Disabled residents in Fleet have been left devastated by the theft of a “lifeline” minibus. The blue eight-seater Mercedes Sprinter was stolen from the car park at Hovenden House, the Leonard Cheshire home with 24 residents. Everyone who lives at the Lowgate home relies on the vehicle to get out and be more independent. Pam Pawson (65), a resident for 40 years, said: “It is ...

Two Spalding district councillors have identified areas along Spalding’s riverside to improve with their members’ designated budgets. Coun Gary Taylor (Castle ward) and Coun Howard Johnson (St Mary’s) will spend some of the cash on buying new litter bins, repairing benches and painting a lamppost. The South Holland district councillors also carried out a litter pick during their walk on Monday morning. Coun ...

Tulips B now boast a ten-point lead at the top of Spalding and District Snooker League after a 6-0 whitewash win at struggling Holbeach C last Thursday night. Three of the five frame wins for the Spalding side were secured on the final black, with Darren Woodberry (O28), Martin Deacon (O7) and Mark Wilkinson (O14) all pushed right to the ...

Moulton Harrox survived a storming Brumby comeback to book their place in the final of the Lincs FA Junior Cup with a thrilling 4-3 victory on Saturday. Goals from Ashley Coddington, Joe Townsend and Ian Bradbury looked to have Moulton on the brink of a second final in three years as they led 3-0 at half time. Townsend then added ...

More than £10,000 in prize money has been handed out in the first year of South Holland District Council’s recycling rewards scheme. Since its launch last February there have been 102 winners out of a possible 120. The £10,000 prize money includes £3,000 in grand prize draws and dozens of £100 prizes. Winners have been spread across the district, including ...

Planning officers were out of step with councillors when they recommended approval of a housing development slammed as a “slum” and “inappropriate even for Tilbury”. South Holland District Council’s planning committee chairman Coun Roger Gambba-Jones wasted no time in condemning Seagate Homes’ application for 14 homes at Little London. He said: “I make no bones about it. I don’t like ...

Pupils took part in a poster competition to raise awareness of Internet Safety Day. During their personal development lessons, pupils at Donington’s Thomas Cowley High School looked at ways to keep themselves safe online. PSHE co-ordinator Clytie Smith said: “As social media is such an integral part of young people’s lives today, it is vital that they understand where the ...

UKIP’s candidate for MP in South Holland and The Deepings is confident of ousting John Hayes at the General Election in May. David Parsons claims to have heard enough during his walkabouts in the constituency so far to suggest that – even given Mr Hayes’ 21,880 majority at the last General Election – he could be heading for Westminster after ...

A mobile planetarium visited Spalding’s Monkshouse Primary School as part of the Infinity and Beyond science curriculum for Years 5 and 6. The children really enjoyed the experience and teacher Katherine Thorpe thought it was “mind boggling”. One pupil said that the most amazing thing he had learnt was that there were more stars in the sky than grains of ...

A new £1,000 fence due to be painted and have plants growing up it in an effort to improve the look of the neighbourhood must be altered, councillors have ordered. Simon Barker extended the route of an original fence to enclose a piece of his land which kept attracting litter and animal excrement. He had just finished putting up the ...

A drive to launch a bilingual Spanish and English primary school in Spalding this September has ended in disappointment. The government’s Department for Education (DfE) has turned down the application by Invicta Group. Spalding has recently been identified as having too little provision for primary school places in the future due to the town’s anticipated continued population growth. Invicta Group ...

A petition against “crazy” government changes to the GCSE English Literature curriculum has been launched at Donington’s Thomas Cowley High School. Assistant headteacher Mary Meredith said: “Students in our current Year 9 will have to commit between 15 and 18 complex and challenging poems to memory so that they can ‘closely analyse’ them in an exam. So poetry learned parrot ...

More than 230 people enjoyed a free screening of Paddington to mark the continued sponsorhip of South Holland Centre cinema by Broadgate Homes. The Weston Hills firm held a special event last Friday at the start of the film’s run in Spalding. Broadgate Homes chief executive Ian Canham said: “Broadgate Homes is pleased to continue its sponsorship of the cinema ...

St John The Baptist Primary School in Spalding is hosting a fundraising quiz night on Friday, February 27 (7.30pm). The event is being organised by the Friends of the School, which works hard all year round to raise funds for the Hawthorn Bank school and to create a happier environment for the children. Tickets are £2 per person and teams ...

Charitable and not-for-profit organisations in South Holland are being offered free food safety training. Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Services is offering the Level 2 Food Safety and Catering course, which is ideal for any organisation that wants to cook and prepare food as part of its activities. The course would usually cost around £40 per participant. It covers areas such ...

Historic Spalding pub The Station Gates is poised to become an Eastern European food store called Corner Shop. An application for a licence to sell alcohol from 8am to midnight seven days a week has been made to South Holland District Council. Applicant Zagros Abdullah has previously run similar shops in Wisbech. A spokesman said: “It will be a food ...

An elderly man was taken to hospital suffering from facial burns and the effects of smoke inhalation after a fire at about 2.55am on Tuesday. It broke out in a garage and spread to a bungalow in Garnsgate Road. Fire crews from Long Sutton, Holbeach and Spalding attended. An investigation by fire officers concluded that the cause was “undetermined”.

The owner of an adventurous pup, who went missing for five days, was so thankful that she had just had him microchipped. Four-month-old collie cross Mo went scampering off with his mother whilst playing on the family’s smallholding. But when Lucy (3) returned a few hours later, there was no sign of Mo, which sparked a huge hunt, on foot ...

An option for council tax payers in South Holland to pay their bill over 12 months is being highlighted. Currently, only about 1,000 people take the full year. The norm is ten months, from April to January inclusive. South Holland District Council says it understands that some people struggle to pay their Council Tax on time or ahead of time, and wants to help ...

A plan for 37 new homes in Cowbit has been passed, although two ward members spoke against it. Coun Anthony Casson told last week’s South Holland District Council planning committee meeting that he is concerned about drainage of the site in Backgate. He also believes local schools and GP surgeries are under enough strain, and believes there are “too many” ...