A multi-million pound investment in rail services in the county has been welcomed by Lincolnshire County Council.

Today (Wednesday) East Midlands Trains, which will continue to run services between Lincoln, London, East Midlands and South Yorkshire until March 2018, announced a £13million investment in services for rail passengers across the area including in Lincolnshire.

The news followed an announcement from government rail minister Claire Perry that extra funding would be ploughed into rail services in East Midlands. The money will go towards improvements such as extra services, cheaper fares and better journeys.

The move was welcomed by executive member for highways and transportation, Coun Richard Davies, who said: “Better transport links for the people of Lincolnshire to other parts of the country are at the top of our agenda here at Lincolnshire County Council so we welcome news of this investment. We look forward to working with East Midlands Trains in coming months.

“We are also starting to look forward to the new franchise agreement to be awarded in 2018 when we would hope to see further, more substantial; improvements for rail travellers across the county. There have been significant improvements within the Lincoln area recently but we would like to see better access across Lincolnshire.”

The new improvements include:

Faster journey times and more services between Lincoln and Nottingham on Saturdays

A freeze on all ‘anytime fares’ to London, with prices remaining at the same until 2017

More automatic ticket machines installed across the network

New accessible help points at some unstaffed stations

Better passenger assistance

Improved online compensation system for passengers who are delayed

Upgraded 4G Wi-Fi on London services

In May this year weekday East Midlands Trains services between Lincoln, Hykeham, Nottingham and Newark were significantly improved following more than £2million of local and central government funding partly from Lincolnshire County Council.

Hinchingbrooke Cup preliminary round - Bourne Town 1 Potton United 3

Teenager Sam Makepeace-Beach earned praise on his senior debut – despite Bourne Town’s midweek defeat.

Boss Rafa Mazzarella says the central defender will continue to push for a first-team place.

He said: “Sam has played a few games in the reserves but I’ve known him since junior football so I wanted to give him a chance.

“I thought he was our man of the match. We know he can step in if needed.

“Overall I thought it was a good game and we gave it a really good go.

“But I was disappointed when we missed a penalty to go 2-1 up.

“Cardin Pierre-Liverpool won the penalty and felt very confident but he took the ball off Henry Dunn.”

Jake Mason levelled for the Wakes but an ankle injury will rule him out of Saturday’s home game against Olney Town in the ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League Division One. Joe Moore-Papworth and Sam Wilson should be back.

Emirates FA Cup first qualifying round replay - Stourport Swifts 0 Holbeach United 1 (aet)

“A great night for Holbeach United.”

That was Tigers manager Darren Jarvis’ verdict after an extra-time winner from Jordan Thomas booked a home tie with National League North side Worcester City in the Emirates FA Cup second qualifying round on September 26.

Jarvis admitted: “It was definitely worth the long journey and getting back home in the early hours.

“I couldn’t be happier – I’m elated because that’s a great result for us.

“Most importantly it was not just about the effort of the players in the game.

“It was a club effort with the supporters, committee members and reserves.

“As a team we set up in a certain way to negate their attacking threat. Then we out-battled them in all areas and our quality came alive in the final third.

“We created plenty of opportunities and their goalkeeper made a series of outstanding saves.”

Tommy Treacher and Nick Jackson will be back in the squad for Saturday’s trip to Harborough Town in the ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League’s Premier Division. Andrew Tidswell and Jamie Stevens are ruled out through injury.

Jarvis added: “I believe Harborough have a good squad but we can’t afford to take anyone lightly.

“We need to maintain our professionalism, commitment and desire. If we do that then I expect us to win. If we don’t then we will come unstuck.

“As the manager I can try to motivate them but this comes down to a conscious decision by the players over whether they want to work hard.”

Striker Nialle Rodney has boosted Spalding United’s attacking options.

The 24-year-old – who began his career with Nottingham Forest – agreed a deal on Wednesday to join the Tulips.

Rodney has also played for Bradford City, Lincoln City and Hartlepool United.

Spalding boss Pat Rayment said: “He took a season out to set up his own business which us now up and running.

“He wants to enjoy playing football again and we are more than happy to provide that opportunity.

“We are excited by the prospect of having him up front because he looked very good in training on Tuesday night.”

Rodney could make his debut for Spalding in the Evo-Stik League First Division South trip to Market Drayton Town on Saturday.

