The era of variety and nostalgia was on show at Holbeach WI Hall where a night of nostalgia raised nearly £200 for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.

St Nicolas Players were the stars of an evening that mixed song and dance with comedy and patriotism, accompanied by a fish and chip supper in a manner unique to old England.

Organiser Les Ward, of Holbeach, said: “It went really well and we had nearly 60 people from Pinchbeck, Spalding, Holbeach and the surrounding area in the audience.

“Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance has always been a charity close to my heart, even before I started organising bingo nights and other events.

“It’s a very good cause and last year, we raised over £2,000 for the charity through bingo nights, old time music hall events and a bric-a-brac stall I have in Holbeach almost every Saturday.

St Nicolas Players were dressed in Victorian and Edwardian costumes as they brought back memories of music hall’s heyday from the late 19th century until World War II, includings the likes of George Formby and Gracie Fields.

Les said: “This year, I’m hoping to raise a little bit more than £2,000 for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance and I’m up to nearly £1,270 so far.

“But I couldn’t have done it without the help of Brenda Twigg who has been giving me a hand since 1993.

Les is hosting a skiffle night for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance at Holbeach WI Hall on Saturday, September 9, at 7.30pm.

Tickets priced £5 are available either on the door or in advance by calling Les on 01406 425947.

HAYES IN THE HOUSE: By MP John Hayes

I was proud, this week, to be the first Minister to bring legislation before the new Parliament. The Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing Bill will modernise ATOL, the consumer protection scheme for package holidays that include a flight, and allow UK businesses to trade across Europe more easily.

It will ensure that a wider body of consumers are protected and provide an ability for the scheme to adapt to future trends, including changes that may be brought about as the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.

I took the opportunity during my speech on Monday to comment on the Speaker’s unusual pronouncement about sartorial standards in the House of Commons.

He had suggested that, contrary to the House’s long-standing customs, he would no longer refuse to call a male Member to speak who was not wearing a tie. In defence of the dignity of the House and out of respect for its traditions, I made clear that I would take interventions only from those wearing ties, producing a spare tie in case any Member found himself wanting.

Traditions like this matter because they embody the collective wisdom of ages. It goes without saying that if a Member, because of infirmity, illness or disability, is unable to do so, the House should be sensitive to his needs as a matter not only of courtesy but of common decency.

Wheelchair-using Members, for instance, have in the past been excused the rule that one must stand to speak. No-one should be made to feel embarrassed or, worse still, prevented from doing their job. My passion in fighting for the interests of disabled people will never fade.

But this was not the issue at hand – the Speaker’s “ruling” over the necessity of ties related to the attire of the Liberal Democrat Tom Brake, who has no difficulty in wearing one beyond poor taste and poor judgement.

What Philip Larkin wrote on visiting a church holds true for Parliament: “A serious house on serious earth it is, / In whose blent air all our compulsions meet, / Are recognised, and robed as destinies.”

What we wear is an outward representation of our inner dignity and pride: grace, elegance and style are timeless virtues which Parliament reflects in its own manner and metre.

This out-of-date nonsense from Mr Brake is reminiscent of the dark days when some attacked school uniforms as “old fashioned”. His views are a throwback to the “do as you please” mindset that typified the bourgeois left then, and still does.

I am sure that most of my constituents dress more or less formally depending upon the gravity of the occasion – after all, what one wears at a wedding or funeral is different from what might be worn at the beach or in the garden.

The real test is appropriateness and an understanding of the significance of totems and symbols. Formal wear is an emblem of seriousness and Parliament is a serious place, whatever Mr Brake might think or be.

TRISH TAKES FIVE: By Trish Burgess

Breathability. Fill power. Active particle technology. Do these phrases excite you? Is your guilty secret a penchant for Gore-Tex?

I never used to pay much attention to all the technological terms associated with outdoor clothing but ever since our ski trip last year I’ve become an anorak addict, a worshipper of wicking base layers.

