Offers for places at secondary schools were sent out to parents by Lincolnshire County Council on Tuesday. Of the 7,660 offers made to secondary schools, 92 per cent of children have received their first preference school (7,029 pupils).

The figure for second preference offers is six per cent (459), while third preference offers is 0.8 per cent (58). A total of 114 children will be offered a local school that isn’t one of their preferences.

All those children who haven’t got their preferred school will be offered a place at another school so there will be no-one without an offer.

Because of appeals and movement on the reserve list, it is normal for the percentage of first preferences to increase by the time children start in September.

Parents have until the end of March to lodge an appeal if they are unhappy with the offered school. If they return the appeal form by the deadline it will be heard before the end of term. If it is received late it will still be heard but this may be in the last week of term or even in September.

For admissions into schools in September 2015 there are 53 secondary schools in Lincolnshire, including 51 which are their own admissions authority and determine their own admissions policy. The other two have the local authority admissions policy.

Counc Patricia Bradwell, executive councillor for children’s services, said: “Yet again, it’s good to see so many children getting their first school of preference and this should be even better by September.

“It is always our intention to support as many parents as possible with their choice of school. There are many stories about how stressful the admissions process can be but every year the overwhelming majority of parents have no problems in gaining admission (for their children) to the school of their choice.”

For further details about school admissions go to: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions

Jordan Philpott retained the Spalding Junior Open singles bowls title, collecting £350 in prize money and the trophy.

The tournament, sponsored by Stonehaven Care Home, was played at the Castle Sports Complex on Saturday.

With 24 of some of the best young players in the country in action, a round-robin format of premier three style matches determined final group standings with the top two in each group qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The open draw for the semi-finals saw Tom Hall pitched against Kieran Crane and an all-Spalding tie with Philpott playing Chelsea Tomlin.

Both were hard-fought matches but Philpott and Hall won in straight sets.

With the title up for grabs, a nip and tuck match was again settled in straight sets.

Spalding’s ladies lost to a strong York team in the quarter-final of the National Club Knockout competition at Newark.

Spalding beat Lincolnshire Vice Presidents 138-74 in a friendly, winning on four rinks and drawing on the other two.

Spalding also won by 13 shots at Skegness (114-101).

Spalding’s ladies county team lost 100-96 at Skegness, taking four of the 12 match points on offer.

A total of 72 bowlers from Spalding took part in a tournament which raised £550 for the British Heart Foundation.

The runners-up team of Emily Day, Jenny Horner and Derek Hammond shared prize money of £60.

The honours on the day went to the team of Lynne Smith, June Taylor and Keith Wood who shared £120.

Nene Valley Harriers athletes performed well at the English Cross Country Championships on a course between East Midlands Airport and Donington Park motor racing circuit.

Pride of place went to the under-20 men who all ran well, taking fifth place in the team stakes.

James McCrae led the charge, covering the twisty and hilly 10k circuit in 39:11, which earned him 27th place.

Alex Hampson finished one minute behind in 40th. As a 17-year-old he is in his first of three years competing in the age group.

Jevan Robertson, Nathan Tweedie and Bradley Spurden supplied fine support in 87th, 89th and 97th respectively.

Flo Brill continued her hugely successful season, coming home 21st in the under-13 girls race for the highest individual placing of the day for the club.

The success of the senior ladies has been a highlight of the cross country season for the Harriers and the ever-reliable Cat Foley-Wray and Grace Mullins ran superbly.

Foley-Wray finished 32nd, with a 32:57 clocking on the 8km course, while Mullins battled her way through the mud for 59th.

The team finished in a highly creditable 16th place out of the 84 clubs with Ruth Jones and Nicky Morgan also claiming top 200 finishes in a field of over 700.

Megan Ellison ran strongly with 67th place in the under-17 girls race, despite being among the youngest runners in the race.

Oliver Bowling placed highest in the boys under-17 age group while Josephine Fortune and Amber Park came home just outside the top 200 for the under-15 girls.

Sam Oakley squeezed into the top 100 as the 99th under-13 boy.

