Sunday saw round three of the Frostbite Series for Welland Yacht Club.

With a reasonable wind blowing with strong gusts, the safety boat crew was preparing for a busy morning.

Twelve boats, four with crew, made 16 people – the biggest attendance so far for the series.

New juniors Rosie and Samuel Willerton were prepared to have a go, but it soon became apparent that the conditions were going to be too severe for them.

In the build-up to the start Alistair Mitchell capsized, but soon recovered.

As the clock ticked down, a few boats opted to hang back and, once underway, there was a near-miss between a couple of boats, but it was Paul and Lucy Burton in their Graduate who took the early lead, followed by the Scorpion of Andy Prior and Tom Bell and the RS200 of Alan Cox and Roger Ackroyd close behind.

A little further back, the remainder of the fleet was led by Ian Thompson and Andy Stopper in their Enterprise. Mark Holland (Laser Radial), Gerri van Haren (Phantom), Emma Agar (Topper), Ivan Hurst (Laser) and Alistair Mitchell (Laser).

The faster Scorpion and RS200 had taken the lead by the second bend and was soon joined by the Phantom of van Haren.

On the run back from the top mark, Bell missed his toe strap and ended up going over the side, leaving Prior to circle back and recover him.

Added to the fact it took about half the course length to clear the boat of the water which had been brought on board during the recovery, precious time was lost against the Phantom and the RS200.

Junior Emma Agar was managing her own race and fighting to keep her boat upright in the gusts, while the Burtons maintained fourth on the water in a slower boat.

A second win in the series was looking likely for the Burtons – however, once handicaps were applied, Emma Agar took the win from Paul and Lucy Burton, with Andy Prior and Tom Bell third and Alan Cox and Roger Ackroyd fourth. The club’s annual presentation night took place on Saturday.

The new juniors received their RYA youth level 1 certificates and the longer-term juniors received level 2 and level 4, together with the adults who took their RYA courses.

The season’s trophies were also awarded.

Spalding Cycling Club prospect Matt Ellis (17) is keeping his feet firmly on the pedals despite earning his first Team GB cyclo-cross jersey in Belgium.

The Spalding Grammar School sixth-former was in an eight-rider squad that took part in the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup event in Koksijde near the Belgian/French border.

But things didn’t quite go according to plan for Ellis after he was caught up in a crash within the first 100 metres of the race before a splattered wheel forced him into the pits and, after a long run with his bike, eventually finishing 41st.

Ellis said: “We arrived in Belgium on the Friday and after trying on the kit, we went for a course practical and went round it six or seven times.

“It was extremely sandy and, if you did not get in the right rut, you crashed. But in the race itself, I got off to a good start and a big gap opened up, allowing me to go 15th at one stage.

“Then someone came across me and fell off, with me going over the top of them as well as six others.

“I picked myself up, only to find that I’d got a puncture and my gear shifter had snapped.

“So I ended up having to pick up my bike, put it on my shoulder and run with it.

“Even so, I was happy that I went to Belgium and got all the Team GB kit, although I was annoyed about the race as well because I thought that I could have done quite well.

“I remember going round the course and riding round most of the sections quite quickly, so it’s a shame the race turned out as it did.”

Ellis, a product of Spalding Cycling Club’s Go-Ride scheme that has also produced the likes of Jake Norton, Tom Neale and Tilly Gurney, bounced back from his Belgian setback last month by finishing fourth in the second round out of six races in the British Cycling National Cyclo-Cross Trophy in Abergavenny at the weekend.

The teenager said: “I came fifth in the first round at Derby, a selection race for the World Cup, at the beginning of October.

“I’d had a really bad start and thought that I’d messed things after coming past the pits thinking I was 25th.

“But I eventually got myself up the field and, because the course was quite wide, I had a bit of an opportunity to wind myself through little gaps and overtake people.

“In cyclo-cross, you’ve got to be smooth, know the lines of the course and know when to put the power down without letting your bike slide from underneath you.”

Next year, Ellis will be riding for a Belgian road race team after two years with the Steve Poole Plant Hire / Raleigh squad.

But the youngster and his dad Adam already have their eyes on July 2018, when the National Junior Road Race Championships take place at Witham-on-the-Hill, near Bourne, a race to be organised by Mark Botteley of Bourne Wheelers Cycling Club.

Adam said: “Matt’s always said that he wanted to peak as a junior.

“But I’ve always been against wanting too much, too soon, because you learn more by losing and if you start getting to the top of your game before being a junior by getting into national squads and being recognised, you can burn yourself out.

“Matt still has a lot to learn, but the generation he’s coming through now could be the best in British cycling.

