Belton House is often thought of as the jewel in the crown of Grantham’s attractions.

The classic 17th century English country house owned by the National Trust brings in visitors from far and wide.

It is acclaimed for its beautiful architecture, fine décor, artworks and parkland. But there is more to Belton than its wonderful historical surroundings. Families can make the most of the many additional attractions put on by the National Trust, especially during the summer holidays.

If you’re looking for a family outing without needing to travel too far, or want to keep the kids amused for a couple of hours, here is a quick summer guide to family fun at Belton.

Playtime - Wednesday, August 7

All sorts of fun and games have been organised around Belton to mark the national day of play. Play points will be located on the garden play trail or youngsters can run around the playground games trail. Both trails will be available from 10.30am outside the Discovery Centre, which will be open from 12.30pm with arts and crafts. Cost £1 per trail.

Theatre - Friday 9 August

Younger children will love the Thunderbus Theatre Compny’s production Dotty the Dragon. The performance, in the garden, is suitable for 3-7 year-olds. Entrance is from 5.30pm for picnics and the performance is from 6.6pm. Tickets: adult £11 (In advance), child £7.

Friday, August 30

Jane Austen’s classic love story Pride qnd Prejudice, centred on Elizabeth and the enigmatic Mr Darcy, is the perfect choice for an outdoor production at Belton. Chapterhouse Theatre Company take the stage at 7pm, and you can get there early and enjoy a picnic. Tickets: adult £12 (in advance), child £8 (book on 01476 566116).

History/archaeology - Fridays, August 2 - August 30

Children can turn detective to discover fascinating facts about the paintings at Belton. The events are for accompanied children, aged seven and over, from 11.30 to 12.30. Tickets: Booking advisable but some tickets may be available on the day. Free event (normal admission charges apply).

Third Saturday of month, August 17 - December 21

A team from Heritage Lincolnshire have been running a family archaeology club at Belton since August 2011. Young members aged seven to 12 do a variety of activities and crafts based on archaeology and history. The club meets in the activity centre from 10.30am to noon. Telephone 01476542 974 for the 2013 programme. Charge: child £1, accompanying adult free.

Wildlife - first Saturday of month, August to December

The RSPB has got together with the National Trust at Belton to organise Belton Wildlife Explorers Club, offering hands-on activities for youngsters aged 7-11. Sessions are 10am-noon. Charge: child £1, accompanying adults free.

Wednesday August 14 - 28

Pond dipping and bug hunting sessions are held throughout the day, from 11am to 4pm, in these Wild On Wednesday sessions. All kit is supplied. Charge: free, but normal admission charges apply.

Friday, August 23

Belton at night is home to many varieties of bat. You can learn more about them on a walk organised by Lincolnshire Bat Group. The two-hour walk is from 7.30pm. Cost: adult £9.50, child £5.50

Try your skill - Sunday, August 11

The Lionheart Company of Bowmen ofer an introduction to archery, from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Charges: £2 (for six arrows), normal admission charges apply.

Volunteers have stepped forward who are eager to help clean up Grantham Canal.

Last week, the Journal reported on the current state of the canal in Grantham, specifically between Earlesfield Lane and Swingbridge Road.

This week South Kesteven District Council has accepted responsibility for the stretch, having previously stated it was British Waterways.

SKDC’s head of environmental services Mike Butler said: “Some community representatives have come forward who want to work with us longer term on the canal which is a great step in right the direction.

“This means we can draw up a proactive plan with local people that should mean we can clean the area more frequently.

“We have cleaned the canal approximately every 12 months from Earlesfield Lane through to its bridge under the A1 but it is the responsibility of those individuals that fly-tip.

“We will start our next clean at the end of the summer due to having to wait until the end of the local habitat’s nesting season.”

The council is urging people to take pride in an area which it says is difficult to monitor for fly-tipping.

