and the latest natural world blockbuster documentary, Planet Earth II (BBC1), has done it yet again.

The production and photography is as stunning as anything multi-million dollar global superhero franchises can CGI-conjure in creating fantasy worlds – and yet this is the real world. Our world.

The photography takes the real to the realms of hyper-reality, immersing audiences into the visceral ‘nature red in tooth and claw’ of the living natural world.

Add in Attenborough’s voiceover, which tends to empathy but never anthropromorphisation, and what you get is another masterpiece of documentary television making.

In an opening programme that was all highlights, picking out a few cherries from the cake is to pick through a cake make only of cherries. But who will forget the little Pigmy three-toed sloth, slowing making his way to a date, climbing through trees and swimming though lagoons.

For those of us blokes who think having a shave and finding a clean shirt is a big date deal, you ain’t got nothing on Mr Pigmy three-toed. And what does he get at the end of it all? Nothing. He’d quite literally climbed and barked up the wrong tree and got the wrong date.

The award to the most perilous beach crossing has to go to the baby marine iguana and its beach blitz against gangs of aptly named racer snakes on its tail. It was a deadly game of British Bulldog, with little iguanas running the fanged gauntlet.

Attenborough is 90 now and there can’t be many more opportunities for him to add to one of the most extraordinary canons in any form of cultural history ever made. If the Nobel Prize can be extended to Bob Dylan, it can surely be extended to Attenborough. His work is this significant. If you watch nothing else this weekend, watch Planet Earth II.

If strange things happen nature, then it’s nothing compared to what can happen in US presidential elections. The Last Leg: US Election Special (Channel 4) was all geared up, along with the rest of the world’s media, to celebrate a Clinton victory, but got Donald Trump instead.

In America, Newsweek magazine had to recall and pulp 125,000 copies of its souvenir ‘Madam President’ Clinton special. The Last Leg had a group of bemused guests all with the wrong script.

A classic example of events overtaking production. Adam Hills managed to hold it all together, just. But really it was just a rehash of all the tired Trumpington gags he’d been telling through the campaign. Just as with Brexit, the tables were turned again. Democracy, it would appear, is now about the people letting the media in on what is going on, rather than the other way around.

The Christmas starting gun has been fired. The annual John Lewis Christmas advert is here again, with Buster the dog and his new trampoline.

There’s becoming a pattern to the psychology of the John Lewis Christmas offering. They are built on loneliness: the boy and his penguin, the man in the moon, and now Buster without a bounce. They’ve become a pretty cynical psychological tug on the Christmas heartstrings. Feeling lonely this Christmas? Don’t worry, splash your cash at JL and you won’t be alone.

I’d like to see the David Attenborough version of this year’s advert. The one where dad swears ‘damn, blast and sod it’ having trapped his cold hands in the trampoline bars and leaves a tangled pile of poles and netting in the mud-sodden garden. The one where the badger would eat its natural prey the hedgehog and foxes would have snacked on the squirrels. That’s the real world.

The Peele Community College in Long Sutton has appointed its Head Boy and Head Girl for 2016/17.

Ryan Early and Molly Southerland both prepared outstanding applications which showed their strengths to be appointed.

The school said the process for application was rigorous, starting with a formal letter of application.

There was then shortlisting before a few were invited to interviews with senior leaders, where they put their case forward as to why they should be chosen.

Year captains and vice-captains were equally under pressure to make formal applications and presentations, before the following appointments were made:

Year 11: Captains – Macey Bird and Georgina Stonely; vice-captains – Adam Horspool and Jenna Culy.

Year 10: Captains – Emma Linnett and Kirsty Wattam; vice-captains Holly Johnson and Jenaya Wade.

Year 9: Captains – Lucy Crisp and Jodie Rhodes; vicecaptains – Sam Foxall and Lily Morrell-Bowley.

Year 8: Captains – Emma Elam and Isabel Owen; vice-captains – Madison Koblek and Rosie Eliff.

Year 7: Captains – Ramandeep Gharu and Maddison Goode; vice-captains – Josh Woodrow and Libby Davies.

