An ex-Spalding Guardian reporter who has become an expert on space is the special guest of Spalding Business Club next month.

Clive Simpson, now managing editor of ROOM - The Space Journal, will be sharing his experiences of the space and aerospace industries at Bookmark Spalding on Thursday, December 1, at 7am.

In an extract from his own website, Clive said: “I was deputy editor of Spaceflight magazine and later worked as an editor for the European Space Agency in France and the Netherlands, producing more than 20 astronaut mission newspapers.

“I was appointed Editor of Spaceflight in 2001, managing the magazine’s content, production and an international team of contributors at the same time as running my own award-winning media agency in Hampshire.

“After a decade in the editor’s chair of Spaceflight, I reported on the final flights of the US Space Shuttle from Florida before returning to work as a freelance journalist, writer and editor.

“I write regular news and features for the BBC Science website and many other business and trade publications, as well as providing conference news coverage for the Paris-based International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

“My blog, The Lighthouse Keeper, was started to provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Press Site during the final flights of the Space Shuttle, but has now expanded to cover news and comment on a range of topical interests.

For more details, call Ken Maggs of Spalding Business Club on 01775 711333.

A high number of Lincolnshire English National Concessionary Travel Scheme passes are set to expire in 2017, and people are being advised to apply in good time to ensure they get their new pass before their current one runs out.

To accommodate the increase in replacements, the period for renewals has been extended to six months before the expiry date. There is no fee for renewing a pass.

The passes allow all eligible older and disabled people to travel free on off-peak scheduled bus services anywhere in England.

In Lincolnshire, resident pass holders can also travel free of charge on local journeys before 9.30am on weekdays.

You can apply for a concessionary bus pass in a variety of ways, either:

• Download an application form; www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/concessionaryfares.

• Collect your application form from your local district council office, library, access centres or community group.

• Ring 01522 873700 to request a form by post.

• Request an application form by emailing customer.services@lincoln.gov.uk

Forms can be returned by post, emailed to ENCTS_Renewals@lincolnshire.gov.uk or dropped off in person at City Hall, Beaumont Fee, Lincoln LN1 1DB.

For details of the eligibility criteria and other scheme information, visit the website or call the number above. You will need to provide a passport sized photo (unless you are applying in person), plus proof (dated within the last six months) that you are a Lincolnshire resident and that you are of an age or have a disability which will qualify you for a pass.

Coun Richard Davies, executive member for Highways and Transport, said: “There are a lot of passes that are due to expire next year, so we’re urging people to apply as soon as they can. That should help spread the demand and reduce any delays.”

The personal details of hundreds of millions of users of adult meet-up websites have been exposed following the hacking of AdultFriendFinder and related sites.

The total of 412 million accounts includes 5.2 million UK email addresses, as well as associated information which could prove useful such as purchasing data.

The security breach occurred in October at the site’s parent company, California-based Friend Finder Networks. Other sites which may have ben affected include Cams.com, Penthouse.com, Stripshow.com and iCams.com.

The total includes information from 15 million accounts which had been deleted by users but which remained on the company’s servers and could stretch back as far as 20 years.

The latest leaking of personal data is a reminder of how vulnerable websites can be to attack, emphasised by the revelation that close to a million of the users whose data was compromised had used ‘123456’ as their password, with similar numerical combinations as well as ‘password’ and ‘qwerty’ also in the top 10.

ActionFraud - the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre - offered the following advice:

If you use the same password for AdultFriendFinder.com anywhere else on the internet, then change it immediately. Use three words which mean something to you but are random to others - this creates a password that is strong and more memorable.

The data taken in the breach includes email addresses and usernames, which could be used in future for phishing attempts. If you receive unsolicited emails never reply with personal details and don’t click on any links as you could end up downloading malware.

Be wary of anyone calling asking for personal information, bank details or passwords. If in doubt, just hang up.

For online safety advice visit www.getsafeonline.org and www.cyberaware.gov.uk.