Nene Valley did not have any senior men capable of mounting a challenge towards the front of the field and were led home by Mike Chapman in 577th position.

Under-13 Boys

99 Sam Oakley

187 Matthew Church

211 Sam Garner

261 Owen Wilkinson

373 Josh Goodwin

Under-15 Boys

206 Ethan Ellison

236 Codi-Leigh Middleton

240 Mapesho Mutukuma

274 Oliver Oakley

352 Daniel Lawrence

Under-17 Boys

78 Oliver Bowling

124 Austin Herbert

156 Bradley Allan

Junior Men

27 James McCrae

46 Alex Hampson

87 Jevan Robertson

89 Nathan Tweedie

97 Bradley Spurdens

Senior and Veteran Men

577 Mike Chapman

888 Olly Slater

925 James Macdonald

930 John Nash

1005 Sean Beard

1286 Paul Parkin

Under-13 Girls

21 Flo Brill

252 Hannah Knight

320 Katie Tasker

341 Millie Weller

420 Alicia Gawboaski

439 Megan Williams

Under-15 Girls

108 Josephine Fortune

113 Amber Park

157 Ellie Piccaver

Under-17 Girls

67 Megan Ellison

172 Olivia Ozkan

185 Alice Calcutt

195 Bethany Goymour

206 Imogen Woodard

219 Jasmine Oldfield

Senior and Veteran Women

32 Cat Foley-Wray

59 Grace Mullins

176 Ruth Jones

184 Nicky Morgan

Long Sutton men’s first team held out for three important points and a first clean sheet since November 2014 in the must-win game at home to Felixstowe.

Ben Shore and Danny Sisson were on target in each half.

They started brightly, moving the ball well with Sisson, Joshua Fyson and Shore all having chances saved.

The breakthrough came when Jimmy Harrison protected the ball well and moved it wide to Ashley Taylor on the right.

He slapped it forward to Sisson who deflected on his reverse that completely wrong-footed the defence and goalkeeper, allowing Shore to slot home into the empty net.

Sutton continued to press and Felixstowe only really came forward on the counter-attack.

Sutton had the early moments in the second half but Felixstowe grew into the game and started to get forward more.

Solid defence from Tom Baguley, Stefan Fox and Taylor kept the away side at bay.

Sutton didn’t seem to be able to hold onto the ball in the final third and a breakaway for the away side ended with the ball in the net.

However the initial shot saved by Steve Kirkham hit the attacker’s foot on its way out. The umpires conferred and the goal was rightly ruled out.

Short corners followed but Kirkham and a brilliant goalline stop from Fyson kept them out.

Into the final 10 minutes Sutton won a short corner, Harrison played the ball short, Taylor hit it across the goal and Sisson rushing in at the back post neatly deflected home to make it 2-0.

Meanwhile, Spalding ladies first team travelled to promotion-chasing Norwich City with their hopes of Division One hockey for next year hanging by a thread.

Another defeat dashed those survival dreams and they will drop to Division Two for next season.

The men’s first team put in a much-improved display against Waltham Forest but also lost 3-1.

Spalding knew it was going to be tough against a team that play with 11 men in their own half.

While Spalding enjoyed possession, they struggled to create any scoring chances as Waltham crowded the D.

Waltham took the lead just before half-time as they broke on the counter-attack.

Early in the second half Waltham went 2-0 up thanks to a short corner.

Spalding worked hard and continued to cause Waltham problems but they couldn’t get anything away around the D.

Eventually they got a goal back with Joe Higgins pushing the ball into an empty net.

However, Waltham killed the game off again by catching Spalding on the counter to make it 3-1.

RESULTS

SATURDAY

Men’s Premier B: Long Sutton 2 Felixstowe 0, Harleston Magpies 2nd 1 Cambridge Uni 2nd 1, Wisbech Town 3 I-ES 2, Norwich City 2 CoP 2nd 2, Spalding 1 Waltham Forest 3, Saffron Walden 2 Letchworth 3.