Rayment added: “We won 4-0 there last season but I think they have improved since then.

“There are no easy games and we’ve got to concentrate on ourselves.

“We are still not playing anywhere near our capacity in terms of what we see from the lads in training.

“With their ability we know there is so much more to come out.

“The performance levels have been sporadic but that’s not through a lack of effort.

“The players are fully aware of what they can do. We know we could give someone a good hiding pretty soon.

“When Stafford Rangers beat us they celebrated like they had won the league.

“Every other manager views coming to Spalding as the hardest game of the season. That shows we have come a long way in a short space of time.”

Meanwhile, Will Rawdon has joined Stamford and the Tulips have also released George Zuerner and Jack Barlow.

Police have disbanded a specialist unit dedicated to catching hare coursers but say their neighbourhood teams will focus on this rural crime and maintain “zero tolerance”.

The unit was set up in September 2012 as part of Operation Galileo and almost 350 people were prosecuted up to August 2014.

The step was praised by World Animal Protection UK, whose campaigns manager Alyx Elliott described Lincolnshire Police as “paving the way” for other forces to follow.

Farmers also praised the unit for tackling the gangs who plague Lincolnshire’s fields with dogs that tear hares to pieces.

Sutton Bridge farmer and parish councillor Michael Booth said: “It’s sad news to me. I had commended that unit because I thought they had done a fantastic job. They certainly reduced the number of hare coursers around here and when I used to ring up their response was fairly quick.”

Post-harvest is a peak time for hare coursing and Coun Booth is praying the loss of specialist police won’t turn back the clock to three years ago when hare coursers were hitting South Holland almost every weekend.

Chief Supt Stewart Brinn says Lincolnshire Police has been in close contact with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) to develop its response to hare coursing in 2015.

He said: “While there has been a dedicated team of officers in the past, the truth is that the size of the county works against enforcement by a small number of officers.

“As a result we have decided to expand the policing response to encompass the entirety of the neighbourhood policing teams which already service the areas blighted by hare coursing.

“They will be better able to get to incidents quickly and they will have local knowledge of the area and the community. This is a different approach but our aim remains the same: zero tolerance.

“We promote Lincolnshire as a no-go area for coursers. Where we have the power to do so we will seize dogs and vehicles.

“The key is getting in early to exclude people from the county.”

Previously ...

Hare coursers face ‘a long walk home’, warns Galileo team

Popular children’s TV Channel CBeebies has been saved from the chop after a national campaign saw 130,000 people sign a petition to keep it.

It has now been announced that the BBC have bowed to the pressure and will be keeping the digital channel on-air.

Lord Tony Hall, who was appointed the director general of the BBC in 2012, told MPs at the Culture, Media and Sport select committee: “We don’t have proposals to take CBeebies and CBBC, as channels, out of the environment.”

The petition was launched after Lord Hall made comments that due to budget cuts some services may be reduced or removed, it stated: “CBeebies plays a significant role in the lives of most parents with little ones, providing both education and entertainment, and affords parents time to do something else (cooking dinner for example!) while their little one is relaxing watching CBeebies.”

CBeebies is home to much loved favourites like Rastamouse and In The Night Garden and parents were outraged that the channel may go.

Speaking after the decision to keep the channel Anne Marie O’Leary, editor in chief of the Netmums website, said: “Parents will be delighted that CBeebies and CBBC are to stay on air.

“In a world where children are bombarded with advertising messages, the channels provide a safe and non-commercial environment where children can enjoy gentle programmes which aid their education.”

Hankies may have been out over recent weekends for many parents in South Holland waving goodbye to their teenagers starting university, but it seems many young people could be around for a little longer.

The future is looking rosy for those seeking apprenticeships, with hundreds of opportunities in the area for them.

GetMyFirstJob, a website that matches young people to apprenticeships (currently placing 800 a month), saw a staggering 118 per cent increase in registrations on its site on A-level results day last month, compared to last year.

The Spalding Guardian did a search on the government apprenticeship vacancy matching service website on Tuesday and found 1,054 vacancies within a 10-mile radius of Spalding and 1,230 apprenticeship vacancies across the county.

Opportunities included a vacancy for an apprentice vehicle maintenance engineer with Gist Ltd, one for an apprentice business support clerk with Roythornes Ltd and hospitality and catering positions at Baytree Garden Centre.