All the student leaders will have a variety of high profile roles within the college and will also represent it at events throughout the year.

Their first role will be to host the college’s annual senior citizens luncheon on December 7.

Update: The family of Spalding teenager Freya Pite, who was reported missing from her home on Friday evening, say that she has now returned home. Thanks go to all those who shared the police appeal.

Previous story:

Lincolnshire Police are “concerned for the safety and wellbeing” of a missing girl from Spalding.

Freya Pite, who is understood to be in her mid-teens, was last seen at her Spalding home on Friday (November 11) at around 8.30pm.

Police believe that she may have travelled and visited the Market Deeping area.

If anybody had any dealings with her during yesterday evening, or has spoken to her since this date, contact Lincolnshire Police by calling 101, quoting incident number 505 of November 11.

Surfleet gardener Daphne Ledward has this week paid tribute to her long-time friend Sir Jimmy Young, the former Radio 2 presenter, who died on Monday aged 95.

The gardening expert broadcast tips from Sir Jimmy’s studio for more than a decade until his show was axed in 2002, but remained in touch with him, exchanging birthday and Christmas cards with little notes inside.

Daphne said Jimmy’s non-confrontational and skilful style of interviewing had set him apart from the rest while he always elicited the answers he was after.

“It was his skilful way of interviewing that I thought was so much more clever than you would get nowadays,” said Daphne. “I don’t think there was ever anybody before like him and there will never be anybody else like him.”

Daphne continued: “He was very clever at what he did and very clever to keep out of what he didn’t know anything about.

“He wasn’t interested in gardening – he hated gardening – and let me have full rein.

“It was a fun programme, actually, it was the sort of thing you wouldn’t get now.”

Daphne will miss Sir Jimmy because he had been a part of her life for such a long time, but says: “He was working more or less up to the last couple of months, I think. He was 95 and as sharp as a pin right up to the end.”

During her time with Sir Jimmy’ show, Daphne met fellow Radio 2 favourites Sir Terry Wogan and Ed Stewart as well as Tony Blair.

Staff, pupils and governors at Sutton St James Primary School are celebrating after being ranked ‘Good’ in all 
departments by Ofsted.

The education inspectorate visited the Bell’s Drove school on September 20 and 21 and judged it good at ‘effectiveness of leadership and management’, ‘quality of teaching, learning and assessment’, ‘personal development, behaviour and welfare’, ‘outcomes for pupils’ and ‘early years provision’.

The school had been rated ‘requires improvement’ after Ofsted’s last visit in January 2015.

The new report says ‘highly-motivated headteacher’ Claire Willows has relentlessly recruited high-quality teaching staff. Her commitment to their professional development has improved the quality of teaching in the school.

Teaching, learning and 
assessment is now good and having a positive impact on pupils’ achievements in all classes.

The report says achievement is now good too and 
pupils’ progress accelerates as they move through each key stage, leading to a higher proportion of Year 6 pupils achieving above age-related expectations.

Children in the Reception year make consistently good progress and good teaching raises the proportion reaching a good level of development to above the national average.

Phonics is very well taught, the report goes on to say, and, as a result, Year 1 pupils are ahead of others nationally. This 
underpins their rapid progress in reading through the school.

Pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding and the exceptional care and support for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities is highly effective.

The school’s coordinator ensures that every individual receives finely tailored help and facilitates their rapid progress.

The report says pupils are keen learners and frequently show their positive attitudes and good behaviour, quickly responding to teachers’ comments.

Governors keep a sharp eye on school improvement and the use of additional funding is closely monitored to check the impact on raising achievement.

Safeguarding is highly 
effective, with leaders ensuring training is up to date and safeguarding retains a high priority.

The newly appointed leaders of English and mathematics have had limited time to fully impact on raising pupils’ achievement.

Police are warning Spalding residents to be vigilant following recent reports of thefts from vehicles in the area.

PC Craig Lockton, from the Spalding Community Beat Team, has warned residents to ensure that they lock their vehicles and remove valuable items overnight.