Staff at the Abbey 345 Pre-School in Crowland are celebrating after being judged ‘Outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted.

The education inspectorate visited the school last month and judged it top of the class for ‘effectiveness of leadership and management’, ‘quality of teaching, learning and assessment’, ‘personal development, behaviour and welfare’ and ‘outcomes for children’.

Early Years manager Kathy Crouch said: “It’s been a long time coming. We had not had Ofsted in for eight years and the cycle is usually every four years.

“Although we had a pleasing result last time (‘Good with outstanding features’) and we hoped we were keeping up good standard and getting better it was nice to get that validated.”

The report says children are highly motivated and keen to learn in an inclusive and very welcoming setting. Their emotional well-being is highly prioritised and staff are very mindful of children’s individual needs and backgrounds.

They provide valuable support to children and their families, and highly-effective partnerships are formed right from the beginning.

Home visits help to determine very secure starting points for children’s learning and the progress they make is consistently shared with parents.

Staff know the children extremely well and skilfully tailor the experiences they provide to reflect individual interests and stages of development.

They consistently use their excellent knowledge and teaching skills to challenge children and extend their learning to the highest level.

Assessment of children’s learning is extremely precise and accurate, and they make excellent progress in their development.

There is inspirational leadership and a clear vision to work together with parents and professionals to provide the best opportunities to promote children’s learning and development. The manager, staff and committee members all share a passion to provide a highly stimulating and continually evolving provision.

Inspectors said, to improve even further, the pre-school should continue to enhance the new sensory area and review the impact of this on children’s learning and development.

A “monumental” hoard of more than 1,000 silver coins, buried during the English Civil War, have been found at Ewerby, near Sleaford.

The remarkable discovery was made by Steven Ingram, who was searching a ploughed field near the village.

The coins were scattered throughout the soil, but fragments of the pot they were originally contained in were found nearby.

Dr Adam Daubney, finds officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This is a monumental find from the turbulent years of the English Civil War. The latest coin in the hoard shows that it was buried early in 1643 – just months after the war broke out.

“The total value of the hoard – in terms of when it was buried – comes to just over £34. To put that in perspective, an infantry man in the Civil War earned about a shilling a day, while a gentleman could easily live off £20 a year. So this is a significant sum of money,” he said.

“This is the largest of the hoards that has been found from that time in the county, and it contains coins from the reigns of Edward VI, Elizabeth, Mary, James I, and Charles I.

“The area between Grantham and Boston was a zone of intense conflict between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists in the early years of the war, so we can think of the Ewerby hoard as being from the ‘front-line’.”

He went on: “The hoard tells us about the uncertainty and fear that must have been felt at the time, but quite why it was buried – and by whom – is impossible to say. It might have been buried by someone who went off to fight and never returned. Interestingly, several of the estates that lay close to the site of the hoard were fined after the war for supporting the King.”

The land is owned by local farmer Chris Sardeson, who said: “I’ve worked this field for more than 50 years, so no-one is more surprised than me!”

The hoard is being processed under the Treasure Act, and a report on the coins is currently being prepared for the Coroner who will make a decision on ownership and proceeds.

Holbeach Town Band has suffered another blow in trying to secure a long-term home after a bid to buy its current base was rejected.

Details of a £25,000 offer, from an anonymous bidder, for the band hall in Back Lane, Holbeach, were revealed during a meeting of Holbeach Parish Council on Monday.

Councillors turned down the offer after it was revealed that it was £4,500 less than a valuation of the hall done in 2014, despite an assurance from the bidder of a long-term lease for the band to continue using the hall.

Mel Hopkin, musical director of Holbeach Town Band, said: “I’m very disappointed that the parish council has rejected the offer as it would have given us security for the future.

“We’ve searched for funding from organisations like the National Lottery but they won’t give any money towards a band room.

“The only way we could get something is to get together with a group of like-minded organisations and put in a joint bid for funding towards a community building.

“But at the moment, we haven’t found any other organisations to join in with so we’re still in the position of seareching for a permanent place.”

