Three men have been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries and a woman and man taken by ambulance following a “horrific” crash on the A17.

The crash took place at 11.58am today, Thursday May 19, on the A17 Swineshead Bridge.

It involved a lorry and four army trucks. Each of the drivers has been injured.

Three men have been airlifted to hospital - two to the Queen’s Medical Centre, in Nottingham, and one to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge.

A woman has been taken to Queen’s Medical Centre by land ambulance. A fourth man is being treated in Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital.

The three men airlifted to hospital are understood to have received serious injuries.

The military vehicles were being transported by civilians not military personnel.

The road remains closed.

RELATED:

A17 shut after several people injured in serious crash involving army trucks

VIDEO: Five injured as five HGVs involved in “huge collision” on A17

TRISH TAKES FIVE: By Trish Burgess

You’ll be pleased to know the occasional series “Places to visit within an hour of Holbeach” continues with a trip to the Norfolk coast. Unfortunately it took a good ten minutes to get out of Holbeach itself plus we endured the usual hideous traffic as everyone merged onto the A149 at King’s Lynn. We therefore reached Holkham Hall 15 minutes outside our target range but it was a very sunny Saturday so it was inevitable we wouldn’t be the only day-trippers on the road.

Home to the 8th Earl of Leicester - who I imagine was doing victory laps of the Marble Hall on account of their impressive Premiership title win - Holkham Hall is a member of the Treasure Houses of England, with its fine architecture, art and classical statues.

The hall itself isn’t open on Saturdays but if you plan to just explore the grounds, like we did, it is the perfect day to visit as it wasn’t at all crowded.

I will probably be taken to the Tower for saying this but the outside of this 18th century home looks better from a distance. At close quarters I thought it looked a little functional, belying the exquisite treasures within. However if you walk a little way towards the obelisk on the south lawn, then turn round, it looks far more beautiful.

The brochure we were given when we parked had a useful hand-drawn map showing where the hall is located in relation to the beach and Holkham Village. It’s not to scale, however, so doesn’t quite give you the sense of how extensive the grounds really are.

There are walking trails available but we only found them as a downloadable document from the website...when we got home. Sensible people do this research before they go or manage to spot the trails marked on signs by the paths.

If you haven’t visited Holkham Hall for a while, you won’t know about their brand new cafe and gift shop. We tested these facilities, just as we did at Burghley House and Oxburgh Hall, as I feel it is my duty to let you know if the chocolate brownies are up to the mark. They were. The cafe was stylish and the outside courtyard was very continental. They also had state of the art ‘lavatories’ (not toilets) which is always something to shout about.

Having explored much of the grounds, we sauntered down to the village, crossed the road then followed the path to the beach which is where we discovered everyone else in their cars had ended up. Even so, there was enough Norfolk sand for everyone and, in the late afternoon sunshine, it really was idyllic.

On our return walk through the grounds we passed a herd of deer; not penned in, just contentedly sharing the same space as the visitors. Before heading home we sat for a while watching a thoroughly English game of cricket which was in progress on the north lawn, beside the lake. It set the seal on a rather splendid day out.

You can follow Trish on Twitter @mumsgoneto and read her blog at www.mumsgoneto.co.uk

A Spalding woman caught a burglar red-handed after she spotted him going through the back door with her purse on Wednesday.

It happened at a house off London Road just after 1pm on Wednesday when the woman challenged the would-be burglary who gave the purse back.

The incident has led police to warn people not to leave their back doors and windows open when answering the front door, thereby avoiding a possible distraction burglary by someone getting inside the house through the back door.

Police also advise people to keep an eye out for neighbours and report any suspicious activity.

Anyone with information on the distraction burglary should call 101, quoting incident number 177 of May 18.

Spalding’s Andy Molsom won rounds three and four of the Caterham Graduates Racing Club at Snetterton.

The qualifying session was a mixed class affair with faster and slower cars.