• For more police advice on preventing theft from motor vehicles, visit www.lincs.police.uk/get-help-advice/driving-roads-and-vehicles/theft-from-motor-vehicles.

We wholeheartedly endorse the Country Land and Business Association’s advice regarding dangerous sky lanterns.

As livestock farmers, these lanterns are a disaster waiting to happen.

We have large straw stacks which, in a dry time, can easily catch fire should one of these lanterns land on one of them.

We also have cattle and sheep grazing on grassland and the wire and sharp pieces of bamboo are highly dangerous to ruminants.

Cattle are particularly curious and very likely to ingest foreign bodies such as the aforementioned.

In the past, when we were inundated by coarse fishermen from places such as Sheffield, we lost two or three cattle unexpectedly. Post-mortem examinations showed fishing tackle such as hook disgorgers, line and lead weights in their stomachs.

We would also point out that any lanterns which land on cereal, hay or silage fields could also be inadvertently baled up and, again, ingested by livestock.

Our belief is that these lanterns should be banned from sale in the UK.

Perhaps, if a thatched cottage belonging to a government minister was to catch fire because one landed on the roof, then something would be done.

May we also suggest that you contact the National Farmers’ Union for its comments.

An aspiring football journalist from Spalding was thrilled last week when he met interim England manager Gareth Southgate.

Former Spalding Grammar School student Ryan Plant (18) met Southgate during a guest lecture at the University of Derby.

The former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesborough player was speaking to the only football journalism course in the country.

Ryan, of Belvedere Close, told the Guardian: “Gareth was extremely down to earth and very friendly. He answered everybody’s questions thoroughly and in an 
interesting way, using his own experiences as both a player and a club and international manager.”

Ryan’s course involves regularly travelling to matches all around the country. He often interviews players and managers, and has the opportunity to meet some of the biggest names in and around English football.

Speaking about some of his achievements since starting at university in September, he said: “The best opportunity for me, as a Wolves fan, was to sit in the press box at Molineux for the game against Norwich in October.

“The chance to meet former manager Walter Zenga, and speak to star players, was an honour.”

He includes Leicester vs Chelsea, England Women’s thrashing of Estonia and England Under 21s’ 5-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina as the most exciting games he has been to this season.

The future of a dog under the care of alocal pet charity is a little brighter after a social media storm regarding his fate.

Billy, a two-year-old Collie Kelpie, is on his way to a specialist foster carer in Kent under supervision from staff at Jerry Green Dog Rescue in Algarkirk.

More than 2,500 people have signed an online petition raised when rumours emerged that Billy was to be “put to sleep”.

But Jacqui Bell, chief executive of Jerry Green Dog Rescue, said: “No dog will be put to sleep unless it’s the most humane thing to do and we’re hoping that we’ve found the right place for Billy.”

Dog owner Jacqui revealed that the charity received more than 400 offers of help for 
Billy last weekend from which three or four were identified as potential foster carers.

Jacqui said: “Billy came to us in June 2016 with quite a sad history and we had him at our North Yorkshire centre for a period of time.

“He was, what is described by the farming community, as a spoiled farm dog and when he arrived with us, we spent some time trying to get Billy adjusted to our kennels.

“But we were advised by two senior vets that he had cognitive disabilities and high levels of anxiety which meant that Billy’s quality of life was diminishing.”

Billy’s anxiety resulted in him “chewing through cables and electrical wires”, according to Jacqui, after which he was moved from the North Yorkshire centre to the charity’s outh Lincolnshire kennels in Algarkirk.

Jacqui said: “We worked with several experts and one of our most experienced centre managers in South Lincolnshire to put Billy in a lot of foster-based homes.

“Then we moved him to a very experienced foster carer, but he didn’t thrive in that environment and Billy even managed to cut himself by going through a glass panel.

“We knew that we were doing everything we could for Billy, but we also knew that we would reach a point where we would have to stop.”

Jacqui admitted that a “request for euthanasia” had been put in for Billy last Friday but since then, a foster carer has been found with experience of dealing with behavioural issues similar to Billy’s.

“Billy’s had a very difficult start in life and so we want to give him as good a quality of life as possible,” Jacqui said.

