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All of Greater Lincolnshire, including North and North East Lincolnshire, will be put into the toughest COVID restrictions (tier 3) from December 2.

Newark will be in tier 3 along with the whole of Nottinghamshire, as well as all our neighbouring counties, except Cambridgeshire (tier 2).

Tier 3 means all shops can open but pubs and restaurants are only allowed to stay open for takeaway services, similarly to now.

Barbers and salons will be able to reopen but travelling outside of Lincolnshire is not advised, unless for work, care or education.

Entertainment venues such as cinemas and theatres won’t be able to reopen.

Schools, universities and places of worship will stay open, though may be subject to household bubbles.

Unlike the previous tier 3 rules, gyms will be able to open and people will be allowed to take part in outdoor sports such as golf, tennis and Sunday football.

The rule of six will apply outdoors but there will be no mixing of households.

Weddings and funerals, exercise classes and organised sport can all go ahead. Wedding receptions will not be allowed.

The government continues to request people aim to work from home if possible.

Tier 3 areas will also be eligible for the mass testing pilot which uses rapid or “lateral flow” coronavirus tests and gives results in about 20 minutes without the need for a lab.

NHS Test and Trace and the armed forces will support the local health leaders to deliver the programme.

Prior to today’s announcement Lincolnshire leaders had expressed concerns over a blanket ban on the region and on Wednesday voted to write to government calling for more localised restrictions and control.

There were 508 new coronavirus cases and 29 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday.

The average infection rate for Lincolnshire is 289.5 per 100,000 people.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We’re approaching the end of a year where we’ve asked so much of the British people.

“And in response to this unprecedented threat to lives and to livelihoods, the British people have well and truly risen to the challenge by coming together to slow the spread and support each other.

“I know how difficult this has been, especially for those areas that have been in restrictions for so long.

“I’m so grateful for the resolve that people have shown throughout the crisis thanks to this shared sacrifice.

“We’ve been able to announce that we will not be renewing our national restrictions in England. Scientific and medical advice shows that we must make the tiers tougher than they were before, to protect the NHS through the winter.

“These decisions are not easy, but they are necessary.

“While all three tiers are less stringent than the national lockdown that we’re all living in now, to keep people safe, and to keep the gains that have been made more areas than before will be in the top two tiers. This is necessary to protect our NHS, and keep the virus on the control.”

Lincolnshire’s move into tier 3 lockdown means that hospitality venues must stay closed, but retail and gyms can reopen.

National coronavirus lockdown will come to an end on Wednesday, December 2, with restrictions of the tiered system coming into effect from midnight.

Lincolnshire is one of many areas in England to be moved into tier 3, which will be slightly different to the restrictions from before the second lockdown.

Retail will be allowed to reopen, as will hairdressers, gyms and places of worship.

Hospitality settings such as hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes must stay closed. They can continue to serve takeaways, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery services, but cannot be open fully while in tier 3.

Indoor entertainment and tourist venues such as casinos, bingo halls, bowling alleys, cinemas and skating rinks must also stay shut.

As for outdoor entertainment, the likes of zoos, aquariums and theme parks, any indoor attractions within these venues must close.

Large outdoor shows such as live music or performances should not take place, unless they are drive-in events.

Organised outdoor sport can continue, but higher-risk contact activity isn’t recommended and there should be no public attendance if those sports are spectator events.

Leisure and sport facilities can also stay open, but aren’t allowed group exercise classes and should close saunas and steam rooms if they have them.

In terms of seeing people, tier 3 does not allow you to meet socially with someone you don’t live with in most outdoor settings, including private gardens.

You also must not socialise in a group of more than six people in places such as parks, beaches and heritage sites.

You are allowed to travel to venues that are open, but government guidance is to reduce the number of journeys you make unless they are essential.

As for travelling to other parts of the country, the government are advising you to avoid it where possible, but you can travel through other areas as part of a longer journey or for work, education, medical treatment and other exemptions.