Despite Molsom feeling he had a little more pace, he qualified on pole position for both races.

The first race saw Molsom make a good start and he soon started to pull away from the rest of the pack.

It was a mixed class race with the MegaGraduate cars starting 20 seconds earlier but by the start of the second lap, Molsom was starting to catch them.

By lap three, after being held up mid-corner by a Mega 
Graduate car, Ed Benson in second place caught Molsom.

A battle through to the end of the race saw Molsom and Benson swapping places 
numerous times every lap.

But Molsom was victorious at the chequered flag by just 13 thousandths of a second.

The second race was more closely fought from the off, a good start followed by a 20-minute battle between Benson and Molsom, sometimes changing places every corner.

At the chequered flag, again Molsom got there first – beating Benson by a tenth of a second. This time Molsom also secured the fastest lap of the race.

He said: “Snetterton is a great circuit and to come away with two poles and two wins is a perfect weekend.

“The car was flawless and handles really well – massive thanks go to Rockey Racing 
for their car preparation.

“It was brilliant to 
consolidate a great weekend at Silverstone by a perfect 
weekend at Snetterton. I am really looking forward to the next meeting at Rockingham.”

Molsom leaves Snetterton with an increased lead in the championship.

The next meeting is at Rockingham near Corby on the Bank Holiday weekend.

Your guide to all the games

SATURDAY

READERS LINCOLNSHIRE ECB PREMIER LEAGUE (noon)

Grimsby v Bourne, Lindum v Boston, Nettleham v Market Deeping, Skegness v Grantham, Sleaford v Bracebridge Heath, Woodhall Spa v Louth.

SOUTH LINCS & BORDER LEAGUE (1.30pm)

Premier Division: Belton Park v Sleaford 2nd, Boston 2nd v Stamford, Bourne 2nd v Billingborough, Grantham 2nd v Spalding, Long Sutton v Woodhall Spa 2nd.

Division One: Billingborough 2nd v Spalding 2nd, Heckington v Timberlands, Moulton Harrox v Skegness 2nd, Welby Cavaliers v Freiston L&L.

Division Two: Boston 3rd v Belton Park 2nd, Grantham 4th v Claypole, Graves Park v Burgh & District, Pinchbeck v Spalding 3rd.

League Cup Division C: Baston v Long Sutton 2nd.


SUNDAY

RUTLAND LEAGUE

Division One (1.30pm): Barnack v Bourne, Peterborough v Stamford, Ufford Park v Nassington, Wisbech v Oundle.

Division Two (1.30pm): Castor & Ailsworth v Grantham, Kings Keys v Ketton, March v Newborough, Oakham v Uffington, Whittlesey v Medbourne.

Division Three (1.30pm): East Carlton v Bretton, Kettering v Burghley Park, Weldon v S&L Corby, Werrington v Wisbech 2nd.

Division Four (1.30pm): Isham v Orton Park, Loddington & Mawsley v Thrapston, Nassington 2nd v Kimbolton, Ramsey v Easton-On-The-Hill.

Division Five (1.30pm): Alconbury v Peterborough 2nd, Benefield v Laxton Park, Market Deeping 2nd v Weldon 2nd, Sawtry v Market Overton, Uppingham 2nd v Castor & Ailsworth 2nd.

Division Six (1.30pm): Long Sutton 2nd v Newborough 2nd, Moulton Harrox v Ufford Park 2nd, Orton Park 2nd v Whittlesey 2nd, Spalding v Hampton 2nd, Uffington 2nd v Huntingdon & District.

Your guide to all the games

THURSDAY

PFA SENIOR CUP

Final: Langtoft v Whittlesey (at Peterborough United).

ANCASTER CUP

Final (7.30pm): Bourne Res v Stamford Lions (at Abbey Lawn).

PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT YOUTH LEAGUE

Under-15 Division One (6.30pm): Hampton Blue v Northern Star Blue.


