A Spalding man who murdered a father-of-five and then portrayed himself as a hero after setting fire to the victim’s home was today (Friday) jailed for life. Samuel Church, 37, of Acacia Avenue, was told he will have to serve a minimum period of 20 years in jail before he is eligible to apply for parole. Lincoln Crown Court heard ...

A proposal to build 140km long new electricity cables on pylons through South Holland have been announced. A consultation has launched on The National Grid’s proposal for the infrastructure to run from west of Grimsby to Walpole in Norfolk.It would include utilising the proposed substation that the Outer Dowsing project is looking to build at Weston Marsh.A final plan for ...

A pedestrian in his 30s was taken to hospital with a serious injury after being involved in a collision with a vehicle on the A151 last night. The road remains closed between West Pinchbeck and Twenty this morning after the incident involving a Honda Civic at around 6.15pm last night (Wednesday, January 17). The air ambulance was in attendance, landing ...

An incredible 12-hour-plus lockout was brought to an end in devastating fashion for Spalding United at the Sir Halley Stewart Field on Saturday. The Tulips had not conceded a goal since November 18, eight games earlier. Elliot Sandy’s men were also unbeaten in 10 Northern Premier League games so no-one could have forecast a 5-0 thumping at home by title rivals Anstey ...

Danny Clifton fears a voodoo spell has been laid on his Holbeach United team. Once again they were tripped up, just as it looked as if they would be able to secure a place in the play-off places in Division One North of the Thurlow Nunn League.Instead, a 2-0 defeat at mid-table Haverhill Rovers leaves the Tigers two points adrift, albeit with ...

Nathan Stevens’ sending off late in the first half proved to be the turning point as Pinchbeck United went down to a 5-1 defeat at Loughborough Students in Premier Division North of the United Counties League on Saturday. The Knights had lost the reverse fixture 11-0 but looked well in the game until they were reduced to ten men.An own ...

Moulton Harrox closed the gap on leaders Uppingham Town in the Premier Division of the GCE Hire Fleet Peterborough League with a 4-1 at Oakham United. A hat-trick from Declan Earth and a goal from Marcus Parry leaves them seven points off top spot but with five games in hand.Crowland Town are still in the title shake-up after a 3-2 win ...

Spalding 10 Daventry 14 Counties One Midlands East (South) leaders Daventry showed their pedigree to earn a narrow victory at Centenary Park. With a good home crowd in support along the touchlines and a firm pitch, Spalding kicked off and immediately both teams’ defences cut down space and tackles flew in.George Brown, on his return to the home team, on ...

Ollie Jeapes was in action for England at the British Isles u18 international series in Wales at the weekend. The Spalding Lightning youngster was selected to lead the triples with Sam Brugnoli, from Huntingdon, and Charlie Beeton, from Ipswich. They were joined by Izzy Pymm, from Melton, in the fours.It was a series to remember for Jeapes as he came ...

Moulton Harrox CC have been working hard behind the scenes in preparation for the upcoming season. Winter nets are starting for the club’s academy, running across two sessions. The first is on February 2, with the u11 and u13 teams training 6pm-7.30pm. The u15 and u17s will then train7.30pm-9pm. Academy sessions will run weekly on Fridays until March 1. All ...

There’s a new team at the top of Division One of the Spalding and District Snooker League. Services A have taken top spot after beating last week’s joint leaders Consti E 5-1, who drop to fourth.Consti started well with a win from James Kingston (O21), before Services hit back thanks to Mike Knight (O21), Jake Haslam (O21), Vince Fitter (O35) ...

Five 20-plus breaks from Mick Cooper (O200) proved crucial in Holbeach A’s quarter-final victory over Bourne Pyramid A in the Spalding & District Billiards League Shield competition. He scored 39, 38, 34, 22 and 20 on his way to beating Martin O’Connor (R70) 200-196 to help his team to an overall 578-577 success. Phil Coaten (R80) was also a winner ...

Bourne Deeping 1st 1Long Sutton Men 1st 6The goals continued to flow for Long Sutton.After racking up ten against Cambridge City 4th a week earlier, they stuck six more past their derby rivals in East Men’s League Division Two North West.A penalty corner broke the deadlock when Joshua Fyson tucked away a drag flick. Another penalty corner opportunity was dispatched ...

St Ives 1st 7Spalding Ladies’ 1st 1Spalding travelled to St Ives for one of the most difficult games of the East League Division Two North West season.The match started well with Spalding playing the ball around and moving into space. However, St Ives pressed hard, advancing into Spalding’s half and managed to score, despite the defence’s effort to stop them.St ...

Spalding Men 1st 4Cambridge University 2nd 2Spalding enjoyed a maximum return from a hectic weekend of two East Men’s League Division One North matches.Saturday brought a success against Cambridge University and 24 hours later they saw off Nomads.A well contested first half in the opener was played at a good pace and chances fell to both teams.Great pressing from Darren Grooby ...

A maximum allowed three per cent rise in South Holland District Council tax will go entirely to Internal Drainage Boards, the authority has said. Its proposed budget and mid-term financial strategy also includes combined savings of nearly £12m starting with £1.4m in the next financial year and between £2.6 and £2.7m every year for the four years after that.South Holland ...

A parish councillor has urged people to report crimes as she claimed people’s reluctance to do so is the reason why resources have been moved elsewhere. Sam Bailey, of Holbeach Parish Council, told a meeting of the authority that a PCSO had been moved from the town to Long Sutton because crime numbers were higher there.But she believed that was ...

A walk to raise awareness of mental health issues was well supported. Organised by Coun Mark Le Sage, in memory of his father Malcolm, who took his own life 25 years ago, and Vanessa Browning, of Community Mind Matters, the Walk and Talk event took place at Spalding’s Ayscoughfee Gardens.It’s part of Vanessa’s Red January walks to improve mental health.Mark ...

The chair of Holbeach Parish Council resigned before a vote of no confidence in him this week, as the authority also revealed it is in breach of financial regulations as it set its council tax share. The authority is remaining tight lipped on the departure of Clive Turner or how and why it has breached the regulations despite announcing both ...

A South Holland charity is working on a wheely good idea for the community. Wheels for Life is a new scheme for bike donation which will take pre-loved bikes and bring them back to a usable condition for them to be gifted to people who do not have the opportunity to enjoy the varied benefits of owning and using a ...