Mr Butler said: “The cleaning is not just a matter of litter picking and is out-sourced to specialists who are experienced contractors who install a pontoon to undertake the work required that is costly to the tax payer.

“It is very difficult to stop individuals so minded to fly tip who contribute to the downturn of their local community. We have looked at a number of options including new signage and CCTV but because of the length of the canal there is no easy solution.

“We ask people to take pride in their area and work with us to improve the area for the benefit of all.”

l Are you interested in setting up a canal clean volunteer group? Contact the Journal on 01476 562291.

South Notts League

Division A

Belvoir 184

Wollaton 185-5

A dogged Tony Dyer (28) saw wickets tumble at the other end as Belvoir fell to 42-3.

At this point he was joined by the jaunty Ryan Lewis (34) in a 36-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Wollaton’s Max O’Dowd (3-58) then snaffled a couple of wickets with his clever tempting spin and Belvoir were in trouble at 96-6.

Enter Lewis Dann to punch and smack a 31-ball 34 in a 56-run seventh wicket partnership from 50 balls with his captain Olly Clayfield (30).

Some last-minute lusty blows from Matt Irvine secured the third batting bonus point, but Richard Adams had the last hurrah with his third wicket off the penultimate ball.

Wollaton’s ground fielding and catching was excellent. Some of Freddie Sail’s stops in the covers were superb and Ian Dodd’s run out of Dyer very sharp.

With the weather threatening and then interrupting Wollaton’s innings twice, there was a need for speed.

James Godrich (73) did all that could have been asked of him. His 50 from 69 balls was full of forcing cricket and three huge sixes. He changed gear with 23 more runs from 13 balls before making Tom Neville sweat over a towering drive to mid-wicket.

Godrich was ably supported, indeed out-scored at times, by O’Dowd (56 from 52 balls) in a partnership of 69 for the second wicket.

Belvoir were still battling in the field and two sharp catches by keeper Danny Ross, off the clever spin of James Fellows (2-28), may have rekindled a spark of hope but it was not to be.

Grantham & Melton

Association

Division One

Buckminster 278-9

Frisby, Hoby & Rotherby 116

Buckminster welcomed the bottom side and duly handed them a hammering.

Alex Sears led the way with a sublime 117. His innings included 14 fours and five sixes and, along with Jack Berry (43) and Andrew Murdoch (33), helped set an imposing total.

With a massive score to defend, Buckminster used five bowlers, with Craig Colby relishing a rare chance to take 5-20.

Frank Woodhead Final

Egerton Park 174-5

Buckminster 149-5

Thorpe Arnold’s picturesque ground played host to a high-scoring final that saw Egerton Park defeat Buckminster

Chasing nearly 10 runs an over was always a big ask for Buckminster, though Jack Berry, with an unbeaten 84 , gave them hope up until the closing overs.

Belvoir League

Division One

Buckminster 155-4

Market Overton 133-6

Charlotte Colston picked up her best figures for Buckminster to help defend their total of 155-4.

She took 4-25 after Dave Allen had earlier racked up 70 runs for the home side. Matt Creaney (33) and Pete Morgan (16no) added useful late runs to set Market Overton a fair target.

South Lincs & Border League

Premier Division

Billingborough 261-3 dec

Moulton Harrox 184

Billingborough declared after 29 overs, with Luke Hollingworth making 96, Dave Newman 64 and Steve Scott unbeaten on 50.

A man accused of conspiring to import cocaine into the UK was tracked to a campsite in Grantham this week and arrested.

Kevin Machin, 35, from Nottinghamshire, was arrested on Wednesday at the campsite, as a result of police enquiries. He has been charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and was remanded in custody at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Thursday) to make an initial appearance at Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday, August 8.

The search, being led by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU), continues for a second Nottinghamshire man who is alleged to also be involved in the drug smuggling.

He is Ian Oldham, 36, known as ‘Iggy’, and described as white and speaking with a Midlands accent. He is 5’7”, of a stocky build, with blue eyes and balding, shaven mousy hair, clean shaven, with the letters ‘JJ’ tattooed on his right arm and two scars on his left arm.