“This is the Go Ride generation, rather than the World Class Performance Funding generation of Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish. Now it’s so competitive to get into international squads and academies.”

Matt is currently looking for some funding to help him with travelling costs, especially with lots of his races being abroad on the continent.

If you would like to help Matt in his future endeavours contact him by emailing him on matt.ellis01@outlook.com

A special Sunday train service is being run from Spalding to Lincoln Christmas Market.

Two trains will run to Lincoln on December 10 - calling at Spalding station at 9.31am and 10.31am and arriving in Lincoln at 10.32am and 11.32am respectively.

There will be two return trains - leaving Lincoln at 2.45pm and 4pm, arriving back at Spalding at 3.41pm and 4.56pm respectively.

All trains have three cars and start and finish at Peterborough, calling at Spalding, Sleaford, Ruskington and Metheringham en route.

Provision of the service has been organised by the Spalding and Peterborough Transport Forum.

Holbeach United travel to Wellingborough Whitworth on Saturday on the back of two 3-0 wins.

Having defeated Daventry Town 3-0 at home on Saturday, they then took on Harrowby United in the KO Cup on Tuesday night and repeated the scoreline.

After manager Seb Hayes’ demand for more commitment following the Tigers’ defeat to Boston, saying his players were ‘not desperate enough’ and that they ‘didn’t want it enough’, the team have reacted by stepping up their act and responded to the boss’s threat.

Three goals in the last half-hour at Harrowby United sealed theTigers’ place in the Knockout Cup semi-final on Tuesday night.

In a scrappy game on a poor pitch, the Tigers came away with a win and a place in the league cup semi-finals.

Spencer Tinkler, Lewis Leckie and a rare goal from Dan Dougill earned the semi-final tie against Yaxley.

Assistant manager Tim Cole said how pleased the management team is that the players have stepped up.

“Seb (Hayes) knows that they can do it and it was just a case of getting it over the line.

“We played well against a strong, attacking Daventry team and got the early goal, then again on Tuesday night. It was really pleasing to see that.

“Seb got the response he wanted – they did really well and we were pleased with the lads.”

Mitch Griffiths, who was on the bench on Tuesday night after suffering a knock on Saturday, should be fit for the visit to Whitworth and the team has been boosted by the return of Charley Sanders from his 56-day suspension.

Tigers then make the short trip to Bourne Town in the semi-final of the Lincs Senior Trophy on Wednesday night.

Spirits were high as Spalding Ladies 1s travelled to Long Sutton to play their local derby.

On a three-week winning streak, the ladies were determined to make this another victory.

From the start, Long Sutton were forcing pressure constantly at Spalding’s goal, but the defence held strong and kept out two short corner attempts in the first few minutes of the game.

With the Spalding defence creating outlets, they managed to transfer the ball to the opposition’s D.

Despite Amy Wells running circles round players and Macy Carr’s relentless reverse hits, Spalding just couldn’t manage to get it past the experienced Long Sutton keeper.

After showing constant grit and determination, Spalding were awarded a short corner 18 minutes into the game, which Karen Louise Timby fired into the D and Carr finished off on the rebound to make it 1-0 to Spalding.

Five minutes later, Spalding’s key playmaker Timby had to leave the pitch with a nasty eye injury after a deflection off a stick, which caused a deep wound.

The close of the first half saw Spalding once again defending a series of short corners back-to-back on the whistle.

The second half followed the same pattern, with both teams not giving anything away in this action-packed game, giving the spectators of both teams plenty to cheer.

With five minutes remaining, one of the Long Sutton players fell to the ground with what appeared to be exhaustion.

Fortunately, Spalding captain Jodie Victoria used her medical experience to help and the player got to her feet and left the pitch.

This brief interlude gave Spalding a chance to regroup and have a change of formation to absorb any attacking threat Long Sutton might offer.

The ‘mighty greens’ were launching everything at the ‘mighty maroons’ and their reward was winning a short corner on the final whistle.

A cruel deflection off one of the Spalding defenders left the keeper stranded after an otherwise faultless display to deny Spalding a deserved win.

Falling to their knees at the end of the game, it was a disappointing end to a tough encounter for the Spalding team.

A great game of hockey, which was played in the true spirit of the game and both teams left the pitch knowing they could do no more.

• Spalding Ladies 2s played a late home game against March and went down 6-3 in a high-scoring encounter with their Fenland rivals.

It was a tough match for both sides from start to finish, with the teams well and truly battling it out.

Spalding Ladies scored three goals – from Codie O’Leary, Alanya Bunyan and Sam Foston – but unfortunately, March came out hungrier for the ball and pushed the Spalding side to become frustrated and annoyed, which tested the team in every way and broke up their play.