There are many like me, lurking in Craghoppers and Mountain Warehouse, assessing the merits of warmth-to-weight ratios. However, unlike most people pondering the value of taped seams and removable hoods with toggles, I’m not really an outdoorsy kind of gal.

My merino wool leggings did the job on the slopes of Colorado but now keep me toasty warm on the sofa in front of the TV. My new softshell jacket with chin guard and waterproof rating of 8,000mm is designed to keep me dry in a downpour on Dartmoor but I chose it for its pretty pink colour and fitted shape around my bum.

Dougie has been an outdoor clothing aficionado for many years. He loves walking trousers with a plethora of zipped pockets. And he has a thing for bright colours, drawn to gaudy sports tops like a moth let loose in Tellytubbyland.

Up until now, however, I have struggled with footwear for our infrequent forays off-road. I own one pair of sturdy boots which I am happy to be seen in, but I was in real need of a lighter pair for summer jaunts. Every time I tried on a pair, they were rejected for their ugliness. I refused to go outside in shoes that made me look like Claude Hopper from The Dandy.

Last week, the holy grail of footwear was revealed to me in Go Outdoors in Peterborough. To accompany the strenuous Tough Mudder endurance events, there are now special shoes you can buy which are perfect for this mud-filled punishing obstacle race.

The shoes feature TPU waterproof uppers, drainage ports and pinwheel lugs with 360 degree traction. With an integrated EVA footbed to absorb shock and reflective details for increased visibility in low light, these are the business. They’re even vegan-friendly.

I tried them on and, like Cinderella, found them to be a perfect fit: neat, lightweight and nothing rubbing on my delicate ankles. I even tried running up and down the little steps they have in the shop. It’s not exactly K2 but it gave me an idea of how they would feel on an ascent.

I took them proudly to the till and the assistant looked most impressed. “Oh,” she exclaimed. “Are you doing a Tough Mudder?”

“Are you kidding,” chimed Dougie as he opened his wallet. “She only wants them because they match her jacket.”

• You can read Trish’s blog at www.mumsgoneto.co.uk

The A151 is to be closed for six weeks and part of the A17 shut at night for ten days as part of Peppermint Junction improvement works in Holbeach.

The road closures will give Eurovia Contracting North a safe opportunity to tie the existing carriageways in with the new sections of road.

A full road closure of the A151 will start on Monday, July 24 at 7am and is expected to last for around six weeks. The signed diversion route for the closure will be via the A151 to the A16 to the A17.

In addition, there will be a full night-time closure of the A17 between the hours of 7pm to 6am for ten days starting on Monday, July 24. During the closure, the signed diversion route for the closure will be via the A1101 to the A47 to the A16.

Both temporary closures will include weekend days and are subject to reasonable weather conditions. Access to businesses and residences will be maintained throughout the works.

Following these closures, and where possible, Eurovia will return to working offline, without traffic management, to minimise disruption to traffic flows on the A151 and A17.

Coun Richard Davies, Executive Member for Highways, said: “On the ground, improvements at Peppermint Junction are moving forward rapidly.

“Contractors are nearly finished carrying out a range of early works, including constructing manholes, extending culverts, carrying out drainage works, digging trenches and diverting overhead power lines. In fact, the team is now ready to start laying tarmac on parts of the new roundabout.

“Due to the nature of the works, there will inevitably be some temporary disruptions, so we ask for your patience as any short-term inconvenience will be greatly outweighed by the long-term benefits this scheme will bring when complete early next year.”

The £5.4million Peppermint Junction highway improvement scheme, which is part-funded by the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Growth Fund, will see the current junction replaced with a roundabout connecting the A17 to the A151. A second roundabout will provide access to housing and commercial development land for a South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone and the proposed Holbeach West housing development.

Businesses and community groups in the Deepings and Bourne can find out about rural grants at a funding event next week.