He is currently believed to be in Nottinghamshire. He has links and is known to have recently been in Kirkby, Arnold, Sherwood, Top Valley, Bulwell, Aspley, and Bilborough, but also has contacts elsewhere in the county and in Derbyshire.

Detective sergeant Gary Tattersall, of SEROCU, said: “Anyone who sees him or knows of his whereabouts is asked to call 999 at once. You can also call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Four other men were arrested in Kent, Surrey and Derbyshire in a co-ordinated police operation in April. Percy Draper-Smith, 36, of Chertsey Lane, Staines, Adam Vohra, 30, of Welland Road, Hilton, Derbyshire, Nick Alliston, 44, of Simmons Road, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, and Wayne Long, 43, of, Lichfield Close, Mansfield, are currently in custody charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine. They are due to appear at Maidstone Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing, with a trial date currently set for September 30 at the same court.

A fifth man, aged 31 and from Derbyshire, who was arrested on the same date and released on police bail at that time, is to have no further action taken against him.

The charges followed an investigation by officers from SEROCU, assisted by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), into the alleged importation of Class A drugs into the UK from The Netherlands.

The season of performances by the Stamford Shakespeare Company in the magnificent outdoor setting of Tolethorpe Hall, has passed the halfway stage.

The Comedy of Errors has now finished its run, but there are still chances to see another Shakespeare classic, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and, by way of a contrast, an adaptation of Dad’s Army TV shows.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is performed today (Friday), and tomorrow and then from Monday to Saturday, August 12 to 17.

Dad’s Army (The Lost Episodes), will be performed Monday to Saturday during the rest of August except for August 26-28. Set on the night of the solstice when, folklore had it, dreams were prophetic, A Midsummer Night’s Dream blends wit, farce and fantasy in an outrageous comedy full of characters who have been household names for four centuries - Bottom, Puck, Titania, Oberon, and the ‘Lovers’.

After the highly successful sell-out of the 2010 production of Dad’s Army, the company is reuniting the cast once more in The Lost Episodes. The classic TV comedy series of the Home Guard of Walmington-on-Sea comes to the stage in four hilarious comedies by Jimmy Perry and David Croft.

Adapted for the Tolethorpe stage, A Stripe for Frazer, Sgt Wilson’s Little Secret, Operation Kilt and Under Fire have all the well-loved characters under the command of the redoubtable Captain Mainwaring.

Performances start at 7.45pm. Additional matinée shows are staged on Saturdays at 1.30pm.Performances take place at Rutland Open Air Theatre, Tolethorpe Hall, Little Casterton, Stamford.For ticket details, call 01780 756133 or go to www.stamfordshakespeare.co.uk

Dame Emma Jane Brown, the former international show jumper who dominated the UK equestrian scene for almost two decades, is bringing a new championship event this weekend.

The glamorous rider from Stratford upon Avon, once known as the Bond Girl for her looks and courage, is promoting Equine Sports UK, a new unaffiliated show and championship at Arena UK, Allington from today (Friday) until Sunday.

She explained: “The Olympic legacy has created thousands of young riding enthusiasts who really need grass roots competition to advance their skills and enjoyment of the sport. They need this type of competition.”

There will be 195 events over the three days, covering showing, show jumping and dressage. And on site is a beer festival with live music, an antiques fair, dog show and falconry display.

Emma Jane’s company Revo is sponsoring the equestrian event and she will be on hand to present prizes.

Grantham Beer Festival and live music will start at noon on Saturday and Sunday, finishing at 11pm and 7pm.

A getaway driver who was caught after two hospital visitors noticed his distinctive car parked near the scene of a £4,000 house burglary was jailed for two years.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Jamie Hallam, 28, of Garrett Square, Whetstone, Leics, was part of a four man burglary team that targeted a home opposite Grantham Hospital after driving to the area from Leicestershire.

