One of the strongest criticisms of the alignment of the IHT treatment of trusts that was contained in the Finance Bill 2006, was that in order to escape the relevant property regime, a trust had to provide an absolute entitlement at age 18.

Many felt that this age was too young for many beneficiaries to receive large sums of money.

The Finance Act 2006 was eventually amended to include a compromise allowing certain trusts, known as 18 to 25 trusts, to be exempt from periodic charges and only subject to an exit charge.

As 18 to 25 trusts must be created on death (with the exception of certain accumulation and maintenance trusts in existence before 22 March 2006, and trusts under the Criminal Compensation Scheme) the transfer will be a chargeable transfer for IHT.

The main requirements for a trust to be an 18 to 25 trust are:

l The trust is created for a minor beneficiary on the death of a parent.

l The trust can only be created by will or by deed of variation. Statutory trusts created on intestacy cannot be 18-25 trusts.

l The beneficiary must become absolutely entitled to both income and capital at an age not exceeding 25.

Accumulation and maintenance trusts created before 22 March 2006 which provided the beneficiary with an absolute entitlement to capital at an age between 18 and 25 or had its terms amended to meet this requirement before 6 April 2008, will also be treated as an 18 to 25 trust.

An exit charge is applied at the time the beneficiary becomes absolutely entitled to the trust property or it is applied to or for their benefit.

Should you feel that this arrangement may be appropriate for your planning, please feel free to contact me.

Council tenants are facing average rent rises of more than £3 a week as the drive to build new homes in South Holland continues.

A meeting of South Holland District Council tomorrow is set to decide whether rents should go up by almost five per cent in line with Government policy.

If approved, the average weekly rent would increase from £70.55 to £73.91 as of April 1 but deputy council leader Paul Przyszlak said they were committed to spending more than £7 million on improving and building new homes.

He added: “We don’t like rent increases but we’re building new houses for people who desperately need them and doing more than a lot of other local authorities.

The search for the 2013 – and last ever – flower queen starts right here.

You could be part of history by being the last person ever to be crowned Spalding Flower Queen and take your place atop a magnificent floral float as the parade winds its way through the town’s streets for the final time.

To enter you need to be aged 17 or over and live in the South Holland area. Preliminary interviews will be held at Tulip Radio on Thursday, March 7, and five finalists will be invited to attend a reception at Ayscoughfee Hall on March 15, where the winner will be crowned.

All of the finalists will receive a gift voucher and a bouquet of flowers, and will also take part in the parade as part of the Royal entourage.

The theme for the final flower parade on Saturday, May 4, is Thanks for the Memories and organisers are hoping the event – in its 55th year – will go out with a bang.

All you have to do to enter is fill in the form in this Tuesday and next Tuesday’s Lincolnshire Free Press and you will then be contacted for a short interview and to arrange for the Lincolnshire Free Press photographer to visit you.

The closing date for entries is Thursday, February 28.

So get your entries in now for a chance to take the crown from 2012’s flower queen Amy Harrison.

The prizes...

n£100 cash

nDinner for two at the Cley Hall Hotel

nThe Fitness Company Gym Membership (worth £200)

nJersey Pearl necklace from Penman Clockcare

nA consultation and hair styling at Hedonism – The Salon

nA dress from Fancy Frox

nA bouquet of flowers from Flowers n’ Things.

nAttend the Civic Lunch with a guest on parade day

Have you always dreamed of being a part of Spalding Flower Parade and waving to thousands of people as you ride around the town – if so 2013 is your last chance.

And the Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian are, for the last time, looking for the perfect pair to the flower parade’s Prince and Princess.

This is the 16th year we have run this competition to find two youngsters – one boy and one girl – to pay key roles in this year’s flower parade on Saturday, May 4.

Last year the competition was won byJordan Cunningham, of Holbeach, and Milly Hitcham, of Whaplode St Catherine – but this year it could be you in with a chance of winning a new bike courtesy of Gibbons Cycles, Spalding.

If you are aged between six and ten by the date of the parade and live in the newspapers’ circulation area, all you have to do is fill in the form in this Tuesday’s and next Tuesday’s Lincolnshire Free Press.

We will need your name, address, date of birth, telephone number and school.

You also need to send us a photograph of yourself with the entry.

The closing date for entries is noon on Thursday, February 14.