• What do you think? Email your views to spaldingeditor@jpress.co.uk

CABINET CALL: By South Holland District Council Cabinet member Gary Taylor

Following some recent cabinet changes, my responsibilities now include Communities and Facilities.

As a small rural council I believe we should be proud of the facilities we have locally.

The cabinet has recently discussed a report focusing on the Spalding Castle swimming pool. We have listened to the feedback and are planning increased investment of the facility, which includes more cleaning, new floors and toilets.

There has recently been some speculation about numbers using this facility and there has been a notable increase in recent years.

In 2013 swimming pool usage was 147,954 and in 2015 this rose to 168,166.

I try to use the facilities regularly and it’s always useful to hear comments from users.

I have also recently taken part in a site visit to our recently purchased piece of land at Moulton Park.

This involved a tour and meeting with parish council representatives to discuss the future of the site, as well as hearing fascinating information about various trees and wildlife.

I was very pleased to hear that all of the industrial units across the district are fully occupied, which is good news for employment and the future prosperity of our towns and villages.

As the winter weather intensifies, rather than travelling miles to other areas it’s worth making an effort to explore what is on offer locally.

As well as the leisure facilities mentioned earlier in Spalding, there’s the Peele leisure centre in Long Sutton, Ayscoughfee Hall gardens and cafe, and there is still plenty of time to buy Christmas gifts from our markets in Holbeach, Long Sutton, Spalding and Crowland.

As I mentioned, I’m proud to say that we do listen and take your concerns seriously and look to make improvements where we can.

If you have any comments or suggestions on our council-owned facilities, please feel free to contact me in order for us to enhance experiences for future users.

• What do you think about the pool? Email jeremy.ransome@jpress.co.uk

A new volunteer mentoring project has been set up to help individuals who have experienced mental ill health and community groups that need more support.

The Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service (LCVS) Guiding Lights project will train mentors to support individuals who have experienced mental ill health or distress to take their first steps into volunteering.

Ruth Copleston, senior community development officer at LCVS, said: “We know that people who have experienced mental health issues can feel isolated.

“Volunteering can have a life-changing impact on their wellbeing and sense of self worth but taking those first steps can be very daunting.

“This project is all about developing a team of people with the knowledge, experience, compassion and time to offer support to help 
individuals to begin making a valuable contribution.

“Through this project we aim to put in place what’s needed to help individuals get up-to-speed and help groups have a bigger pool of volunteers to help them achieve their goals.”

Initially, the Spalding-based project aims to identify and train volunteer Guiding Lights mentors who will 
receive ongoing support.

They will then work alongside individuals and organisations to help make their volunteering a success. Guiding Lights mentors will either take on the role as a stand-alone volunteering 
opportunity or may take it up as an additional responsibility in a role they already hold.

Project officer Dawn McClements said: “This is a fantastic project that could have very far reaching benefits for both individuals and community groups.”

The project has been funded with £15,000 from Lincolnshire’s Managed Care Network Mental Health Promotion Fund.

LCVS runs Spalding Volunteer Centre, based at South Holland District Council 
offices in Priory Road, Spalding. The centre maintains a database of volunteering 
opportunities and links would-be volunteers to them.

For more information or to register an interest in the Guiding Lights project or any other aspect of LCVS’s work email enquiry@lincolnshirecvs.org.uk or call LCVS’s Spalding office on 01205 510888 ext 3. More information can also be found at www.lincolnshirecvs.org.uk

Lincolnshire Police have arrested a man after three people was shot with an air rifle in an “isolated, random incident” in Boston this morning (Sunday).

Police received three calls from members of the public reporting that they had been struck with air rifle pellets, shortly before 9.30am.

Local and armed police rushed to the scene, in Freiston Road, and closed off the road while they dealt with the incident in which a man was found to be taking random ‘pot shots’ at members of the public with the weapon.

After around an hour, the man surrendered himself to police and was arrested for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

He is currently in custody, and the air rifle has been recovered by police.

The three victims sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene, with none of them requiring hospital treatment.

