A club which meets weekly for serving and former Armed Forces personnel has handed over a cheque to a charity close to home.

Bourne Veterans Breakfast Club was delighted to welcome three members of the charity Lincolnshire Emergency Medical Response, known as LEMR, to its meeting on Saturday.

The charity is made up of former and serving RAF personnel who act as first responders in the county.

They rely on donations and were delighted to receive a cheque for £522 from the breakfast club’s chairman Paul Flight.

Bourne Veterans Breakfast Club is one of more than 180 clubs across the world, enabling both current and former members of all the services to get together as a social 
activity.

Last month the Bourne branch marked its first anniversary at the Sugar Mill in Bourne, where it hosts its weekly meetings.

The money handed over to LEMR was mainly raised from members donating the cost of the breakfast at the anniversary meeting after the pub’s landlord Paul Tapparno-Clark generously donated the meals at that meeting.

Since forming, the club has grown from an average of six members to a regular attendance of about 40 - with more than 200 members.

Among the members is Charlie Heron, who volunteers for LEMR, which is how the club came to learn about its good work.

Paul Flight said members enjoyed Saturday’s meeting, where they were shown the various pieces of equipment used by LEMR, including a defibrillator and a resuscitation dummy, and even got the chance to have a go themselves.

He said: “Many of the guys at our club are ex-Air Force so we felt it was a worthy cause to support. It was great to be able to hand over a decent cheque to them.”

The club welcomes veterans and anyone who wants to find out more can e-mail Paul at BVBC@mail.com

A team from Spalding Academy are celebrating after finishing second and claiming three individual victories at a trampoline competition held at Bourne Academy.

The result was impressive as five out of the nine students had only practised for two hours on a trampoline before the competition.

Coach Miss Ringrose said: “We had the most wonderful day, the students’ behaviour was impeccable, they supported each other throughout the competition and for the team to be second was amazing.

“This was an inexperienced team and I am proud of all the students for their effort and sheer determination. I would also like to thank parents and carers for their support.”

Results: Novice – Year 10:

Kinzi Stokes 1st, Sam Stevens 2nd. Novice – Year 9 : Sophie De camps 1st, Nese Van Der Werf 2nd, Jessica Bircham 3rd. Intermediate – Year 7: Libby Mayne 4th.

Advanced – Year 9: Lucy Gent 1st, Lara Portela 2nd, Tash Lawes 4th.

Gymnasts from Spalding Parish Church of England Day School represented their school at the recent Key Steps Gymnastics Competition which was hosted by Holbeach and Fenland Gymnastics Club.

It was a one-day competition which gave children from a range of primary schools the

opportunity to perform two main disciplines of gymnastics: the floor and vault. It was an action-packed day where the gymnasts showcased their skills and hard work.

A special thanks needs to go Laura Goodger and the gymnastics club for hosting and

organising such a fantastic day. Parish School teachers Kim Bird and Anna Goulding were very proud of their gymnasts during the preparation for the competition after school and how they represented the school in the competition – winning eight medals in total. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day for all involved.

The South Holland and The Deepings Labour Women’s Group held their first monthly meeting recently at The Vista in Spalding. The group is open to all female members and supporters of the Labour Party.

The group was developed to give like-minded women in our area a chance to meet, discuss local and national issue and how we are able to support our community.

It has been decided that the group will be supporting two local charities, Boston Women’s Aid, which has outreach centres in Spalding and Holbeach, and the Agape Food Bank. They will be mainly collecting toiletries, sanitary wear and cleaning products. Anybody who wishes to contribute can bring the items to the meetings or contact the group to arrange collection. Children are welcome to attend the group and there are toys and a craft area for them to enjoy.

The next meeting will be held on Saturday, May 27, 2pm to 4pm at The Vista. Labour’s candidate for the General Election Wojciech (Voyteck) Kowalewski will be attending to introduce himself and answer any questions.

Anybody who would like to attend, please contact Jennie Thomas on 07503282988 or jennie_t@ymail.com

A teacher at St Norbert’s Catholic Primary School in Spalding is taking on a charity challenge to raise money for a retreat centre used every year by Year 6 pupils there.