Judging will take place at a fun grand final to be held at the Fun Farm, Weston, on Tuesday, February 26, from 5pm to 7pm.

Volunteers could soon be helping officers tackle crime in South Holland under plans by the new police and crime commissioner.

Alan Hardwick, who took up the role in November, has just issued his police and crime plan for Lincolnshire, which outlines his ideas to tackle crime in the county.

In it, he says he wants to expand the county’s special constabulary and volunteer PCSOs by 1,000, as well as maintain current police numbers by recruiting 23 new officers.

He said: “I believe I have a plan that will see crime reduce, deliver a fair deal for the people of Lincolnshire and provide police and services that are there when you need them.

“With the help of the Chief Constable I am introducing Volunteer Police Community Support Officers – as part of a wider plan to offer more opportunities for the people of Lincolnshire to make a real contribution to the policing of our county.”

The five-year plan has now gone online and residents will be able to comment on it until the end of January.

It also includes plans for police officers to wear uniform at all times when on duty and for all police vehicles to be marked – unless there are operational reasons not to – to help make police more visible after concerns were raised that there are not enough officers on the streets.

Mr Hardwick has also vowed not to close any police stations where there is a “demonstrable operational/community need” and some stations could be shared with the community to help sustain them.

In the coming weeks he will announce how he will fund community safety initiatives and projects to support victims of crime.

And following on from his election pledge, Mr Hardwick as also reiterated his “zero tolerance” attitude to street drinking, which he says is the cause of much of the county’s anti-social behaviour problems.

A Spalding flower bulbs company is more than £3,000 out of pocket after a penniless businessman put in two orders and his cheques bounced.

David Osbourne (32) has since gone bankrupt and the cash owed to Top Score Flower Bulbs, of Holbeach Road, is wrapped up in the totality of the bankruptcy.

His solicitor Mike Alexander told Spalding magistrates on Thursday: “I think he owes between £30,000 and £40,000 at the moment.”

Jim Clare, prosecuting, said Osbourne travelled from his home in Braintree, Essex, to the flower bulbs firm in August last year when his pre-ordered selection of flower bulbs was made ready for collection.

He handed over a cheque for £1,087.08 from a business account in the name of David’s Plants but asked the company to hang on a few days and not cash it until August 7 when there would be funds in the account.

Osborne returned on the 7th to pick up a second order worth almost £2,000 and presented a cheque from the same account.

Mr Clare said he telephoned the firm later that day with a further order, which was declined.

He said Osborne’s account was overdrawn to the tune of £1,442.47 on August 3 and there were insufficient funds at the time he presented the cheques.

Mr Clare said the flower bulbs company lost a total of £3,054.18 as a result of the transactions, including £60 in bank charges.

Osbourne, who pleaded guilty to fraud, was ordered to do 200 hours’ unpaid work as part of a community order and pay £85 costs.

Mr Alexander said Osbourne is now working in a meat factory.

He said: “His wife has told him if he ever runs a business again she is going to leave him.”

At the half way point of the season, Spalding Squash Club is dominating the Peterborough and District League.

Spalding’s ‘Team Two’ is top of the league after losing only two matches – with a comfortable 18-point cushion over the club’s ‘Team One’.

Captain Gary Slater’s side of Mark Smith, Martin Petit, Ben Smith and Simon Faulkener have played consistently well throughout.

A notable double over Team One was their highlight of the campaign’s first half.

As captain of Team One, John Farrow has had to cope with various injury issues, but still managed to finish in second spot above Rutland County.

The battle between the two Spalding sides resumes this month, with it looking increasingly likely that one can push on and hopefully win the league.

In Division Two, Spalding ‘Three’ are in fourth place after an encouraging start by rookies Joe Slater, Rob Marsden and James Bowser.

Having won four and lost four, captain Charlie Farrow is hopeful of a cracking top three finish.

l Spalding also dominated at the recent Peterborough Open handicapped racketball tournament.

With a busy schedule of round robin matches completed, Paul Tudor, Charlie Farrow and his dad John Farrow made it into the semi finals.

Tudor defeated Farrow senior to book his place in the final, while Farrow junior made it past Peterborough’s home favourite Peter Kovacs.

In the final Charlie Farrow’s youth and court craft made sure that Tudor never got a look in, as he romped home 2-0.