A Lincolnshire Police inspector told the Standard that, although additional patrols have been put in the place in the area, it appears to have been an “isolated, random incident”.

He added that members of the public have no reason to be unduly concerned.

All roads in the area are now back open.

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS), along with health and care organisations from across the county, has been working in partnership to draft the Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP).

The final draft was submitted to regulators at NHS England on October 21, and we are now awaiting feedback, after which the STP will be shared with the public.

We will set out how we intend to engage with the public, staff, clinicians and stakeholders to further develop and implement the plan.

Your views are important so please engage in the discussions when they commence.

We have recently announced our participation in an exciting new pilot program.

LCHS will train a number of nursing associates who will sit alongside existing nursing care support workers and fully qualified registered nurses to deliver hands-on care for patients.

This is a great opportunity to develop our workforce and allow us to continue to deliver high-quality patient care. We look forward to welcoming these new trainees in their placements with us.

Finally, self-care week (November 14 to 20) is fast approaching. I encourage you to take a proactive approach to your care, and to consider the services available to you.

Remember that your pharmacist is a trained health professional and can offer advice on a wide range of illnesses and minor ailments.

I also encourage you to be mindful of your neighbours and those who are more vulnerable.

Andrew Morgan is the chief executive of LCHS

HAYES IN THE HOUSE: By MP John Hayes

Too rarely politicians challenge orthodox assumptions and more rarely still do they take action to turn back tides. In respect of the built environment, the defenders of the indefensible have held sway for too long; the case for beauty being articulated all too rarely, and, when it has, derided by those who dare not challenge modernist determinism.

The aesthetic of what we build has suffered from what Sir Roger Scruton has called the ‘Cult of Ugliness.’ The overwhelming majority of public architecture built during my lifetime is aesthetically worthless, simply because it is ugly.

Defenders of the worst contemporary architecture dismiss criticism out of hand, arguing that while some people might find it ugly, that’s nothing more than subjective personal judgements and, as such, of no significance. Some argue it is only utility that counts, with practicality and convenience trumping all else; others claim that our public buildings are bound to be bland, and that they need be nothing more.

Now that Britain is undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime programme of investment in our transport infrastructure - building new roads, new railways and new stations, as well as overhauling those already here - in my role as Minister for Transport, I am determined that we use this unique opportunity to instil design principles which lift the spirits, nurturing individual and communal wellbeing.

The Prince of Wales’ foundation for Building Community has found that 84% of those asked want new buildings to reflect historic form, style and materials. We shouldn’t tolerate sub-standard, conceptually flawed development be it buildings or roads, neither should we endure the demolition of our railway heritage - which is why I fought so hard for Deeping St James’ signal box and why we are fighting for Deeping St Nicholas’.

Winston Churchill once said that “we shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.” Nowhere is that truer than in the houses which, in becoming homes, frame communities. In future, our area can be freed from the soulless ubiquity that blights many parts of our country. Protecting our market towns and precious villages could not be more important.

Surely what we build should give us a direct link to the past, to a more aesthetically demanding age, by replicating the best of what has gone before, so enhancing our future sense of worth by affirming our sense of place.

The revolt against the Cult of Ugliness is under way; we can and will turn back the tide, we will beat on, 
boats against the current, borne ceaselessly to a new age of elegance. It is time to set out on the journey to beauty.

With food, and much more besides, necessity is often the mother of invention. Given hungry mouths to feed and a handful of ingredients, the cook will knock up a satisfying dish.

What’s more curious is why, given the same ingredients, different dishes emerge from different regions – and why some dishes do not. Take this week’s seafood chowder as an example. Lincolnshire is abound with fish, potatoes, milk and small veg, but chowder is not a traditional Lincolnshire dish.

And yet, when the Pilgrims left Lincolnshire back in the seventeenth century and arrived in the New World, finding the same ingredients, they made chowder. It took a little while for the Pilgrims to take to the native clams, considering them the “meanest of God’s blessings”, but by 1751 the first recorded recipe for a clam chowder appeared, of all places, in the Boston Evening Post.