In July, Elsoms Seeds, of Pinchbeck Road, came to the Spalding Guardian to promote vacancies for two horticultural trial apprentice assistants.

Angie Brabyn, apprenticeship co-ordinator, said one of these vacancies has now been filled by Kieran Barnett of Spalding.

Kieran (20) is also on day release to Holbeach Academy and is working towards a City and Guilds Level 2 workbase qualification in horticulture.

If successful after the 20-month apprenticeship, he will be offered a job.

His opportunity is one of six to be offered by the firm, including warehousing and seed treatment, administration and laboratory work, as well as horticulture.

Angie said: “This is the first time we have offered apprenticeships but we felt a need to introduce and train our own staff.

“When you think we have a staff of 100 that’s a massive investment in the area.”

You may not want to hear it, but shoppers should already be planning for Christmas if they want to avoid ending the year in debt, analysts have warned.

Today, Thursday September 17, marks 99 days to 25 December, with research from American Express suggesting one in seven has already started buying gifts.

While that kind of planning might seem far too meticulous for most, breaking Christmas costs into more affordable monthly chunks could help shoppers avoid trouble later on.

The Money Advice Service found that more than six million Britons fell behind on their finances in January this year as excessive festive season spending caught up with them.

Standard Life’s Julie Hutchison offers five tips:

1. Start saving now

Start putting money aside now - for example, £20 a week - and you will have much more available for Christmas shopping. Physically putting this money aside can really help, as some people find they spend more unknowingly when it is in their bank account.

With the typical family Christmas costing £650, a little extra saved each week will help tremendously come December. Setting aside £20 a week between now and the end of November would give you an extra £300 towards this.

2. Book your travel well in advance

Whether you are booking a hotel, train journey or flight, doing so in advance could really cut your costs. Make sure you shop around for different prices - there are lots of websites which can help you do this, such as TrainLine and CheapFlights.

3. Put price limits on presents

Make sure you sit down with family and friends to discuss the subject of presents sooner rather than later. Why not agree to do a Secret Santa within your friendship group rather than buying individual gifts and set a price limit for family presents?

Setting a maximum price is an effective way to help factor in present costs, making it easier to plan.

4. Shop smart

Bear affordability in mind when shopping, especially when it comes to the big Christmas food shop. Can you bulk-buy at a discount supermarket? Does your local butcher or food shop offer a savings scheme to help you spread the cost through the year?

If you are buying for young children they will be unaware of price so there is little point going overboard with top-of-the-range gifts. Similarly, if you know someone has simple tastes, do not opt for designer gear if they would be happy with a more basic version.

5. Use social media to bag a bargain

Use Twitter to scan popular phrases and hashtags such as #deal or #offer - you will find many people sharing extra tips or links to discount vouchers and special offers.

It is also worth following big brands and retailers as many regularly announce deals and offers available through their social channels. ASOS, M&S and Amazon are great examples of brands that reward loyal customers with discount codes and early entry to sales.

The owner of a missing greyhound is still hoping he will return home safe and well although she knows his life is at risk.

The black greyhound, known as Bossley, needs daily medication for his epilepsy and it’s now six days since he was last seen at his home in Dozens Bank, between West Pinchbeck and Pode Hole, at 8pm on Friday.

Owner Sharon Saberton told us she’s hardly slept since the pet she’s had for eight years went missing.

She said: “I don’t know whether I’m coming or going – I don’t know how I got through the week.”

• Monday, 10.52am: Fears are growing for a missing greyhound who may die without vital medication for his epilepsy.

The black greyhound, known as Bossley, was last seen in Dozens Bank, between West Pinchbeck and Pode Hole, at 8pm on Friday when he slipped through a gate that had been left open by a visitor.

Owner Sharon Saberton said the eight-year-old has never wandered away from home before – and she fears her pet may have been picked up by someone who mistakenly believes he’s an abandoned ex-racing dog.

Sharon and her family were hot on Bossley’s heels but couldn’t find him.

Between 25-30 people helped search for Bossley on Saturday but the dog remains missing without trace.

Sharon said: “He doesn’t run anywhere. Bossley’s a moocher.”

She said he has medication every day for his epilepsy.

“If he doesn’t have his medication, he isn’t going to last another week,” she said.

Bossley also suffers from sleep aggression – becoming fierce and growling when woken – and Sharon fears anyone who takes him in as a rescue may misunderstand that and have him put down.

