News

A man who was found with a flick knife in a Spalding pub has been given a 12-week suspended sentence. Lewis Markham told magistrates in Boston on Wednesday that his mental health had been suffering and the knife was to self-harm. “I was only intending to harm myself with that knife. I had no intention of hurting anyone else,” he ...

A 71-year-old Tydd Gote man has made a first appearance in court over alleged sexual assaults on a woman. Rodney Stevenson is charged with three counts of the offence – the first between November 1 and December 1, 2022, and on January 23 and 24 this year. Stevenson appeared before Boston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and entered not guilty pleas ...

A teenager living with a brain tumour has thanked those who have helped him get back on his bike. Jack Schweikhardt’s bike was stolen from Hall Place last month after he decided he felt well enough to head into town.The 18-year-old, who has a benign brain tumour, was given the bike by dad Steve’s best friend Gordan Hyam, who died ...

A Whaplode man has been jailed for a host of sexual offences against young girls, including rape. Anthony Portor (62), of Hagbeach Gate, has been jailed for a total of 12 years.The sentence was given for a number of incidents against three different victims who cannot be identified for legal reasons.He was guilty of raping one victim under the age ...

A Spalding family welcomed the county’s Lord Lieutenant to their home for the special presentation of an MBE. Steve Machin (50) was awarded the honour for his services to HMP Prison and Probation Service, and Toby Dennis performed the investiture.“We had an amazing day,” said his wife, Pip, after the event.The couple’s children Ollie and Keira were also at the ...

A man has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after a reported head on collision at Weston on Monday night. The incident occurred at 7.13pm on the A151 Weston bypass.The road was blocked for a period of time due to the amount of debris.Lincolnshire Police said the injuries “were not life threatening”.“One man, aged 42, ...

A role created to oversee improvements in Spalding and Holbeach town centre has been discontinued. In 2020, South Holland District Council appointed a Town Centre Improvement Co-ordinator as part of its three-year plan for £500,000 worth of works.However the role will not be continued.When it was advertised as a three-year fixed term contract the job description stated it was “to ...

The father of a family that’s been plagued by rats says he’s prepared to have his family sleep rough as nothing has been done for them or the problem property. They’re just one of several residents The Voice has spoken to living near a house in London Road, Spalding, where, in May, 55 animals were seized by the RSPCA.The family, ...

A series of public events are being held this month to learn more about the redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn. Ten weeks after the government announced the hospital was added to the New Hospital Programme, leaders are updating members of the public on progress.A series of events are being held later this month and they will be ...

An outdoor cinema and tug-of-war are being organised to raise money for charity. Both events are raising money for Blood Cancer UK and Mencap, charities chosen by South Holland District Council leader Andrew Woolf.The tug of war is part of the Give It A Go day to be held at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field in Spalding on Sunday.“It’s ...

The chairman of a Spalding group has called for a town council to be created. Unusually for a town of its size, Spalding does not have a town or parish council taking decisions.Several years ago a referendum took place as to whether one should be created, but the idea did not get enough support.Calls have been renewed recently though, particularly ...

The bid to bring the remains of Matthew Flinders home, plus two projects for Spalding, are among those to benefit from the latest round of community funding. All three have been awarded grants as part of the UK Prosperity Shared Fund.How much each gets has not been revealed, but the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, of which South Holland ...

Works to improve a major junction in Holbeach have come under fire. Town residents have taken to social media to express annoyance that the works are causing traffic delays, while also complaining that planters have been removed and about the look of new railings being installed.It’s also been revealed that a new lane that a meeting of Holbeach Parish Council ...

South Holland residents can apply for funds to make their homes warmer and more energy efficient. The South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, of which South Holland District Council is part, has announced the latest round of the Home Upgrade Grant funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.The partnership says it handed out £3.16m grants for 173 ...

A parish council has apologised for the lack of grass cutting in its cemetery. Holbeach Parish Council issued the apology this week.As previously reported, there had been issues with staffing that led to areas becoming overgrown.Some councillors had taken to trying to cut the grass themselves.The spokesman states: “Holbeach Parish Council would like to offer an apology for the situation ...

A Spalding care home has been told to take action managing medicines after a recent inspection. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) re-visited Southernwood House in Matmore Gate, which had been told to put an action plan into place after a visit last August.But at the follow-up visit, in May, the inspector found the provider remained in breach of two regulations.“We ...

Two shops in Spalding have been given closure orders in the last week. Euro Star Shop in New Road and Spalding Express Convenience Store on Commercial Road have both been given three month closure orders after being alleged to have supplied illicit cigarettes and illegal vapes. The closure order is enforced for a period of three months, which is the ...

A resident in supported living in Holbeach tried to strangle another when simmering tensions between them boiled over. Michael Whatton (25) told police he felt like he was “going to explode with anger” prior to assaulting the man. Prosecutor Alison McIlroy told Boston Magistrates’ Court on Monday: “Mr Whatton had returned from the pub, having had three pints of cider. ...

A father and son from Spalding have appeared in court charged with assaulting a man. Mark Harris (46) and his 18-year-old son, also named Mark, are jointly accused along with a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons. The three are said to have assaulted Joshua Redding in Spalding on April 7. Appearing before magistrates in Boston on ...

A very special presentation will be made this week to a stalwart of Spalding Rugby Club who disarmed a terrorist during the attack on London Bridge in 2019. Steve Machin was awarded the MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours and will be presented with the medal at his Spalding home on Friday.Lincolnshire’s Lord Lieutenant Toby Dennis will meet Steve and ...