FRIDAY

HINCHINGBROOKE CUP

Final: Peterborough Northern Star v Peterborough Sports (at Yaxley).

CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Veterans Development Division One: Bretton North End v Stamford Belvedere (7.15pm), Glinton & Northborough v Kings Cliffe (7.30pm).


SATURDAY

CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Division Two play-off final (2pm): Spalding Town v Peterborough Polonia (at Yaxley).


SUNDAY

CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Veterans Development Division One (2pm): FC Peterborough v Oakham.

PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT YOUTH LEAGUE

Under-15 Division One: Hampton Blue v Stanground Sports (10.30am), Stamford v Deeping (2pm).

Under-15 Division Two: Kings Cliffe v Werrington (10.30am), Malborne v Pinchbeck (10.30am), Feeder v Ketton (2pm), Wisbech St Mary v Rippingale & Folkingham (2pm).

Under-16 Division One (10.30am): Pinchbeck v Eye, Wisbech St Mary Yellow v Bourne.

Under-18 Division Two (10.30am): Wisbech Town Acorns v Pinchbeck.


TUESDAY

CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT LEAGUE

Veterans Development Division One: Netherton v Cottesmore.

Bourne and the Deepings has followed South Holland in seeing a fall in unemployment greater than the county average.

Between March and April this year, 165 fewer people were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit in South Kesteven compared to the same period in 2015.

There are now 985 people registered as jobless, 14 per cent less than for the same period last year.

This compares with an average 9.1 per cent fall in those registered unemployed across Lincoolnshire over the same period.

Meanwhile, the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claimants in South Kesteven, which includes Bourne and the Deepings went down by 45 between March and April 2015 and 2016, a fall of 17 per cent.

South Holland also saw a 14 per cent fall in the number of registered unemployed over the same period, while Boston had 10 per cent fewer claimants in March and April 2016, compared to 2015.

The A17 remains closed this evening, Thursday May 17, after a serious collision between five HGVs injured five people.

Four military Bedford trucks were driving in convoy when they crashed into each other shortly before 12pm. An articulated lorry travelling behind them also went into the back of the last truck and jack-knifed into the other vehicles.

Rescue crews, including four air ambulances, four fire engines and four police cars, dashed to A17 at Swineshead Bridge near Boston, after reports of the “huge collision.”

Fire crews spent two hours cutting the drivers of the trucks and the HGV out of the wreckage.

Three men have been airlifted to hospital - two to the Queen’s Medical Centre, in Nottingham, and one to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge.

A woman has been taken to Queen’s Medical Centre by land ambulance. A fourth man is being treated in Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital.

The three men airlifted to hospital are understood to have received serious injuries.

The military vehicles were being transported by civilians not military personnel.

RELATED:

A17 shut after several people injured in serious crash involving army trucks

LATEST: Three airlifted to hospital after “horrific” A17 army truck crash

Police say one of two men hurt at The Anchor Inn in the early hours of Friday, May 13 has an injury regarded as serious and they are investigating the case as possible grievous bodily harm.

Three men from the West Yorkshire area have been bailed by police to July 25 following an alleged assault on two men.

Monday, May 16: Three men arrested over an alleged double assault at a pub in Sutton Bridge have been bailed to allow police inquiries to continue.

On Friday police said two men were treated in hospital for injuries sustained in a suspected assault at The Anchor Inn at Sutton Bridge in the early hours of that day.

Both men came from the local area.

Police have not released details of their injuries.

On Friday three men from West Yorkshire were in police custody being interviewed about the incident.

• At lunchtime on Friday residents reported seeing the Bridge Road pub sealed off and a lot of police activity at the scene.

A man remains in a critical condition and a second is described as being in a serious condition following the five HGV collision on the A17 yesterday, Thursday May 19.