The court was told two hospital visitors took down the registration number of Hallam’s distinctive white Audi after they spotted it parked up with it’s engine still running.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, told the court one of the visitors was leaving the hospital when they noticed two men coming out of a nearby close with property stuffed under their clothing.

Mr Howes said: “The two men then met up with the white Audi which sped away.”

When a resident in Langford Gardens opposite the hospital returned from work she found her home was ransacked and property valued at £4,000 had been stolen.

The missing items included Christmas presents, an ipod, a lap top computer and sentimental photos, videos and work material.

In her victim impact statement which was read out in court the woman described how she felt “sick” when she turned her front door key and realised she had been burgled.

Police searched an address in Garrett Square, Whetstone, Leics, where Hallam was staying and seized his car after the two witnesses took down his front number plate.

An ipod which was wrapped up to be given as a Christmas present and some currency which had been stolen from the burglary in Grantham were also found.

The court heard Garrett denied the burglary and failed to appear at Lincoln Crown Court when he was due to stand trial in July this year.

Garrett later admitted being the getaway driver for the burglary to pay off a drug debt but denied entering the house.

He pleaded guilty to the burglary which happened on 12 December last year and also admitted a further charge of failing to appear in court.

Passing sentence Judge Michael Heath told him: “You and another three people drove to Grantham from Leicester in your vehicle, you provided the wheels.

“A day time burglary took place and the cost of the items taken was around £4,000.”

A former KGGS student is set to represent England under-21s in the forthcoming World Cup competition in Germany at the end of the month.

And to top that, 21-year-old Shona McCallin, of Dry Doddington, has been chosen to captain the side that will take on the top 16 hockey playing countries in the world.

In the opening pool matches, Shona’s England side can expect tough opposition, having been grouped with Germany, Spain and Belgium.

Shona has already left the country to join her team-mates at the England holding camp in Monchengladbach where practice matches will be played.

Midfielder Shona (pictured) is now in her third season playing for Dutch Premier Division club MOP.

I would like to thank all those who made the Ability and Active Lifestyle Day at The Meres leisure centre on Friday, July 26 possible.

The sponsors and volunteers will have realised on the day how much the disabled adults enjoyed themselves.

It was fun for the spectators too!

Anne Bellaby

(Andrew’s mum)

Farndale Crescent

Grantham

Having just experienced my daughter’s first show performance with Grantham School of Dancing this weekend, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the people involved in making it an amazing event.

It was labelled a ‘show’ however, I would call it more of a production due to the professionalism of the choreography and the quality of dancing and singing.

We have had a busy few weeks with extra lessons put on free of charge, by Michelle and Anita, to rehearse for the show.All the hard work paid off over the weekend with an amazing performance by every pupil involved, both young and old.

As a parent I had the privilege to help out backstage during the shows and would like to compliment the children on their behaviour, manners and respect for others. It really opened my eyes to how much of a ‘family’ feel there is within the dance school. The young adults involved were so patient with the little ones and spared time for photographs with no complaints.

All in all, I would just like to say a big thank you to Anita and Michelle for making us feel so welcome and giving Sophie a fantastic first year within the dance school. Her progression has been amazing in such a short time and I have no doubt it will only getter better under your tuition.

Jill Anderson

By email

As a lifelong royalist supporter, especially of Princess Diana, I obviously share everyone’s blissful happiness at the arrival of a male heir to the throne for William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

But at the same time, shouldn’t we pause for a moment of sympathy in aid of those would-be Grantham mums, who now have no maternity unit in their home town in which to give birth to their own children?

Peter Clawson

Welham Street

Grantham

Nick Boles has a love of national publicity, and if this fostered good publicity for our town it would be welcome, he manages to do the opposite.