Men’s Division One: CoP 3rd 3 Cambridge City 3rd 2, Bourne Deeping 5 East London 4, March Town 0 Chelmsford 2nd 8, Pelicans 1 Old Southendian 3, West Herts 2nd 4 Wapping 2nd 1, Bishop’s Stortford 6 Ford 2.

Men’s Division Three North West: CoP 5th 2 St Neots 4, Horncastle 1 Cambridge South 4, Ely City 3 St Ives 2nd 0, Louth 6 Long Sutton 2nd 2, Cambridge City Vets 3 Bourne Deeping 2nd 0, Cambridge Uni 3rd 8 Wisbech Town 2nd 0.

Men’s Division Four North West: CoP 7th 0 Cambridge City 5th 5, Bourne Deeping 3rd 6 St Ives 3rd 2, Wisbech Town 3rd 0 Spalding 3rd 8, Spalding 2nd 3 CoP 6th 0, Leadenham 6 Cambridge Nomads 2nd 1, Cambridge South 2nd 3 Ely City 2nd 0.

Men’s Division Five North West: Long Sutton 3rd 3 Cambridge City 6th 1, Bourne Deeping 5th 1 Cambridge South 3rd 3, March Town 2nd 8 St Ives 4th 3, Spalding 4th 0 Alford & District 2, St Neots 2nd 3 Bourne Deeping 4th 2, Cambridge South 4th 5 Wisbech Town 4th 0.

Men’s Division Six North West (N): Alford & District 2nd 0 Horncastle 2nd 10, Bourne Deeping 6th 4 Grantham 4, Leadenham 2nd 7 Spalding 5th 0, Long Sutton 4th 8 Louth 2nd 2.

Women’s Division One North: Norwich City 3 Spalding 1, CoP 4 Saffron Walden 1, Bedford 2nd 2 Blueharts 1, Norwich Dragons 2nd 6 Letchworth 3, Wisbech Town 6 Royston 2, Cambridge City 2nd 2 Lindum 2.

Women’s Division Two North West: Alford & District 5 Wisbech Town 2nd 2, Cambridge Nomads 3 Cambridge City 3rd 3, Lindum 2nd 3 Pelicans 3, St Ives 2 Long Sutton 1, Newmarket 1 CoP 2nd 1, Cambridge Uni 2nd 5 St Neots 1.

Women’s Division Three North West: St Ives 2nd 2 Bourne Deeping 2, Cambridge South 12 Newmarket 2nd 0, Spalding 2nd 1 CoP 3rd 1, March Town 2 Spalding 3rd 0, Huntingdon 1 Haverhill 3, Leadenham 0 Cambridge Uni 3rd 0.

Women’s Division Four North West (North): Louth 2nd 0 Bourne Deeping 2nd 1, Alford & District 2nd 0 CoP 4th 0, Skegness 0 Horncastle 5, Spilsby 0 Long Sutton 2nd 2, Wisbech Town 3rd 4 Woodhall Spa 1.

FIXTURES

SATURDAY

Men’s Premier B: Cambridge Uni 2nd v Wisbech Town, Felixstowe v Harleston Magpies 2nd, Waltham Forest v Long Sutton, I-ES v Norwich City, CoP 2nd v Saffron Walden, Letchworth v Spalding.

Men’s Division One: East London v March Town, Cambridge City 3rd v Bourne Deeping, Wapping 2nd v CoP 3rd, Chelmsford 2nd v Pelicans, Old Southendian v Bishop’s Stortford, Ford v West Herts 2nd.

Men’s Division Three North West: Cambridge South v Ely City, St Neots v Horncastle, Bourne Deeping 2nd v CoP 5th, St Ives 2nd v Louth, Long Sutton 2nd v Cambridge Uni 3rd, Wisbech Town 2nd v Cambridge City Vets.

Men’s Division Four North West: St Ives 3rd v Wisbech Town 3rd, Cambridge City 5th v Bourne Deeping 3rd, Cambridge Nomads 2nd v CoP 7th, Spalding 3rd v Spalding 2nd, CoP 6th v Cambridge South 2nd, Ely City 2nd v Leadenham.