She said Bossley broke a stifle joint – the dog equivalent of a kneecap – on his back right leg some years ago and has a slightly faltering gait but not quite a limp.

Bossley is microchipped and earmarked.

• Anyone who has seen Bossley is asked to call Sharon on 07843 655003.

Showjumper Sophie Jackson from Quadring has qualified to compete her horse Atlanta Belle at the prestigious Horse of The Year Show at the NEC in October.

After competing around the country Sophie and Belle gained points in the Bronze League which is for horses competing up to 1m 10.

She finished in the top 15 of the East Midlands area, which has more than 700 horse/rider combinations in it, and that gave her the opportunity to compete in the southern semi-final at Keysoe College in Bedford.

This included the top 15 combinations from East Midlands, East, South East and South West, a total of just over 4,500 competitors vying for these places.

On the day of the semi-final 51 horse/rider combinations started the competition run over three nail-biting rounds.

Sophie and Belle kept their cool and jumped three faultless clear rounds to secure her qualification.

Along with the top seven riders in the northern semi-final, the final 14 will be on the biggest stage of the showjumping year.

Sophie (17) is the youngest rider to qualify and her horse Atlanta Belle, at just six, is the youngest horse in the competition.

Mum Paula said: “It was a very emotional day when the qualification letter came through.

“This is a dream for any rider and to have managed it in their first competitive year is testament to their hard work.

“Sophie and Belle are a very exciting young partnership with many more years to grow together and move on to greater things.”

Sophie thanks her family for their constant support, her trainer Carol Mailer for all her guidance and The Mermaid Inn, Surfleet, for ongoing sponsorship. To 
help, email sophiejacksonz@icloud.com

A singing and dancing troupe from a Maasai tribe in Kenya will be performing in Spalding next month.

The Osiligi Troupe of Maasai Warriors will entertain with their incredible and mesmerising music at St Mary and St Nicholas Church on Thursday, October 15.

The evening promises to be both interesting and informative, with a question and answer session with the seven-piece troupe as well as entertainment.

There will also be a chance to buy hand-made beadwork and other African wares.

The evening will start with a 45-minute performance, before a 30-minute refreshment break when visitors can buy articles made by the troupe’s families. The second half lasts 35-45 minutes depending on how many questions the audience asks.

The performance will be fully narrated and consists entirely of song, movement and the jumping for which the Maasai are famous – the latter with audience participation!

Since 2004, the group has been performing an annual tour of the UK. The shows have been received with great acclaim in schools, churches and theatres from the south coast of England to the Isle of Skye.

Since 2010, the group has worked in close association with small UK charity Osiligi Charity Project to support infrastructural improvements in their village of Oleopolos, 30 miles south of Nairobi.

The results have been spectacular. Since its inception the charity has made great improvements in the lives of the Maasai people of Oleopolos.

A primary school was opened in 2012 and a small medical centre added in 2014. Water stations have been improved and a new church/community centre established.

All money given to the charity goes to support these community projects.

The charity is separate from the tour but has earned both directly and indirectly from it.

As Osiligi Maasai Warriors leader Tajeu Minisa says: “The tour is for our families, the charity for our community.”

Troupe founder Tajeu was born one of nine children. His father died when he was 14 and his mother sold water and firewood in an effort to pay his school fees.

In the end he had to leave school and after training as a warrior for one year, he went to help his mother drive out their cows to look for pastures.

Realising that he was a good solo singer, he met with friends and saw the need of singing to educate their people on how to cope with poverty and hard times and to lead a more Christian life.

Tickets are available from the South Holland Centre in Spalding now, priced £10 adults and £5 children.

Moulton youngster Cameron Neilson enjoyed a very busy and successful weekend with two national competitions in two days.

In the GHS 10-mile time trial championship for juvenile riders, he set a new personal best time of 28.38 with an average speed of close to 21mph to finish 116th overall and 10th in his age group.

In the National Clarion Track Championships omnium event he was sixth with 30 points.

Asda, Boots, Sainsbury’s and gravy brand Bisto have all recalled food products this week following health concerns.

Sainsbury’s has recalled one litre cartons of its Basics range Unsweetened UHT Soya Drink with a best before date of May 9 2016 as a manufacturing fault has caused the product to curdle in some cases.

