News

A Spalding special school has retained its ‘outstanding’ status following a short Ofsted inspection last month. The Garth School on Pinchbeck Road was judged outstanding in June 2015 and after the February’s visit, retains its status. The Ofsted report praised many areas of the school, including the high level of care pupils receive and the school’s governance as a whole. ...

Five members of staff from a Holbeach St Johns nursing home are set to climb Snowdon to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. Carers Belinda Rivett, Danielle Cooper, Kayleigh Elleray, Jodie Clayton and Sarah Mason who work at Beechlodge in Frog’s Abbey Gate, are looking to raise £1,000 by climbing 1,085m to the summit of Wales’ highest mountain in June. ...

Two town centre public toilets have been out of action in Spalding this week. South Holland District Council closed both the Vine Street and the Sheep Market facilities on Monday. A spokesman said it was hoped the Vine Street toilets could re-open by Wednesday, once a drain blockage had been cleared. But the Sheep Market loos were likely to remain ...

A big crowd is expected for the first public meeting of a new group set-up to oppose plans for a relief road around Spalding. The Spalding and Pinchbeck Against Relief Road group (SPARR) is also organising two protests against the scheme. The group has been created to establish a united voice against the Western Relief Road proposal. One of the ...

A planning application for 84 homes in Holbeach has been submitted to South Holland District Council, expanding on a previously submitted huge development. The proposed development at Fen Road has been submitted by Spalding developer Ashwood Homes, and the application states the land is adjacent to a larger development where Ashwood Homes has gained outline planning permission for 900 homes ...

It’s been a busy month for Years Two and Three and St John the Baptist C of E Primary School in Spalding with The Great Fire of London and the Egyptians on their agendas. Year Two have been studying the 1666 fire and shared everything they had learned in a presentation to parents. They were also treated to a visit ...

Long Sutton Men’s 1s crowned their best season points-wise for 19 years with a 6-0 demolition of Bourne Deeping 2nds. After picking up just four points from their first four fixtures, a positive season for the young side ended with three straight wins. Sutton have developed into a passing, attractive hockey playing unit. This proved to be true right from ...

A 93-year-old South Holland World War Two veteran has become a published author without even knowing. Eric Houldershaw (93), now of Moulton but originally from Gosberton Clough, had no idea his daughter Pat Moore and husband Chris were planning a book of his memories of the conflict. But they, together with Sue Palmer, who transcribed Eric’s 1,600 hand written words, ...

A Spalding heritage group has written to central government in a bid to get a planning law changed over the appearance of shop fronts. The Spalding Civic Society wants to ban the use of vinyl inside and outside of shop front windows to block them with images. Under current planning laws, shops are allowed to have the vinyl inside. The ...

South Holland District Council is to build 20 more new affordable homes at the former Law’s Yard in Spalding. Following on from last week’s news that it had bought eight homes to rent and part-own, Willow Walk is being built in Commercial Road alongside Cross Keys Homes (CKH) and Minster Property Group. The district council says work is set to ...

The couple currently behind a 55-year-old family business say having the war memorial they built for Spalding unveiled by royalty is their highlight so far. The Holbeach Memorial Company were commissioned to create the World War Two memorial that was earlier this month visited by the Duke of Kent. It was a proud moment for Sarah Cook and Gary Huggins ...

Harriet Ingamells was named Boston College’s Outstanding Apprentice of the Year in a recent ceremony to honour its apprentices. Harriet is an apprentice in ‘Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools’ with Gosberton Academy. She said: “I was very surprised to have received the ‘Outstanding Apprentice of the Year’ award. “It has helped me feel valued within my role and boosted ...

Thieves made away with under £20 after smashing a window to a Spalding beauty salon in the early hours of this morning. The Beauty Room in Victoria Road was targeted at around 2am today (Friday, March 22). Manager Louise O’Connor said it’s believed a brick was used to smash the windows allowing the thieves to reach a box of money. ...

A 29-year-old man died five days after being found hanging in a Long Sutton park by a grandmother there with her family, an inquest has heard Boston Coroner’s Court today (Thursday) heard passers by were able to help Robert Lochnicki down still alive but he died from his injuries in hospital on June 12 last year. The 29-year-old, of Anfield ...

An inspirational mum of two who had a brain tumour removed last week says she feels like “the luckiest person in the world” after launching a bid to compete for her country at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo. Just last Friday, Ginny Gray (41), of Sutton St James, was in hospital for the successful life-saving operation to remove the 4cm ...

You can now apply to stand in the forthcoming district and parish council elections. The votes take place on Thursday, May 2. A spokesman for SHDC said: “Candidates who wish to submit their nomination for this year’s district and parish elections in South Holland are being encouraged to make an appointment with the Council’s elections team. “Appointments can be made ...

A district councillor will run the London Marathon this weekend, raising money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Coun Andrew Woolf, district councillor for Moulton, Weston and Cowbit Ward, will be joined by friend and fellow Moulton resident Mark Schmidt. Coun Woolf said: “Mark knew I had run the London Marathon and Half-Marathons before and so started the conversation about wanting ...

A campaign group has been launched calling for further consultation on the Spalding Western Relief Road, planning applications for the first two sections of which were submitted last week. The Spalding and Pinchbeck Against Relief Road (SPARR) group has been set up to unite residents from both towns opposing the proposed road and it’s set to hold a public meeting ...

It’s back to square one in terms of attracting much-needed NHS dentists to South Holland, with May 2020 a new target for more to be opened in the area. After two dentists failed to open as planned in January citing problems with recruitment, NHS England has again called out for practices to open in the area. However it’s been warned ...

A Spalding teenager proved you can teach an old dog new tricks when she sailed into first place at Crufts in the Rally Competition with her 11-year-old Australian Shepherd, Browse. Lara Pavitt (15) rehomed Browse three years ago, along with his nephew, Bobbie. Lara’s mum, Hilary, said Lara loves animals and was excited to have her own dog. After bonding ...