Year 3 teacher Sam Morton is hoping to raise at least £1,000 for the Briars Diocesan Centre in Crich, Derbyshire, by taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge and in July will be tackling Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

Assistant head teacher Jenna Withers told the Guardian that, as a school of faith, charitable fundraising is at the heart of everything they do at St Norbert’s.

The retreat works with over 5,000 young people each year and has been going for over 48 years, touching the lives of many. It relies 
almost totally on the goodwill of volunteers and donations to complete its work.

Mr Morton said: “Our Year 6 children gain such depth in their own spiritual journey whilst attending the adventurous and worship-led sessions at Briars.

“I feel it is a great charity to support in order to continue their mission work. My target is to raise at least £1,000. Please feel free to donate as much or as little as you can.”

Mrs Withers added: “Mr Morton is an exceptional 
example to our school and local community, giving up much of his personal time to complete a range of physical pursuits, such as running, walking and cycling, in the name of fundraising.

“He is able to bring back this enthusiasm to school, organising and leading our school running club and whole-school physical pursuits such as the family bike ride events.

“With a fundraising event of this scale, however, we need to reach out to our local community for support in reaching his fundraising goal for the Briars of £1,000.”

• If you would like to know more or donate, visit: 
mydonate.bt.com/fundrais ers/sammorton1

Spalding High School lower sixth student Nina Halgarth is celebrating after gaining a coveted place on the UK-German Connection Pupil Courses.

The prestigious programme is offered to A-Level students across the whole of the United Kingdom who have shown exceptional achievements in German.

The two week course offers the lucky 12 first-hand 
experience of German life and Culture as students will be staying with a German host family and studying with German peers.

Gaining a place is an exceptional achievement and Nina’s German teacher Frau Almasi said: “What a fabulous way to complete your AS course.

“Nina will experience so many different aspects of ‘the real thing’ during her stay in Germany; I am looking forward to her sharing her impressions and thoughts, and perhaps a German biscuit or two with the rest of our lovely AS group and myself!

“We are so proud of this achievement, for Nina personally and for the school.”

There’s another chance for more people to learn CPR life-saving techniques at the Spalding headquarters of St John Ambulance on Thursday (May 18).

The free tuition is being given as part of the BBC Radio Lincolnshire Save A Life Campaign.

Sessions start at 6.30pm and 7.30pm at 7 Pinchbeck Road.

To book your place please telephone 0844 770 4800 and select option 1.

Previously ...

Free life-saving CPR lessons in Spalding

MAN’S BEST FRIEND: By Jerry Green Dog Rescue, South Lincolnshire

Get ready to fall in love with Nico, a gorgeous eight year-old crossbreed looking for his forever home.

He is a lovely chap who is looking for a home where he can have a nice cuddly bed to sleep in and a whole lot of love.

Nico is a real character, who will most definitely make you laugh out loud.

He does have some bald patches and sore skin where he possibly has had a reaction – he has had allergy tests and although he’s only got some minor allergies we think he’d be best staying on a sensitive diet.

Nico has been happy to mix with dogs while being with us but as he likes to be the very centre of all the attention would prefer to the only pet in the home.

If you think you could be Nico’s trusty pal call us on 01205 260546.

‘We need to raise £100K this year’

We are hosting a fun dog show this Saturday May to help raise some much-needed funds to renovate our kennels at our South Lincolnshire Centre.

The Centre is 20 years old this September so these renovations are essential if we are to continue to provide a place fit for our dogs while they stay in our care, writes Centre fundraiser Elizabeth Hempstock.

We need to raise about £100,000 this year, so this event is the first in a long line of fundraising things we have planned to have fun and raise funds.

The event is in heart of the community at Sutterton Village Hall with a fun dog show, lots of choice to eat and we’re holding out for good weather and booked the ice cream van.

There will be lots of fun and games for the family and their dogs and some great stalls too.

We are really excited about this event, as not only does it give us the opportunity to raise the money we need, but we also get to spend some time with our wonderful supporters and see some familiar dog faces from our past, as well as some new ones too we hope.

Our dog groomer Heather and centre trainer Therena will also be offering some pop-up grooming treatments, training demonstrations and some fantastic offers for any on the day bookings taken.

• The Spring Dog Show, with free entry, is at Sutterton Village Hall this Saturday from 11.30am to 4pm.

Therena’s Training Tip – recall

Did you know that dogs respond better to recall for women than men? 