FEEDER SOCCER U12S 0 HOLBEACH UTD U12S 11: Two players hit hat-tricks as Holbeach smashed 11 to go three points clear at the top.

Harry Collishaw settled any early nerves with a cracking strike into the top corner, before a fierce Lewis Turner effort and a deflected Liam Sandall shot made it 3-0 to the young Tigers.

A fantastic turn and shot from Liam Scales then made it 4-0 at half time.

Harry Machin rifled home number five from a corner to extend the lead in the second half, then two quick Turner strikes saw him wrap up a treble. More goals followed as Sandall bagged his second and Ryan Cook notched with a well-deserved solo effort.

Jordan Olive then released Sandall to fire his third, before Scales’ long-rang drive rounded off the scoring in a comprehensive performance.

HOLBEACH UTD U16S 2

STAMFORD U16S 2

Holbeach kicked off the second half of their season with an entertaining draw.

Playing some very attractive football, the young Tigers soon found themselves 1-0 up through the prolific Jim Gilbert – only for Stamford to level before the break.

A fine shot from Mikey Philip saw Holbeach re-take the lead with about 15 minutes to go, only for the young Daniels to pinch a late leveller.

Reggie Reeves, playing in the back four, had his best Tigers game since joining.

SPALDING UTD U12S 2

GLINTON RED U12S 1

Spalding progressed to the quarter finals of the league cup after a late Jack Watson winner.

Lewis Elston fired home the young Tulips’ opener from the edge of the box after nine minutes.

Their lead was cancelled out when Glinton scored with a header from a corner.

Spalding then had a great chance to go 2-1 up after the break, but Compton saw his spot-kick saved.

With time running out, Watson pounced onto a pass from Alex Richardson, who stroked home from close in.

GREENBANK U15S 2

YOUNG DONS BLUE U15S 2

Young Dons were denied a famous win against in-form leaders Greenbank.

The hosts, who had only lost once all season, went ahead on 11 minutes. Dons soon turned up the heat and equalised when Castle netted on the brink of half time.

They then went 2-1 ahead through Meady, but Greenbank had the last word ten minutes from time.

SPALDING UTD U16S 3

DISCOVERIES U16S 4

Spalding got the worst of a seven-goal thriller as they began their 2013 fixtures with a narrow defeat.

Despite being under pressure early on, Spalding made the first breakthrough when Otto Threlfal smashed home spectacularly from 30 yards .

Grimsby side Discoveries equalised when slack marking from a corner saw Spalding fail to clear the ball.

Wes Wilson fired the young Tulips ahead once more, but the visitors turned the game around to lead 3-2 at the interval. Despite some fine saves from Shane Holt, Spalding then shipped another goal in the second period.

Liam French scored to give Spalding a fighting chance with ten minutes to go , but in truth they never really looked like equalising.

SLEAFORD TOWN U15S 3

HOLBEACH UTD U15S 3

A controversial Sleaford equaliser forced Holbeach to settle for a share of the spoils in this top of the table clash.

The league’s top two shared six goals, with Sleaford – who were the better team in the opening stages – grabbing the first on 20 minutes.

This sprung Holbeach into life, with sub Dan Penny having an immediate effect. he put an inch perfect ball through for Jordan Keeble to beat the keeper and equalise.

Minutes later Penny was fouled by the keeper and Louis Steadman scored the resulting penalty, before Keeble latched onto a cross to put Holbeach 3-1 up.

Sleaford pulled one back moments before the interval, setting up a grandstand second half. Adam Groves pulled off some top stops to keep his side ahead, but a dubious late leveller stole Sleaford a point.

SPALDING UTD U13S 0

WISBECH SM U13S 5

Unlucky Spalding knew they were in for a tough game – but they deserved better than a 5-0 beating.

The young Tulips bossed much of the first half, but were hit by two quick goals on the stroke of half time.

Keeper Jamie Sharpe made some superb saves in the second half, but Wisbech managed to add three more goals.

Although they had their chances and produced some determined play, Spalding couldn’t get on the scoresheet.

KIRTON U13S 0

HOLBEACH UTD U13S 3

Holbeach came back from the Christmas break with a good win over a tough Kirton team.

The young Tigers looked a bit rusty early on, but soon took control of the game and grabbed the opener when the ball found its way to Senior, who made no mistake from the edge of the box.