Councillors were told that the band, which was given a two-year extension to its lease of the hall from October 1, was prepared to make up the difference between the offer price and 2014 valuation.

Coun Emma Armiger said: “The band hall is here for the community and we need to consider carefully whether we want to dispose of this asset.

“Fundamentally, if the band was to be wound up in any shape or form, we still have that facility for community groups in the future.”

Cleaner changing rooms and a better complaints system are two of the findings of a report into the running of Spalding’s Castle Swimming Pool.

The report, by a five-strong group of South Holland District Council members, was considered by cabinet members last Tuesday after complaints made last November about water temperatures and unclean changing rooms.

An extract from the report said: “Improvements were needed to the general cleanliness of the changing room areas, essential minor repairs were not being addressed in a timely fashion and there was no consistent approach to the recording of complaints.”

However, the report also found that pool temperatures were “compliant” for swimming and a “good standard of activities” was provided at the complex.

“The Spalding swimming pool and sports complex are extremely well-utilised facilities and the Swim School, in particular, is extremely popular,” the report said.

“Based on 2015/16 totals, the swimming pool attracts 165,083 customers every year.

“However, following criticism and advers publicity in 2015 around the cleanliness and ‘wear and tear’ of the Spalding swimming pool specifically, the (district council) questioned the performance of the leisure facility’s contract.”

Among the recommendations made in the report were for “proactive cleaning” of the swimming pool, daily notification of “any repairs required” and a review of the “blue overshoes” policy which it said had not been “clearly promoted”.

The report is to be debated at a full council meeting on Wednesday, December 7.

Matt Baker and the Children in Need rickshaw team have passed through Sutterton as part of their 470-mile route along the East Coast of the UK.

Earlier today (Wednesday), the team passed through Boston Market Place before following the route of the A16 to Sutterton Fourfields Primary School and Sutterton Children’s Centre.

While there One Show presenter Matt and this years challengers 18-year-old Ebony from Bournemouth, Andy and Phoebe who are both from Derbyshire and 18 years-old, Salar from the West Midlands who’s also 18-years-old, 17-year-old Olivia from Edinburgh, and 18-year-old Ross from Sunderland.

Matt told The Standard: “It’s been amazing cycling through Lincolnshire and arriving at Fourfields School today.

“A huge thanks to everyone for coming out and cheering us on, it’s really appreciated and makes another memorable day.

“Please do keep supporting this amazing team.”

They took a break and Matt also saw a fundraiser the children have done making the shape of Pudsey out of pennies.

Today’s route is taking the team from Skegness to Kings Lynn and is the sixth day of the eight day journey.

The video above shows video and pictures from the event.

For more on the Rickshaw Challenge, visit the dedicated web page.

A stray cat who was caught in a bonfire has been saved with help from a Sutterton veterinary surgery.

Sutterton Veterinary Hospital is now looking after the injured female after her scary ordeal.

The stray, who has temporarily been named Flare, was found hiding in a garden shed in Kirton on Tuesday, November 8.

She had no whiskers, singed fur and all four of her paws were burnt.

Staff at Sutterton Veterinary Hospital believe that she was caught in a bonfire the previous weekend.

Flare is now recovering at the practice, but it will be a few weeks before she is fighting fit again.

Practice manager Emma Walker put out an appeal on Facebook in the hope of finding out if Flare has a owner.

The post received 120 comments from concerned Facebook users and was shared 629 times in the hope of reuniting the cat with her owner.

Emma said: “The skin that has been burnt needs to regenerate, so her bandages will be on for a few weeks.

“It will be a good five or six weeks before she will be at full health again, but she is the most loving cat.

“Flare appears comfortable and loves having a fuss. She loves a cuddle and shows her appreciation by purring.”

Staff believe Flare’s injuries are consistent with being caught in a bonfire.

“If this was the case, she is very lucky to be alive, and lucky that a nice woman found her and brought her straight to our hospital,” added Emma.