This is because a woman’s higher voices are more exciting to dogs and makes them excited about coming back. 

Recall can be taught to any breed or age of dog. The main things to remember is always reward with treats so they know it’s a good thing to come back.

There are lots of tools to help you train your dog to recall such as a whistle or a long line. However these need to be thought of by the dog as a good thing, so it is important to remember to use positive reward-based training using toys or treats.

If you would like to find out more about positive training techniques call our centre trainer Therena on 01205 260546.

Families flocked to Tydd St Mary community hall for a car rally which raised a record sum of more than £4,080.

People travelled all the way from Doncaster and Norwich to view the range of cars and enjoy the activities organised by Allen Smith and the Tydd St Mary Playing Field Committee, which has only 10 members!

The £4,080 raised – is the most Tydd St Mary Playing Field Committee has ever raised from a fundraising event – is going to be split between Macmillan Cancer Support and the playing field committee, who have held the event in May each year since 2011 and have raised £12,000 from the seven annual car shows.

There were over 300 cars on display, with models from all over the world, and these were a mixture of vintage classics, such as a Ford Anglia, and modern sports cars like an Aston Martin DB9.

As well as cars, the vehicles on show included a 1922 road roller, a steam engine and a collection of Second World War motorbikes as well as a Morris army truck.

For the children, and the people that weren’t so interested in the cars and vehicles, there were fairground rides, a bouncy castle, and various games including football and throwing events.

The organisers are hoping that the Tydd St Mary community hall will be up and running within the next few weeks.

• More pictures inside your Spalding Guardian on Thursday.

Grandads and dads went back to school to make dens with the children as part of a Forest Schools Challenge at Gosberton House Academy.

Forest Schools is a holistic approach to individualised learning using a woodland setting and natural resources to give the children opportunities to develop and achieve key life skills.

The day saw adults and children building dens before testing them to see how waterproof they were.

Following the hard work, the Forest Schools leaders made a fire so everybody could enjoy hot chocolate outside.

The Sleaford Round Table, including parent Martin Osborne, donated £4,000 towards the building of a new outdoor shelter so the children can take part in a range of activities all year round. The shelter will be approximately 6 x 10 metres and work on it will be starting in the next four weeks, meaning it will be ready for the children to use in the Autumn term.

Principal Louise Stanton was very pleased with the whole day and would like to say a huge thank you to the Sleaford Round Table for their very generous contribution towards the building materials needed for the school to create an all-weather Forest School shelter. Lee Pearson, Forest Schools leader, was also happy with the day saying he was “overwhelmed by the enthusiasm” of everyone taking part.

• See more pictures in your Spalding Guardian on Thursday.

Changes to the way children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are taken to and from school have been branded a “bloodbath waiting to happen”.

Parents whose children attend The Garth School in Spalding are due to be told more about plans to operate a “one school, one operator model” for transporting pupils from September at a meeting on Friday.

The changes, which will see a single bus or taxi firm allocated to Spalding’s Garth and Priory Schools, as well as Gosberton House Academy and the Willoughby School in Bourne, have been introduced by Lincolnshire County Council.

But one parent is appealing against the changes after her son’s “complex problems”, including autism, anxiety and epilepsy, meant that it took seven years for him to become happy and safe in travelling to and from school.

The parent, who asked not to be named, said: “My son goes to The Garth School with his passenger assistant, Lizzie Inglis, and a taxi firm that has the current contract.

“Because my son knows Lizzie and is familiar with the driver and the vehicle, we can prepare him for school knowing he will be really pleased to see Lizzie and the driver.

“They have established a relationship over the past seven years, supporting my son in going to school, and they are the only ones who can manage him because of his learning and autistic difficulties.

“But in March 2017, we were told there would be a new approach to how SEN schools transport was going to be delivered.

“There was no option for us to make any changes or to have a chat with parents, so I sent a letter straight away to appeal against this new process.

“Why should we have established this relationship, only for Lincolnshire County Council to change the process just to save a few quid?”

According to its School and College Transport Policy 2016/2017, the county council provides about 21,000 children with home-to-school transport each year, involving about nine million journey annually.

The service is funded through the council’s Learn and Achieve budget which is due to be cut from £32.846 million in 2016/17 to £31.758 million in 2017/18.

Lizzie said: “The council isn’t looking at the safety of the children and they won’t be saving money by doing this.

