“Whatever happens, we’ll be there for you!”

That is the message from a voluntary group in Crowland that fears it could lose its base if the library closes.

Crowland Cares provides an information service as well as transport to appointments at doctors’ surgeries and hospitals and other necessary journeys.

The library is in Tier 3 of the Lincolnshire County Council’s proposals for reorganisation of the library service.

This means it could stay open if a local group comes forward to run it on a voluntary basis.

Nick Worth, deputy leader of South Holland District Council, said Crowland Cares was a perfect example where a voluntary organisation was already helping to run the library.

However, admin assistant Marilyn Stanhope said it was unlikely the group would be in a position to take it on alone.

She said: “Firstly we want to say that whatever happens we will find a new base to continue.

“Financially we struggle to keep going as it is – so we’re not in a position to pay for the building’s upkeep and running costs.

“But consultation forms are here at the library so we’d encourage as many people as possible to fill it in.

“If any groups are interested in taking on the library we’d be happy to pass that information on.”

A-level students Jordon and Kieren Boom, of Peterborough Road, hope something can be done to save the library.

Jordon (17) said: “I’ve come here to finish work and do research. It would be a great loss to the community if it closed.”

Police were called to a home in Spalding when neighbours heard a woman shouting that her partner was hitting her.

Officers were summoned at 12.14am to an address in Winsover Road where Luke Arons was involved in a “tussle” in the bedroom with Rachael Guy.

Noel Philo, prosecuting, said while police waited outside, they heard someone – almost certainly Arons – saying he hadn’t done anything and he wouldn’t be in trouble.

They then heard Miss Guy say: “Well look at me. I am covered in bruises and I have blood in my mouth.”

Mr Philo said a side door opened and Arons and Miss Guy appeared.

He said Miss Guy was bruised but the prosecution accepted that not all of the injuries were done at that time.

Mr Philo said Miss Guy had a lump behind the ear and told police she had been hit there by Arons and “generally struck”.

But, in court, Arons denied punching her.

His solicitor, Mike Alexander, told magistrates: “He disputes any punches completely.

“He goes on to say he tussled with her. She became agitated and hysterical, she was shouting, she was lashing out at him.

“They fell off the bed and the lump behind the ear may stem from that part of the incident.”

Mr Alexander said Arons pleaded guilty to common assault on the basis that he had restrained Miss Guy by holding her upper arms and shoulders, causing bruising, and he fully accepted that he “should not have marked her at all”.

Magistrates on Thursday decided the cause of the lump behind Miss Guy’s ear – whether from a fall or a punch – would affect how they sentenced Arons.

They adjourned the case for a Newton hearing on October 31, when evidence will be called.

Arons (33) was granted bail with conditions including one that prohibits any contact with Miss Guy.

Pigs are not good as house pets – just ask Gren and Barbara Owen, who live at Cowbit.

Most of us wouldn’t dream of having a pig in the house, but it has been fashionable at various times for people to have a pot-bellied pig as an indoor pet.

“People might buy a pig at six weeks when they are 18in long and very cuddly,” said Gren, who runs Pigrest, a small pig sanctuary, at Mill Drove North.

“By age three they can grow to about 110lb and that’s not fully grown. At fully grown they can weigh 220lb.”

A trend for keeping micro and pot-bellied pigs as pets started in the 1960s, with surges of popularity in the ’80s and ’90s and again now, says Gren.

And, according to Gren, this is the worst time in terms of the number of people looking to re-home pigs that have outgrown homes – in some cases apartments – because a lot of people have gone into breeding to make money.

Gren says: “We once had someone call us at midnight because their pig was waking everyone up in a tower block by rubbing itself on the heating radiator.”

When they get a call from an owner desperate to re-home a pig, the first thing Barbara and Gren do is to go on their Facebook page to get the message out to other pig rescue centres across the country. Between them they will try to find a more suitable home for the pig.

There are currently five pigs kept outdoors at their Cowbit sanctuary, the location specifically chosen by them about ten years ago because of its isolation.

Gren said: “If you have pigs all the noise they make is about 120 decibel. People don’t think they make a noise, but they should come here at 5am at feed time – in fact you will hear them anywhere within quarter of a mile.”

Gren and Barbara are experienced and knowledgeable pig owners, and they also know about keeping a pig as a house pet.

It was in 1997 the couple bought their first pig, Bushka, who gained notoriety for the tricks Gren trained her to perform.