Staff have put Flare on a quiet cat ward to recover, where she has been treated with intravenous fluids, antibiotics and pain relief.

Anyone with further information is asked to call Sutterton Hospital on 0800 779 7774.

Excited children from local schools were cheering on The One Show’s Rickshaw Challenge as it passed through our area today (Wednesday).

At a stop off to meet Sutterton schoolchildren, One Show presenter Matt Baker told us: “It’s been amazing cycling through Lincolnshire and arriving at Fourfields School today.

“A huge thanks to everyone for coming out and cheering us on, it’s really appreciated and makes another memorable day. Please do keep supporting this amazing team.”

Children from Holbeach Bank School also turned out to cheer on the rickshaw pedallers and, in Long Sutton, pupils lined the main street to wave through the Children in Need fundraising heroes. Youngsters wore Pudsey hats and held placards aloft to show their support.

The rickshaw is being pedalled by six young children on a 470-mile journey from Scotland to central London.

You can follow the rickshaw’s progress on http://pudsey.viewranger.com/

Previously ...

The One Show’s Rickshaw Challenge comes to South Holland

Patients across South Holland will be able to take advantage of advanced dental care from next month.

NHS England is launching a Special Care Dentistry Service for patients in Lincolnshire, including homeless and vulnerable people.

The service, aimed at what NHS England describes as “special care needs” patients starts on Thursday, December 1, and runs for seven years, with an option for a further three-year extension.

Dianne Pegg, Head of Primary Care for NHS England in Lincolnshire, said: “This is good news for people in the county with special care needs as patients will be able to continue to access special care dentistry services in existing community clinics.

“The scheme also provides long-term stability for staff in each location as their existing contracts will be transferred to the new arrangements.”

The Special Care Dentistry Service is for people whose oral care needs, either ongoing or part of a single treatment plan, cannot be met through other NHS primary care dental contracts because of additional needs, such as medical, physical or behavioural.

Ms Pegg said: “NHS England would like to formally thank Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust for delivering the Lincolnshire Special Care Dentistry Service.”

Holbeach Parish Council is “keep a close eye” on a town centre pub amid public concern about a disturbance there involving a group of teenagers.

Police are investigating an “altercation” involving a number of teenagers outside The Chequers Hotel in High Street at about 9pm on Friday, November 4.

At a parish council meeting on Monday, it was claimed that three people were injured during the incidents and one report on social media suggested that “bats and fists” were used.

But a Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “There was an altercation between a group of teenagers but there were no serious injuries and enquiries into the matter are ongoing.”

The Chequers Hotel, owned by Mark and Chony Andrews, has been at the centre of complaints about the poor state of the building and disorder outside it.

As a result, a joint operation by police, trading standards and South Holland District Council licensing officers was carried out at the pub in August.

Coun Paul Foyster, parish and district councillor for Holbeach Town ward, said: “I spoke to the district council in case something could be done about the (premises) licence.

“But there’s very little that can be done unless there’s significant proof that the disturbance was the fault of the licensees (Mark and Chony Andrews).

“All I can suggest is for parish councillors to keep a close eye on the premises and if we can produce some evidence that the licensees are acting contrary to their conditions, then we can do something.”

A district council spokesman said: “Our licensing department received reports on November 7 about an alleged incident within the vicinity of The Chequers Hotel.

“This information was passed on to Lincolnshire Police who we work closely with in relation to licensing matters.

“We have also recently received an application from the premises to vary the Designated Premises Supervisor and this is currently within a consultation period.

“The police have powers to object to the application, in which case it will be heard by a licensing panel.”

The Spalding Guardian tried to contact Mark and Chony Andrews for a response, but we were told by a business associate of theirs that they were both out of the UK at the time of going to press.

Spalding Academy will serve as a dynamic hub of excellence in Holocaust teaching and learning after becoming a University College London (UCL) Beacon School.

History teacher Paula Baker, who has been with Spalding Academy and its predecessors for nearly 16 years, led the way on the project.