“If it was one of their children, would they be prepared to let them go on the sort of transportation where you could have one passenger assistant supervising one child who has multiple seizures, another child who is poorly and a child who could lash out at those around him or her when they don’t get 100 per cent attention?

“All I can see is a bloodbath waiting to happen and I honestly don’t know how you’re going to stop it.”

David Robinson, children’s service commissioning manager for Lincolnshire County Council, said: “We have moved to a ‘one school, one operator’ model which means that a single operator serves all transport requirements for a school.

“It means schools can rationalise the way the transport is provided which could mean fewer vehicles are needed. “This will give greater consistency to parents, pupils and schools over a longer period of contract and improve communication between all through a single operator contact.”

“There will be no reduction in provision for transport or no change to entitlement for pupils with SENs in the county.

“The pupils entitled to transport will all continue to receive it and all the pupils’ individual needs have been assessed, or are in the process of being assessed, by new operators.”

The ‘Summer of Love’ will be brought back to life next weekend as one of the greatest rock concerts in musical history is celebrated.

This year’s Spalding Beer and Music Festival kicks off the celebrations at the start of the Bank Holiday weekend, marking the 50th anniversary of Barbeque ‘67 - which saw legends Jimi Hendrix, Cream (with Eric Clapton) and Pink Floyd play in Spalding.

Arguably described as ‘the world’s first ever rock festival’, Barbeque ‘67, came before both Woodstock and the Glastonbury Festival.

The concert was held on May 29 in 1967 at the now demolished Tulip Bulb Auction Hall and saw the venue packed to the rafters.

For that night, Spalding become ‘the coolest place on earth’ with the football ground “transformed into a camp for a hippy invasion and Hendrix dangling bed sheets out of the windows of his room at the Red Lion Hotel”.

Organisers of the Spalding Beer and Music Festival (Spalding and District Round Table and Spalding and District Ladies’ Circle) have secured three of the original acts from the infamous festival to play on Saturday night (May 27).

Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band, Sounds Force 5 and Zoot Money will take to the stage at the event, in what festival chairman Sam Nundy says is “a great coup”.

He said: “Barbeque ‘67 was a hugely significant event in Spalding’s history and with our event coinciding with the 50th anniversary of it, we’re thrilled to have them playing.

“It came about as Mark Le Sage who plays with the band Zebra (who are playing at the festival on the Friday night), linked up with Colin Ward who was an original member of Sound Force 5. “Over the years, Colin has kept in touch with the other bands so we managed to get them here.

“Many people will remember Barbeque ‘67, or have parents who were there.”

The Spalding Beer and Music Festival will run from Friday, May 26, until Sunday, May 28, at the Castle Sports Complex and Sam says organisers have been working hard to make it “even better” than the first one last year, which saw a staggering 4,000 visitors across the weekend.

He said: “We’ve taken on board feedback from people from last year and will have the main bar inside this year.

“We’ve got better sound equipment, more toilets, picnic benches and catering vehicles outside and inflatables and activities in the family area (on the Castle Sports Field).

“We started this event for the community and we really want people to come along to support Spalding and the local area and enjoy it.

“Last year, the event raised £15,000 for the local community and every single penny was put back into the town.”

Other acts appearing at the beer and music festival include Zebra, Sarah O’Brien and her band Miss O’Brien’s Boys, Revolver, The Ultraviolet, The Mill Grips, The Manipulators and Special Groove. Visitors will be able to enjoy the music with a choice of 90 real ales and ciders.

Discount pre-purchase tickets are on sale at www.spaldingroundtable.co.uk/beerfestival/ or via a link on the Facebook page Spalding Beer and Music Festival, where they are running a name the festival beer competition. The winner gets free entry and free drinks.

○ In another scoop for Spalding, the late Jimi Hendrix’s sister Janie, has given her personal endorsement to an upcoming performance by tribute band ‘Are You Experienced?’ at the Punchbowl pub on Bank Holiday Monday.

Described as ‘the nearest thing to seeing the great man himself’ the band is fronted by John Campbell, who is said to do all the Hendrix tricks such as playing the guitar behind his head and plucking the strings with his teeth. The band plan to play a set list to replicate what would have been heard on the day and will take to the stage at 4pm - the exact time the original event would have started.