When she died they were heart-broken but were eventually persuaded to give a home to a second pig.

Gren says: “The more we found out about pigs the more we realised that they are not good as house pets. We try to educate and invite people to spend an afternoon with us to find out what’s it’s really like to have a pig as a pet.”

There are probably hundreds of hobby artists in south Lincolnshire, but very few of them make it to professional status.

Jim Wright made that giant leap, earning a reputation as “one of the finest landscape artists of his generation” among the gallery owners who sold his work.

Since 1979, when he made the brave decision to give up full-time work at the Gleed Boys’ School as woodwork and technical drawing teacher, Jim (78) has created an enormous body of work. For many years, he was regularly selling 80 of his pictures at a gallery in Holt in Norfolk every year and a further 30 in Suffolk.

His paintings, in oils, have come in all sizes, from small pictures up to his largest canvas, which was 60 by 40 inches in size. At that time Jim had a Ford Anglia and had to strap the piece to a roof rack to drive around galleries looking for a buyer.

The other large painting, which he has only recently finished, was 30 by 46 inches and went to a keen collector of Jim’s work. When the buyer came to collect the piece, he bought two more, taking his collection of Jim Wright landscapes to 43.

Jim describes his style as becoming “a bit more Impressionistic” over the years.

He says: “The sort of pictures I like are not too tight. It’s the loose paintings I like and Edward Seago is one of the artists I try to emulate.”

His subject matter beautifully marries two passions: trout fishing and being in the great outdoors.

The fishing was introduced as something to do with his boys, Simon and Steve, but takes him into the kind of scenery that inspires his art.

Jim says: “Water in paintings adds another dimension really, like a few trees. They are not very much on their own, but if there’s a path and some puddles it all adds to the painting. Then, if you go a bit further, I like reflections in puddles, or reflections in a large expanse of water, and also windmills.”

These features are all marked on OS maps, and so from early on Jim has left his Moulton home to find the “blue bits” on the map.

He sketches outside or takes photographs, but doesn’t paint out of doors.

Jim says: “I just paint in my studio. By the time you have lugged canvases and an easel outside and your paints and then the flies have started to stick ... It might be all right for some people, but not for me.”

Over the course of the years Jim got to know the galleries selling his work quite well. The owner of one, based in Somerset, introduced the idea of a book of Jim’s work, something that came to fruition in 2006 with James Wright’s East Anglia, published by Halsgrove.

All Jim will say is: “I am happy with the way things have turned out and I have had a little success, so we can’t grumble.”

Artist Jim Wright was married to Judy and a father when he gave up a paid job to paint full time.

That possibly influenced his decision to pursue what he calls a “commercial” path. Following a number of exhibitions where his work sold well, Jim started working with a dealer, who bought paintings and then sold them on to galleries.

Jim says: “He’s doing all the running about and I am doing what I want to do, paint pictures. The only snag with a dealer is you get rock bottom prices, but you don’t have to put a frame on, the gallery does that and sells it at a vastly inflated price.

“That relationship lasted until this last year and I think he’s ready for retiring as I am, more or less.”

The other downside of using a dealer is that the artist rarely meets his customers. For Jim that’s a bonus as he prefers to be “in the background” as he puts it, working in his studio or workshop, where he also produces beautifully crafted furniture.

Then, when tired of that particular occupation, he will go fishing.

Jim says: “Sitting by the lake on your own in peace and quiet is worth something.”

Anyone worried about the effect of the bedroom tax is being urged to get in touch with South Holland District Council.

It follows a recent case in which the council’s strategic housing team helped in the rehousing of two benefit recipients in one-bedroom properties, resulting in a much-needed four bedroom home being made available.

The district council owns just 15 four-bedroom properties, making it difficult to home large families.

Coun Christine Lawton, portfolio holder for Housing Landlord, said: “It’s really important that people do approach us for advice.

“This case highlights how our housing advice team is able to assist, and the fact that we will now be able to house another family is good news.”

A 67-year-old Swineshead man set himself alight ‘as a statement’ for years of torment from a wife who had never forgiven him for an affair.

The shocking revelation came during the inquest of Alan Thorne, whose badly burned body was found in his garden at Tarry Hill House in Tarry Hill on August 26 last year.

Mr Thorne died as the result of 80 per cent burns to his body and the inhalation of products of combustion.