Paula said: “I have always been interested in the Holocaust and feel that we need our students to have a greater 
understanding of what it was and why it happened, particularly when we think about society today.

“I applied to be part of the (UCL) Beacon School programme in July of this year after attending one of their professional development days. I was in awe at the 
quality of research and resources available.

“As a school, we will benefit from some of the best 
research available which will in turn help us address 
misconceptions that students and sometimes adults have.

“We will also have access to some excellent teaching resources which will enable our students to learn about the Holocaust using a variety of different skills.”

As part of the project to steer the school to Beacon recognition, Paula completed a 30 credit Masters degree module, which she is looking to further develop by undertaking a Masters degree involving study of the Holocaust.

Paula has also been able to work with the UCL Institute of Education on a five-day residential programme over October half-term and will also go to Warsaw with them in May 2017, visiting Treblinka, one of the concentration camps run by the Nazis in wartime, German-occupied Poland.

Paula says: “This will further support the education that we give to the students.

“As part of the programme we will also host a professional development day in January 2017, which local secondary schools will be invited to 
attend. This development day will be led by UCL Institute of Education and will be free of charge to any schools interested in participating.”

Becoming a Beacon School is a real achievement for Spalding Academy and Paula says: “It’s just something positive for the school and I think it’s good for the community.”

• The Holocaust was the darkest event in history when millions were murdered in German Nazi-run camps in World War Two.

The UCL Centre for Holocast Education says: “If we are not prepared to consider what went wrong in modern society that allowed state persecution of political opponents; mass murder of the disabled; European genocide of the Roma (Gypsies); and ultimately led to an attempt to murder every last Jewish man, woman and child, then how can we consider ourselves to be educated people at all?”

• Does your school have some news to share? Please email spaldingeditor@jpress.co.uk, tweet @LincsFreePress or comment on the story at spaldingtoday.co.uk or facebook.comLFPandSG

A Spalding trader whose reputation for reliability and trust lasted for more than 40 years has died, aged 76.

Peter Buffham, who was known to two generations of customers as a familiar face behind the counter of Butters workwear and outoor clothing shop in New Road, passed away last Thursday after a short illness.

Mr Buffham began working at Butters, popularly known as The Old Pawn Shop, in 1958 and went on to take the business over in 1979, alongside his wife of 52 years, June, who died in April 2012, aged 71.

Julie Grant, one of three children who Mr Buffham leaves, said: “Dad was well-known in Spalding through his business and for his love of a game of darts.

“He was one of the ‘old school’ traders in Spalding who was respected by those who knew him.

“Dad worked at Butters in New Road, Spalding, from around 1958 until he and Mum took the business over in 1979.

“I joined in 1990 after Mum was unable to work due to illness and then Dad retired from the business in 2005, spending his retirement looking after Mum until her death in April 2012.

“The way Dad looked after my Mum in the years before her death, many would have walked away from.

“But he stood by the vows he had made in 1960 when they got married and they were a true couple.”

The shop was known by locals as ‘The Pawn Shop’ as it had been one for many years.

“Dad had a style of his own, very often referred to as ‘Arkwright’ (based on the character from the BBC TV comedy series Open All Hours) for his traditional ways of trading and his life values.

“For me, as his daughter, he was a ‘rock’ who was there for us all - through good times and bad.

“I will miss him as my Daddy, confidant and friend.”

As well as his children, Peter Buffham, also leaves eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a wide circle of friends made both through his business and darts.

Roger Thirkell (60), of Woolram Wygate, Spalding, and a friend of Mr Buffham’s for about ten years, said: “Peter was a very good, trustworthy friend who you could have a laugh with.

“But he was a trusted trader as well, his advice was truthful and honest, you could believe what he told you and you’d never take anything he said with a pinch of salt.

“I’d certainly trust him as a friend and it was quite upsetting when I found out that he’d died.”

Mr Buffham’s funeral takes place at South Lincolnshire Crematorium, Sufleet, on Monday, November 21, at 11am.