Four military Bedford trucks were driving in convoy when they crashed into each other shortly before 12pm near Swineshead. An articulated lorry travelling behind them also went into the back of the last truck and jack-knifed into the other vehicles.

Rescue crews, including four air ambulances, four fire engines and four police cars, dashed to A17 at Swineshead Bridge near Boston, after reports of the “huge collision.”

A 56 year-old man remains critical in Queen’s Medical Centre, in Nottingham, and a 44 year-old man continues to be treated in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for serious injuries. Both men were drivers of the MOD vehicles and are from the South Yorkshire area.

The driver of the articulated lorry, a 23 year-old man, remains in hospital. One of the remaining MOD drivers did not require hospital treatment and the other was treated for less serious injuries.

Fire crews spent two hours cutting the drivers of the trucks and the HGV out of the wreckage.

RELATED:

A17 shut after several people injured in serious crash involving army trucks

LATEST: Three airlifted to hospital after “horrific” A17 army truck crash

VIDEO: Five injured as five HGVs involved in “huge collision” on A17

The following decisions have been made by magistrates at court hearings. In all drink-drive cases the legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine. Addresses of defendants published here are taken from the legal records held by the magistrates’ courts. V/S means victim surcharge.

Boston Magistrates’ Court

April 20

Christopher Baggaley (36), of Bridge Road, Sutton Bridge. Stole 5 adult toothbrushes, 24 miniature toothbrushes and 17 Minion stickers worth £82.21 belonging to W Boyes Ltd (Holbeach). £82.21 compensation, £85 costs. No action taken on breach of conditional discharge.

Kamil Gziut (23), of Thistle Gardens, Spalding. Entered as trespassed with intent to steal (Spalding). Community order with curfew requirement, £60 v/s, £85 costs, no action taken on breach of conditional discharge.

Steven Kilbon (26), of Anfield Road, Long Sutton. Criminal damage (Long Sutton). 12 months conditional discharge, £200 compensation, £15 v/s.

Marc Mossy (55), of Penny Gardens, Kirton. Possession of weapon designed or adapted for discharge of noxious liquid namely two cans of cs/oc pepper spray. 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs, spray to be forfeited and destroyed.

Ricky Henson (31), of Nene Meadows, Sutton Bridge. No insurance (Sutton Bridge). £350 fine, £35 v/s, £85 costs. No separate penalty for driving while disqualified. Disqualified from driving for 6 months.

Matthew Goring (39), of Middlegate Road West, Frampton. Threat to kill (Butterwick). 15 weeks prison sentence suspended for 1 years, drug rehabilitation requirement, restraining order, £80 v/s, £100 costs. Threatened damage to motor vehicle. 10 weeks prison sentence concurrent suspended for 1 years. No separate penalty for failing to surrender to custody. Threats of violence. 15 weeks prison sentence concurrent suspended for 1 year.

April 25

Ashleigh Hubbard (21), of Chestnut Avenue, Spalding. Failed to comply with community order. Order to continue, £200 fine.

Ceri Marks (44), of Aldwych Road, Spalding. Breach of non-molestation order (Pinchbeck). Community order with 50 hours unpaid work, drug rehabilitation requirement, restraining order, £60 v/s, £310 costs. No separate penalty for failed to surrender to custody.

April 27

Karl Davis (42), of Oldham Drive, Pinchbeck. Failed to comply with a rule under the Sexual Offences Act. £20 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Macauley Grimwood (20), of Wignals Gate, Holbeach. Assault (Spalding). Community order with 60 hours unpaid work, rehabilitation activity requirement, £500 compensation, £60 v/s, 385 costs.

Elvijs Sopulis (21), of Queens Road, Spalding. Drink driving (Spalding). £180 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 19 months.

Adam Wilson (31), of Pentland Drive, Greylees, Sleaford. Drink driving (Wigtoft). £120 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 15 months.

