Lincolnshire Police are appealing for information regarding a number of similar incidents which occured on Thursday March 13 in Barrowby.

Four break-ins took place at outbuildings across the village, two of which occured on Low Road where a trowel was taken from a shed (incident 111) but nothing stolen from another shed and workshop (incident 64).

On the same day a garage door lock was broken on Reedings Road (incident 100), and there was a further attempt to get into a garage and two out-houses on Rectory Lane (incident 123), again with nothing taken.

Also on Thursday there were three thefts from vehicles on Church Street, the first from a Volkswagen shuttle van where a packet of cigarettes, lighter and medication in the form of one strip of tramadol and two strips of pregabalin were stolen (incident 245).

A car and caravan were also broken into and loose change taken (incident 284), while in another vehicle a red leather purse with contents including credit cards and £50 was stolen from the glove box (incident 154).

If you have any information please contact police on 101 quoting the incident numbers.

Grantham Tennis Club men’s fourth team took on a very strong Farnsfield side in the glorious sunshine at the weekend.

Captained by David Hall, who hopes to be returning to play in the near future, the team consisted of Sim Cook, Stephen Fay, Tom White, Harry Gibbons, Alex Gordon and Michael Cragg. The youthful Grantham side played some great tennis,and gained some good experience from the matches, with the Farnsfield side narrowly winning at the end of each rubber until the third when they managed to pull away and win the match 66-42.

l The indoor team played at Nottingham Tennis Centre against a strong Keyworth side. Captained by Rob Isaac, the team fielded was Mark Ottey, Colin Walton, Holly Richardson and Jo Jones.

In a very close game with both teams equally matched and the standard of tennis very high, the Grantham side just managed to edge victory 33-29. With this win, Grantham should now be safe and remain in Division Five.

l The mixed winter third team played against a strong Caunton side. The team, skippered by Pam Aust, also comprised Dom Newcombe, Janet Birch, Nigel Birch, Jo and Sam. Pam and Dom won 22-14, Janet and Nigel drew 18-18, and Jo and Sam triumphed 21-15 to complete a 61-47 overall victory.

l Grantham ladies’ first team defeated Mustons comfortable 96-12 in Division Three of the Winter League.

Captained by Lianne Tapson, the team were Charlotte Palul, Megan Jones, Liz Isles, Jackie Wilson, Liz Frobisher and Liz Williams.

As usual, the ladies played incredibly well with Charlotte and Megan winning 36-0 overall, Liz and Jackie 30-6, and Liz and Liz also 30-6. This means overall Grantham Ladies won 96-12, a very comfortable win and a great way to end the season.

Grantham Swimming Club’s Hayley Milne swam exceptionally well at the Junior and Youth National Para-swimming Championships in Sheffield last weekend.

Hayley won two bronze medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle. She achieved a one second personal best improvement in the 100m and matched her PB in the shorter event.

As part of the ASA Talent and Spotlight Programmes for 2014, Hayley has been invited to a Zonal Camp in Leeds at the end of the month.

United Counties League

Division One

Harrowby United 4

Raunds Town 1

Harrowby United returned to winning ways, following back to back defeats, with a resounding victory over Raunds Town.

The Arrows took the lead after three minutes. After a nice move down the right flank, the ball was played inside to Lee Shaw whose shot from the right hand side of the goal found the back of the net despite the Shopmates’ keeper Sammy Cobley getting a hand to the ball.

Harrowby pushed to increase their advantage and after 13 minutes Sam Hill was played in behind the Raunds defence by Sam Weatherstone. Hill lobbed the ball over the advancing Cobley but also just cleared the frame of the goal.

The second goal arrived after 22 minutes when Currall crossed into the penalty area from the right and Raunds defender Nick Harrison stumbled on the ball. Shaw took full advantage of the hesitation and steered the ball past Cobley and into the net.

Three minutes later, Weatherstone whipped in a teasing cross that found its way to Martin Wormall on the far post. The Arrows striker’s shot beating Cobley but hit and stayed out.

Just past the half hour mark, another ball in from the right was left by Simon Bolland on hearing a call from Scott Webb. Webb struck the ball goalwards but was denied by a fine one-handed save from Cobley.

