Daniel Ionescu

Some 1,854 new jobs have been created in Greater Lincolnshire in the past year by 14 overseas businesses, according to new figures from the LEP.

Investment has been secured from all over the globe, including Brazil, China, the United States, Norway and Japan, and covers sectors such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and renewable energy.

Twelve of the 14 investments have been brokered by the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) working with the local councils and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the government organisation that helps UK companies succeed in international markets.

Nine of the 14 investments (64%) were expansions, three (21%) were new investments and two (14%) were mergers and acquisitions or joint ventures.

The most significant region from which investment came was Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), which accounted for 64% of the investments. The Americas made up 21% while Asia Pacific accounted for 14%.

The number of investments has increased by 43% on 2012-13 (14 compared to eight) and the number of jobs created has leaped by almost 500% (1,854 compared to 161).

“This level of new inward investment from overseas is a fantastic achievement for the Greater Lincolnshire LEP and shows that we are moving in the right direction in terms of foreign investment and business growth,” said Ursula Lidbetter, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP.

Greater Lincolnshire LEP performed particularly strongly in the energy, environment and infrastructure category, which made up almost half (43%) of investments.

Two flats on Westwick Drive in Lincoln were severely damaged by a fire which spread from a caravan parked outside the premises.

This was one of three fires in the area last night that police are treating as arson.

Firefighters were called to the caravan on fire at 1.30am on Wednesday, July 30.

Six Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue crews attended. They extinguished the fire which already spread to the two flats Gainsborough Gardens nearby.

A number of people were evacuated from the flats. No one was seriously injured.

The caravan was destroyed by the fire, while the two flats had severe damage from fire, heat and smoke throughout.

A few minutes earlier before the caravan fire, at 1.28am, firefighters also tackled a car set on fire on Rookery Lane, near Westwick Drive.

The fire started underneath the car tyre.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue also attended another fire at around 2am, on Turner Avenue, off Westwick Drive, where a car and the front of a home were set on fire.

Investigations are ongoing into the cause of the fires and Lincolnshire Police are asking for anyone with information to get in touch on the 101 number, quoting incident number 21 of July 30.

The aftermath of the fire at the Westwick Drive flats on Wednesday morning:

Fire Investigation believe that the caravan fire was a deliberate ignition and police are investigating the incidents as arson.

They are conducting enquiries in the area, and scene examiners have been at various locations conducting forensic investigations.

It is not known if the fires are linked, but given their timings and locations, this will form part of the police enquiry.

Detective Sergeant Mark Booth from Lincoln CID said: “I appreciate that these incidents overnight must have been very alarming for local residents.

“A number of people had to be disrupted during the night and are likely to have been scared by the situation.

“I’d like to reassure the community that we’re doing everything we can to seek the offenders, and that although there were several fires last night, such events are rare.

“We will be increasing police presence in the area and urge anyone who has any concerns, or who has any information which may help with our investigations to approach an officer or call 101.”

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