The weather conditions were cold and harsh and every time Spalding managed to get past the half-way line, the ball seemed to come straight back and test their defence once again.

Both teams started to get agitated, but luckily there were no injuries and everyone came away relatively unscathed, apart from the Spalding players being extremely frustrated, knowing they had the ability to get a very different result.

The third team’s game against Woodhall Spa Ladies’ 1s was abandoned.

Spalding United boss Chris Rawlinson is hoping his team’s luck will turn when they face second-placed Alvechurch at Sir Halley Stewart Field on Saturday.

With a run of five 2-1 defeats behind them in a traumatic month for the club, Rawlinson wants the promising form shown in last Saturday’s defeat at Belper to continue.

“In the second half , we had some really positive action and should have got the win

“We had good energy levels, which bodes well. We are up for the future and have to get back to being hard to beat at home.

“It’s a very tight league and the bottom club could beat the top and vice versa.”

Centre-half Neal Spafford may be involved for the first time having recovered from the torn calf muscle suffered towards the end of Spalding’s win at Romulus in the Evo-Stik South last month.

Alvechurch have had a mixed week, failing to score for the first time this season, while drawing 0-0 at home to Newcastle Town last Saturday and then going out of the Integro League Cup 4-2 on penalties at Stafford Rangers after netting a second half equaliser to draw 1-1 at full-time.

• The U21 development squad is playing at Grantham tonight (Thursday) – after their Tuesday night home match against the fellow Lincs club was postponed.

Manager Lewis Thorogood has a full-strength squad available, including Alex Smith, Matt Clarke, Scott Floyd, Marcel Chipamaunga, Lewis Millington and Jordan Neil, who have all gained first-team experience.

They are likely to be joined by Jonny Lockie and 
Jack Fixter.

With snow forecast to fall across South Holland and temperatures dropping, the county’s gritters will out on the roads to keep them safe for motorists.

South Lincolnshire is set to be hit by bad weather over the next 24 hours, so the gritters will be making two runs, one mid-afternoon and a second overnight.

Darrell Redford, network resilience manager at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “We’ll be doing everything we can to keep local roads safe for people.

“We expect there to be freezing temperatures from this afternoon right through until mid-morning tomorrow, and there’s a strong possibility of snow in places.

“We’ll be making two gritting runs, but motorists need to remember that even gritted routes can be treacherous, so please do take extra care when out on the roads.

“This is particularly true at the moment, because there is a lot of water about, which could wash the salt off the carriageway in places.

“We’ll be monitoring the situation around the clock, and our team will be on-hand to take further action if needed.”

After a year’s break, the 
Crystal Charity Ball made a 
return to Spalding and smashed everyone’s expectations by raising a stunning £9,900, which is likely to increase when the last of the donations are collected.

This was the fifth Crystal Ball and this year’s haul brings the event’s fundraising bounty to more than £50,000 in aid of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

The event has come some way since its inception in 2012 when 250 guests attended and helped raise the first £6,742.

Over the last five years it has grown in popularity, reflected by the 453 guests at Springfields Conference Centre, who enjoyed welcome drinks, a sit down three course meal, games, raffle, auction and disco from DJ Sean Neal.

In addition, live music from ‘Funk Soul Brother’ got the dance floor packed and rocking until late.

Started in memory of her father, who sadly passed away from lung cancer in 2011, lead committee member, Kelly 
Beba, couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.

She said: “I can’t believe we’ve had such another successful ball. We managed to secure extra sponsorship this year which meant that with the co-operation of the fantastic Sprinfield’s team, we were able to offer our guests complimentary port on each table in addition to the wine, which is also sponsored.”

Kelly added: “We rely heavily on national organisations as well as local businesses to help with sponsoring different parts of the evening and also with providing auction and raffle prizes.

“All of the committee members work and have families, so adding this to our commitments is not easy but definitely pays off in the end.”

• Two pages of pictures in Tuesday’s Free Press.

Thirty years of coffee mornings at Spalding’s Broad Street Methodist Church were celebrated with a special gathering.

The anniversary was marked with a birthday cake and a blessing from Rev Frances Ballantyne.

The mornings have been held each Tuesday since 1987, selling tea and coffee and homemade cakes to raise money for church funds.

Fairtrade goods, preserves and secondhand books are also available and there is a 15 minute Shoppers’ Service .

More than 15 years ago, the church was approached by staff at the Chappell Centre who asked if they could bring two students to help – Angela and Susan are still part of the team.

Judith Dodd and Pat Barnett are two church members who have also volunteered from the very start.