Men’s Division Five North West: Cambridge South 3rd v March Town 2nd, Cambridge City 6th v Bourne Deeping 5th, Bourne Deeping 4th v Long Sutton 3rd, St Ives 4th v Spalding 4th, Alford & District v Cambridge South 4th, Wisbech Town 4th v St Neots 2nd.

Men’s Division Six North West (N): Bourne Deeping 6th v Alford & District 2nd, Grantham v Leadenham 2nd, Horncastle 2nd v Louth 2nd, Spalding 5th v Long Sutton 4th.

Women’s Division One North: Saffron Walden v Bedford 2nd, Spalding v CoP, Royston v Norwich City, Blueharts v Norwich Dragons 2nd, Letchworth v Cambridge City 2nd, Lindum v Wisbech Town.

Women’s Division Two North West: Cambridge City 3rd v Lindum 2nd, Wisbech Town 2nd v Cambridge Nomads, CoP 2nd v Alford & District, Pelicans v St Ives, Long Sutton v Cambridge Uni 2nd, St Neots v Newmarket.

Women’s Division Three North West: Newmarket 2nd v Bourne Deeping, CoP 3rd v St Ives 2nd, Spalding 3rd v Spalding 2nd, Haverhill v Ely City, Cambridge Uni 3rd v March Town, Leadenham v Huntingdon.

Women’s Division Four North West (North): Bourne Deeping 2nd v Alford & District 2nd, Woodhall Spa v Louth 2nd, CoP 4th v Skegness, Horncastle v Spilsby, Long Sutton 2nd v Wisbech Town 3rd.

SUNDAY

Men’s Premier B: Saffron Walden v Wisbech Town, Waltham Forest v Felixstowe.

Cowbit-based Marc Kemp has returned from Sicily after representing Team Malta in the first round of Time Attack Sicily at Racalmuto circuit.

When the opportunity arose for him to compete in his 2013 championship-winning 800bhp Mitsubishi Evo that he sold in 2014, Kemp was very keen to get behind the wheel again.

A big challenge was to get familiar with a circuit he had never seen before and to get used to driving the car again.

The Time Attack events work on fastest lap times rather than door-to-door racing.

Kemp had four practice laps to get familiar with the car and track before the competitive times started with four sessions available to set the fastest time.

He headed out in session one with the car set in its lowest power setting of 600bhp to get a lap time in the bank.

The car suffered with power steering failure but Kemp wrestled at the steering wheel to continue, only to struggle to find a clear space, being held up with slower cars.

When finally there was a space to get a clear lap the engine’s oil temperature was too high so the lap was aborted and he returned to the pits to cool down.

Despite the troubled laps Kemp had set the fastest time overall of over 70 entries and was 10 seconds faster than the second-placed car in his class.

It wasn’t all good news, though, as the Maltese team running the car discovered that the engine had suffered internal damage and made the decision not to run in the next three sessions.

Kemp was left frustrated knowing he could go much faster and he had his sights on a new outright lap record. The time was not beaten and he took the Open Racing class win and the overall victory.

Young pupils at The Peele Community College in Long Sutton had a lesson in wildlife – from one of their peers.

As part of a Read Write Inc lesson, and during the Keeping a Pet module, Year 7 student Ellie-May Willmott brought in her stick insects called Summer and Skye.

She talked to the class about her insects, which Ellie-May said were Indian stick insects.

She explained there are over 2,500 different species of stick insects and they live for approximately a year. Ellie-May told the students that one female can lay an amazing 100 eggs in their life-time. The stick insects grow to a maximum of four inches long.

The students were allowed to hold the stick insects. Pictured are Ellie-May giving her talk and Lee Baker holding a stick insect.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust has appointed a new chairman to its Board.

Dean Fathers is an experienced chair and non-executive director in the NHS and private sector. He and his family have lived in Lincolnshire for eight years. The trust runs Grantham, Lincoln and Boston hospitals.

He is currently chair of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and will continue in his role there. He will replace Ron Buchanan, who is retiring at the end of February after two years at the Trust. Dean will start his two year term on March 5.