With five minutes to go before the break Senior grabbed his second goal from the same position, burying the ball into the same corner to put Holbeach 2-0 up.

In the second half Josh Lawrence, who had been working so hard up front, got his just rewards when he finished off a fine display with a goal.

DEEPING BLUE U11S4

HOLBEACH UTD U11S1

A strong first-half showing from Deeping saw off the challenge of the young Tigers.

Holbeach started well and had two shots on target before Deeping scored the first goal of the game from a corner.

Rangers’ lead didn’t last long though, as Holbeach soon won a free kick. Charlie King took the set piece and picked out Ewan McCracken on the left wing, who took the ball all the way and fired in the equaliser.

Parity was short-lived though, as Deeping soon won another corner and scrambled home their second.

It got worse for Holbeach as the hosts then added two more before the break.

The second half saw the Tigers looking much more solid, but they couldn’t get themselves back into the game.

WOODHALL SPA U15S 0

YOUNG DONS U15S 2

A goal in each half earned Young Dons a deserved victory.

Dons started brightly and should really have scored in the first ten minutes.

Their persistence paid off though and Ashley Sandall made it 1-0 with a cool finish into the far bottom corner midway through the half.

The second half followed a similar pattern and Dons duly grabbed their second when a great ball into the box by Sandall was finished brilliantly by Billy Bristow.

Danny Shardlow netted four times as Spalding Hockey Club men’s 1st thrashed high-flying Bury St Edmunds 1st 8-2 on their return to action.

In their first Division 2N clash since before Christmas, Spalding were caught cold at Glen Park as a Bury breakaway saw them go 1-0 down inside ten minutes.

New signing Stuart Cunnington soon levelled when he zipped home a drag flicked short corner, only for the away side to go back ahead following a defensive mix-up.

But Spalding kept their cool and Glenn Perkins levelled, before Shardlow fired them ahead with a thumping short corner on half time.

It was all about the home side in the second period, as Shardlow added the fourth with a deceptive shot and Cunnington made it 5-2.

Not done there, both players completed their hat-tricks, before Shardlow grabbed his fourth to round off the perfect start to 2013 for Spalding’s leading side.

Down in Division 6NW (N), Spalding 4th were heled to a 2-2 draw by mid-table rivals Alford 2nd.

Two back-post strikes saw the visitors race into a 2-0 lead, but skipper Matthew Thorley rallied his troops and pulled a goal back before the break.

Alford’s keeper frustrated Spalding for much of the second half, but Thorley again stepped up to smash home a short corner and earn a point.

In the same division, Spalding 5th had the toughest possible return to action as they welcomed leaders Leadenham 1st.

Solid defending and a string of great saves from Max Pearce in the Spalding goal kept Leadenham out in the first half, but they netted three times after the break to seal a 3-0 success.

There was better news for second-placed Long Sutton 2nd, as they won 4-2 at fellow high-fliers Horncastle 2nd – also in 6NW (N).

The home side went ahead against the run of play, but Stefan Fox levelled and a fine finish from Ed White made it 2-1 at half time.

Man-of-the-match White struck an even better second to make it 3-1, with Luke Lovegrove’s penalty flick completing the scoring after Horncastle had pulled one back.

• Robyn Gribble hit a second-half double to earn Long Sutton 2nd a battling comeback draw at Cambridge Nomads 1st in the Lincolnshire Ladies’ Green League on Saturday.

Early efforts from Liz Johnson and Bethany Davies put Nomads 2-0 up in the first half, leaving Sutton with it all to do after the break.

However, they pulled one back when Gribble held off the attention of several defenders and hammered home just after the interval.

Keeper Lorraine Wallis kept Sutton in the game with some fine saves, before a Gribble short corner secured them a share of the spoils. Hannah Greenacre picked up the player of the match award.

It wasn’t such a happy return for Spalding’s top two teams, as they both suffered defeats.

Poachers 1st went down 6-3 at Alford Ladies 1st in East League Division 2NW. Jacqui Hunter had put Spalding ahead, before they fell 3-1 down. Two Karen Breen efforts did get the score back to 4-3 at one stage, but Alford bagged twice more to seal the win.

Also conceding six were Spalding Poachers 2nd at Wisbech Ladies’ 2nd. Karen Thorold and Eva Keyes netted in a 6-2 loss in Cambs Ladies’ League Premier Division.