Raunds got themselves back into the game against the run of play when a corner in from the right was headed home from six yards out by Luke Stevens.

Only a minute later, a ball through to Shaw gave the Arrows man a hat trick opportunity, but his lob over the advancing keeper went wide of the goal.

The second half was again dominated by the home side as chances came and went.

Harrowby restored their two-goal advantage on 54 minutes. A free kick up to Jack Whyley saw the Arrows centre back move the ball out to Shaw on the left. His cross was met on the volley by Wormall whose finish gave Cobley no chance.

The game was put beyond doubt just after the hour mark when, after a scramble in the penalty area, the ball fell to Wormall who turned inside a defender and fired home through a crowd of players.

The home side had further chances through Spence, Shaw and Hill, with Kirton and Wormall both unfortunate to hit the bar.

Harrowby United: Drury, Weatherstone, Kirton, Spence, Whyley, Hill, Harper (Currall, 5), Bolland (Jaques, 79), Webb, Wormall, Shaw (Peberdy, 81). Subs not used: Lee, Hotchin.

Residents are advised to be extra vigilant following further reports of thefts and burglaries in Grantham.

There was an attempted burglary in The Grove, followed by the theft of a bike in Ripon Close, which happened sometime between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.

Also on Monday, wiper blades were taken from a vehicle in Springfield Road, and a shed was burgled in Huntingtower Road.

Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to call Lincolnshire Police on the non-emergency 101 number.

Peter Cocker rode the in the colours of the new Grantham-based PedalPushers team for the first time in the Fenland Clarion road race at the weekend.

With a full field of 60 riders, the race comprised seven laps of a relatively flat but exposed and windy course at Alconbury.

Peter went on the attack from the first lap, first initiating a two-man break which by the fourth lap hada grown to five strong, with more than a minute gap to the chasers.

The lead grew steadily with Peter taking all five lap primes on offer, but as they approached the finish with a lead approaching four minutes, one rider slipped away on the only hill with less than two miles to the finish.

After his earlier efforts, Peter was unable to close the gap down and had to settle for third place at the finish.

l Karl Baillie raced for Team Sky in the final round of the Revolution Series at the Olympic Velodrome in London on Saturday.

Taking part in the Hoy Future Stars competition, Karl finished just outside the top five in the opening 20-lap points race.

In the six-lap dash, he was a bit too far back heading into the final lap but still managed to finish top in the 10. In the final 20-lap scratch race, Karl rode off the front with five laps remaining but was caught by the bunch on the final circuit.

Overall, Karl finished the series in fifth place with Team Sky ending second overall. His current form comes off of the back of a training camp with the British Cycling Olympic Development Programme in Newport.

l Seven members of Witham Wheelers rode the Lincolnshire Road Racing Association Middlemarkers time trial on Sunday morning.

The course from Saxilby to Besthorpe and Harby was reduced to 14.5 miles due to roadworks.

Results: John Pilgrim 34min 47sec, Patrick Cutmore 35.07, Jon Beere 35.40, Pete Watson 36.25, John Farmer 36.49, Martin Hedley 36.58, Ian Galpin 38.58.

The only rider from the Wheelers to tackle the Retford and District Wheelers 10 was Tony Hardenberg who completed the distance in 25.47.

Ten people have been arrested this morning (Wednesday) as part of a major investigation into cable theft in the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire area.

Officers from British Transport Police (BTP) swooped on a gang of suspected cable thieves during a string of early morning raids.

Over 90 BTP officers visited 10 addresses in Grantham, Newark, Doncaster, Lincoln and Wellingborough as part of the latest crackdown to tackle cable crime on the railways.

Detailed house searches followed the arrests and a number of items were seized and removed for forensic examination, including cutting tools, mobile phones, computer and laptops, receipts and bank statements.

Detective Inspector Stuart Mellish, heading up the operation, said: “These arrests follow a complex seven-month investigation by officers from Operation Leopard, BTP’s team of officers dedicated to tackling cable theft. We believe this organised gang have been working together to steal cable, valued in the region of over £1.2 million, from across England over a one year period.