Coroner Professor Robert Forrest said he had intended recording an open verdict, but the new evidence had changed this to suicide while the balance of Mr Thorne’s mind was disturbed.

Keiron Davey, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue investigation officer, said evidence indicated Mr Thorne had covered himself with petrol on the garden bench.

He said: “There was some rolled up paper attached to him, which could have been used as a taper. He would have been on fire when he had gone towards the house and fallen.”

In a 16-page statement from Mr Thorne’s wife, Angela, she said she had suffered depression for a large part of the couple’s 46-year marriage.

However, she said that it wasn’t until she finally got the treatment she needed that Mr Thorne accepted the situation was as serious as it was.

Five years ago, they moved from Somerset to Swineshead to be closer to family. But the house had a catalogue of problems which made Mr Thorne “very down”.

In addition, his two dogs had also died – one suddenly and the other, which was very sick, was put down after someone accused him of being cruel for taking it out for a walk.

Mrs Thorne said: “Alan was very upset about what was said and checked with the vet that it was OK to go out for a walk. Eventually we made the decision to have to dog put down. It affected us very much. Walking his dogs was a big part of his day.”

On the day of her husband’s death, she said he had gone for a walk at 3pm – the same time he used to take the dogs out – and she had gone upstairs to sort some boxes.

She said: “He hadn’t let me know he was back and I decided to go outside and have a cigarette. I opened the door and saw Alan laid down with small flames on his neck.

“I grabbed a watering can to put water on Alan’s neck and called 999. I said ‘my husband’s on fire’ – I was screaming for a neighbour to come and help.

“I went and sat in the house - I didn’t want to go in the garden. I don’t think I ever want to go in the garden again.

“I knew Alan was depressed, but he had given me no clue he was so unhappy.”

During the statement, her daughter Joanne indicated by her expression that she did not agree with parts of her mother’s account of their life together.

She said: “My parents moved up here because my mother had been stalking a woman he had an affair with. It was just convenient.

“My mother never forgave him and she made our lives a misery. He had many friends in Somerset – his life was destroyed coming up here.

“I believe he was depressed and, yes, he would have been sad about his dogs. But not this – I believe what he did was a statement to her.”

Long Sutton continued their march to the South Lincs and Border League division one title with a comfortable victory at Paradise Field on Sunday.

Sutton remain 47 points clear of second-placed Baston after a great partnership from father and son Chris and Ed Booth saw them beat Deeping 2nd by nine wickets.

Sutton bowled out their visitors for 124 in 38.3 overs and then knocked off their target in 29.1 overs, Ed Booth getting 59 and dad Chris an undefeated 50.

They have now won 11 of their 14 league games this season, with just one defeat.

Baston remain in second position after getting the better of Billingborough 2nd. Tim Dyer took 6-69 as Boro were bowled out for 177. Guy Cunningham hit an unbeaten 98 and John Howard 65 as Baston achieved their target for the loss of just three wickets, with 12 overs remaining.

Neil Williams was the division’s only century maker, hitting 118 of Stamford’s 237-7 against strugglers Moulton Harrox 2nd, who reached 142-7 at the close.

Spalding 2nd were back to winning ways after bowling out Thomas Cook for 77 and reaching their victory target for the loss of three wickets in 16.3 overs.

In the premier division, Billingborough stay four points behind leaders Boston after picking up 20 points in a high-scoring game against Bourne, who were 206 all out.Luke Hollingworth then hit 94 as Billingborough went on to win by three wickets.

At the bottom of the table, Moulton Harrox recorded a thrilling last-over victory over Woodhall Spa 2nd to stay in touch with the teams above them.

Long Sutton 2nd and Cavaliers continue their battle at the top of Division Two, the leaders scoring a slender one-wicket win over Grantham 2nd in a bowlers’ match that saw Rob Simpson take 5-17 for Sutton. Spalding 3rd enjoyed a 13-run victory at Timberlands, with Joe Lyon taking 5-22 off six overs.

Pinchbeck went down by three wickets to Lindum 3rd.

A disastrous bogey six at the 17th hole and triple bogey seven at the 18th finally put paid to Spalding-based Darryn Lloyd’s Open Championship hopes on Friday.

The 24-year-old South African was making his Open debut and started steadily with three pars. But as conditions got trickier he dropped shots.

He started his second round competently with a couple of birdies and was on the eight-under par projected cut line until he reached the par-5 17th where he had to settle for a fourth bogey of the round.