Shane Smith (36), of Belchmire Lane, Gosberton. Assault (Gosberton). 2 years conditional discharge, £250 compensation, £15 v/s, £85 costs,

Grantham Magistrates’ Court

April 25

Christopher Collins (22), of Wood View, Bourne. Stole Hewlett Packard laptop worth £115 belonging to Sainsbury’s (Bourne). £75 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Paul Knight (38), of Townsgate East, Market Deeping. Assault (Bourne). £85 find, £100 compensation, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Jacqueline Lawson (47), of Dovecote Estate, Rippingale. Drink driving (Dunsby). £120 fine, £20m v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court

April 22

Lea Cordner (23), of Viscount Close, Pinchbeck. No TV licence. £330 fine, £33 v/s, £120 costs.

Louisa Cozzi (23), of Seagate Terrace, Long Sutton. No TV licence. £220 fine, £22 v/s, £120 costs.

Robert Dent (28), of Thorpe Avenue, Moulton Chapel. No TV licence. £220 fine, £22 v/s, £120 costs.

Heidi Hill (30), of The Hollies, Holbeach. No TV licence. £220 fine, £22 v/s, £120 costs.

Sarah Odd (26), of Custom House Street, Sutton Bridge. No TV licence. £220 fine, £22 v/s, £120 costs.

Joyce Robinson (58), of Double Street, Spalding. No TV licence. £40 fine, £20 v/s, £60 costs.

Ross Williams (29), of St Andrews Road, Spalding. No TV licence. £220 fine, £22 v/s, £120 costs.

Ionut Aelinca (33), of Fleet Road, Fleet. Drink driving (Spalding). £25 fine, £25 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months. No separate penalty for no insurance and failing to surrender to custody.

Marissa Young (46), of Central Avenue, Peterborough. Stole two pairs Hunter Wellington boos and bag of compost worth £73 belonging to Wyevale Garden Centre (Crowland). £100 fine, £73 compensation, £20 v/s, £40 costs. No action taken on breach of conditional discharge.

April 23

Alex Exton (21), of North Street, Bourne. Drink driving (Bourne). £240 fine, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 16 months.

Alex Exton (21), of North Street, Bourne. Drink driving (Bourne). £240 fine, £24 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 16 months.

April 25

Aleksejs Dovziks (34), of Winifred Street, Leicester. Drink driving (Spalding). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 2 years. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Dennis Barber (54), of Marsh Road, Gedney Drove End. Stole furnishings of unknown value from Keith Butters Ltd (Spalding). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £350 costs.

Sam Curry (27), of Mareham Lane, Aswarby. Two counts of criminal damage (Spalding). Restraining order, £640 compensation, £600 costs. No penalty for failing to surrender to custody.

Chief Insp Phil Vickers of Lincolnshire Police Specialist Operations (East Midlands Operational Support Service) called the figures ‘very basic’ - adding that they do not show the driving population and gave no indication of the ‘proportion of disqualified drivers’.

However, he said: “Certainly we know that across the rest of Europe, although the drink-drive limits are lower than England and Wales (they are almost all at the lower Scotland level), it is not enforced with the same commitment and the penalties for being caught are lower (driving bans tending to be shorter).”

He pointed to the partnership between the Road Safety Partnership, local policing teams and community groups to raise awareness of the UK approach, but said: “It is fair to say that we still see an issue with European migrant workers conforming to what would be normal in their country of origin.

“The truth is, that when we attend fatal and life-changing injury collisions, alcohol consumption is still one of the main contributory offences, and in our commitment to make the roads safer we enforce Drink Drive (campaign) every day.”

According to the figures Skegness has 136 disqualifed drivers - relatively low when compared to Boston. Chief Insp Vickers pointed to the fact that the town’s population ‘swells massively’ in the tourism season of April to October, and ‘a significant proportion of those arrested for drink or drug-driving offences will have home postcodes outside of the area’.

Chief Insp Vickers pointed to the fact that Boston has for many years had a roads policing base which now comes under East Midlands Operations Service and said officers spend very little time in the station.