A provisional licence holder who ‘panicked’ because he was driving unaccompanied when police wanted him to stop, drove off at speed and crashed his car, a court has heard.

Danny Markham (19), of Bowgate, Gosberton, admitted failing to stop for the police and driving unaccompanied without a full driving licence when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Prosecuting, Nick Todd said Markham was seen by police, who knew him and knew he did not have a full licence, at 11.30pm on November 3 in Quadring Bank and signalled him to stop but he drove off at speed.

Mr Todd said that for safety reasons, the police did not chase him but Markham crashed his car a short time thereafter.

Markham, who was not represented in court, said he did not want to say anything to the magistrates, who fined him £150 and ordered him to pay £115 in costs and charges. They also put eight penalty points on his licence.

A Sutton Bridge man has appeared in court charged with possessing more than a thousand indecent photographs of children.

Russell Ian Nason (34), of Wrights Lane, entered no pleas to three allegations of making a total of 1,081 indecent photographs of children between May 2009 and September last year.

He also faces an allegation of possessing an extreme pornographic image of a person having intercourse with a dog.

Nason was sent for trial at Lincoln Crown Court on a date to be fixed.

Emergency services were called out to Market Place in Spalding this afternoon (Thursday) after a report that a person had fallen.

A paramedic and crewed ambulance attended the patient at the incident outside New Look after a call was received at 12.47pm.

A spokesperson for East Midlands Ambulance Service said: “One patient was taken to Peterborough Hospital for further care.”

Deepings Swimming Club amassed 71 medals at the Boston Open Meet after a stunning weekend of competition at Grantham.

The squad of 43, aged from nine to 16-years, won 20 gold, 24 silver and 27 bronze medals, as well as achieving numerous county qualifying times.

Among the stand-out performers were two of the club’s youngest swimmers.

Ten-year-old Alex Sadler won seven of his nine races, collecting silver and bronze in the other two.

Alex broke three Deepings Swimming Club records in the process, in the 100m and 200m butterfly and 100m backstroke.

Nine-year- old Lucia Karic, the youngest member of the team, topped the podium in the 50m backstroke, 200m backstroke (where she achieved her first ever county qualifying time) and 200m freestyle. She also took silver in the 200IM.

Also impressing was Bethany Eagle-Brown, who swam a new club record in the 100m freestyle, as one of her four golds. She dipped under one minute for the first time, at 59.05, making her the fastest 14-year- old in Lincolnshire so far this year.

Other age-group gold medal-winning performances came from Anita Wong (50m freestyle), Harry Cardell (200m butterfly), Holly Leggott (200m backstroke), Jessie Spooner (50m backstroke and 100m freestyle) and Tiffany Wong (50m backstroke).

Deepings Swimming Club head coach Lynn Chapman said: “Once again our swimmers have exceeded expectations with their outstanding performances.

“I’m delighted that we won medals across the age range which shows the strength of depth we have at the club with a number of exciting young swimmers coming through.

“The swimmers supported each other during the two days of racing and really bonded as a team.”

Also collecting age-group medals were: Lexi Cooper (silver in 50m, 200m, and 400m freestyle, and 100IM; bronze in 200IM and 50 breaststroke), Alice Dovey (bronze in 50m backstroke), Amy Tappern (silver in 200m backstroke; bronze in 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle and 200IM), Ben Briggs (silver in 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke; bronze in 100IM), Emma Wilde (silver in 50m breaststroke and 100m backstroke; bronze in 50m freestyle and 200m breaststroke), Ethan Malcolm (bronze in 200m freestyle), Grace Edwards (bronze in 50m butterfly), Hannah Matthews (bronze in 50m freestyle), Harry Cardell (silver in 50m butterfly and 400m freestyle; bronze in 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle), Holly Leggott (silver in 200IM, 50m and 200m freestyle, 50m and 100m backstroke; bronze in 50m and 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle), Jessie Spooner (bronze in 100IM and 200m backstroke), Joe Lund (bronze in 50m butterfly), Lorna McGill (silver in 100m breaststroke; bronze in 50m breaststroke), Molly Briers (bronze in 100m backstroke), Oliver Harrison (bronze in 200m breaststroke) and Tiffany Wong (silver in 50m butterfly, 50m freestyle and 100IM; bronze in 50m breaststroke).

A delegation of South Kesteven District Councillors were given a tour of the Deepings by Coun Ashley Baxter, who

represents the Market and West Deeping ward. He was supported by Coun Phil Dilks and Coun Judy Stevens, who both represent the neighbouring ward of Deeping St James.

The tour was organised at the request of the district council chair Coun Bob Sampson.