The event which will have information about the £2million LEADER grant finance programme takes place at Stoke Rochford Hall on Tuesday, July 18 between 1.30pm and 3.30pm.

To qualify, projects must create jobs, develop a new or existing business, improve productivity and efficiency, increase tourism visitors or improve rural services and communities.

Coun Mike King, cabinet member for economy and development at South Kesteven District Council, said: “This is a great opportunity to access the first European funding this district has been offered and we are encouraging as many community groups and local businesses as possible to come along and find out more.

“The grant funding is available right across the district, except Grantham. as our rural economy, heritage, culture and sense of community are all vital to the well being of South Kesteven.

“We are doing all we can to ensure they grow along with the rest of our growth agenda.”

A new approach to crimes of harassment and stalking has been promised by Lincolnshire Police in the wake of a damning new report.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), the independent body monitoring police forces across England and Wales, found “systematic failings and inconsistency” in the way victims of stalking and harassment were treated nationwide.

The HMIC report was based on an inspection of six police forces and criminal justice services in Wales, the South West, South East, North East and North West of England.

Now in response to the HMIC’s report, “Living in Fear – the Police and CPS response to Harassment and Stalking”, Lincolnshire Police has pledged to work with mental health services to deal with stalkers and those who harass their victims.

Speaking to the Lincolnshire Free Press, Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Shaun West said: “This is a significant issue that affects people’s lives and so it’s right that we get our response right first time, every time.

“The (HMIC) report is one that we welcome, with its recommendations and advice for police forces up and down the country on how to tackle stalking and harassment.

“There’s a fine line between the two, but both the legislative and practical view is that stalking comes in all shapes and sizes, affecting people of all ages, genders and backgrounds.

“However, the common theme is this fixated, unnerving and obsessive pattern of behaviour which develops over a period of time into something significant, including threats of serious injury or death exacted by the offender.”

Figures from Lincolnshire Police showed that between April 2016 and March 2017, 936 crimes of general, racially or religiously aggravated harassment and stalking had been reported.

But in stark contrast, only nine people reported that they had been victims of a stalking offence compared to 914 people who said they had been on the receiving end of harassment.

Mr West said: “One of the recommendations by HMIC is around the use of Police Information Notices and the advice to stop using them.

“In the past, if a victim of harassment or stalking came to police, one tactic we used was to go and see the offender to advise them that they should stop their activities if they didn’t realise it was considered to be harassment or stalking.

“Now, we’re really keen to start the investigation at the earliest opportunity, so there’s no delay in dealing with it.

“Ultimately, the report talks about joint working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and other criminal justice partners so that we can make sure there is support provided to victims.”

The HMIC report team was led by Wendy Williams, formerly Chief Crown Prosecutor at CPS Direct, who said: “We spoke to many victims of harassment and stalking during this inspection and found that these are crimes of persistence and control.

“Repeat patterns of behaviour can have a devastating effect on a person’s quality of life and sadly, in the digital world, crimes of harassment and stalking are occurring more frequently.

“Police forces must act quickly to protect victims, including survivors of domestic abuse leaving coercive or controlling relationships.

“It is not acceptable that victims and their families are left to live in fear or have to change their lives because of someone else’s behaviour.

“Whilst we found some evidence that the police and CPS understand the risks of repeat behaviour, as well as some examples of positive practice where victims’ needs were prioritised, we found worrying failings at every stage. “Changes need to be made immediately to protect victims from harm.”

Plans to build five new homes in Moulton Seas End could mean the arrival of a long-awaited footpath in the village.

The prospect of improving the safety of pedestrians using Seas End Road was raised during talks about an application to build five houses on just over an acre of land near Cassini Lodge.

A shortage of land and money has long been held out to be the reasons for the failure so far of a campaign to provide a footpath which schoolchildren and other villagers could use along Seas End Road.

Mum-of-two Dawn Adams, who has been campaigning on the issue for at least eight years, wrote to The Moultons Parish Council requesting for the cost of a new footpath to be made a condition of the Cassini Lodge plans.