Mr Fathers said: “I am delighted to be appointed to the role of chair at ULHT. With the recent appointment of Jan Sobieraj as CEO it is an exciting time to take on the chair. I look forward to working with staff, partners, patients and carers to make a positive difference to the quality of care and the health of the lives of people in Lincolnshire”.

Mr Sobieraj, CEO of ULHT said: “I am delighted Dean will be joining the Trust as our chair. He’s an experienced chair in the NHS and in the private sector and will be an asset for the Trust. I look forward to working closely with him in helping to transform the Trust”.

Mr Sobieraj paid tribute to Mr Buchanan. He said: “Although I haven’t worked with him for long, I would like to thank Ron for his excellent leadership at ULHT, particularly during challenging times when he helped to steer the Trust out of special measures. I wish him well for the future.”

Mr Fathers is an honorary professor in the practice of healthcare management at Cass Business School, a visiting professor at Leeds Business School’s centre for governance, and a professional fellow with the Institute of Mental Health. He also holds the posts of chair of the steering group of the National Longitudinal Review of Schwartz Round Centres at King’s College London, is a member of Ed Smith’s Chairs Advisory Group at NHS Improvement and is a member of the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard Advisory group.

Mr fathers has previously been chair of Doncaster Health Authority (1999 to 2002), a non-executive director of the South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority (2002 to 2006), chair of NHS Bassetlaw (2006 to 2010) and has been the chair of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust since 2011.

He will receive a remuneration of £40,000 per annum and has no declared political activity in the last five years.

Enjoy arts and crafts from Thursday during the 16th South Holland Open Arts exhibition in Spalding.

The popular annual event takes place in the Function Hall at South Holland Centre from Thursday, March 3 to Thursday, March 10.

On Friday, there is also a small arts and crafts market in Spalding Market Place (11am to 3pm) where a couple of artists will be giving demonstrations, there will be art work and cards on display as well as a busker to entertain and a paella stall.

Entry to the Open Arts exhibition is free. Times are: Thursday 2-6pm, Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-7.30pm, Sunday closed, Monday 10am-4pm, Tuesday 10am-3.30pm, Wednesday 10am-7.30pm, next Thursday 10am-4.30pm.

People have two opportunities to meet the Market Deeping police team at surgeries in Deeping St James tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday.

The first surgery takes place at Purdies Cafe, Manor Way, Deeping St James from 10am.

Then the police will be with Coun Andrew Bowell at a surgery inside Deepings Community Library from 10am.

A spate of power tool thefts have taken place from three different Ford Transit vans in Bourne.

The most recent theft was from a van parked in Chepstow Drive overnight between Sunday and Monday.

It followed a van break-in outside a house in Coleridge Place overnight between Saturday and Sunday, as well as a break-in in Eastgate between just after midnight and 11am on Sunday.

Anyone with information should call 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Roger Rout is on the committee of Spalding Homing Society and his wife Eileen was secretary for many years.

The club is part of the Central Federation and at one time was dominant in competitions, when it was known as the ‘Golden Mile’.

These days there are two clubs that meet at Spalding’s football field, the Tulips and Spalding Homing Society, as well as one at Moulton and one at Swineshead.

Roger says of the hobby: “If they have just won a race you feel over the top. You can’t get personal favourites because you always lose them but you always feel an emotional attachment. They fly all over and will sit on Eileen’s head.

“I get tremendous pleasure from them. When you see this little bundle fold its wings up after 15 hours on the wing you get a little buzz. Every one of them are our children in some way.”

Roger encourages anyone interested in keeping pigeons to come along to a meeting at the football club on either a Friday or Saturday night (6.30-9pm) from April to September.

He says: “They would be made most welcome and there will always be someone to welcome them and talk to them.”

Roger Rout couldn’t feel more proud of his brood if they were his own children winning medals.

He understands that bringing up a champion is about giving them the right food, creating the right atmosphere and a safe environment.

There is also the matter of sex, a useful motivator when it comes to pigeon racing.