While visiting diverse areas of the Deepings, the councillors gained an understanding of various issues across the area, including public open spaces, leisure facilities, traffic and

the local economy.

It is hoped that the visit, which is one of a number taking place across the district, will help inform decision-making about services the council provides.

Coun Baxter said: “There are many facilities in the Deepings which are a real practical benefit to residents. These include Deepings Lakes nature reserve, the exotic pet refuge, the library, Jubilee Park and the Mill Field open space, not to mention the many local employers thriving in diverse economic sectors.”

The councillors were transported by the Deepings Age Concern minibus and will make a small contribution towards the

ongoing campaign towards a more modern vehicle.

Pictured, from left, at Cherry Tree play park, are: Coun Phil Dilks, Coun CharmainMorgan, Coun Bob Sampson, Coun Andrea Webster and Coun Ashley Baxter.

Bourne Deeping Dragons claimed a crucial victory with a 2-1 success against a West Herts side who are close to them in the Premier B table.

Following the Dragons’ heavy defeat the previous week, the game started at a decent pace with both sides making occasional D entries.

The Dragons were helped by strong counter-attacking and ball-carrying from Vartan and Williams and the deadlock was broken after 10 minutes.

Stuart Biggs, up for the first short corner of the day, despatched a drag flick into the roof of the net leaving the West Herts keeper floundering.

Soon after West Herts won a few short corners of their own. However, the Dragons were thankful to Collins and Biggs who both made separate goalline clearances.

The first half continued at a frenetic end-to-end pace. Collins almost grabbed a second when he shimmied past four defenders only to have his shot parried onto the post.

Richardson also had an opportunity but was unable to make meaningful contact. The first half was closing when Collins received a green card, but the Dragons successfully negotiated this closing phase of play in the half through resolute defending from all.

The Dragons doubled their lead shortly after the restart with a wonderfully crafted move orchestrated by Slack which culminated in the captain walking in a simple ball made from Williams for a much-needed cushion.

It was now the time for West Herts to apply pressure as Bourne Deeping defended.

Discipline and work rate was tested not once, when Slack was given a green card, but twice as Cannings received a yellow.

Bourne Deeping were having to soak up waves of West Herts attacks and eventually they succumbed late in the day when a penalty flick, won by a body block on the line, was slotted home.

The Dragons had two minutes to play out which, barring a heart in the mouth moment in the middle from Collins, was managed effectively. The three points takes them above West Herts and further away from the relegation zone.

With up to seven players missing through injury or otherwise unavailable, including their talismanic skipper James Taverner who was called up to the first team, Bourne Deeping 2nds overcame a potential banana skin to win 3-2 at Leadenham as they target a coveted top two finish at Christmas.

The Division 3NW game started well for the away side as a new-look back four appeared organised and Bourne Deeping began to create chances at the other end.

Robin Edlington opened the scoring early on with a far post tap in on his way to a man of the match performance up front.

However, Leadenham were quickly back on terms with a short corner dragged low into the corner with none of the defence covering themselves in glory in their efforts to block the equaliser.

Conceding in such a tame way seemed to rattle the defence and, as Leadenham scented blood, the tackles became more and more haphazard and the passes more and more wayward.

Leadenham capitalised with another tame shot blocked by Wray in goal. With the resulting rebound lost under his feet and a sluggish defence slow to react, it was a home forward who was first to the ball for an easy tap in to take the lead.

The Dragons were still creating chances, one particular stunning diving save from the Leadenham keeper low to his left hand side drawing gasps from the crowd, but they never looked comfortable and were guilty of giving the ball away too much.

The second half saw a much more determined Dragons side take the field. Clarkson and Rudman in the centre began to dictate things with Downie and Brewer pushing forward from centre back to try and put Leadenham on the back foot.

For the next 20 minutes it was all Bourne Deeping as they showed true grit and determination to battle their way back into this game.

Clarkson grabbed the equaliser just five minutes after the restart, finishing off Dodds’ goal-bound shot from virtually on the line after a well worked short corner.

Callum Howitt then completed the comeback with a sublime first time finish to make it 3-2.

There was still time for Leadenham to threaten with a couple of short corners of their own, though Edlington nearly made it four were it not for another excellent save from the home side’s goalie.

A late thunderbolt from Mike Gregson determined the outcome of a closer Division 4NW match than it should have been as Bourne Deeping 3rds defeated Cambridge South 3rds 4-3.

Taking a 3-1 lead at half-time courtesy of a Jonny Meadows double and another one from Andrew Vartan, Bourne should have taken the match comfortably.

The lead at this point was well deserved with plenty of possession in what was a fast paced first half with plenty of opportunities.