This weekend we had coverage in the Telegraph of his latest foot in large mouth pronouncements on pornography. This follows various equally stupid comments on planning procedures. Prior to this and his promotion, we have the “Grantham is a good place to die” saga, the claiming expenses for Hebrew lessons episode and, more recently, his public non-backing of our maternity facility and more, the list is long!

He is a liability to Grantham and if the position he is in was within a private company, he would long ago been fired, without a golden handshake.

He was elected to represent the views of his constituents, he does not and if ever a deselection procedure comes into force, he should be the first to go. That, like all things political, may never happen so we will just have to wait until the next election, by which time he may well have left anyway. If that does come to pass, we will also need to remember who placed this man in this safe seat in the first place. The local Tory party in selecting this man has shown itself to be just as stupid.

I am not a Labour supporter but they must hope against hope that he does stay, which will give them a fighting chance, that is unless a good independent comes forward. We did it with the police commissioner and we could do the same again.

Stuart Allan

By email

In response to Mr Coldham’s letter (Journal, July 26) I would say this.

Presumably he is fine with Cameron’s nasty party being bankrolled by big business and the financial services industry then?

Twenty-seven per cent party funds from hedge funds, 51 per cent of all Tory party funds from the financial services industry.

When Cameron’s election strategist, Lynton Crosby, is directly receiving money from the oil, tobacco and fracking industry (who just got huge tax breaks from Osborne), can he be naive enough to believe that those who bankroll the Tory party do not influence its policies?

Mr Coldham is clearly aiming at the wrong target.

Nick Boles is the architect of most of the Tory party strategies from his execrable Policy Exchange which he co-founded.

Only on June 27 this year, he was heckled at a CRPE meeting as he was being economical with the truth about how many plots developers are sitting on.

In my view, this should continue at every opportunity. He is deserving of our disapprobation.

Anthony Hindmarch

Gorse Lane, Grantham

Real ale lovers from across the country will head to Grantham on Wednesday for the Grantham CAMRA Beer Festival 2013.

Following a one-year hiatus, the festival returns to Grantham Railway Club in Huntingtower Road from August 7 to August 10, 11am until 11pm with many new beers on offer.

The festival will be opened on Wednesday by Grantham Mayor Frank Turner.

There will be 33 beers at this year’s festival including a number created by micro-breweries which will be tasted for the first time at Grantham CAMRA Beer Festival.

The event is free to CAMRA members and £2 on the door for everyone else.

Neville Lomas of Grantham CAMRA said: “We have plenty of variety and hope there will be something that pleases everybody.

“And if the weather stays nice it will be a bit of an incentive for people to drink up...safely and responsibly of course!”

Major roadworks in Springfield Road, Grantham, which were due to take nine weeks to complete have been extended.

Lincolnshire County Council is blaming a rogue gas main wrapped around BT cabling for the hold-up.

A spokesman for the county council said the issue has delayed work and will set the schedule back.

The local authority is pushing the National Grid to carry out the necessary work as swiftly as possible but it is resigned to losing time.

Adam Round, senior engineer at the county council, said:“When we started excavating the road we discovered that a gas pipe was wrapped around a BT phone cable.

“We need the National Grid to safely reroute the pipe and until this is done, we cannot complete the works.

“It’s disappointing that we have encountered this problem but we will do everything possible to keep delays to a minimum.

“With Springfield Road being such an important route through the town, we will temporarily re-open it over the 7th and 8th of September to make sure it does not cause disruption to the Festival of Speed and the visit of the Mallard.”

The extensive work taking place in busy Springfield Road was originally scheduled for completion by September 6.

MP for Grantham Nick Boles has hit out at health commissioners for their “ideological prejudice” in a row over private companies taking on NHS services.

Mr Boles was speaking at the official opening of Renal Services (UK) Ltd’s new dialysis service based at Newton House in Barrowby Road.

Mr Boles praised the private company for taking on the NHS contract but revealed not everyone is happy as evidence has reached him that some health commissioners locally are refusing to send people to the new facility.