Do you have any memories of Peter Buffham and his shop in Spalding? Email your views to spaldingeditor@jpress.co.uk, tweet @LincsFreePress or comment on the story at spaldingtoday.co.uk or facebook.comLFPandSG

Closing down signs at town store leave ‘mixed feelings’

Spalding-born pensioner Chris Bates has been honoured on the world’s most remote inhabited island, as part of its 200th anniversary celebrations.

He has been presented with a specially made plaque thanking him for his contribution to the island’s life.

For eight years, Chris was the UK representative of Tristan da Cunha, a UK overseas territory in the South Atlantic, roughly half way between Cape Town in South Africa and Uruguay in South America: 1,500 miles south of St Helena and 2,400 miles from the Falkland Islands.

It’s home to just over 260 people, all UK citizens.

The island was settled by the British in 1816 as a precaution against the French using it in any attempt to free Napoleon from exile on St Helena.

Although the garrison left soon afterwards, three stayed on and were later joined by shipwrecked sailors and others who developed a society in which all had to agree on equality of the sexes, religion and race and to work together for the common good, without payment – a philosophy which underpins today’s society on Tristan da Cunha.

Chris began working on a voluntary basis for the island in 2006, after editing the first book to be written by an islander, its sole policeman, Inspector Conrad Glass: “Rockhopper Copper”.

The role took him around the world, as far as New Caledonia in the South Pacific, Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean, Ascension Island, the Cayman Islands, Corsica and Greenland, as well as into Westminster and Whitehall, putting Tristan islanders’ views on decisions which would affect their future and arguing their case with politicians and civil servants.

This was the fourth visit Chris and his wife, Julie, have made to Tristan.

Born in Pennygate, Spalding, and baptised at St Mary’s Church, Whaplode, he 
started his journalism career in Boston when he was 16 and spent more than 30 years in newspapers, radio and television before joining the staff of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in London in 1995.

Although he was made an MBE in the 2015 New Year’s Honours for his work, a further surprise awaited.

At a reception in the administrator’s home, The Residency, he was presented with a plaque by outgoing administrator Alex Mitham and chief islander, Ian Lavarello.

Chris said: “For once, I was speechless. Over the years, Julie and I have grown close to the islanders and did our best to protect the future of the island, by arguing the case with politicians, civil servants and others with influence, on the need to repair or replace the harbour, to build a new hospital and to invest in 
infrastructure and education.

“The harbour has been re-aligned and dredged, a new hospital is being built and ambitious plans are in place to eliminate the mice which threaten the unique 
albatrosses and flightless birds on Gough Island, part of the Tristan archipelago.

“There’s much investment in the island and the skills of the people and the education of their children and it has been gratifying to be part of building this future – but I was still overwhelmed to be honoured in this way.”

There was also free beer for Chris and his wife in what is the world’s most remote pub, Tristan da Cunha’s 
Albatross Bar in its capital, Edinburgh-of-the-Seven- Seas. This was thanks to the Isle of Man brewers, Bushy’s Ale of Man, and vouchers handed out by its founder, Martin Brunnschweiler, at the Great British Beer Festival, in London in 2015.

Chris had been involved in the development of Tristan’s beer, in which berries grown on the island are infused into beer on the Isle of Man as ‘Island Brew’ and then sent more than 6,000 miles to The Albatross (though most is sold on the Isle of Man).

There was only one catch with the vouchers for a free drink of “Island Brew”: they could only be redeemed in Tristan da Cunha, accessible only by a six-day voyage across the South Atlantic from Cape Town.

After the journey on the South African icebreaker, the SA Agulhas II, Chris and 
Julie walked into the Albatross and handed over their Bushy’s free beer vouchers to manager Beverley Repetto – who was more than happy to pour their free drinks.

Chris said: “As we live next door to the Elder Tree Inn in Horsington (near Horncastle), we don’t normally have far to go for a pint – but it was worth six thousand miles and six days on an icebreaker to get a free beer!”