“Railway cable theft is blighting our infrastructure and disrupting the lives of ordinary people on a daily basis, but we have teams of officers dedicated to tackling the problem and who have been really effective. Recently we’ve seen significant reductions in cable-related offences on the railway in the North East - a 69% reduction, which is great news.”

DI Mellish added: “We’re also arresting more and more thieves and putting them before the courts. However, we’re not complacent and, as today’s operation shows, our work to tackle these suspected thieves will continue.

“I’d like to thank members of the public for their ongoing support in helping us in tackling this crime and ask that people continue to report any suspicious behaviour near the railway, or in their communities, to police so we can work together to drive this crime down further.”

Three men, aged 22, 23 and 44 were arrested in the Doncaster area. Four men, aged 22, 29, 39 and 40 were arrested in the Grantham area. One man, aged 25 was arrested in Lincoln, another man, aged 34 was arrested in Newark and a 44-year-old man was also arrested in the Wellingborough area.

All 10 men are currently being questioned in police custody.

Chancellor George Osborne has today (March 19) delivered his annual budget statement for the year, outlining how the Government intends to build a ‘resilient economy’.

Speaking to the House of Commons a short while ago, he said: “I can report today that the economy is continuing to recover – and recovering faster than forecast. We set out our plan and together with the British people, we held our nerve. We’re putting Britain right, but the job is far from done. Our country still borrows too much. We still don’t invest enough, export enough or save enough. So today we do more to put that right.”

Mr Osborne said this year’s budget would help build a ‘resilient economy’.

He said: “It is all part of a long term economic plan – a plan that is delivering security for the people of this country. I have never shied away from telling the British people about the difficult decisions we face. And just because things are getting better, I don’t intend to do so today.”

He added: “This is a budget for the makers, the doers, and the savers.”

Among the key announcements were:

- increasing the point at which people pay income tax from £10,000 to £10,500 in April 2015.

- increasing the threshold for 40p income tax from £41,450 to £41,865 next month and by a further one per cent to £42,285 next year.

- abolishing the 10p rate for savers.

- merging cash and stocks ISAs, with the limit for tax-free saving raised to £15,000 from £11,520

- cutting the duty on beer by one penny a pint, freezing duty on cider and spirit and abolishing the duty escalator for wine.

- increasing tobacco duty by two per cent above inflation.

- scrapping the planned duty rise on petrol.

- halving bingo duty to 10 per cent. Duty on fixed odds betting terminals is to rise by 25 per cent.

- providing £140 million of new funding to repair flood defences that have suffered damage in the recent severe flooding and providing £200 million to establish a potholes challenge fund.

A major M&S ‘Simply Food’ store has been given planning permission to open in Grantham.

It paves the way for the retailer to return to the town after an absence of four years, this time with a 1,394 sq m food store in the former Curry’s premises in London Road.

Plans approved this week by South Kesteven District Council include around 50 new full- and part-time jobs, with a cafe and space for non-food goods in the store.

The retailer left the town in 2010 having occupied an 800 sq metre clothing and food unit in the High Street.

Ample parking, a good retailing position and its new focus on food were cited as reasons for M&S to return to Grantham.

More details of M&S timings and retail offer will be available within coming weeks, confirmed leader of the council Councillor Linda Neal.

She said: “It’s good to see this moving ahead so swiftly.

“We are delighted to see a retailer of M&S’ stature back in Grantham and clearly appreciative of Grantham’s growth plans and its retail potential. Let’s hope it’s a catalyst for more high calibre businesses to follow.”

A man known as ‘the Professor’ in the criminal world set up a secret lab in Grantham where he planned to make drugs worth £4 million every two days, in what was dubbed a Breaking Bad-style operation.

Ryszard Jakubczyk, 61, from Poland, set up a secret lab in a mirror of the American TV show’s plot, in which chemistry teacher Walter White turns to a life of crime, producing and selling methamphetamine.

Jakubczyk and his criminal associates planned to make up to 40 kilos of high-purity amphetamine every 48 hours. But the operation was stopped before it could get off the ground.