Roger and his wife Eileen keep dozens of pigeons in lofts in their garden at Windsor Drive in Spalding, and have enjoyed successes over the years.

However, Roger is concerned that fewer people are now coming into what was once a very popular pastime.

He puts this down to the trend towards smaller gardens, the cost of equipment as well as the time-consuming nature of the hobby.

Roger and Eileen’s day begins at 5.30am in the summer when the pigeons known as Widowhoods are released to fly for around an hour before coming back to the loft to feed.

Widowhoods are, simply put, birds separated from their partners to encourage them to fly home to them.

The cocks are “shown the ladies” and, just as they are starting to coo and cuddle, the lovers are parted and the males are placed in a basket and sent off in lorries for the race. Their motivation to fly home to the loft is that their mate is waiting there for them.

Then there are the distance birds who are paired up and allowed to rear babies – their motivation is to fly home to the babies.

They might be flying more than 500 miles at a time, from the Shetland Isles back to Spalding,or 700 miles if they have been transported to say Germany.

Roger says: “They are like a racing car. You have to put the right amount of fuel in for the journey, you have to study the weather and get your facts right. It’s a love of home that brings them back, that’s the only thing it can be.”

Looking after the birds means creating that love of home with healthy food, a good partner, making sure there are no disturbances, such as cats, and generally creating a safe environment.

In fact, Roger says the birds “live a life of luxury”, with temperature controlled transportation to liberation sites, as well as food and water for the journey there.

The conditions of their flight path home have to be carefully checked to make sure they have 99 per cent perfect weather for the journey, as heavy rain can force them down until they are dry enough to continue their flight.

Roger says: “We are getting more birds of prey and when pigeons get home shot there is only one thing you can do, destroy them. After the guts and determination they have shown to get home it is heartbreaking.”

Act II Theatre Company is performing Carpe Jugulum at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum in Spalding from Wednesday to Saturday, March 9-12 (7.30pm).

Tickets are £9.50 or £8 concessions.

Spalding Photographic Society is holding its annual exhibition of prints in The Geest Room at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum, Spalding.

The exhibition runs from from Thursday to March 28 (Wednesday to Sunday 10.30am to 4pm).

A mum has kept her daughters off school for two days to save them being detained in “isolation” because their footwear breaks uniform rules at Peele Community College.

Michelle Blaxill (41) says her elder daughter Lauren (15) has worn the same style of plain black trainers for three years but rules at the Long Sutton school haven’t been enforced until now – and Lauren leaves in two months.

On Monday Lauren and younger sister Jessica (12), who has similar footwear, were among 54 pupils kept in isolation, away from normal lessons.

Acting head Elizabeth Smith says the school is raising standards of pupils’ dress by enforcing existing rules and, after Easter, it will issue more than 500 pupils with free, smart new school blazers and ties.

She says many parents are supporting the college’s drive to raise standards of dress and thanked them for doing so.

Mrs Blaxill said her daughters were deprived of their usual lessons on Monday and she kept them home on Tuesday and yesterday (Wednesday) on condition that they study their normal subjects.

The mum accepts the uniform code says pupils must wear black leather shoes, but believes if the school wanted to enforce that rule it should have been made clear last September – when most parents kit out their children – and not in December when the first letter was sent out to parents.

She said: “Lauren wears plain black trainers, which is not part of the uniform, but here’s my thing – it’s never been a problem for the last three years.”

The mum claims her daughters “didn’t have an education” while in isolation.

She says Lauren, who has GCSE exams coming up this year, was given a book and told to pick something out of it to study while Jessica was given a passage to copy that she had already copied before.

Mrs Blaxill claims she left three messages for Miss Smith on her answer phone, but is still waiting to hear from the head.

She said: “If no one is going to speak to me, I am not happy to send my girls to school to sit in isolation all day.”

The mum estimates it will cost about £45 each to kit out her girls with black leather shoes.

Mrs Blaxill has now raised the issue with South Holland and The Deepings MP John Hayes.