Ms Adams said: “There is no footpath on either side of Seas End Road and there are family homes with no safe walking access to the village or pick-up points for school buses.

“One school bus operator has tried to stop directly outside my house, but found it impossible to do so safely due to the narrow width of the road, a blind bend and speeding traffic.

“My neighbours have now applied for outline (initial stage) planning permission to build five large, family homes on their land.

“This, of course, means more families with no safe access to the village and yet more children without a footpath to walk to school bus points.

“Schoolchildren also catch a bus to Moulton school from here and there are also secondary school age children using this road each day.

“When you consider this application, can you please add to your planning comments that the developers should be made to pay for a footpath before any building starts and that this needs to be a condition of any development?

“Lincolnshire County Council highways officers always maintain that they can’t afford to meet the cost and that you can’t develop this road safely without means for families to walk to the village.

“Therefore, the obvious answer is for the developers to contribute towards the costs of a new footpath for Moulton Seas End.”

During a discussion about Ms Adams’ request at The Moultons Parish Council’s July meeting in Moulton Chapel on Tuesday, parish council chairman Coun James Meade said: “A member of the public has raised a legitimate concern.

“What are we going to do about it or what can we do about it?”

Responding to Coun Meade’s question, Moulton Seas End resident Peter Breach said: “There’s a long history of the parish council trying to get a footpath put in the village.

“But there were always a couple of people who would object, even though the majority of people living in the area were for a footpath.

“It’s been looked at long and hard, but there was no provision for a footpath to be laid in that location.

“So to get one put in afterwards, the only way of getting it is if someone gives up the land for it.

“It’s not as if the parish councillors never tried to do it, it’s just that they got a poor response from the village when they tried bringing people together.

“If you talk to anybody round Moulton Seas End, they will say ‘I can see the need for a footpath’. But without the willingness of landowners to help, it won’t happen.”

Ms Adams’ campaign intensified in March this year after one of her daughters was had to step off a grass verge she was walking along and into mud to avoid a car while on her way to catch the bus to school .

Ms Adams added: “She had to come back home to get changed and then walk back to the bus stop, even when she was worried about being late for school.

“I do not consider it acceptable that just because the county council haven’t been able to purchase the small amount of land needed to put in a footpath, children are forced off the road into puddles and mud to avoid being hit.”

In response, a county council highways spokesman said: “Keeping people safe is one of our top priorities, so we do appreciate the concerns of local residents and understand their desire for a footpath.

“We have explored whether this is possible, but the reality is that there is simply not enough highways land for one to be created.

“That means neighbouring land would need to be acquired; however, not all the landowners are willing to sell, meaning this could only be done through a compulsory purchase order.

“This is likely to cost more than the footpath itself and it is a lengthy process for which there is no guarantee we would be successful.

The spokesman added: “Along with the county council’s budget being greatly reduced over the last few years, this is not something we would be able to fund.”

SEE ALSO:

‘I’ve had enough of Moulton Seas End roads’

School bus slips off ‘soft verge’ into ditch

Environment Secretary Gove attends garden party

Hundreds of butterflies were released into the skies of Lincolnshire to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones.

This year’s annual Butterfly Release saw people coming together at Springfields Festival Gardens in Spalding, and locations in Boston and Skegness for the poignant event.

It was organised by the Butterfly Hospice Trust, a charity based in Boston, that provides palliative care and holistic support to patients and their families.

Rachel Wilding, from Spalding, released a painted lady butterfly in memory of her mum Barbara Harrison, who died almost two years ago, aged 67.

Rachel said: “There is so much to say about my mum. She was very loved. We were very close friends and she is so missed.

“She was so much fun and loved life. She was a big inspiration to me.”

Rachel was there with her sister Claire Burden and school friends Katherine Wright and Sarah Lloyd.

Her daughter Ruby sang with Spalding Parish Church of England Day School, who performed the songs ‘Count On Me’ by Bruno Mars and ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me’ from Toy Story.