He said: “It is where they start and finish their tour of duty, so the surrounding area benefits from their presence in that way.”

He also pointed to changes to legislation in the past 18 months which have allowed drug-drive tests to be completed by the side of the road and improved equipment.

“As a consequence I am in no doubt that the roads are safer, with more drivers who have consumed drugs being detected as a result,” he said. “Consumption of any alcohol affects your ability to drive – the speed/distance judgements required, fine motor-skills (use of accelerator, brake, clutch and steering) as well as reaction times and hazard perception – Lincolnshire Police and the EMOpSS teams remain committed to making our roads safer, through by working with communities to deliver education and enforcement.”

A Polish man has told the paper the promotion of the laws surrounding drink-driving was important and called for constant campaigns.

The man, who did not wish to be named, agreed with the link that was made between places with high levels of immigration and drink-driving, adding: “Not everyone from Boston is a drink-driver, but you have got to think about how the behaviour and responsibility of people who drink and use their car.

“If you look at the drink register [court listings] there are some Eastern European names, but there’s some English there as well.”

He said that drink-driving was policed strongly in Poland - particularly around holidays and including long weekends – and said the punishment for drink-driving was financially hefty.

According to the European Transport Safety Council’s website the Blood Alcohol Content Drink Driving Limit for normal drivers in Poland is 0.2 grammes per litre, 0.5 grammes per litre in Latvia and 0.4 grammes per litre in Lithuania. It is 0.8 grammes per litre in the UK, apart from Scotland where it is 0.5 grammes per litre.

However, the Polish community member said: “They come here, maybe they think they can do more - but I don’t think so.”

He said more needed to be done to promote the laws through local papers, radio and news sites as well - and suggested campaigns needed to be constant to remind people of the consequences of drink-driving.

He said: “It’s your decision if you drink and you get in your car and drive. That’s your choice but it’s the people you can hurt that matter - it’s about the lives of those people.”

Police say set of car number plates were taken from the The Woodlands area of Long Sutton between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

If anyone saw anything or has any further information please contact Lincolnshire Police on the 101 number quoting incident number 38 of May 17.

Former Conservative party leader and cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith will be leading the charge for the Vote Leave campain in Linconshire tomorrow (Saturday) as the group’s battle bus tours the county.

With five weeks to go before the EU Referendum, the MP and volunteers will be taking to Grantham, Boston and Lincoln to rally support for the Brexit camp.

According to the time-table, Mr Smith will start at 10am in Grantham’s Market Square where he will walk-about and leaflet with volunteers until 10.40.

He is then estimated to arrive in Boston Market Place at 11.40am until 12.20pm, before heading to Lincoln’s Brayford Wharf from 1.20pm until 2pm.

Vote Leave is the official campaign for a ‘leave’ vote in the EU referendum and aims to ‘take back control from the EU and negotiate a new UK-EU deal based on free trade and friendly co-operation’.

The June meeting of Spalding Business Club features a talk by first aid trainer Nick Hargreaves on the importance and use of medical skills in the workplace.

Mr Hargreaves, lead trainer at Hargreaves First Aid Training which provides training courses to businesses and individuals throughout Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, will also be sharing useful first aid tips and the benefits of having first aid-trained staff within a business.

The meeting takes place at Bookmark Spalding, The Crescent, Spalding, on Thursday, June 2 at 7am, with a cost of £8 to cover the cost of the breakfast provided.

Anyone wishing to attend the meeting should call Ken Maggs on 01775 711333 with your full name, job title and employer, as well as details of any guest(s) you would like to bring along, by May 27.

In light of recent correspondence, I would like to repeat my warning that it would be madness for the UK to leave the European Union.

I have patiently listened and read all the arguments by the many Brexit campaigners, some of which are shamefully presented in these pages by people who should know better.

How is the assertion valid that we spend £350million per week on membership of the EU?