Asda has recalled 710g packs of Asda Chosen By You Pickled Crinkle Cut Beetroot as there is a risk the product may contain bacteria, Clostridium Botulinum, which can cause food poisoning. Affected packs have a best before date of December 6.

Boots is recalling a number of ready to eat sushi products as they may contain pieces of metal.

It is recalling Strand Super Duper Veggie Sushi 187g, Strand Super Duper Salmon Sushi 191g, Strand Super Duper Nigiri Sushi 232g, Shapers Salmon and Prawn Sushi Rice Salad 156g, Shapers Smoked Salmon Sushi main 118g, Shapers Hoi Sin Duck Sushi main 121g, Shapers Veggie Sushi main 115g, Shapers Sushi Mini Rolls main 186g, Shapers Sweet Chilli Chicken Rice Sushi salad 153g, Shapers Smoked Sushi snack 66g, Shapers Veggie Sushi snack 59g, Shapers Sushi limited edition 129g and Shapers Prawn and Salmon Sushi.

All products have a use by date of September 17 or September 18.

Batches of Bisto for Chicken Gravy Granules and Reduced Salt Bisto for Chicken Gravy Granules have also been recalled as 170g packs with a best before date of January 2017 may contain pieces of metal.

In all cases, customers should return the product to the shop that they bought it from for a full refund.

Holbeach and District anglers have at last found the fish on a pleasant and warm Sunday morning, fishing for the Hereward Trophy on the South Holland main drain at Decoy Bridge.

In-form Holbeach angler Tom Wilson won the match after catching six good size tench for 22lb 1oz. Included in his catch was smaller roach, skimmers and perch.

Second was Jim Fennelow who had a bream of 5lb. He also had smaller roach, skimmers and perch totalling 7lb 2oz.

Third was Roger Smith (4-15) with skimmers to 1lb 8oz.

Pleasure anglers are also having large catches of tench and better bream anywhere from Leedsgate Bridge all the way past Lammings Bridge.

There have been carp and a large bream shoal sighted, roaming between Foremans Bridge and Cement. The advice is too look for the cloudy water for the bream and clearer water for the tench.

TRISH TAKES FIVE: By Trish Burgess

After years of nipping into Springfields Outlet Centre to rummage through the M&S bargain corner or lovingly stroke the leather Radley handbags, it dawned on me that I rarely take the opportunity to explore the gardens.

I rectified this a few weeks ago when a glorious Sunday morning dawned and I was wondering where to take my aunt, who needs a wheelchair to get about.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one to have had that idea; the car parks were full and the shops were busy. Thankfully, in the gardens, a sense of peace reigned. Visitors were relaxing in deck chairs and families were loving the land train, miniature railway and Jurassic Golf.

It was in 2004 that the showcase gardens were created, with celebrities such as Kim Wilde and Charlie Dimmock creating their own Chelsea-style spaces. A decade later it was interesting to see how the plants have matured and pick our favourites. I don’t think I had ever read the story of Momotaro which influenced the Sansui Design Japanese gardens. The story of the little peach boy is reflected in the eight scenes, though the peach itself doesn’t seem to have lasted the course.

The wheelchair was pushed up the incline which forms part of ‘Find your own desire line’ by Stephen Woodhams: this was a great place to take stock and view the vivid lime and pink blocks which form the Sculpture Matrix by Chris Beardshaw.

My favourite part? The steel sculptures by Stephen Newby. There are two of his installations in the gardens: the Kaleidoscope Wheel and the Cascading Water Pyramid. Both feature blown steel, a process which changes the static, industrial material into one which seems to have lightness and softness. In the sunshine, the mirrored pillows of steel looked dazzling.

I’ve seen some inflated steel before, but only in art galleries when the work created by American artist Jeff Koons is exhibited. His vibrant cartoon animals made of blown steel now sell for millions.

Stephen Newby’s creations aren’t fetching those figures at the moment but his work features in towns and cities across the UK. Last year his piece, Halo, was unveiled in Gateshead and is the biggest of its kind in the world.

I hear that Springfields is due to have another of Newby’s works in the gardens in the near future. Another good reason for venturing into Springfields Festival Gardens rather than doing a U-turn at the end of the shops.

You can follow Trish on Twitter @mumsgoneto and read her blog at www.mumsgoneto.blogspot.com

Previously...

Taking a walk on the Meridian line

Organisers of the third annual South Holland Business Awards say they have been overwhelmed by the backing of local firms.