Chasing a final birdie at 18 he found trouble off the tee and had to settle for a 76 and 13 under par total – five shots outside the mark needed to contend on the weekend.

Distribution and haulage specialist company Turners (Soham) Ltd and Milton Keynes-based vehicle telematics company Isotrak have evolved an award winning breakthrough fuel-efficiency programme resulting in national recognition by the Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme (LCRS).

The companies worked together to develop the programme, which has led to Turners, which has bases at Donington and Quadring, achieving significant operational savings in fuel and CO2 emissions across the fleet of 850 HGVs.

The unique fuel management programme identifies alternative driver routes, zones them according to efficiency, and enables mapping them in red, amber and green to show drivers the preferred routes they should use.

This leading edge work in fuel management utilises Isotrak vehicle tracking and business intelligence reporting.

The Isotrak system not only tracks the vehicles to compare and evaluate fuel usage over alternative routes it also generates route compliance reports so that drivers can be debriefed and if needs be given further coaching to improve performance.

Isotrak helped Turners develop the system to enable the company to monitor and encourage driving styles that have a positive effect on efficiency.

The system also identifies and supports the best use of fuel-efficient vehicles from specific manufacturers, so that Turners can compare actual performance data with those published by the vehicle manufacturers.

Using Isotrak driver performance data and specially developed route-based analysis and improvement tools and techniques, Turners has been able to create fuel and cost efficient routes that provide the highest possible levels of service to their customers.

Terry Skelton, fuel programme manager for Turners, said: “We’ve worked closely with Isotrak to develop our fuel efficiency programme and we have far exceeded the typical environmental and fuel performance achievable using a standard telematics-based programme.

“Our unique relationship has enabled us to take an out-of-the-box solution and develop it to meet our needs for identifying and monitoring specific driver attributes across the organisation.

“This enables us to take positive steps in improving fuel efficiency, save money, reduce our environmental footprint, and improve driver safety while enhancing our services.

“We are extremely proud of our achievements to date and we are grateful to see our efforts and achievements recognised by the Carbon Reduction Through Fuel Efficiency award.”

Protestors from the Deepings gathered outside the South Holland Centre in Spalding to object to their library being at risk of closure.

A consultation was being held inside the centre where representatives of Lincolnshire County Council explained the proposals and members of the public had the chance to have their say.

Coun Phil Dilks led the protest outside. He said: “We’re objecting to the consultation being held 11 miles away when most residents are at work.”

Firemen from Spalding used specialist equipment to free a child who became trapped in a climbing frame in the town.

The drama happened on Atton Avenue just before 1.10pm on Sunday.

Police believe two fires near Spalding town centre where rubbish was set alight on Thursday were deliberate.

Firemen used a hose reel to put out the fires on Cathedral Drive and Park Road and anyone with information should call 101.

Two men have been arrested in Spalding in connection with a suspected smuggling racket, estimated to have cost the taxpayer at least £6million.

Operation Turnip saw 630,000 illegal cigarettes seized last Monday as part one of the biggest swoops of its kind in the region.

Around 100 HMRC investigators, assisted by police and Trading Standards, carried out 30 raids in Spalding and Peterborough of residential properties, local shops and warehouse storage units.

The men arrested in Spalding, aged 34 and 27, were from Boston. Three others from Peterborough, aged 52, 22 and 45, were also arrested.

All five were apprehended on suspicion of being involved in excise fraud, primarily the illegal importation of Jing Ling cigarettes known as “illegal whites”.

During the operation 630,000 illicit white cigarettes were seized and £13,000 was also seized from two residential addresses in Peterborough.

A spokesman for HMRC said: “They (Jing Ling) are not available commercially in the UK. They are unregulated, the smoker has no idea what they are smoking and they can contain harmful chemicals.

“They are also sold illegally in residential areas, pubs and clubs and some small independent retail shops.”

Richard Las, HMRC’s Deputy Director for Criminal Investigation, said: “This operation is an HMRC-led investigation targeting suspected cigarette smuggling and money laundering offences, centred on Peterborough and Spalding.

“We cannot provide any further information as the investigation is continuing.

“Our activity sends out a clear message to those involved in this type of criminality. Attempts to import, distribute and sell tobacco goods on which UK duty has not been paid are treated extremely seriously by HMRC and we will relentlessly pursue any individuals or crime gangs believed to be involved.”

Residents are asked to report anyone suspected of selling illegal tobacco goods by calling the HMRC 24-hour Customs Hotline on 0800 595000.