Only by ignoring the rebate negotiated by Margaret Thatcher, which currently stands at £4.5million, and EU grants for farming, local government and fishing, is it possible to present that membership costs us anywhere near that figure.

But still the leave campaigners, at the very highest level, continue to present their case this way.

They seem quite content to insult the intelligence of those they wish to convert. Personally, I have heard it all before.

I worked in the Royal Navy for 23 years between 1963 and 1986, and worked with various NATO Navy forces on countless occasions.

What always seemed to raise its ugly head among those in command was the notion that if only we (the British) were in total charge, then everything would be fine.

It was an excuse used by those with seniority to cover their shortcomings and incompetence.

The same foolish argument is being presented by those co-ordinating the Brexit campaign.

In my opinion, it would be foolish to relinquish the opportunity to lead and co-operate in the EU for the benefit of all, in favour of retreating into an isolated position that might mean we surrender the goodwill shared with countries with whom we share common experience and cultural values.

Wake up Britain. Is there a problem with the EU that is unsolvable? Not at all.

Are we to entirely trust the comments of various MPs who seem intent on milking a gravy train of our political making and support? I think not.

Some would prefer to see this country as a big fish in a little pond – that is the real reason these politicians are so vocal. Are they afraid of the future?

Are they afraid of showing real leadership and commitment on a bigger stage?

If we are brave enough, our continued membership can be the only real way forward for the future of this country.

The warm weather arrives, we fling open the windows to enjoy some fresh air ... and then we have to close them again.

Please can someone tell me why, oh why, we have to put up with the disgusting stench from the sewerage works in West Marsh Road?

Yes, it travels all the way across the other side of town, and seems to be worse in the evening.

No-one should have to put up with this and the Environment Agency, South Holland District Council and the powers-that-be should be doing something about it.

A Gosberton motorcyclist is taking on the Longest Day Down Challenge in a bid to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Dan Mills (42) will on the longest day of the year (June 21) be attempting to ride a motorcycle that cost no more than £300 from Land’s End to John O’Groats in under 24 hours without using motorways.

The engineer decided to 
attempt the challenge as every penny raised goes direct to a very worthy cause,

Dan said: “No-one has completed the challenge on a Honda C90 Step-through and that’s the bike I had found for under £300.

Avoiding motorways, the route will be over 900 miles and, with the bike’s top speed 50mph. So, taking into account at least seven fuel stops, completing the route in under 24 hours will be a real challenge.

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/dan-mills2 and you can chart Dan’s progress at www.dans-longest-day-down-on-a-cub.com

Laura Holland, volunteer manager for Cancer Research UK, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Dan has decided to attempt such a great challenge.

“He has been doing lots of preparation and we’re sure he’s going to have an amazing experience. We can’t thank him enough and want to wish him all the very best.”

She added: “Cancer Research UK has made enormous progress in the fight against cancer and continues to do so. However, we have only been able to do this thanks to the dedication and commitment of our volunteers and supporters, without whom we would not be able to fund our vital research.”

For further information about Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, call 08701 602040 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org.uk

Not satisfied with causing havoc in Spalding due to problems with the level crossings and the long delays they bring, Network Rail now plans to cut down all the trees, bushes and vegetation adjacent to the railway line and replace them with a fence.

From what I have been able to glean, this is the plan for the entire area from the Little London level crossing towards Spalding railway station, but who knows how far it will spread.

This will affect birds and wildlife, the privacy of dozens of properties and increase noise levels.

We appreciate that if a tree is unsafe it could put at risk the workforce and the safety of passengers, but isn’t this a bit like saying your toe cannot be saved but don’t worry we will cut your leg off to be on the safe side?

If you feel this issue will affect you, then contact your councillor, MP and Network Rail – and make your feelings known.

This has happened in other areas, literally overnight. Once the trees and bushes have been decimated, they cannot be restored, so act now.