Companies have been lining up to sponsor the award categories in this year’s awards.

This year’s sponsors and award categories are:

Headline Sponsor for 2015 is PSP IT.

Business of the Year is sponsored by the Butters Group.

Small Business of the Year will again be sponsored by Chattertons Solicitors.

Supporting the Community Award is sponsored by Definitions Health and Fitness.

Business Innovation of the Year is sponsored by Duncan & Toplis.

Apprentice of the Year is sponsored by Holbeach Academy.

Customer Care Award is backed by Ringrose Law.

Business Person of the Year Award is sponsored by the South Holland District Council

Spalding and district area president of Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce Phil Scarlett said: “I’d like to thank all of our sponsors for their support.”

The ceremony will take place at the Springfields Events Centre on November 19. For application forms contact Alison.Mackfall@Lincs-Chamber.co.uk. Deadline is October 8.

Vacancies have occurred on two parish councils in the area.

They are on Donington Parish Council and Lutton Parish Council.

The vacancy on Donington Parish Council follows the resignation of Coun Peter Lorimer.

And Coun Melanie Ladbrook has resigned from Lutton Parish Council.

In both cases notices of vacancy will be posted throughout both parishes and will be displayed for 14 days.

If at least ten electors in each parish have not requested an election by October 13 the Parish Councils will fill the vacancies by co-option.

If an election is called, it will take place not later than December 15.

A new luxury care home in Market Deeping gave its guests a VIP welcome at its official opening.

Among those impressed with the 31-bed home, which will offer its residents hotel-style acccomodation and is one of a numer of homes in the area run by Country Court Care, was Mayor Wayne Lester.

Coun Lester peformed the opening ceremony following a tour of the facilities.

Chef Donald Marshall gave visitors a taste of the standard of food residents can expect, with jazz musicians providing the entertainment.

Among the representives of local clubs was Dave Turner of Deeping Lions.

He said: “This is an amazing asset for the town. The rroms are luxurious and much better than some hotels.

“The Lions are planning to get more involved with the new homes opening here, maybe bring the sleigh and Santa here at Christmas and provide some entertainment.”

The outcome of the vote for South Holland and the Deepings MP could well have been different if Labour’s new leader Jeremy Corbyn had been fighting the General Election to become Prime Minister.

That is the opinion of Matthew Mahabadi, who stood for Labour in May in the bid to topple Conservative MP John Hayes from his seat.

Mr Mahabadi described Mr Corbyn as straight-talking and honest, but admitted he had been his fourth choice after Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Liz Kendall.

He said: “Despite my concern about his wavering on the EU, I believe Jeremy is a straight-talking, honest and principled guy and I do think his ideas will resonate well with a huge section of the electorate seeking authenticity in politics and sick of Tory spin.

“For the people of South Holland, his decisive anti-austerity message would make a real difference to the lives of those hard-up working families who cannot make ends meet whilst the poverty-denier Austerity Chancellor has been running down public services.

“As an MP candidate, I think Jeremy would have made a hell of a difference. I cannot give a comparison on a policy by policy basis as you might as well compare apples and pears, but I can say that from a personality perspective I think Jeremy would have resonated 100 times better with voters, for he comes across strongly as an authentic, unspun and impassioned individual.

“Specifically in terms of charisma, charm and audacity, I feel he could very well be Labour’s own Farage.”

However, some readers are not so convinced. Nigel Campbell said: “Simple fact: tax the rich too much and you lose tax revenue as they can afford to leave for a country with lower taxes. Some of his ideas are good, but unworkable. I think the country is too far gone for anything to work.”

A smoker in Bourne has been handed a £75 fine for dropping a cigarette end on South Street.

South Kesteven District Council said the fine – issued on September 3 – will serve as “warning to those who flout the rules” on dropping litter in the streets.

The council’s executive manager for environment, Ian Yates, said: “If you smoke please remember cigarette stubs are not biodegradable so need to be disposed of appropriately.

“Remember if you drop an item, we all have to pay for someone else to pick it up.

“The vast majority of smokers always dispose of the cigarette ends correctly, stubbing them out and placing them in our bins.

“Our teams monitor and patrol public areas across the district and educate residents and visitors on the problems litter creates.

“This fine is the warning though to those who flout the rules that sometimes enforcement is the only option.”

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