They also read the poem Footsteps in the Sand, which includes the line: “When you saw only one set of footprints (in the sand), it was then that I carried you.”

Lester Tugby, was there with around 20 friends and family who released butterflies in memory of his wife Joy, from Gedney.

She died of cancer 18 months ago, aged 56.

He said: “She was my wife and my life. The Butterfly Hospice were amazing in their care for her and I also want to mention the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) at Boston (Pilgrim) Hospital. It is a fantastic place and they treated her so well.”

Joy’s sister Wendy Seabrook added: “She was the most amazing person, a lovely wife, sister and auntie.

“She was an independent lady with a strong will and strong mind. She was a fighter.

“She loved animals. She had a smallholding and she was always bringing an animal home - from a duck to a horse.”

Wendy, who lives in St Albans with her husband Doug, had travelled to Spalding for the Butterfly Release with her family.

Doug is a judo instructor and organised a charity fun run around St Albans in which his students and parents took part.

They raised £1,300 for the hospice.

Doug said: “Joy was looked after by the hospice and they were fantastic.”

Sue Watsham, from the Butterfly Hospice Trust, said: “All three events were very well attended, and what surprised me was the distance that families had travelled.

“I met one family at Spalding who had travelled from Norfolk to join us.

“My special thanks not only go to the public who support our hospice, but also our volunteers, who give their precious time to make our Butterfly Release a very special memorable event.

“It is a chance to remember loved ones and also celebrate life. We have many reasons why people are supporters of the Butterfly Release.”

The Butterfly Hospice is a purpose-built six-bed inpatient unit near to Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital.

It was officially opened to patients in 2014 after ten years of planning and fundraising from members of the public.

The hospice cares for people from Boston and the surrounding areas. It works in partnership with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust and the local community.

○ More photos in Thursday’s Spalding Guardian (on sale July 13)

Police officers searching for a missing Bourne woman have found a body.

On Thursday (July 6), police issued an appeal to locate 53-year-old Joanne Lewis after concerns were raised about her welfare.

Later that afternoon, officers discovered a body in the River Welland in Stamford and it has been confirmed as that of Ms Lewis.

People with learning difficulties got together for a great day of sporting fun in Spalding.

Teams from the Gateway clubs of Bourne, Boston and Spalding, as well as the Can Do sports club of Surfleet and the PHAB club took part in the annual Spalding and Welland Rotary Club day at the Castle Playing Field. They enjoyed track and field events organised by Arthur Simonds of Nene Valley Harriers.

Refreshments were supplied by the Ladies Inner Wheel Club of Spalding, supported by Sainsbury’s.

St John Ambulance were also in attendance.

The event was the brainchild of former Spalding Parish Vicar and ex-Rotarian Philip Norwood 25 years ago and has gone from strength to strength over the years.

• See Thursday’s Spalding Guardian for a full page of pictures.

Spalding High School students had an action-packed lunch hour for Fringe Friday.

Fringe Friday is a celebration of the arts and an opportunity for students to explore them through activities whilst 
encouraging participation with the wider school in a ‘festival style’ vibe during 
occasional Friday lunchtimes.

The theme for this one was a creative explosion and exploration of the year 3,000. 

A ‘futurescape’ of bound sculptures using found 
objects set the scene, giving students the opportunity to make a film of themselves and their friends wearing self-made costumes out of junk.

They responded to a narrative about their escape from the brain of Dr Jiggerly Wiggerly; Spalding’s most notorious villain, using green screen technology.

Others had a brilliant time at the futuristic rave in the common room. Head of Art Mrs LIz Kelleher said: “It was great fun and a brilliant way to enjoy the arts and to let off steam at the end of a busy term.’

• See Thursday’s Spalding Guardian for more pictures.

Students touched by the plight of a couple whose baby was stillborn have raised hundreds of pounds for a charity that supported them.