All eyes are on Carter’s Park this Saturday as leaders Holbeach United welcome chief title challengers St Ives for the game of the season so far.

The Tigers go into the clash 17 points clear of their rivals at the top of the UCL Premier Division, but the Saints have five games in hand.

It’s the first meeting of the duo this campaign, meaning a St Ives win would swing the momentum in the tussle for the title back in their direction.

Holbeach chief John Chand reckons Saturday’s visitors are in as good a position as his side, but feels the Saints realistically need to win the showdown to stay in the hunt.

“I see St Ives as our main challengers,” admitted Chand. “All things considered, they are level pegging with us – if they win their games in hand and beat us, they can go top.

“It’s not in my mentality to look for a draw, but I’d be happy with not losing on Saturday to be honest.”

St Ives will arrive at Holbeach with the league’s only unbeaten away record – and they were 4-0 winners on their last visit to Carter’s Park in the League Cup semi-final last year. But they’ve gone off the boil in recent weeks, winning just two of their last nine games in all competitions.

In contrast, Holbeach have won 11 of their last 12 league games – a stat Chand sees as key. He added: “St Ives will perhaps feel they’ve drawn too many games. Teams chasing will inevitably slip-up when the fixtures pile-up, too.”

It must be said that Saturday’s game (3pm) is under serious threat after snow and freezing conditions this week. No decision is likely to be made on the pitch until game day.

Meanwhile, it looks unlikely Chand will sign Stamford striker Gregg Smith. Chand has held talks with the power-house hitman, but is likely to look at other forwards.

A man of 38 appeared in court on Thursday accused of affray at The Chequers Hotel, High Street, Holbeach, on June 19 2011.

Joseph McKeown, of St William Close, Holbeach, is also accused of failing to surrender to bail on December 27 2012.

Spalding magistrates adjourned the hearing to January 31.

A number of council workers could get an extra £2,500 in their pockets to avoid possible equal pay claims.

About 36 binmen and street cleaners at South Holland District Council are set for a pay rise of between £52 and £2,516 this year after they were found to be earning different salaries for doing the same work.

District council members vote tomorrow on whether to back the move after a warning from employment officials that they were open to legal action unless salary differences were sorted out.

Most staff affected would see their pay rise between £52 and £200 from April 1, but another five workers would see their pay frozen for two years before a cut of £111 in 2015-16.

The four-year plan to equalise pay will cost the district council almost £20,000 this year, rising to almost £71,500 in 2016-17.

Councillor Roger Gambba-Jones, cabinet member for waste management, said: “When we brought the service back in-house from a private company in 2001, some staff were on its pay rate and others on the local government rate.

“We’ve struggled to find a cost-effective model of changing that, but by reducing the running costs of waste collection, this is a golden opportunity to resolve this unfairness once and for all.”

It’s amazing how many people drive past Spalding’s Johnson Community Hospital every day but never know what actually goes on inside it.

It’s amazing how many people drive past Spalding’s Johnson Community Hospital every day but never know what actually goes on inside it.

I often speak to patients, carers and their families who live just a stones throw away who might have otherwise, for example, journeyed to Boston or Peterborough to be patched up for a cut or treated for a broken bone rather than visiting the Minor Injuries Unit here.

The hospital is home to a range of services, some of which are run by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS).

My role working for Lincolnshire Community Health Services as the trust’s Head of Clinical Services for the South East of Lincolnshire means I oversee not just the LCHS services at the hospital, but also the teams of community nurses and therapists from Sutton Bridge through to Swineshead, and over to Whaplode Drove.

Over the coming months, I would like to give you an insight into community healthcare. Is there anything you’ve ever wanted to know about community nursing?

Do you have a burning question about the Johnson Community Hospital? I’m happy to answer as many questions as I can about your local community health service. Unfortunately I won’t be able to answer specific questions about individual patient’s health matters as part of this column.

I have worked in healthcare since starting my career as a carer in a nursing home on the old “YTS” scheme back in 1993.

I started my nurse training in 1995, graduating in 1998 and working predominantly in the acute sector until I joined LCHS in 2008 as the Assistant Matron for Spalding Hospitals (as there were two sites then).

Since then I have worked as the Matron for the Johnson Community Hospital and now as the Head of Clinical Services for the South East.