National Crime Agency officers put the gang under surveillance and swooped after they produced a test batch in the lab, which was in a garden building concealed by trees in Grantham. Meanwhile, the crooks used an underground bunker to store dangerous chemicals.

Dave Archer, from the NCA, said: “The plot was like a real-life version of Breaking Bad. This chemistry lecturer was going to use his skills to produce amphetamine on an industrial scale. We were able to shut down the crime group’s operation and deny them access to huge profits.”

Jakubczyk, who trained in narcotics and became a university lecturer in Warsaw, was jailed for nine years at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty of conspiracies to produce and supply amphetamine.

Piotr Turek, 35, from Kilkenny, Ireland, was in charge of distribution in the UK, Ireland and Poland. He was also found guilty and received an eight-year prison sentence. The court heard how officers found amphetamine hidden in his car’s air filter.

Two other crime group members from Grantham – Ernest Skorupa, 36, of Cornwall Close, and Ewa Lyzwa-Cias, 60, of Queensway – were sentenced to seven and five years respectively.

A 14-year-old has been given a two-year Anti-Social Behaviour Order for causing harassment in residential areas and retail outlets over a 15-month period.

Grantham teenager Morgan Halstead received the ban for harassing and intimidating numerous vulnerable members of the public and causing criminal damage at locations across the town.

The order was also given for incidents of throwing missiles at people and property, being rude and abusive to members of the public, and being disruptive and ignoring banning notices from retail and leisure areas.

Businesses regularly witnessed him running amok with his friends, who can’t be named for legal reasons, and causing criminal damage.

Halstead received the two-year order at Grantham Magistrates’ Court on March 5, which stated he must not:

** Enter the area around Costcutters, the Community and Youth Centre on Hornsby Road in Grantham, The Meres Leisure Centre and grounds including the footpath at the rear and access routes on Trent Road, Derwent Road, Dysart Retail Park, Dysart Road, Buckminster Gardens and Kedleston Road.

** Throw objects towards people or property

** Congregate in a public place in Grantham, in a group, with more than two persons unless accompanied by his mother or father.

** Not associate with five named youths in a public place in Grantham.

SKDC’s operations director Ian Yates said: “We are not going to tolerate poor behaviour of this nature in our neighbourhoods.

“We and Lincolnshire Police work in partnership with retailers and members of the public in South Kesteven to gain the evidence against these perpetrators of unacceptable behaviour.

“This young man has been responsible for 15 months of anti-social behaviour on the Earlesfield estate where innocent people have been harassed and intimidated.”

Pc Kay McManus from Lincolnshire Police said: “If anyone sees a breach of these conditions set out by the court, Police should be contacted on the non-emergency number 101.”

Cliffedale Primary triumphed in its Lincolnshire Sportshall Athletics Championships debut for large schools at The Meres leisure centre on Friday.

Having already won the Mike Bundy Sportshall League for Grantham and district large primary schools and beaten St Gilberts of Stamford in a play-off to determine which school would take part, they proudly represented Lincolnshire South West.

Cliffedale’s opponents were Nettleham Junior (Cherry Willingham), Manor Leas (City of Lincoln), William Alvey (Lincolnshire Central), St Hugh’s (Lincolnshire Coastal), Caistor (The Wolds), Tower Road (Boston & District) and Bourne Westfield (Lincolnshire South East).

Cliffedale won the competition with a massive 330 points, ahead of Bourne Westfield on 262 and St Hugh’s (212).

The 26 Year 5 and 6 pupils were Beth Ferguson, Isabella Lee, Freya Hoe, Bethan Moore, Georgie Ferguson, Natasha Wilson, Tegan Bickmore, Ellie Moore, Hannah Squires, Sophie Lai, Amber Halsey, Isobel Holland, Cherry Clark, Rebecca Morris, Ellis Harby, Kaden Wilson, Hasham Mufti, Ben Potter, Kaan Celik, Joseph Cant, Charlie Pulfrey, David Banjo, Finlay Baker, Nitesh Shyam, Max Moore and Pete Rajesh.