Spalding Grammar School’s Wykeham House gathered £647.91 from weekly donations and cake sales for the ‘Forget Me Not’ suite in Basildon and Thurrock hospital.

Each year the house holds a charity nomination process, in which students deliver pitches before two causes are chosen.

Year 13 student George Barratt had given a poignant talk about how his sister and former student Sarah Dale had recently suffered a stillborn birth of her daughter Matilda.

George explained how the hospital suite had supported Sarah and her husband Tom through this difficult time. The pledge received a staggering 68 per cent vote share.

The money raised was over £100 more thantheir previous charity best and was presented to Sarah and Tom by charity co-ordinators Pavels Saponenko and Shana Farrow.

The couple drove specially from London to attend a celebration assembly and Sarah spoke bravely about her experiences.

The second recipient was staff member Chris Crane, who recently completed the London Marathon on behalf of Asthma UK.

Mr Crane talked to the students about the resilience required and encouraged the students to undertake similar challenges. He was presented with a cheque for £145.29 from Pavels and Shana.

Head of Wykeham House Dave Endersbee said: “I was extremely proud and moved by both the stories given by the recipients of the donations and the students in the House for their support.”

Holbeach resident Zac Nixon is being sought by police for failing to appear at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court.

Nixon (28), is charged with taking without consent and driving offences.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Anyone with information concerning Nixon’s current whereabouts is asked to call 101.

A team of cyclists raised nearly £400 for disabled sport in Great Britain after completing a 50-mile bike ride.

About 25 riders set off from Spalding’s Castle Sports Complex on the route which included Boston’s Princess Royal Sports Arena and Peele Leisure Centre in Long Sutton.

The bike ride, a fundraiser for disabled sports charity Wheelpower, then finished in Spalding where the riders were served with a Sunday roast at the Castle Cafe and Bar inside the sports centre in Albion Street, Spalding.

Organiser Josh Wright, the sports centre’s sales manager, said: “WheelPower is the company charity for 1Life so we try to raise money for it every couple of months.

“The cycle ride was really good, everybody loved it and they all want to come back and do it again next year.”

All three sports centres are managed by 1Life which supports WheelPower and its work in promoting sport among people with physical disabilities.

Based in Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, widely regarded as the home of the Paralympic movement, WheelPower works with more than 100,000 disabled people in enabling them to take part in sports like tennis, skiing and rugby.

Josh said: “I just want to say a big thank you to everyone that helped out on the day and. of course. all the riders who made it a success.”

Staff from Blakemore 
Retail’s SPAR Pinchbeck store have teamed up with a local primary school to tidy up their local community.

A total of 18 volunteers from the Pinchbeck convenience store on Knight Street joined forces with 12 Year 6 pupils from Pinchbeck East C of E Primary School to litter pick in the areas surrounding the store and school. The volunteers collected eight full bags of rubbish.

The litter pick was organised as part of AF Blakemore & Son Ltd’s Environmental Focus Week.

The Week formed part of a series of events to celebrate the firm’s 100 years in business and the importance of growing a sustainable business for the next 100 years.

Blakemore commercial director Caoire Blakemore said: “Not only will this impact the community and environment immediately, but we’ll also be converting the amount of litter collected throughout the week into trees, which we will plant later on in the year.”

Clough and Risegate Primary School went back in time on sunny Saturday as children, parents and staff marked its 140th anniversary with a Victorian-themed summer fete.

Cream teas, stalls, tombola, raffle and clothes all had a 19th century look as the fete was held less than two weeks after the school organised three days of Victorian lessons and activities.

The Gosberton Clough school’s parent and teacher association (PTA) organised the fete and PTA member Justine Bowers said: “We thought it went really well as the children were transported back in time to when the school was new.

“There were traditional games and other activities during the day and we raised about £1,060 which we thought was absolutely brilliant.”

Steam engines and sewing machines from the Victorian era shared the school site with more modern plants, books and games to boost the fundraising effort and support youngsters at the village school.