A clumsy mistake in defence at the start of the second half let Cambs South right back in and, despite numerous short corners, Bourne Deeping could not stretch their lead.

An error led to an equaliser with only three minutes to go, but justice was served with a strike a minute from time giving Bourne Deeping their points.

Bourne Deeping 4ths were narrowly edged out after a 3-2 defeat against a strong Cambridge South 2nds side in Division 4NW.

The early exchanges were even with Tim Kisiel flashing a shot past the post for the 4ths and Cambs having some chances.

Cambs took an early lead through an unlucky short corner beating Lee Langley in goal, but the 4ths equalised shortly afterwards through a well worked trademark short corner routine which started with an excellent ball out by Walden , a dummy by Mann and which ended with Steadman shifting the ball and then drilling it low into the corner to make it 1-1 at half time.

The second half started like the first with chances at both ends. Cambs eventually scored a second however it was not long before the equaliser came from another trademark short corner routine which involved another superb push out by Walden to Mann who picked out Mike Bradshaw to rifle the ball into the bottom left to make it 2-2.

The 4ths continued to press with good runs from Ben Walden, Kev Baker and new boy Tom Day who put in some great dribbling runs.

The 4ths created a number of good chances to take the lead but could not find that final touch. Cambs then won another short corner which they scored from to take the game to their great relief.

Despite a huge effort and pressure from the 4ths in the last 10 minutes, they could not find another equaliser.

Bourne Deeping 5ths moved up three places in Division 6NW(N) after a useful 3-0 victory against perennial rivals City of Peterborough 8ths.

After some good early play by a young Peterborough team, the Dragons began to play with more precision in their passing and it was well deserved when James Watkins pushed in a long cross from the right side by Jeremy Phipps to open the scoring.

Despite one fine save by keeper Edwin Sarsby, the Dragons’ defence was rarely troubled, cutting out the too frequent long balls and pushing forward.

This was the case in the second half when the returning Magnus Windsor played an inch perfect pass to lead to a run down the wing and a cross for Matthew Allan to score.

Further dominance in the midfield continued with confident skilful play by brothers Leo and Hector Clack, with few chances going Peterborough’s way.

It was not surprising then when after some fine quick passing, James Watkins was able to add another goal after an initial shot was saved by the Peterborough keeper.

Bourne Deeping Ladies stormed back to the top of Division 3NW after an 8-0 hammering of Haverhill on Saturday.

The Dragons showed great composure in the D with five different players on the scoresheet as they worked the ball at pace from back to front.

They scored four goals in the first period and kept up the same intensity after the break to repeat the same goalscoring feat.

Jo Addison, Hannah Curtis and Sue Oakley all bagged braces for Bourne Deeping with Izzie Oakley and Carol Murray also on target.

Bourne Deeping Ladies 3rds recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season after a 2-0 victory over Louth 2nds.

The Dragons got off a roaring start as Ella Henson and Kat Kennedy combined for the latter to open the scoring.

Louth rallied, but Bourne regained possession as Lucy Cowell, Lucy Scrafton, Mia Barford and Henson all linked up well.

Vicky Edward then teed up Gill Flook who found Henson to double the Bourne Deeping advantage before the break.

Louth picked up their game after the break, but solid defending from Rose Taylor-Jackson, Nic Stazicker, Cara Gatward-Clarke, Emily Longharne and Fran Baker kept them at bay to secure a hard-fought victory.

Joint boss Jimmy McDonnell has praised his players for making life tough for the Wakes management team.

Bourne have virtually a full-strength squad to choose from for Saturday’s United Counties League Division One trip to Huntingdon Town.

And, with around 18 players at their disposal, McDonnell and co-boss Phil Gadsby will be forced to make some tough decisions.

McDonnell said: “We’ve got good numbers and it’s down to me and Phil to manage it. We have said we will change it around if we need to to keep people interested and the lads understand that.

“It’s getting tougher every week though. I was on my own last season and it was very hard, but this year we’ve got tough decisions to make for the right reasons.

“Last weekend really highlighted it for me when Kev Elger, who has been one of our most consistent players this season, pulled out ill on Saturday morning.

“Last season that would have been panic stations, but we looked at the squad and came up with two or three different options and that has been the difference this year.”

Bourne moved into the top 10 of the Division One standings after a 1-0 away win at bottom-of-the-table S&L Corby last weekend.

Victory at Huntingdon on Saturday could catapult the Wakes further up the table, however defeat could send them back into the bottom half of a closely-contested division.

They will also face a Huntingdon side who will be upbeat after overturning a 3-0 half-time deficit to claim a share of the spoils with Blackstones last Saturday.