Furious Spalding United officials are appealing to the United Counties League after being asked to play 17 of their 20 home fixtures before Christmas.

In the provisional fixtures, released at the weekend, the Tulips have also been paired against Deeping Rangers in the Boxing Day and Easter Monday games, rather than their traditional clash with Holbeach.

“The fixtures are an absolute disgrace. How are people going to afford that many home games so close together?” blasted Spalding manager Pat Rayment yesterday.

“The UCL are doing their best to crucify clubs. They have not got a clue and they have not considered the clubs.It is a joke, absolutely ludicrous.

“They have created uproar before the season has even begun. We have asked them to look at these fixtures again.”

Rayment said UCL new boys Wisbech Town are in a similar situation and their provisional fixtures have them completing home and away games against eight teams before Christmas. The Fenmen will play Holbeach in the Christmas and Easter clashes.

The Tulips boss was also annoyed that a ruling allowing clubs to swap venues with each other for games when pitches are unplayable has not been introduced.

He was also frustrated that unavailability of players for various reasons has made pre-season preparations disjointed. Key men have been injured, working or holidaying for the games – a 2-0 win at Crowland, a 2-1 home reverse to Boston United and a 7-1 thrashing of Wyberton on Saturday.

Eight players will be missing for tonight’s game at Coalville, although all should be back for Thurdsday’s home friendly against Moulton Harrox, including key signings Andrew Tidswell and Jamie Stevens.

“The players that have been in action are feeling the benefits though, but we are not quite where we want to be at the moment,” added Rayment.

* Holbeach played their first pre-season friendly on Saturday, going down 1-0 at Ridgeons Premier League side Ely City.

“We defended well, there was not a lot between the teams and it was a good workout,” said boss Glen Maddison.

He has added forward Luke Hollingworth from Sleaford, former Deeping and Bourne striker Tom Walmsley and ex-Moulton midfielder Andy Law to his squad.

“Player-wise, we are there now and I will only be bringing in more people if they can add some extra quality.

“We had to completely rebuild but it’s coming together and the new bunch of lads are starting to gell.”

Holbeach are at Pinchbeck tomorrow (Wednesday) evening and at Stamford on Saturday.

* Deeping Rangers entertain Stamford tonight, after Saturday’s planned friendly against St Ives was called off.

On Saturday they travel to play Mildenhall Town.

A key figure in a gang which stole catalytic converters from vehicles across Lincolnshire was jailed for three years at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday.

Jacob Smith was described as one of the main men in the gang which operated in the dead of night.

The victims only discovered what had happened when they tried to use their vehicles the following morning and found that a key part was missing.

Gareth Weetman, prosecuting, said the gang targeted a number of towns including Spalding, Boston, Horncastle and Woodhall Spa stealing as many 16 converters in a single night.

Mr Weetman said: “In March 2012 there were in excess of 32 thefts of catalytic converters in the wider Lincolnshire area. All of the thefts were at night time and mostly they were unseen. There was a pattern of four or five thefts within an hour of one another.

“It was only when the owners attempted to drive away that they found their vehicles were missing an important part. A cutting tool was used to take out the relevant part of the exhaust and remove the catalytic converter.”

Smith became a suspect because of his connection to a Volvo car linked with the thefts.

The vehicle was involved in an 80mph police chase before being abandoned at the Five Acres caravan site at Gosberton Risegate.

The two men inside the car ran off and managed to evade a police dog team.

Relatives of Smith were present on the site and a search of the area led to the discovery of 32 catalytic converters hidden under a tarpaulin.

A glove found inside the car was found to contain Smith’s DNA.

Smith was eventually tracked down in July last year and arrested.

Mr Weetman said it was clear that one or more other people were involved in the thefts but no further charges have been brought.

Smith (43), of Palmers Road, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal catalytic converters between March 1-30, 2012. The court was told he accepted involvement in 20 thefts which left motorists facing £18,000 worth of repairs.

Recorder Timothy Spencer QC told Smith: “This was systematic, organised, targeted crime. The level of damage was extensive and the disruption to people’s lives is obvious.”

Dominic Shelley, defending, said Smith admitted his part in the thefts and should be given credit for pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity.

A drug user who ran a mobile dealing service from his van was caught because of his erratic driving, Lincoln Crown Court was told on Friday.