Justine said: “All the money raised goes back into getting things for the children like basketball posts, benches, a portable stage, school trips and pantomimes, presents and pirate ship play equipment which the children love.

“On behalf of the PTA, I would like to say thank you to all the people who helped us by attending, helping out and being so generous with their time.”

Spalding Academy students enjoyed great success in this year’s Springfields Horticultural Society Daffodil Competition.

This was the second year the Academy entered the competition, sponsored by Super Flora. Students were tasked with drawing, painting or taking a photograph of a daffodil or daffodils, in colour or black and white.

In the Year 7 Photograph category, Casey Kilbon won first prize of £25, Libby Mayne was second (£15) and Charli Osborne third (£10).

In the Year 8-10 Photograph category Millie Dowling (Y8) was first (£25), Grace Woods (Y10) second (£15) and Catherine Sheard (Y8) third (£10).

In the Year 7 Paintings and Drawings category, Olivia Amatt was first (£25), Roxana Coltatu second (£15) and Kornel Misiek third (£10).

In the Year 8-10 Paintings and Drawings category, Hollie Steadman (Y9) won (£25), with Ilona Chipala (Y9) second (£15) and Amy Wilson (Y8) third (£10).

For the Best Five Grown Daffodils category, Spalding Academy won first and second prize with prize money of £100 and £50 respectively, kindly given by Springfields Horticultural Society.

• More pictures in Thursday’s Spalding Guardian.

A Lenovo laptop and Canon printer were stolen from a house off Winsover Road, Spalding, before the weekend.

It happened in West Parade between 6.30am and 1.30pm on Friday, July 7.

Anyone who has been offered either or both items should call 101, quoting incident number 446 of July 7.

A plan has been submitted to build a £1million JCB-themed play area at Spalding’s Springfields shopping centre.

SLR Outlets, who operate the outlet centre, has put in the application which, if successful, would create up to 40 new jobs.

It also plans to introduce other children’s play facilities, open an American-themed diner and refurbish the dinosaur miniature golf course.

The project would see an imaginative new entertainment centre for all ages, incorporating a range of new and exciting play activities.

At its heart, the new development would host the biggest-ever JCB Young Driver Zone. This attraction would include a large track for pedal diggers, huge JCB slide, scaffold-themed climbing frame and other unique interactive play equipment.

The JCB zone would recreate a miniature village and construction site and contain everything from the health and safety briefing for budding operators through to a large track and building site where children can experience fun and educational play.

A JCB spokesperson said: “We are hugely excited by the plans for our biggest-ever JCB Young Drivers Zone. A great deal of thought and time has gone into the design of the Zone which will give young JCB fans a fantastic outdoor space to explore, whether driving, building, climbing or sliding. We’re confident it will be a real hit with families.”

The proposed improvements to Springfields would also see a new High Top Hobbit Village wooden climbing and play facility created, alongside a new sheltered infant sand play and seating area.

Springfields would also be host to Lincolnshire’s only gold panning activity area.

The proposed development would be situated within the Festival Gardens and accessed via the existing Craft Cafe, which will be refurbished to house a new American-themed diner. The Jurassic-themed Dinosaur miniature golf course will also be fully refurbished.

Ian Sanderson of SLR Outlets, said: “We are proposing really exciting changes which will help us to strengthen our position as Lincolnshire’s leading outlet centre. Getting JCB on board is a major coup for the area, in the face of increasing competition elsewhere.

“Springfields is constantly seeking to improve our overall offer for people of all ages. Over the last two years, we have attracted some excellent new retailers to Spalding, alongside a major refurbishment of the garden centre.”

The plan is before South Holland District Council.

A 21-year-old man was taken to hospital after he was knocked unconscious outside Loaded Nightclub in Spalding during the early hours of Saturday morning.

The victim was taken to Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, after he was punched by another man who then ran off down Westlode Street, according to police.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident number 21 of July 8.