All the competitors put in superb performances, with first places being gained in the obstacle relay and speed bounce for both girls and boys. Additionally, the boys won the 1+1 lap (Charlie Pulfrey, David Banjo), the 6-lap paarlauf (Ellis Harby, Kaden Wilson), standing long jump (Charlie Pulfrey, Ben Potter, David Banjo) and standing triple jump (Charlie Pulfrey, David Banjo, Finlay Baker). The girls also took first place in the over/under relay (Ellie Moore, Tegan Bickmore, Beth Ferguson, Cherry Clark) and the soft javelin throw (Isabella Lee, Hannah Squires, Amber Halsey).

Other events were the 2+2 lap relay, 4x1 lap relay, chest push and vertical jump.

King’s School achieved their highest placing in a national rugby competition at the weekend.

Competing in the prestigious Rosslyn Park All England National Sevens, King’s managed to reach the last four of the tournament.

Up against some of the top rugby playing schools in the country, in the pool stages King’s defeated London Oratory 21-5, Bryantson School 35-10 and Hereford Cathedral School 45-12.

They then cruised through their quarter-final against Kent-based Cranbrook School 41-12, but injuries began to take their toll and King’s went out 35-15 in the semi-final with Hampton School from London.

King’s School head coach Cathal McHugh said the boys were “amazing ambassadors” for the school and the county, who they were representing as reigning Lincolnshire champions.

Cathal said: “These boys will now go down in the history books as the most successful rugby team that the school has ever produced.

“It is a privilege and honour to be the head of rugby at such a great rugby playing school like King’s. “It must also be noted that King’s finished higher than well-known schools such as Whitgift, Millfield School, Warwick, RGS Newcastle, Truro and St Joesph’s College.”

A former semi-professional boxer accused of the murder of Grantham man Danny Walsh has told a jury that he had no involvement in the fatal attack.

Ben Croft, giving evidence to the jury at Lincoln Crown Court, claimed that his younger brother Sam Croft was grabbed by Mr Walsh during an incident outside their sister’s home in Edinburgh Road, Grantham.

He said: “Danny grabbed Sam with his left hand around Sam’s throat. I saw two blows to Sam’s head area.

“I just saw Sam go back. He closed his eyes and punched Danny. There was four punches from Sam.

“It looked as though Danny tripped on the kerb as the punches knocked him back. He fell and went on all fours. He was sort of getting back up and then Sam just short of shunt-kicked him. It wasn’t a proper kick. It was just a lash-out kick. I think it made contact with his head or upper body. When the kick landed Danny’s body just hit the floor.

“Danny was dead. His eyes were open. He wasn’t moving.”

“I didn’t do any violence. I didn’t hit him. I didn’t have time. It was all too fast. From the first punch by Danny to the last kick by Sam was a matter of seconds.”

He told the jury his brother acted in self defence adding: “Danny’s not a soft person like my brother is.”

Ben Croft admitted he may have appeared to celebrate afterwards. Under cross-examination he also admitted he may have said “Crofts are ruling this town”.

But he told the jury: “If I did say it that was before I realised the seriousness of the situation. I was surprised my brother had won the fight against Danny Walsh. My brother is not a fighter. Danny Walsh was.”

The jury has heard the incident began after Mr Walsh and his partner Katie Loosemore complained about the noise from an impromptu party being held at the home of Kelly Parsons, the sister of Ben and Sam Croft.

Ben Croft said he regarded Danny Walsh as a friend and had nothing against him.

He told the jury: “Katie Loosemore was with him. I heard her mention that there was kids next door. She said ‘Can you keep the noise down’.

“In retrospect she had a point,” he said.

Ben Croft said he had fought around 20 bouts as a super-middleweight boxer with his last fight in December 2012. He said boxing was a disciplined sport and he was not a violent man out of the ring.

The prosecution claim he was angry on the day of the incident after learning he had lost his job as a bricklayer.

Croft admitted he put a posting on Facebook about his work situation ending “#avoidmecrosstheroad” but told the jury that during the morning he fixed up work on the same building site although he did not update his Facebook site to say this.

The prosecution say the two brothers attacked Danny Walsh who was kicked and punched after intervening to complain about the noisy party.

Ben Croft, 24, and Sam Croft, 22, both of Barrowby, each deny murder on July 28, 2013.