Reuben Holmes, who has helped organise the gig with Pete Williams, landlord of the pub in New Road, said: “I’ve been planning this for two years and when you think about Barbeque ‘67 it’s Hendrix that people talk about because, sadly, he’s no longer with us.

“I’ve been in touch with Jimi Hendrix’s sister Janie in America, who is CEO of the Experience Hendrix Organisation, and she has given us her endorsement.”

Are You Experienced? play at the Punchbowl from 4pm on the Bank Holiday Monday. Tickets are £3 in advance or £5 on the door.

Alongside the live music there will also be music of the period playing and a raffle/auction to help raise funds for Spalding Academy head girl Ellis Taylor-Williams, who is aiming to visit Africa to aid a school construction project and give English tuition to local people.

○ This Saturday (May 20) Uptown Vinyl Records at the Spalding Lifestyle Centre on Pinchbeck Road, is remembering Barbeque ‘67 with a performance by Ray Fenwick and guests.

Ray was a member of the Spencer Davis Group from 1967-1969 and also played with the Ian Gillan Band.

The event is free and runs from 12 midday until 5pm. Donations can be made to Macmillan Cancer Support.

The memories of people who were at the original festival will be brought to the stage in the play ‘Barbeque ‘67 Revisited’, at Spalding’s South Holland Centre on June 8.

Devised by Nottingham-based theatre company Excavate and Transported, its creators have been working alongside people who saw the legends on stage in Spalding and remember moments such as when Hendrix set fire to his guitar.

The hour and ten minutes long play, will be full of “great music”, humour and stories and starts at 7.30pm. It is a ‘pay what you like event’ but tickets must be booked at the Box Office.

An exhibition linked to the production will be held at the South Holland Centre in the autumn.

Have a go mums are celebrating the success of their group for young adults with disabilities after the county council pulled the plug on their social life.

Cuts in funding for specialist after-school and holiday clubs meant those aged 18 or more were barred from attending because the funding came from Lincolnshire County Council’s children’s services budget.

Mums Alyson Commons, Rita Stacey and Samantha Harley-Pesce founded the Going Forward Social Group, which marks its first birthday on May 25 with a disco at Tonic Health in Spalding’s Westlode Street on Thursday, May 25.

Discos, craft sessions and bowling are just some of the activities that allow young people with physical and learning disabilities to get together and have fun.

Alyson’s daughter Sophie (19), who is still at school, has global development delay and autism.

Like many in the new group, Sophie is too vulnerable to go out unless accompanied by a parent or carer and she would have no real chance to socialise with people around her own age outside of school without the Going Forward Social Group.

Alyson, from Moulton Seas End, said: “Parents or carers have to stay at these sessions as we don’t have funding for trained staff, but we have found that they enjoy it as much as the young people as it gives them a chance for a catch-up.”

Sophie loves the group so much that she leaves one session already focusing on the next.

Alyson said: “Sophie has a countdown chart so she knows how many days it is to the next session.”

The Going Forward Social Group has ten regulars who attend, plus a couple of people who come now and again, and the mums are widening the net by inviting people up to the age of 40 to attend. The minimum age is 16.

• To enquire about joining, visit the Going Forward Social Group on Facebook or call Lynne Harrison at the Free Press on 01775 765413.

Candidates battling to be the next MP for South Holland and the Deepings have welcomed the chance to answer questions from Guardian readers.

We are giving you the chance to put questions to all six prospective parliamentary candidates – and their answers will be published in the Guardian on Thursday, June 1, exactly a week before the election.

The candidates are Conservative John Hayes, who has been MP for the area since 1997, Labour’s Voyteck Kowalewski, Julia Cambridge of the Liberal Democrats, Jane Smith of UKIP, Dan Wilshire of the Green Party and Independent candidate Rick Stringer.

In Tuesday’s Lincolnshire Free Press the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, UKIP and Green candidates all welcomed the chance to answer questions from the public.

Yesterday, Labour candidate Mr Kowalewski said: “I am delighted to have this 
opportunity to answer the questions from the readers of the Guardian and Free Press.

“As it happens with snap elections, the timescales are very tight and opportunities for voters to challenge the candidates and ask questions are few.

“I therefore would like to thank the editor and the team for enabling this to happen.