Mr Boles said: “I’m very encouraged this place has been set up in Grantham. It is great for the people of Grantham and the surrounding area who need dialysis.

“However, I am troubled to learn not all of the commissioners are being as broad-minded as they should be in commissioning services from what is a private supplier.

“I have heard someone had to go all the way to Skegness because the commissioner would not agree to take the service here. That’s a cost of more than £100 in taxi fares.

“It is an ideological prejudice that has no place in the health service.”

Mr Boles met with patients during a visit to the new renal unit. He was met by company chairman Tom Sackville - formerly a health minister under Margaret Thatcher.

Mr Sackville said Renal Services (UK) had realised there was a lack of service in the Grantham area.

He said: “Looking at the map there was a clear gap that has now been filled.

“I hope, over time, all the patients near this unit will be referred by their doctors.

“It is the nearest unit and it is a very high quality unit.”

Mr Boles says the new Grantham service is good news for patients who will no longer face regular drives across the county for their dialysis treatment. After meeting patients undergoing treatment at the Barrowby Road unit, he said: “The patients here today seem very happy with the service.”

Mr Boles added: “This is a service for people in a very difficult situation and a difficult point in their lives.

“What to me seems obvious is patients should be able to choose the facilities most convenient to them which offers the level of service and professionalism of service you would expect, especially for people who may require five or six days of treatment.”

There are currently 15 patients receiving treatment at the unit, which has a capacity of 36.

Grantham nurse Jenny Harper has been honoured for her work in the community by being awarded the title Queen’s Nurse by the Queen’s Nursing Institute.

Jenny joined the Vulnerable Children and Young People Team in 2009 and the honour will mean Jenny can take her work helping vulnerable children and young people including victims of sexual exploitation across the country.

This week, the Journal spoke to Jenny about how the honour came about and her work in the Grantham area.

Q) What is your history as a nurse?

A) I’ve always been a Grantham nurse and I’m very, very proud to serve Grantham. I really, love Grantham. We have got a good hospital and good health services and we need to be proud of what we provide in the community. I started in Grantham Hospital in the operating theatres and in the children’s ward then became a health visitor in Grantham. I loved my job as a health visitor. It was fantastic and the people I met were brilliant but this is the way I wanted to go, working with adolescents.

Q) What does your work involve now?

A) The area I specifically work in is vulnerable young people and children. My passion is helping children who have been sexually exploited. That’s why I wanted to become a Queen’s Nurse. Children such as those don’t have a strong voice in the community. They are in such circumstances through no fault of their own but are not able to access services in the same way as their peer group. I wanted to raise their profile and get them on an equal footing.

Q) Why work with adolescents?

A) They are a really hard group to target, adolescents, but they have a lot to offer the community. We have been involved with some really disadvantaged children who are now in jobs and not re-offending, not taking risks with their safety and have come on well. For me that’s the best thing. I’m more interested in those kinds of results than anything else.

Q) How did the Queen’s Nurse title come about?

A) I made the application myself and received support from my manager. It’s an excellent trust (Lincolnshire Community Health Services). They encourage you to develop and will support you along that road. The award is in recognition of high standards and quality of practice, development and leadership. It’s all about sharing with other colleagues too. You have to put yourself forward for the award as the work is quite a commitment. You have to have work published in journals every year and attend various meetings across the country. It’s also about raising the profile of the area you work in.

Q) How do you feel about receiving the honour?

A) Very, very proud. Not just for me. We are a fairly new team - we have been going three years - and I have been there from the start, helping to build the team up and recruit the staff. They are all so motivated and, although the award goes to me, it’s about the whole team. Everyone has the same view that we have to offer these children the best we can - and the do even better. But for me I’m so pleased because, in achieving this award, I can take this message out nationally.

Friendly

Grantham Town 2

Grimsby Town 1

Grantham Town extended their pre-season winning run to seven games out of seven against Conference Premier side Grimsby Town at The Meres on Saturday, and gave an excellent account of themselves throughout.