Half-a-dozen Spalding driving instructors took part in The Big Learner Relay on Tuesday to boost fundraising for Children in Need.

Santa Claus and his pal, Rudolph, met the instructors at Baytree Garden Centre in Weston.

Santa received the Big Learner Relay Top Box, complete with Pudsey Bear, from incoming drivers from Sleaford – and then it was placed on Tony Nicolaou’s car for the Spalding to Peterborough stage.

Tony’s was the lead car but the learner driver at the wheel was 17-year-old Natalya Andrew, from Pinchbeck.

Natalya, who has been learning to drive for five to six months, said: “I think it’s a fun and different way of raising money for Children In Need.”

All of the cars were covered in spots, just like Pudsey’s bandana, and there were lots of Pudsey ears and even a Pudsey suit as everyone got into the spirit of the fundraising event.

This is the third year that Spalding driving instructor Tony has been involved in the relay but it’s his first outing from Spalding as the event is new to the town.

He said: “In Peterborough there will be at least 30-40 cars, it will be a massive convoy.”

Patti White, from Spalding-based Patti’s School of Motoring, said: “It’s nice for Children In Need and it’s a fun thing to do. This is the first time it has come to Spalding so hopefully next year we will have a few more instructors taking part. It’s going from here to Peterborough and then Peterborough to Wisbech.”

Patti said the instructors were very grateful to Baytree for allowing the relay stage to be held there. Baytree added to the fundraising by donating a little cash from their reindeer carrot fund.

The Big Learner Relay is a 15-day event that sees driving instructors and their pupils carrying their Pudsey Bear top box over 3,000 miles.

The relay has so far raised £165,000 but you can add to the total by sending a text to PASS65 £Amount to 70070

Find out more by visiting www.biglearnerrelay.co.uk

• Are you fundraising for Children In Need? Email spaldingeditor@jpress.co.uk, tweet @LincsFreePress or comment on the story at spaldingtoday.co.uk or facebook.comLFPandSG

Hundreds of acres of farmland have been damaged near Morton by suspected “deer poachers”, according to police.

Two 4x4 vehicles were heard driving across fields in Stainfield, about a mile and a half west of Morton, at about 3am on Thursday.

Trespassers in the vehicles were thought to have cut chains to open gates onto the fields so they could poach deer without the landowner’s consent which is illegal under the Deer Act 1991.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “Unknown occupants have used these vehicles to trespass onto farmland to carry out deer poaching, having gained entry to a farmer’s fields by cutting the chains to gates along the quiet back roads.

“Newly sown wheat fields have been damaged as they drove over hundreds of acres of land in search of their prey.”

Police believe the vehicles hid in a field off the A15 in Graby, near Aslackby, before 3am.

It is also suspected that the gang carried out the same crime in areas west of FOLKINGHAM.

The spokesman said: “Did you see any suspicious 4x4 vehicles around this time or one which was parked up on its own?

“You may have that missing piece of the jigsaw that enables police to trace the suspects.”

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident number 68 of November 10.

Undercover footage shot at a Surfleet free range egg farm shows chickens in “a terrible state” according to animal protection charity Viva!

Viva! admits the birds were videoed without the consent or knowledge of the farm boss, Stephen Rowbottom, but claims it reveals:

• Dead birds “left to rot on floors”

• Hens with extensive feather loss, “exposing red raw skin”

• One hen “with what appeared to be an oozing prolapse”

The footage was filmed in August as part of a year-long, nationwide investigation by Viva! into conditions inside enriched cage, free-range and organic egg farms.

But a spokesman for Rowbottom Farm says the farm noticed over the summer that some of its birds were suffering feather loss and soon called in the vet, who separated the flock and gave them medication.

He said the firm always seeks veterinary guidance whenever there are health concerns, illnesses happen from time to time on poultry farms and the firm is confident that it deals with them promptly.

The spokesman said: “People that buy our eggs can be assured that our eggs are produced to strict government and EU regulation. We have regular visits from government inspectors, and no concern has been expressed at any time.”