“I believe that representing people starts from listening to them and understanding what their concerns are. I am also looking forward to an opportunity to explain how the Labour Party is going to address these concerns.”

Readers have until 5pm tomorrow (Friday) to submit their questions.

Each question will be submitted to all six candidates so please do not ask questions of individuals.

• At the time of going to press we had not managed to make contact with Mr Stringer.

A remembrance service will be held on Sunday for a Lutton couple found dead in their home last month.

The body of school teacher Bernice Williams (50) was found covered by underlay in a front room of her village home two days after her husband Lawrence Williams (49) was found dead from hanging in a stable block.

Mr Williams’ body was discovered on Friday, April 7 and Mrs Williams on Sunday, April 9. She was identified by DNA testing. Police are treating her death as suspicious.

An inquest into both deaths has been opened and adjourned.

The service will be held in Lutton Church at 2.30pm. All are welcome and refreshments will be available afterwards in the village hall.

Son found dad hanged, mum’s hidden body discovered by police two days later

Young poets at Spalding Academy rose to a challenge thrown to them by the area’s MP.

John Hayes, MP until the recent dissolution of parliament, has taken a keen interest in the rapid improvements at the Academy since the arrival of the South Lincolnshire Academy Trust last September.

He recently met with some of the school’s young poets and set them a task of writing poems with the theme of ‘Grace and Elegance’.

Mr Hayes praised the quality of the work which students submitted.

The eventual winner was Steel Bradley, who will enjoy a trip to the Houses of Parliament, and the runners up were Daniela da Costa and Bartek Rak.

The students greatly enjoyed discussing their poetry with Mr Hayes and were impressed with his passion for the subject, even having the opportunity to listen to and discuss some of his own poems.

Deputy head teacher Mrs Joel said: “We were pleased to welcome Mr Hayes back to the school and would like to thank him for an informative and entertaining afternoon.

“We are grateful for his continuing support of Spalding Academy and its students.”

The Swan by Steel Bradley

Through ripples of crystal water the swans swim, making waves

I am in awe of their grace and how they behave,

As if they know for you they put on an awesome show

Captivating as from one end of the lake to the other they go,

When swans stretch their wings what a powerful sight

Who would think such power is so close to flight,

Their pure white feathers soft, sleek and fine

How I wish I could have a swan and make it mine

Yet they prefer their beauty 
admired from afar

Knowing in this place they are the true star,

Gliding across the water with 
gracious ease

Sublime in their setting not a care do they seize

With feathers that seem too fine to be wet

Magical beauty I cannot forget

May I suggest that you visit at dawn

To meet the majestic, graceful swan.

The busy street of London by Bartak Rak

There is that one street in London

A sleeping lion at night

A roaring lion by day

Like a forest of multiple people

Singing, dancing, preening, 
prancing,

Buying and even crying

The men in their elegant suits

With hats as high as Big Ben

Ties in all colours and shades

With them, stylish, elegant ladies

In their beautiful dresses

Made up, porcelain faces

The street looks scripted: it’s perfect.

People parade proudly, to be 
admired

Their clothes, their wealth, their status

Welcome to Bond Street

Grace, style, elegance by Daniela da Costa

The scent of jasmine and amber perfume

Consumes the small elegant room.

Dressed in silk and elegant lace,

Shows such beauty, style and grace.

Yet it’s decayed elegance she now embraces,

Entering the room and all she faces.

Spalding Grammar School engineering teacher Philip Ibbs is practising what he preaches by riding a state-of-the-art velomobile.

Philip says his £5,000 Velomobiel Quest is so aerodynamically efficient it is around 20 per cent faster than a normal cycle.

He said: “The cycles you see in the Tour de France are basically a 100-year-old design ... you don’t see people riding around in Model T Fords any more.”

Velomobiles are essentially recumbent cycles with a body shell.

In the case of the Quest, the makers say the body is made out of 100 per cent carbon composite, the model is wind tunnel tested, and the machine is “fast, comfortable, efficient and provides excellent weather protection”.

It has three wheels, which have independent suspension.

Made in The Netherlands, the Velomobiel Quest is also standard equipped with a complete lighting system, head/tail light, turning signal lights and a brake light.

The manufacturers also say the Quest comes with large luggage capacity, which provides enough space for camping gear.