Fortunately, chowder recipes made it back home over the Atlantic and it is has been a popular dish in the UK ever since.

This dish is a perfect winter warmer. It is rich, creamy and a whole meal in a bowl. Being quick to make, it is also a great midweek meal for busy cooks. There are also no rules. Change and adapt it to what you have lying about. Fresh fish can be supplemented with the readily available packs of frozen seafood. Swap the parsley for tarragon, or dill, or chives. Let necessity and the contents of your fridge be the mother of your own chowder invention.

RECIPE:

Ingredients (serves 4)

500g mixed fish and seafood

4 medium potatoes, diced

2 carrots, diced,

1 leek, finely chopped

1 cup sweetcorn

1 cup peas

450ml fish stock

200ml milk

1 tablespoon plain flour

Parsley

Method

In a large pan, fry the leeks and carrots in olive oil and butter gently for 10 minutes. Add the diced potatoes and continue for a further few minutes.

Stir in the flour and then add the fish stock and milk. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are getting soft.

Add the peas, sweetcorn and mixed fish and seafood and cook for a further 5 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Garnish with parsley and serve with good crusty bread.

A young soccer fan has memories for a lifetime after spending a day with his heroes at Spalding United Football Club.

Peter Bailey (nine), a pupil at Gosberton House School, was treated like royalty at the Tulips’ game against Staffordshire side Newcastle Town on Saturday for which he was the mascot.

After meeting both teams’ players, Peter also presented the man of the match award to Spalding United’s Jordan Lemon.

Peter’s nan, Jo Bailey said: “We first took him to see Spalding United in April last year when we thought he was ready to go and actually watch a football match.

“Peter’s been a Spalding United fan for about a year now and I put a post on social media to ask if anyone could help getting him a football shirt from the club.

“(Club secretary) Louise Mablethorpe got in touch and arranged for Peter to be a mascot on Saturday.

“He was presented with a shirt, hat, scarf and badge on the day and Peter was very happy to be there.”

The goodwill between Peter, who is autistic, and Spalding United was a two-way thing after the youngster sold some of his toys and computer games to raise about £45 for the club after a spate of break-ins and vandalism.

Jo said: “The club chairman, Andy Gay, was really happy when Peter handed over the money he’d raised and he’ll be going to every single match he possibly can from now on.”

○You can congratulate Peter by emailing spaldingeditor@jpress.co.uk, tweeting @LincsFreePress or going to spaldingtoday.co.uk or facebook.comLFPandSG

A charity which last year supported almost 2,500 prisoners and their families can now help even more offenders to break the cycle of crime.

Lincolnshire Action Trust (LAT) has recruited five new staff to offer additional support through its range of rehabilitation programmes and mentoring schemes.

It also has a new website to improve access to information about the services available.

LAT chief executive Alison Goddard said: “We’re dedicated to supporting offenders and the families of offenders before, during and after serving their sentence. Our new members of staff will enable us to support people much more effectively.

“As well as providing helpful information about the prison service and what people can expect at different stages, the new website will allow families to access details and contact information for those services which we run specifically for them including our Oasis and Young Oasis programmes.”

These latest additions to the Lincolnshire Action Trust bring the total number of employees to 28.

For more information about the range of programmes being delivered by Lincolnshire Action Trust visit the new website: www.LATcharity.org.uk

The four police forces of the East Midlands Operational Support Service (EMOpSS) are supporting the second national ‘distracted driving’ campaign.

The week long campaign is being launched by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) today (Monday 14 November) and is designed to draw drivers’ attention to not only the risks posed by being distracted by mobile phones while in control of a vehicle, but the serious penalties which they will face if they are caught.

Research by the RAC suggests the number of motorists who illegally use mobile phones while at the wheel is rising. They surveyed 1,714 motorists and 31% of them said they used a handheld phone behind the wheel compared with 8% in 2014. The number of drivers who said they sent a message or posted on social media rose from 7% to 19%, while 14% said they had taken a photograph or video while driving.