I have been proud to work for LCHS and with the teams I do. On joining LCHS I was amazed by the variety of services that we offer and the skills and dedication of the staff working within them but also by lack of knowledge about some of our services with our potential patients.

In my first column I aim to talk to you all about the services on offer at the Johnson Community Hospital and take the opportunity to enlighten you about how Spalding was lucky enough to have a new facility right on its doorstep.

*If you’d like to get in touch, please email me via spalding editor@jpress.co.uk

People on low incomes could be asked to pay at least £5 per week in council tax from April 1 to plug a £45,000 budget gap.

South Holland District Council is wrestling with a cut in Government funding for schemes to help people unable to afford council tax charges and members are to decide tomorrow on changing the level of support offered to residents.

The main change would see people of working age required to pay 25 per cent towards their council tax, meaning someone living in a Band A property worth up to £40,000 would pay about £4.60 per week.

Other changes include charging council tax in full on second homes and an extra 50 per cent on homes left empty and unoccupied for two years or more.

Two men stole drills from Spalding’s B&Q store, took them into the store’s garden centre and lobbed them over the wall into Sir Halley Stewart Field.

Marian Laczynski (34), of Carrington Road, Spalding, and a co-defendant went into the store separately, each took a drill and walked over to the garden centre.

Marie Stace, prosecuting, told Spalding magistrates the men were followed by a manager, who heard the drills hit the ground on the far side of the wall.

Laczynski admitted being jointly concerned in the theft of drills worth £225.86 on November 11 when he appeared in court on Thursday.

He was fined £75 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

The second man was dealt with by a court in Lincoln and ordered to do 70 hours unpaid work as part of a four-month long community order.

The court heard he had far more previous convictions than Laczynski, who had one conviction two years ago.

Solicitor Daven Naghen, mitigating, said it was the second man who threw both drills over the wall but Laczynski accepted it was a joint venture.

Mr Naghen told the court: “He accepts he has probably blindly followed his friend like a sheep.”

The men didn’t go to the other side of the wall to pic up the drills, presumably because they realised they had been “rumbled”.

He said Laczynski is out of work.

“Clearly, by coming before a court, he has not enhanced his prospects of work,” Mr Naghen said.

A man left a trail of blood and destruction in a communal building after becoming angry and punching a hole in the wall of his flat.

The punch made his hand bleed and Boriss Mulers left blood on the walls and carpets as well as leaving the shower running to overflow into a bar below.

Mulers (26), of Station Street, Spalding, pleaded guilty at Spalding Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to damaging a wall, carpets and electrics worth £450 at a property belonging to Stepehen Thorne, in Commercial Road, on May 5 last year.

Marie Stace, prosecuting, said Mulers agreed to pay the sum as part of a restorative justice scheme, but failed to do so.

She said the actual cost of repairs turned out to be £1,492.07.

Solicitor Daven Naghen, for Mulers, asked the court not to award compensation as there were no proper quotes.

He said Mulers became angry after damaging a glass table of his own and lashed out at the wall.

He accepted he had left blood stains, but only turned the shower on to wash off blood and had not expected it to overflow.

Mulers was conditionally discharged for a year and ordered to pay £43 costs.

Presiding magistrate Peter Dolby said there would be no order for compensation in the absence of proper quotes.

Friday, 2pm: Two people went to hospital after this morning’s crash on the B1165 between Weston Hills and Low Fulney.

The 32-year-old woman from Spalding, who was driving a Fiat, and a 31-year-old Wisbech man, who was driving a Mazda, are not thought by police to be seriously hurt.

A police spokesman said they were taken to Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital as a precaution.

Friday, 9am: Police say there were minor injuries in this morning’s two-car crash between Weston Hills and Low Fulney on the B1165.

Emergency services were called at 7.45am to the accident involving a Fiat and a Mazda.

An ambulance crew were at the scene attending to the injured.

A police spokesman said the road was not reported as closed, but it may close later while the vehicles are recovered.

Could these twin Leicester Longwool lambs be the first born in south Lincolnshire this year?

They arrived just over a week ago with no intervention from rare sheep breeder Barry Enderby, of Whaplode.

He says it’s the second set of twins born to the three-year-old ewe.

Barry, who is chairman of the Leicester Longwool Breeders Association, has a total of 25 ewes, and 18 of them are expecting lambs within the next few weeks.