Viva! campaigner Claire Palmer, discussing the footage taken in August, said: “The hens at Rowbottom Farm are in a terrible state, some appeared sick and many extremely unhealthy.

“The sheds were dilapidated, filthy and hygiene standards appeared to be very low.

“Conditions at this farm were among the worst we have seen in our year-long investigation into the British egg industry.

“The intensification of agriculture means that free range now often means industrial free-range and Viva! urges people to choose a more compassionate, vegan diet to truly eliminate animal suffering.”

Viva! says it made a return visit to Rowbottom Farm when only one hen was filmed outside on the range “despite it being a dry, sunny day”.

It adds: “No access to the outside for hens was observed.”

Viva! says birds at free-range farms are provided with “pop-holes” to access an outside range but high stocking levels, competition from other birds and inadequate conditions mean birds may never step outside.

Rowbottom Farm and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) have criticised Viva! for “trespassing” and endangering the lives of thousands of birds.

NFU regional director Richard Hezlet said: “We are justly proud of the high welfare standards that our farmers adhere to in the UK and it is a fact that we have some of the highest farm assurance standards in the world. Here we have a farmer who recognised birds in the flock had a minor health problem and was following veterinary advice on how best to deal with it.

“Viva!’s year-long pursuit of entering poultry farms undercover and trespassing has endangered the lives of thousands of birds. This, along with the fact they’ve waited months to release this footage, goes completely against their animal protection agenda.”

The full statement from Rowbottom Farm says: “Our farm has been a family-run business for over 50 years and we’ve prided ourselves on the welfare and traceability standards we uphold in our free-range and barn egg operations.

“We have 16,000 birds which we work hard to take care of. We noticed over summer that some were suffering with feather loss and soon called the vet who separated the flock and gave them some medication.

“We were shocked to find that this flock of birds, under veterinary supervision, was targeted by the activists who went into the barn undercover in the early hours of the morning. This distressed birds, who were already sick – putting the birds’ lives on the line – with no consideration for our farm’s vital biosecurity measures.

“People that buy our eggs can be assured that our eggs are produced to strict government and EU regulation. We have regular visits from government inspectors, and no concern has been expressed at any time.

“We always seek veterinary guidance whenever we have any concerns over the health of our birds. From time to time illness will happen on poultry farms. But we are confident that we deal with any illnesses promptly to maintain good flock health.”

On behalf of Viva! Claire Palmer told us: “Whilst we acknowledge that the footage was from August, it was passed to us recently and we let the authorities know in a timely manner so that they could investigate.

“We completely refute any allegations of putting flocks in danger. Footage is only obtained via legal means – trespass is not a criminal offence – and with strict biosecurity in mind at all times, as was seen on the footage.

“Biosecurity is something that many farmers seem to ignore themselves. It is absolutely in the public interest for consumers to know where their food comes from.”

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Two men were hurt after a car left the road and crashed in Middle Marsh Road, Holbeach St Marks, on Wednesday.

The crash happened at about 5pm when a Volkswagen Golf, driven by a 19-year-old man, came off the road at about 5pm.

Both the driver and a male passenger, aged 19 and 20 respectively, were treated for minor injuries.

Meanwhile, a man was slightly injured after a crash involving one car on the A17 in Holbeach on Tuesday.

It happened at the junction of Boston Road North and Boston Road South, near University Academy Holbeach, just after 5pm.

Police are looking for the driver of a bus which allegedly knocked over a teenager in Spalding on Friday.

The 14-year-old boy was walking along Halmer Gate, at its junction with Halmer Gardens, when he was hit from behind by a yellow double-decker buse at about 3.20pm on Friday, November 11.

As a result, the teenager fell to the floor and suffered minor injuries.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “According to the victim, the bus stopped briefly but then proceeded to drive away without checking if he was alright.

“We have no registration number at present and the boy can only describe the vehicle as being a yellow double-decker bus.” Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident number 359 of November 11.