There are also a long list of exemptions from the gatherings limits within all tiers, and they are:

• If you are part of a single household or someone’s support bubble
• If you work or provide voluntary charitable services, including in other people’s homes
• For childcare, education or training, so long as it is provided as part of a formal curriculum
• For supervised activities provided for children, including before and after school care, under 18s activity groups and children’s playgroups
• For formal support groups and parent and child groups of up to 15 people aged 5 or older
• To allow contact between birth parents and children in care, as well as siblings in care
• For arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both parents or guardians
• For birthing partners
• To attend a funeral, so long as no more than 30 people are present, or at a wake, so long as no more than 15 people are present
• For prospective adopting parents to meet children who may be placed with them
• To see someone who is terminally ill or on end of life care
• To attend a wedding or civil partnership, so long as no more than 15 people are present
• Providing emergency assistance
• Avoiding injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm
• To move home
• To fulfil legal obligations (attending court or jury service)
• Providing care or assistance to someone vulnerable

A 23-year-old man from Lincolnshire has been cleared of manslaughter after a Nottingham father’s ‘road rage row’ death.

Stephen Walsh, 37, was driving back from a christening after he had been drinking and he clipped the van of Oliver Brown in a minor crash before driving off on July 29, 2018.

Mr Walsh and his fiancee Katie Brown were watching an episode of Love Island when there was a knock at the door at their home in Mapperley in Nottinghamshire.

Brown had driven to the house to confront Mr Walsh after tracking down the Lexus to the house.

The court previously heard he knocked him unconscious with a single punch.

It was alleged that Brown, 23, of Golden Sands Caravan Park in Ingoldmells, punched Mr Walsh on his driveway “in a fit of temper” causing him to fall on the floor and crack his head.

However, Mr Brown told the court he had given Mr Walsh, “a gentle slap on the face” in self-defence.

Mr Brown helped to drag Mr Walsh inside his home before getting back in his van and driving off. Mr Walsh then got himself off the settee and staggered to the hallway and went upstairs.

Mr Walsh’s fiancee Katie Brown slept downstairs that evening before finding him lying down “stone cold” at around 6am the next morning.

An ambulance was called and Mr Walsh was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination later concluded that his death was as a result of a head injury.

A jury at Nottingham Crown Court cleared Mr Brown of manslaughter, with judge Stuart Rafferty QC saying he was satisfied justice had been done.

His girlfriend Rosann Newton, 23, of Findern Green in Sneinton, was accused of deleting text messages and making false statements to the police.

The couple had told the trial the deleted conversations and photos were not related to the case.

A lorry crashed into a marked police car that was dealing with a broken down HGV on the A1 at Colsterworth on Wednesday morning.

A second HGV then crashed into the police car, causing the road to be closed in both directions for several hours. The crash happened at 11.23am on November 25.

Two police officers suffered injuries which are not thought to be life-threatening and remain in hospital for further assessment. They are believed to be in a stable condition.

The driver of the second HGV, which collided with the police car, suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital. The driver of the other HGV was uninjured.

The A1 at Colsterworth was closed in both directions before police said at around 3.45pm on Wednesday that the northbound carriage had reopened. The A1 southbound reopened shortly after 9.20pm.

Police at the scene with the road closed. | Photo: R S Mortiss

Investigations are currently ongoing and police are appealing for witnesses and anyone with dashcam footage to contact them on 101 or via email at [email protected] quoting incident 151 of November 25.

Alternatively, it can be reported through the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online here.

Lincolnshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Kerrin Wilson said: “This was a particularly difficult incident which involved two of our officers performing their duties in keeping the public of Lincolnshire safe.

“I would urge members of the public to get in touch if you have any information or dashcam footage that can assist in our investigations.

“Our officers put their lives at risk everyday – not just when confronting dangerous people.

“I’d like to wish both officers a speedy recovery and to give thanks to all services and staff involved for their professionalism in dealing with the incident.

“I’d also like to thank the public for their well-wishes to our officers.

“I have been in touch with the officers and their team this morning and the power of the public support cannot be underestimated and goes a long way in helping injured officers come back with confidence.”