Joseph Pike’s poor standard of driving attracted the attention of police and he was stopped on Cherry Holt Road, Bourne.

A roadside breathalyser test revealed he was not under the influence of alcohol and officer suspected he had taken drugs.

Faye Mellor, prosecuting, said a search of the van led to the discovery of cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy with a total street value of over £1,000.

A set of electronic scales containing traces of drugs together with a cutting agent used to dilute the purity of the drugs and freezer bags were also found.

Text messages on Pike’s mobile phone indicated he had been involved in selling drugs over the previous six weeks.

Pike (26), of Rotten Row, Pinchbeck, admitted two charges of possession of drugs with intent to supply and illegal possession of ketamine on December 14, 2012. He was jailed for two years and three months.

Recorder Timothy Spencer QC told him “Your case is an illustration of the pernicious effect of taking drugs.

“At heart I am satisfied you are a decent young man from a very decent family who can turn his life to rights in due course.

“But I am afraid this is too serious for me to give you an opportunity today. This was a substantial operation.”

Jim Earle, defending, said Pike had been using drugs since the age of 14 and after graduating from cannabis to cocaine and ketamine he rapidly got into debt with his dealer.

Mr Earle said Pike started selling drugs as a way to repay his debt but by the time of his arrest still owed £13,000.

“He was caught because of his erratic driving. The police stopped him. They did a breathalyser test. It clearly wasn’t alcohol that had affected him and they proceeded from there.”

Mr Earle said that Pike managed to get back into work following his arrest and has sought help for his drugs problem.

Residents in Cowbit are making an eleventh hour bid to save their only pub – Ye Olde Dun Cow – from becoming a housing development.

The Save Our Pub campaign was launched in earnest after the man who offered to restore the fire-wrecked Dun Cow and run it as a pub – Peter Mandell – posted letters around the village at 5am on Tuesday.

Chairman of Cowbit Playing Field Commitee Jonathan Matthews said until laminated letters appeared on lampposts, most villagers believed no such offers had been made and the only option was a planning application for nine homes there.

Mr Matthews said: “We thought it was all done and dusted. We have been making people aware of this as soon as we heard from Mr Mandell.”

Cowbit Parish Council recommended approval of the plans from Market Homes Ltd and South Holland District Council will deliver its verdict on July 29 after extending the consultation period.

Mr Matthews describes the pub as “the heart of our community” and says it could be saved under the Localism Act and listed as a village asset.

Cowbit Parish Council chairman Trevor Tyrrell said the parish council was aware of Mr Mandell’s offers to buy the pub through his company Peter Lind and a partner, but it was not theirs to develop as the site was sold by the vendor to a company paying a higher price.

Coun Tyrrell agreed the pub was an important asset, but said it closed before the fire through lack of trade and it may have carried on trading if more villagers had supported it then.

Mr Mandell, from Moulton Seas End, is operations director for Peter Lind, a building and civil engineering company.

He said: “I believe that it is fair to say that the appropriate offer value for the burnt out pub was the price it would be worth in complete and working condition minus rebuilding costs. I contend that the offer finally accepted by the vendor was based on the site’s enhanced value as a housing development plot.”

One villager commenting on the district council website described it as “such a shame” the village was not told of offers on the site to keep it as a pub.

Firemen have dealt with a potential risk from hazardous materials escaping from batteries at a site in Spalding.

Crews from Holbeach and Spalding were called to Pool Close at about 3.25pm on Monday were the batteries were made safe and taken out into the open air to cool down.

The batteries were then placed in a secure area until engineers arrived to take them away and no one was hurt in the incident.

Long established Boston Mazda dealer Marriotts Mazda has experienced significant year-on-year growth in new car sales since Mazda Financial Services introduced a range of interest-free finance offers on new Mazdas earlier this year.

This growth has prompted Marriotts to make a similar interest free offer on its extensive selection of pre-owned Mazdas for a limited period.

Until the end of August 0%APR representative finance packages are available on all of Marriotts used Mazda selection that currently ranges in price from £2,995 to £16,350.

General manager Richard Marriott said: “Strong new car sales means an excellent selection of used cars.

“We currently have an extensive range of Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda6 and the iconic MX-5 that are now even more affordable with our interest free offer up until the end of August.

l To find out more about the new and used Mazda range and interest free offers, call the Marriotts team on 01205 310044, go to www.marriotts-mazda.co.uk or visit the showroom in Liquorpond Street, Boston at any time.