The trial continues.

Vale of Belvoir Darts League held its pairs competition at Bottesford Cricket Club on Friday night.

Noise levels were high as was the standard of darts as one by one the pairs were dwindled down to the finalist.

Winners were Keith Bristow and Lee Page from Woolsthorpe Social Club who played consistently well all night.

Runners-up were Phil Doubleday and Niall Doubleday of The Castle, Eaton, who just lost in a very close final match.

All three divisions of Grantham and District Table Tennis League have been finalised.

In Division One, 1 Newark Wanderers A are champions after leading most of the season. Runners-up were Chandlers A for whom Danny Cox had a good season.

Falcons narrowly beat Newark Wanderers B to take the top spot in Division Two, with Rob Smith their top player.

Ancaster TTC C won the third division with all three players – Ken Mounsed, Ken Wingad and Clive Creasey – in that division’s top seven players. DVS Crowns were runners-up with Mike Tedbury and Mike Bridges also in the top seven.

The league provides great table tennis for all levels of players and new teams are always welcome.

If interested, visit www.granthamtabletennis.co.uk

Funhouse Comedy Club brings another night of laughter to the Atrium, Grantham, this month.

Heading the line-up on Thursday, March 27, is engaging raconteur Nick Revell. A renowned comedian, writer and actor, he has the talent to drop into any number of accents to enliven his routines which sets him aside as an excellent storyteller. As a brilliant observer of present-day stupidity his sharp satire and delivery produce a winning combination.

Supporting is Rob Deering who has appeared on the likes of TV’s Comedy Rocks, Sing If You Can and Celebrity Total Wipeout. He was also the only person in the history of quiz show The Weakest Link, to win the show without getting a single question wrong. With his friendly self-effacing style he captivates his audience and then using his guitar he gets them onboard with a unique mix of songs and idiocy.

Also appearing will be Greek George Zach with his funny observations and Mat Ewins relating his individual concerns about various things in life.

Compere for the night is the funny and friendly Spiky Mike. Tickets are £8 in advance. Doors open at 8pm for an 8.30pm start.

To {http://www.funhousecomedy.co.uk|see more information and bookings go to www.funhousecomedy.co.uk|go to funhousecomedy.co.uk}

A ward at Grantham Hospital has reopened following a closure due to high chemical readings.

The endoscopy ward was closed on March 8 over health and safety concerns.
A spokesman for the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Grantham Hospital, said: “We took the decision to close the endoscopy unit as a precaution until an external chemical analysis could be carried out following higher than normal chemical readings of a disinfectant that is used to clean equipment on the units. Patients with elective (planned) appointments at the unit for endoscopy procedures were transferred to other sites to minimise disruption.”

The trust called in an outside contractor to carry out tests in the ward, and these were carried out on Monday. Chemicals were found to be “well within the normal limits,” said the spokesman, and the unit was declared safe.

It reopened today (Thursday).

The largest Shire Horse show in the world comes to Arena UK in Allington, near Grantham, this weekend.

Hosted by the Shire Horse Society, the show will be held for the first time on March 22 and 23 at the arena. Visitors will be able to see hundreds of magnificent Shire horses as well as a variety of demonstrations, trade stands and competitions. The National Shire Horse Show raises awareness of what the society does for the endangered breed.

David Ralley-Davies, secretary of the Shire Horse Society, said: “We’re very excited about moving to Arena UK in Lincolnshire, which is a purpose-built equestrian centre that can accommodate a growing show such as ours. We believe that visitors, owners and the horses, of course, will very much enjoy the show’s new setting.

“Now that the show is on their doorstep we do hope locals will support it. This event is the best display of Shire horses in the country and an opportunity for people to see the breed in all its glory.”

Tickets will be available on the door and cost £10 adults, £8 concessions. Babies and toddlers will get in free. For more details go to www.shirehorseshow.co.uk/visitor-info

There was a burglary at a house in Manthorpe Road, Grantham, today some time between 10.30am and 1.30pm.

A police spokesman said: “Please be vigilant and make sure you lock up if leaving premises. If you see or hear anything suspicious please ring 101 or contact your local NPT team.”