McDonnell added: “We got ourselves in a good position in the league a few weeks ago but then dropped points.

“It’s so tight up there that you can drop three or four places if you don’t win and I don’t want that to happen again.

“Huntingdon worked their way back into it last Saturday which shows they’re prepared to scrap for every point so we’ve got to do the same.

“Our lads will give it everything. Things don’t always happen in football for you, but it won’t be for the want of trying because our work-rate and commitment is good. We just need to keep adding and picking up points.”

McDonnell also wants his side to remain focused on Saturday’s game and not turn their attentions to Wednesday night’s home Lincolnshire Senior Trophy semi-final with Premier Division side Holbeach United.

He said: “We need to be concentrating on Saturday first because we need the three points rather than having one eye on Wednesday night.

“It’s a big match for us, but we will only start thinking about it once the game on Saturday has finished.

“Holbeach will obviously be the favourites and they are a very strong outfit, but stranger things have happened in football.

“I just hope the lads realise how close they are to getting to a cup final. It’s the closest this club has been for a long time.

“The lads deserve it for what they’ve done this season and so do all the people who work hard behind the scenes.

“We will need to run and work five times more than we have this season and produce the same effort and commitment.

“I would be very jealous of them if they got the chance to walk out in a cup final, but also very proud of what they have achieved.”

Long Sutton Parish Council has abandoned its traditional Christmas tree beside the war memorial and, instead, will light up a tree in St Mary’s churchyard.

The plan is under fire from former volunteers who used to put up the town’s tree and festive lights because the tree at St Mary’s isn’t visible from much of Market Place.

Traditionally, the town had a Christmas tree beside the war memorial and all the electrical connections for it are there, hidden under a manhole cover.

Few knew the church tree would become the town’s Christmas tree until a trench was dug from the old tree site to the new one so electrical cables could be installed.

Parish council chairman Charles Moore revealed yesterday the cost of the work is £2,200 and “the project to enable us to use the churchyard tree has taken us two years to achieve”.

The town has suffered a catalogue of problems with its Christmas tree in the past, including it being cut in half by vandals, and Coun Moore says: “Please don’t judge the tree until you have seen it up and shining.”

David Pateman, from Parkway hardware store, volunteered for 13 or 14 years with the town’s Christmas decorations team, and is disappointed to see the switch of sites.

He said there were always health and safety concerns and road traffic concerns but people were prepared to give and take because it was Christmas.

Mr Pateman described the churchyard tree as a “big conifer” and said: “It doesn’t look much like a Christmas tree.”

Fellow former volunteer Gary Rayner, from GJR Autos, said: “It’s sad to see that health and safety/do-gooders once again put an end to something that should be festive and in the spirit of a nice atmosphere around town.”

Coun Moore said: “The Christmas tree in the town over the past years has been subject to vandalism from the lights stolen or cut down, complaints about cars not able to drive clearly past the tree and one year the tree being cut in half.

“As a council we have to comply with health and safety regulations and this goes double for Fridays (market days) with the district council.

“We want to ensure we can have a Christmas tree and be safe and comply with local and district health and safety.”

• Email your views on the tree to the editor: jeremy.ransome@iliffepublishing.co.uk

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A campaign has started that could see Holbeach athletics legend Geoff Capes recognised for a career spanning three Olympic Games and the coaching of young stars.

The 68-year-old, who won two Commonwealth Games and two European indoor shot put titles in the 1970s, is to be nominated for a place in the England Athletics Hall of Fame.

If successful, Geoff would join the likes of Sir Roger Bannister, Lord Sebastian Coe, Dame Kelly Holmes and fellow Holbeach athlete Stuart Storey, who coached the ex-policeman throughout his 
career before retiring after the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

Geoff, who now lives in Stoke Rochford, near Grantham, said: “I’ve only heard about the campaign myself recently after Stuart (Storey) received Hall of Farm recognition last year.

“The award would be gratefully received by me 
after giving my life to the sport of athletics – and I’m still giving it.

“I’ve always been a local lad, and I still am, which is why the older generation still remember me.

“I’ve lived my life as an ideas man and I’ve gone from shot putting to strongman competitions and onto birds because I want to win.”

After joining the former Holbeach Athletics Club in the mid-1960s, Geoff went on to become Britain’s most capped male athlete ever, having worn the international vest 67 times.

Geoff won European 
Indoor Championships and Commonwealth Games shot put gold medals in 1974, another European indoor title in 1976 and Commonwealth Games gold again in 1978.

• Turn to page 7

Geoff also won titles in the World’s Strongest Man competition and World Highland Games Championships, alongside a passion and success with budgies, becoming president of the Budgerigar Society of Great Britain in 2008.