Miss Smith told the Spalding Guardian she is willing to talk to the Blaxills about uniform issues, and has already spoken to parents, but no messages from Mrs Blaxill had come directly to her.

She said: “I will investigate that. There have been no messages on my personal voicemail.”

Miss Smith said she had met several parents this week, resolving issues to do with shoes, including one where cost was a problem.

She said there were 54 pupils in isolation on Monday, but that fell to around 30 on Tuesday and to ten yesterday.

Miss Smith said: “The numbers will be significantly less on Monday.”

She told us: “Since taking up the position of acting head teacher, my drive and determination has been entirely about raising standards at the Peele Community College.

“The Ofsted report commented that standards are rising, but improvements are still needed and this also includes standards of school uniform – all of which is interwoven with the raising of aspiration and instilling a sense of ambition within our students.

“I wrote to all parents and carers in December 2015 to remind them of the high standards I expect of our students in regard to our current school uniform.

“This was followed by a subsequent letter in January where I made it clear that far from being a new policy, this has been in existence since the commitment was made for their child/children to join the college. I was seeking their support in what we as a college are trying to achieve. I am glad to report that the vast majority of parents support this ambition.”

A regular column from Flowers N Things, of Red Lion Street, Spalding.

Bring a touch of spring into your home with this simple but eye catching display.

It is very easy to achieve with just a bunch of tulips and a glass globe vase.

We used pussy willow stems, but any small lengths of willow or flexible twigs from the garden would work equally well.

If there’s nothing suitable in your garden, take some small secateurs with you on a spring walk at the weekend and see what you can come up with.

How to do it: Put a couple of inches of water into your globe vase.

Curl the twigs or pussy willow inside the vase ensuring the end of the stems reach the water.

Cut the tulips (they will grow in length in the vase), making sure again that they reach the water.

Display and enjoy! Add a little fresh water each day.

Reports of fraud are being investigated by the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society.

One person who contacted the Peterborough Telegraph said some customers at the Market Deeping branch had seen their accounts emptied.

A spokeswoman for the building society said: “We continue to investigate reports of fraudulent activity on some customer accounts over the weekend and are proactively contacting those who may have had their card details compromised.

“We have taken additional steps to further improve the security of our cash machines. We would remind customers to be vigilant when using ATMs, to always shield their PIN.”

Customers who notice anything suspicious are asked to call 0345 300 2511 or visit their local branch.

An ex-governor of Sir John Gleed School says £3.5million “prudently saved” by governors for capital projects should be returned for improvements to the school’s buildings.

Education trust CfBT is pulling out of Gleed and on September 1 the Spalding school will switch to South Lincolnshire Academy Trust (SLAT), which runs Bourne Academy.

Former governor Chris Schofield recently welcomed an Ofsted monitoring inspection that saw some improvements at Gleed and asked CfBT to honour its pledge to spend £200,000 from the £3.5m pot on an all-weather pitch.

Now he wants to see all of the money returned by CfBT “to enable the school to carry out the much needed improvements to its infrastructure”.

The trust dismissed the local governors on November 26 after an Ofsted monitoring inspection decided CfBT, leaders and governors were not doing enough to remove the school from serious weaknesses.

Governors were replaced by CfBT’s hand-picked Rapid Improvement Board.

Mr Schofield highlighted a report published a few days ago in the bulletin, Schools Week, that said CfBT was pulling out of three schools, including Gleed, for failing to drive “rapid enough” improvement.

An Ofsted report on CfBT last May said: “CfBT took on too many academies too quickly. The trust did not have a clear rationale for the selection of schools, a strategy for creating geographical clusters or a plan to meet academies’ different needs. As a result, standards are too low.”

Mr Schofied would like members of the Rapid Improvement Board to step down “and let the new academy, SLAT, start work immediately with their support, which SJGS deserves”.

He also wants support to be given to South Holland Post-16 Centre to help it recruit students for September.

Previously ...