That’s going to mean a lot of disturbed sleep for Barry, who has a baby alarm from the sheep shed to the house so that he is roused if the ewes give birth during the night.

He said: “I get up whatever the birth and whatever the time. If they have had multiples the ewe might lay on one of the lambs before it’s got up on its feet and so I get up. You get to recognise distress from just a cat walking through the shed. You get to know the noises.”

Barry is hoping the rare breeds might fare better than the commercial breeds, some of which have been affected by the Schmallenberg virus already this year, though not locally.

Meantime he is still admiring the newborn twins, a matched pair boy and girl with pure white legs. Barry, who says there are always things to correct when breeding pedigree sheep, borrowed a ram from South Wales to eliminate leg colour.

The lambs will go outside in about four weeks’ time.

A “dangerous” Spalding sex offender who was jailed indefinitely for an attack on a young woman had his potentially lifelong sentence quashed by top judges today.

Jason James Hallam (28) was caged at Lincoln Crown Court in September after he was convicted of sexual assault and admitted two affrays and possessing a weapon.

Almost identical to a life term, his imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence meant Hallam could only be freed when assessed as safe – and could be in prison for life.

But on Friday, three top judges at the Court of Appeal said the open-ended sentence was unnecessary and imposed a sentence which will ensure his release.

They imposed a sentence including five years’ custody, but with four years of extended licence conditions so that he can be monitored for longer after release.

Hallam, of Pinchbeck Road, attacked his victim after meeting her at a service station in Harlaxton Road, Grantham, in the early hours of February 14, 2011.

He followed her and, after catching up, grabbed the young woman. Urging her to have sex with him, he put his hand between her legs and touched her.

Fortunately, a pub landlord was passing and the woman broke free and ran for help.

Hallam was arrested the following day and bailed, but committed two similar offences just before Christmas 2011.

On December 13, he produced a knife and tried to get a woman to go into an alleyway with him, then committed a very similar offence without a knife four days later.

Prior to sentencing, Hallam was assessed by experts, who said that he wasn’t suffering from mental illness at the time.

On Friday his lawyers argued that the judge was wrong to find Hallam “dangerous”, a legal term meaning he is a significant risk to the public.

Rejecting the complaint, Lord Justice Treacy said: “The sexual assault was an unpleasant one. Fortunately, the chance appearance of the man brought the episode to an end, but the evidence shows it had a significant effect on the victim’s social confidence.

“Although there was no overt sexual threat in the later offences, they bore a remarkable similarity to the sexual assault.”

But the judge, sitting with Mr Justice Saunders and Sir David Clarke, said that, although the public needed protection, a sentence with guaranteed release and extended licence conditions would be sufficient.

“This case could and should be dealt with by way of an extended sentence and we substitute that for the sentence of IPP,” he concluded.

The effect of his new sentence is that Hallam will be freed halfway through his five-year custodial term, then be on licence for the rest of that and the four-year extension period.

During that time, he will be monitored and will be at threat of immediate prison recall if he puts a foot wrong.

While Valentine’s legends are all about surprises like the mystery card with a question-mark for a signature, in reality most couples plan together what they’ll do to celebrate.

The big question is: do you eat out or in?

This time of year whennight-time temperatures are dropping below zero, it’s tempting to stay in and cook that romantic meal for yourselves.

But that may not be quite as easy as it sounds.

The BBC Food website suggests a range of Valentine’s menus to prepare at home using foods which are acknowledged popular favourites for a romantic meal for two.

Seafood like mussels, scallops and prawns figures in every one, steering clear of oysters which though well-known as an aphrodysiac are not for anyone who may have the least qualm about eating live food.

Chocolate – the deeper and richer the better – is also a fixture in different forms for pudding.

And tender grilled or griddled steak is at the centre of the main course in two out of four.

The other two mains are Delia Smith’s oven-baked risotto carbonara as an easy work treat for couples who want to focus on a romantic DVD on the TV, and Sophie Dahl’s lighter crab and salmon fishcakes for the health-conscious.

All declare themselves to be easy, quick and simple and the cooking times are no more than 30 minutes for anything.

But have you tried sizzling a steak of any description to perfect tenderness/grilling a scallop and getting it just right/ getting a chocolate souffle to rise and stay risen?

Masterchefs and their partners can stay in with confidence – me, I’m for booking a table at one of the great restaurants advertised on these pages for guaranteed success.