At no stage did the Gingerbreads look the underdogs as they tried to dictate the pace. They started fast and furiously and had the Mariners on the back foot in the opening minute, with Grimsby preferring a slower game when they held possession.

Grantham’s first chance came in the sixth minute when Romaine Graham easily carved through the visitors’ defence, but his left foot shot was too soft and bounced just wide of the near post. Grimsby’s own number 10 found space at the other end two minutes later, swivelled and fired off a shot but it curled wide of the target too.

The Gingerbreads went in front in the 11th minute. Graham sliced through the Grimsby back line on the left and squared deftly to Jamie McGhee who turned and slotted past Jake McKewan with ease.

Grantham had a chance to double their lead on the quarter-hour mark but Sam Purcicoe’s shot was too easy for McKewan.

The home side’s defence and midfield continued to thwart Grimsby all over the pitch, with the visitors’ defence gifting McGhee a second opportunity but he scuffed his 27th minute effort.

The Gingerbreads went two-up on 37 minutes courtesy of Graham who had a simple tap-inn with the Grimsby defence seemingly half asleep.

Against the run of play, the visitors pulled a goal back two minutes later from a free kick, Ross Hannah curling round the wall and past the outstretched Dan Haystead’s fingertips into the far bottom corner of the net.

Grantham’s last real chance of the first half came with three minutes remaining. Nathan Watson fired in a free kick to the six-yard box from the touchline, but Graham was somehow to get the slightest touch necessary.

The visitors started the second half in more determined mood, with Craig Disley’s 47th minute drive forcing Haystead to pull off an excellent save.

Grimsby’s Hannah, Paul Bignott and Joe Colbeck all had further chances, with the latter’s scorcher just rising over the bar from distance.

Former Gingerbread Alex Rodman was instrumental to the visitors’ offensive moves and his 63rd minute incisive run and shot was only matched by a good catch from the Grantham keeper.

Grimsby’s Hannah wasted an easy close-range header in the 70th minute and he did the same with a free kick two minutes later when he lofted woefully off target.

The game became increasingly scrappy as the second period wore on and tempers started to fray in the midday sun.

Home substitute Karl Demidh’s 80th minute cross-cum-shot was inches away from sneaking in at the far post, and Rodman was too far off at the other end less than a minute later.

The Gingerbreads should have put the icing on the cake in the 86th minute when Demidh was brought down just inside the 18-yard box and referee Mr Bourne had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Demidh took the spot kick but, lacking the necessary oomph, his effort was safely pushed round the post by McKewan.

Grantham Town: Haystead, Purcicoe, Ridley, Meikle, Hawes, Pillerio, Nwadike, Towey, McGhee, Graham, Watson. Subs: McDonald, Demidh, Kean, K. Smith, Turner, Chambers, Lewis.

Grantham Athletic Club’s Trudy Brooks made her return to competitive running, after a six month lay-off due to injury, at the National Lottery Olympics Anniversary Run last Sunday.

She was among 12,500 finishers who ran the five-mile route which wound around the London Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and finished on the track in the 2012 Stadium, recording 45min 59sec..

l Grantham Running Club’s Paul Rushworth was the club’s sole representative at the 20th running of the classic Notts AC Five-mile Road Race.

Raced along the Embankment in Nottingham, Paul recorded a season’s best 31.59 for the distance.

7 CAFE DOUBLES

Results: Pins on Viagras 5 Paddy’s People 5, It’s Up To You 3 Dodgy Strikes.com 7, No Idea 0 Pirates 10, Bandits 2 Sandbaggers 8.

Positions: 1 Paddy’s People 145, 2 Bandits 143, 3 Pins On Viagra 136, 4 Pirates 135.5, 5 Dodgy Strikes.com 127, 6 It’s Up To You 123, 7 No Idea 120.5, 8 Sandbaggers 110.