Spalding’s Sir John Gleed School turns corner on road to recovery

Governors are axed from Spalding’s Gleed school

Spalding’s Sir John Gleed drama goes to DfE

Trust switch brings good news for Spalding’s Gleed School

New trust will bring big ambitions to Spalding’s Gleed School – MP

The final of the Peterborough League’s President Premier Shield promises to be a spicy South Holland derby.

Moulton Harrox and Pinchbeck United won their semi-finals comfortably and will meet in the end-of-season showpiece at Stamford’s Zeeco Stadium on Friday, May 13.

Moulton looked to have the tougher last-four tie but the unbeaten Premier Division leaders controlled the game from start to finish against Netherton United.

They are the only team to take a point from Moulton in the league this season but Netherton fell behind early to an Ollie Maltby goal and Joe Townsend doubled the lead before the break.

Substitute Ben Allen made it 3-0 in the second half and that’s how it finished.

A blistering first-half display saw Pinchbeck through in their semi-final at AFC Stanground.

They scored four times through Ian Dunn, Tony Edwards, Ashley Murrell and Bradley Murrell to ease into the final.

Bradley Murrell scored with a spectacular free-kick.

Meanwhile, Whittlesey Athletic took advantage of Moulton’s cup commitments to join them on 52 points at the top of the Premier Division table.

Holbeach United Reserves lost 1-0 at Peterborough ICA Sports.

Anthony Graves, Connor Pilbeam, Tom Palmer and Daniel Woods scored in Deeping Rangers Reserves’ 4-2 home win over Sawtry.

Joe Dobson, Jobi Froud and Daniel Morris were the men on target in Langtoft United’s predictable 3-0 win over injury-hit Stilton United.

Vikings manager Ryan Hunnings said: “It was a much better performance – we got back to the levels I know we’re capable of.

“Our defence were brilliant, they gave us a great platform to play from.

“Everyone raised their game, I couldn’t fault anyone.

“It was a great squad performance as our subs also contributed when they came on.

“Although saying that I also feel Morris deserves a special mention. He was on another level, he dominated the game and everything came through him.”

Crowland Town made it three wins out of four with a 1-0 victory at bottom club Riverside. James Ellwood got the second-half winner.

Lincolnshire County Council is changing how it manages street lighting to deliver annual savings of £1.7million, including cutting the number of lights and night-time switch offs.

The savings will contribute towards the £41m the authority needs to find for 2016/17 and will be achieved through several techniques:

* 17,000 of the county’s 68,000 lights will be swapped for low-energy LED ones which can be dimmed.

* ‘Part-night’ lighting is being introduced, mainly in residential areas, where lights will turn on at dusk and, in many cases, remain on until midnight. Lights will then be switched off until morning. This will affect 38,000 street lights

* Up to 3,000 street lights, away from built up areas, have been identified for possible switch off, subject to further assessments

The council is responsible for 83% of street lights in the county, including those in town centres, residential areas and on roads.

The others are mainly footway lighting and belong to local councils including districts and parishes. There will be no changes to street lighting at some locations, including those where:

* There are road safety features such as zebra crossings or speed humps

* There is a significant record of night-time crime

* There is sheltered housing, warden-controlled accommodation or a care home

Coun Richard Davies, Executive Member for Highways, said: “We have to reduce our annual spending by £170m over the next four years which means we cannot provide services at the level we have been doing.

“It currently costs £5million a year to maintain and run our street lights, so this is a sensible way for us to reducing our spending and it’s also good for the environment.

“Our carbon footprint will be reduced by over 6,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, which is a third of our five year target. There will also be less light pollution.

“We already install low-energy lights that can be dimmed where we can, and when existing ones come to the end of their lifespan we consider if they are even still needed – so this project is nothing new, we are just accelerating the savings that can be made. Local authorities in North Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Norfolk have also introduced similar initiatives.

“However, public safety remains our overriding concern, and we’re working with the emergency services to make sure communities continue to benefit from a safe highway network.

“At every location, we’ve given careful consideration to the effects of dimming or switching off lights before taking a decision. In some places, we found that changes wouldn’t be appropriate, so we are keeping things as they are.”

Engineers will be making these changes between April 2016 and March 2017.