News

Lutton teacher’s body found hidden in junk room; husband dead in stable block

Lutton teacher Bernice William had to be identified by DNA after her body was found hidden under a pile of underlay in the family’s junk room, an inquest has heard.   Police took two days to find the body of the mother-of-two after her husband Lawrence (49) was discovered hanged in a stable block at the couple’s farmhouse in Colley’s Gate. ...

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Long Sutton cat rescue charity shop reopens after big refresh

A long-serving cat rescue charity shop reopened at the weekend, days after fears were aired that it was closed for good. Hendrik Engelbert is a new trustee with PJ Cat Rescue, in High Street, Long Sutton, and said he is keen to steer it forward and continue its work. He said: “The shop closed in early February after the death ...

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Will earns next step towards his dream career on big stage

A talented Spalding student with an eye on a theatrical career has earned a coveted place at Arts Educational Schools, London. Will Silver has featured in The Voice previously for his emerging talent during his teenage years, including landing a top role in a musical at The Embassy Centre in Skegness. Will is currently at ESPA (Eastern School of Performing ...

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MP Hayes: ‘I will be standing on my record’

Conservative MP John Hayes admits he was as surprised as anyone by Prime Minister Theresa May wanting a snap General Election in seven weeks’ time, on Thursday, June 8. Mr Hayes, who will be seeking a fifth re-election in the South Holland and The Deepings constituency since first taking the seat in 1997, said: “I don’t think anyone was expecting ...

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Free Spalding taster sessions of English language skills for foreign nationals

The first of two free sessions in Spalding for foreign national adults wanting to learn more English takes place this weekend. Led by Hawkfield Training –  Anne Hawkridge and Martin Whitfield – who are qualified and experienced in teaching adults,. the sessions are aimed as a taster for an “English as a second language” summer project based at The Vista ...

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Two pubs buck the trend by reopening

Customers have welcomed investment in two pubs, which reopened on Good Friday.(April 14) New landlords at The Bull’s Neck in Holbeach are Neil and Lyn Spiers, while in Long Sutton, Sean Portass and Dana Garkavaya have reopened The Ship. For Neil and Lyn, who previously ran a hotel on the north-west coast, their choice of new venture was a toss-up ...

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Maternity team aims for more home births and fewer Caesarean sections

Care for new mothers and babies will be enhanced thanks to a new £71,713 training programme for midwives and doctors at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn. Increasing the number of home births and reducing the rate of caesarean sections are among the hopes for the new programme, which will start later this year. The hospital is among 136 ...

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Long Sutton woman (57) jailed for shooting husband at Whaplode nursery

A Long Sutton woman who “catastrophically” injured her husband when she fired his shotgun was jailed for two years on Tuesday.(April 18) Mary Jane Taylor (57) left Alan Taylor (58) with a “useless” left arm when she discharged two shots from the weapon, Lincoln Crown Court heard. The court was told that Mrs Taylor could not remember what happened after ...

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Inquest into Lutton deaths to be opened

An inquest into the deaths of Lutton couple Lawrence and Bernice Williams is due to open on Thursday.(April 20) Police say they discovered the bodies at the couple’s home two days apart. Mr Williams (50), who had committed suicide, was found at the house in Colley’s Gate on Friday, April 7. The following day police issued an appeal for information about Mrs Williams’ whereabouts. She had not ...

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Rise in number of children offered first-choice primary school

Lincolnshire County Council says 94.3 per cent of children have been given a place at their primary school of choice through the admissions system this year. That figure is a rise on 2016. Along with the rest of the country, Lincolnshire has experienced high numbers of families wanting their children to start school in September. There are nearly 7,500 children ...

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Teacher’s body found at home two days after ‘suicide’ husband’s

Police say the husband of Bernice Williams, the Lutton teacher found dead at home on Sunday (April 9), is thought to have committed suicide. Lawrence Williams’ body had been discovered at their home in Colley’s Gate on Friday – the day before police issued an appeal about Mrs Williams’ whereabouts. The cause of her death is still to be confirmed. A Lincolnshire Police statement on ...

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Police appeal to trace man over ‘suspicious incident’ at swimming pool

Police want to speak to this man about an allegation that he wanted to take pictures of boys at Castle Sports Complex swimming pool in Spalding. A police statement about what they are calling a “suspicious incident” said: “After initial enquiries have failed to identify a suspect, officers are releasing the images of a man they would like to speak to in relation ...

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Noise nuisance issue for Team GB member’s Sutton Bridge shooting ground

A shooting ground run by an England and Team GB member faces an uncertain future due to noise complaints. The Priory Clay Target Centre at Sutton Bridge is owned by Long Sutton marksman Aaron Heading, who won the bronze medal at last month’s World Cup in Mexico. But his hopes of continuing to establish a popular shooting ground where adults ...

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Shock closure plan for disability home Hovenden House

Hovenden House at Fleet is to close this summer due to “considerable” repair costs. Leonard Cheshire Disability is shutting the service which gives a range of nursing and residential care to 23 adults. The future of the 42 staff is also uncertain. A spokesperson for the charity said: “We always aim to offer the best quality service in modern accessible ...

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Frustration from users as Spalding Academy suspends site lettings

A decision to suspend lettings at the Spalding Academy site has met with anger and frustration. South Lincolnshire Academies Trust, which runs the school, has given regular users of the Neville Avenue site five months’ notice to find an alternative. The trust says “a number of operational issues” have arisen since the start of the academic year which has led ...

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Council’s £2.7m hub plan for Priory Road headquarters shelved

A project to transform South Holland District Council’s headquarters into a community hub has not attracted enough interest from potential public sector partners to proceed. The controversial proposal, which had a £2.7million budget earmarked and was to have been a major source of income, could have led to the police and Lincolnshire County Council’s Social Services in Spalding moving into the ...

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Spalding house fire: two men in court today

Two men who were arrested following a house fire in Spalding on Monday evening are due to appear in court today.(Wednesday) Jason Lee Dodd (22), of Holyrood Walk, has been charged with assault, affray, and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Simon Harrison (24), of the same address, has been charged with affray. They will appear ...

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Missing teacher (50) ‘and husband’ found dead at Lutton home

The body of missing mother-of-two Bernice Williams has been discovered at her Lutton home. A man, believed to be her husband Lawrence, was also found dead at the couple’s property on Colleys Gate on Monday. The discovery came two days after police issued an appeal to find Mrs Williams, who had been missing since March 25. The 50-year-old teacher at Sutton Bridge’s ...

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Why preservation of near-derelict building in Low Fulney is important

by Dr Martin Blake, of Spalding Gentlemen’s Society   In a part of Low Fulney, just outside Spalding, but well off the beaten track, sits a near-derelict building which, at first sight, appears ripe for demolition. If, however, you look beyond the changes and additions of recent centuries, it turns out to hold an extraordinary secret. Inside are two brick ...

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Angela’s photograph wins slot in Wilko wild bird calendar 2018

This photo by Angela Reeve will appear in the June slot of next year’s Wilko Wild Bird Calendar. Her entry was one of 12 winners in a competition run by the national retailer Angela, of Spalding, said: “I was absolutely amazed that I won as I very rarely win anything, so feel really pleased with the result. “With the photo I wanted ...

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