Philip finds there’s room to stow away his laptop and spare clothes, and has occasionally used his 2.85m long Quest to cycle the 14 miles to school, a distance he manages in around 40 minutes.

His bright yellow Quest is his first choice over his car, which he describes as “a tin box people carrier”, for short distances.

Philip said: “If everybody was riding round in these, you wouldn’t need cars for journeys of less than five miles.”

He’s been riding bikes for around 50 years but bought the Quest four years ago because of its engineering efficiency.

Philip has been teaching engineering at the grammar school for the last nine years.

“This is really the way cycles should be,” said Philip. “I practice what I preach.”

The annual meeting of Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council went ahead without the presence of police at St Nicholas Parish Church.

Operational commitments were thought to have been the reason for no police officer or PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) attending the meeting.

But Coun William Rodwell said: “It’s a little disappointing because people like to see the police coming to their parish council’s meeting.

“But I do see that they haven’t been attending other meetings like Crowland Parish Council.

“If they can’t come to Crowland then we shouldn’t expect them to come to Deeping St Nicholas.”

Insp Jo Reeves, prior to ending her two-year spell as Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for South Holland, said: “Across the county there are a significant number of parish and town council meetings held each month and some Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) covering large rural areas may have six or more parishes within their ‘patch’. “Whilst the relevant NPTs make every effort to send representation to these meetings, operational commitments will always have to take priority.

“However, members of the NPTs, or the local sergeants and inspectors, can always be contacted by any councillor or clerk wishing to discuss specific aspects of concern and/or any matters that arise from a meeting where police attendance in person was not possible”.

Peele Community College in Long Sutton is looking for its fifth head teacher in eight years with the surprise resignation of Elizabeth Smith.

Miss Smith, head for the last two years, leaves at the end of this academic year.

She will move to Switzerland to join her partner and aims to continue her career in secondary education.

Miss Smith’s time at the school has been dogged by controversy, with some parents objecting to a tougher stance on enforcing rules on school uniform.

In spring last year, more than 50 pupils were detained in “isolation” by the school for wearing non-regulation items, including shoes, but Miss Smith explained then that the school was raising standards by enforcing existing rules and was about to issue more than 500 pupils with free, smart new blazers and ties.

Miss Smith’s headship has also seen the school taking the first steps out of the Ofsted doldrums of “requires improvement” and moving towards being a “good” school.

And last year’s GCSE results showed the school was back on the right track, with highlights such as the 75.49 per cent A*-C pass rate in English and 70.29 per cent A*-C pass rate in maths.

Miss Smith made her resignation public in a letter to parents this week, telling them: “I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of my five years at The Peele and if it wasn’t for my partner’s permanent relocation to Switzerland I would have remained doing the job that I love.

“I would have relished taking the school into it’s next exciting phase. I have every confidence in our governing body making an outstanding appointment for my successor as they know exactly what will ensure The Peele remains a warm, friendly and very ‘special’ place for students to thrive, flourish and excel.”

She also pays tribute to governors, staff, parents and the “wonderful children” who engage her every day with their “amazing contributions, good humour and achievements”.

Speaking to the Spalding Guardian, Miss Smith insisted her focus will be fully on The Peele until she leaves.

She said: “I just want to leave the school in a very healthy position so my successor can build on the work I have done so far to keep the momentum going.”

The head accepted there had been “quite a lot of negativity” towards her because of the changes made at the school but says that came from a “very small minority” of parents while the majority had been very supportive.

In its most recent visit to The Peele, Ofsted commented in a monitoring report published in July: “Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.”

The education inspectorate then listed four key actions for the school to follow.

Commenting as county councillor for the area, Chris Brewis said: “All I can say is the school wants to make sure that whoever is in charge is someone of real calibre and ability and a really forward thinking person to continue the improvements that have happened in recent years. I just want to see it (The Peele) succeed because it is such a key part of our community.”

• What do think is the best way ahead for The Peele? Email your views to lynne.harrison@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Teams from Spalding Fire Station were pumping floodwater from a town street for four hours overnight.

The alarm was raised around 9pm yesterday and firefighters were on the scene in Chaucer Way until 1am today.

Shortly after 9pm, @SpaldingFire sent a Tweet saying: “It’s looking like a busy night ahead for us here in Spalding.”

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said today: “We were pumping water away from two houses.”

The incident followed hours of heavy rain.