Driving ability is clearly impaired by using a mobile phone and studies have found that talking on a hand-held mobile phone can impair driving more than driving above the drink drive limit. Department for Transport figures show that a driver impaired or distracted by their phone was a contributory factor in 492 accidents in Britain in 2014, including 21 that were fatal and 84 classed as serious.

EMOpSS provides roads policing and collision investigation to the communities of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire. It also provides armed policing response, firearms training and specialist search skills and dog support.

Last month EMOpSS launched a hard hitting video showing the horrific consequences of driving on a mobile phone under the banner #itcanwait;

Chief Inspector Mark Garthwaite is the lead for roads policing within EMOpSS said; “Officers across the four forces of the East Midlands Operational Support Service are supporting the NPCC campaign because all too often they deal with the awful consequences of using a mobile phone while driving.

“This week officers will be carrying out enforcement action during a number of ‘Fatal Four’ clinics across the region to educate motorists about the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving. Just recently we launched a campaign called ‘it can wait’ which tells the powerful story of a woman left with permanent disabilities after being caught up in an accident caused by someone on her phone. As she says, nothing is so urgent that you have to do it while driving. Please don’t.”

Jonathan Clarkson, spokesperson for the Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Road Safety Partnership, said, “Last year we saw a rise in the number of deaths or serious injuries on our roads and we are very aware of the devastating impact these accidents can have on families. Using a mobile phone behind the wheel all too often contributes to these tragic accidents and we fully support the NPCC week of action.”

Under new rules expected to come in next year, drivers will get six points on their licence and face a £200 fine. There are also plans to ensure that all motorists caught using their mobile phone for the first time will automatically receive penalty points rather than being offered a driving course. These new rules aim to reduce the number of deaths and injured on the roads.

Alcohol Awareness Week is encouraging people to ‘know the risks’ of drinking too much, as it is reported that almost one in five adults in Lincolnshire are ‘regular’ binge drinkers.

Alcohol misuse costs the UK economy an estimated £7.3 billion per year, and across Lincolnshire it is estimated that 18.5 per cent of adults regularly binge drink - regularly consuming over double the recommended sensible amount in one day.

This week (November 14-21) is Alcohol Awareness Week and a co-ordinated campaign in the county aims to flag up the different risks of drinking to excess, including physical and mental health issues, anti-social behaviour, and safety risks.

• Look out for the social media hashtag #knowtherisks for information and help about alcohol issues in the county.

An 11th hour push in a mum’s road safety crusade saw her appear on ITV’s This Morning on Friday and a surge in signatures on a petition to Parliament.

But it may not be enough to find the 100,000 supporters Alice Husband needs for MPs to debate a ban on all mobile phone calls while driving.

Alice (42), from Tydd St Mary, also appeared on BBC1’s Look North and, with the help of journalist Kate Chapman, set up @Sign for Seth on Twitter and www.facebook.com/SignforSeth

Signatures almost doubled to top 20,000 but the petition deadlines on December 21.

Alice lost her son Seth Dixon (7) who was fatally injured in a road accident in December 2014 by a driver chatting hands free on a mobile phone.

Husband and wife This Morning presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford spoke of their admiration for Alice over the way she forgave driver Amy Asker. ITV’s Loose Women also debated the subject.

At the inquest earlier this year, Coroner Paul Cooper concluded the phone chat had contributed to the tragedy.

Alice herself wasn’t criticised for asking Seth to cross the road to post a letter but, in the last few days, comments have been made on social media by parents who said they wouldn’t have allowed children of his age to cross the road alone.

Alice says both the police and social services investigated at the time and found no culpability on her part.

She says the remarks on social media didn’t amount to being trolled and it was just three people having a conversation among themselves.

The mum is pointing to a weight of evidence that shows all mobile phone calls distract drivers, saying it is as unacceptable as drink-driving and the impact on the driver is the same as driving while drunk.

• What do you think? Email spaldingeditor@jpress.co.uk or tweet @LincsFreePress

To sign the petition, visit https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/132875

Previously ...

Grieving mum: ‘Highway Code rule will not save lives’

Death crash boy’s mum in law change call

Mum never blamed the driver after son killed