He said: “It’s only through local sport that I got to where I am now and that’s why I’ve decided to work with my son Lewis on running the Lincolnshire Throws Academy which we’ve had for nine years.

“Athletics in Lincolnshire revolved around one or two people, the unsung heroes who keep plodding on.

“But once those people have gone, what happens to Lincolnshire athletics?

“People ask me why do I bother with coaching young athletes and it’s because I love the sport.”

Lewis, whose son Donovan (12) is part of the academy and has won six titles in both shot put and discus this year, said: “Myself and my father run the Lincolsnhire Throws Academy during the winter and it includes around 20 throwers from the East Anglia region aged from 13-years-old through to adults.

“The idea is to provide high-quality coaching to throwers and their coaches to help develop them and we have produced many ranked athletes over the years, including junior and senior international athletes.

“My father also has his own elite throwers and power lifting group who he trains at Stoke Rochford Hall.

“We feel that it’s time for Dad to be recognised for all his efforts and time over the years as one of the best field event athletes this country has ever produced, along with the time he gives to the next generation of throwers.”

• You can nominate Geoff by contacting Scott Grace of England Athletics at sgrace@englandathletics.org

A Weston Hills grandmother who survived a serious car crash is leading a fundraising effort to help orphans in Kenya.

Wyn James (77) is hoping to raise at least £4,800 to pay for the building of a medical centre in a village called Kasewe, located nearly 1,775 miles from the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

In January 2016, Wyn escaped from a side-on crash with another car on the notorious A151/A17 Peppermint Junction in Holbeach with just a broken arm.

Having survived the crash which saw her own car written off, Wyn flew to Kenya last summer to see the work in Kasewe to build River Flow Medical Centre which will serve a population of about 11,500 Kenyans.

Wyn, widowed with four children, 20 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, said: “I was invited to go to a mission centre in Kenya last summer.

“When I got there, I learned about a project called the Blessed Children’s Hope Foundation which has two themes, a school for about 140 students and medical centre for children who can’t afford treatment because they are orphans.

“The project needs a total of £8,000 to build the medical centre which will be a brick building, unlike the school which was built using mud and corrugated iron.

“So far, I’ve done a sponsored slim, table top sale, easter raffle and car boot sale which enabled us to send over £3,200 to allow them to start building the medical centre.

“But we are looking for people to sponsor the rest of the building project which includes a slate roof that will last longer.”

Wyn has organised a fundraising event at Morrisons’ supermarket in Pinchbeck on Thursday, December 14, when people can see photographs of the work in Kenya and give a donation towards it.

She is also looking for shops that will allow her to display Christmas hampers to be offered as raffle prizes.

Wyn said: “God gave me a passion and a desire to make sure this medical centre gets built and I’ve already raised another £665 towards the £4,800 needed to finish building the medical centre.

“In this day and age, how can children be in a state where they can’t get treatment for infections and diseases?”

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Popular Holbeach hardware store J W Limming Ltd is likely to see the changing of the guard in the latter part of next year.

Patrick Limming (62) is ready to retire from the family business while Sam Fowler, a Royal Marine from Whaplode, wants to set up his Royals Gym on the site.

Sam was featured in the Spalding Guardian earlier this year when he took part in the World Drug Free Powerlifting Championships.

He has put in a planning application to change the use of the Fleet Street store to a fitness centre but was not available yesterday (Tuesday) to speak about his plans.

J W Limming Ltd was the dream of Patrick’s father Jack and mum Annie, who started small by converting a living room into a supply centre for the Holbeach farming and growing industries.

The shop opened in 1960.

Patrick started working full-time in the business when he was 17, taking it over in 1974.

In 2014, Patrick was in the news when he published The Accidental Shopkeeper, a book about the family business that became a garden and pet specialists.

Patrick says people keep asking him to write another book now he’s approaching retirement, although he’s not short of his own ideas.

He said: “I shall do exactly what I want to do exactly when I want to do it – so, if it’s a sunny day and it’s in the summer, then I shall tootle off to Donington Park and see what’s happening there.”

Patrick also hopes to spend a lot more time in France with his wife, Alice.

Running the shop has been more than a full-time job and he’s used to working weeks of 50-60 hours.

“It’s still considerably less than I used to do,” said Patrick. “In the days when we used to do a lot of strawberry punnets, I could do 70, 80 or 90 hours. I think I’ve done my share.”

Patrick is running down his stock and says there will be bargains as the shop nears its final closure date, expected to be in the latter half of next year. Although wishing Sam every success, Patrick has some sadness that Limming’s isn’t being sold as a going concern but says “retail isn’t top of everybody’s list to get into”.

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