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Lincolnshire Police have issued a warning after widespread gatherings of youths in public spaces in local villages over the weekend.

Police received multiple reports of youths gathering in various locations, including one incident relating to a large group of people in the skate park in North Hykeham on Sunday, February 28. Officers attended and there was no breach in progress at the time.

On Saturday, February 27, police received a call that there were a group of 20 youths in Valerian Place in Lincoln.

The force also received a report that there were a group of teenagers in Glebe Park in Lincoln. The youths had left before officers arrived.

Police warned parents they can be fined £200 if their teenage children are found to be breaching COVID-19 regulations after recent incidents in North Hykeham, Branston and Washingborough.

Sharon McMaster claimed that a group were sat in Glebe Park at 4pm on Friday, February 26 messing about with kids play equipment and received verbal abuse when she asked them to stop.

Lisa Clifford alleged that a group sit on the play equipment in Rustons park most evenings, playing loud music and smoking weed.

Hykeham and Bracebridge Heath Police posted on Facebook on Monday, March 1, asking parents to account for the whereabouts of their teenage children.

They said: “This weekend has seen widespread gatherings of youths in many public spaces in our towns and villages, notably North Hykeham, Branston and Washingborough.

“These groups have not amounted to COVID-19 compliant incidents of exercise or gatherings in bubbles. There have been large gatherings of youths who are not socially distancing and are in some cases engaging in disorder.

“These incidents have extended late into the evenings. Parents can be fined a £200 Fixed Penalty Ticket (fine doubles on each occasion) if their teenagers are found to be breaching COVID-19 Regulations.

“This is not a line police readily wish to go down in the first instance, but we are beyond the first instance and warnings by some margin now.

“We would respectfully ask parents to account for the whereabouts of their teenage children and ensure that they are complying with COVID-19 regulations.”

Meanwhile, Lincolnshire Police’s Sergeant Mike Templeman attended an incident on Sunday, February 28 where coronavirus fines to two men, one of whom claimed not to be aware of COVID-19 or lockdown.

South Kesteven District Council has U-turned over a decision to underwrite a £100,000 event for the unveiling of a £300,000 statue of Margaret Thatcher in Grantham town centre.

The council controversially agreed to put aside £100,000 to cover the costs of the event, hoping that private donations and fundraising would mean it might not be necessary to stump up the money.

However, council leaders on Monday said the delay to the event caused by the COVID-19 pandemic would give organisers the time needed to raise the cash.

During a meeting of the full council on Monday, Councillor Adam Stokes said: “I would like to take this opportunity to confirm that at tomorrow’s (Tuesday’s) cabinet meeting a decision will be taken to no longer allocate £100,000 from the local priorities reserve to underwrite the public realm improvements to support the unveiling of the statue.”

The decision caused controversy when it was agreed in December, with many criticising the council. The story made its way to the nationals and caused debate at the top levels of society.

Concerns were raised that “political vandals” would damage the structure after it was erected, and tens of thousands of people signed up to an “egg throwing contest”.

Opposition councillors eventually forced the leadership into reviewing the decision and revealing a breakdown of the costs, including an estimated £50,200 on an external events organisation, and £24,250 on public safety.

Last week a local artist took it upon himself to create his own version of the Margaret Thatcher statue out of plaster and office chairs. The effigy showed the Iron Lady with her head cut off and placed on a spike, next to a handbag.

The artist placed it on the 10ft plinth awaiting the Thatcher statue, but the council dismantled the piece shortly after.

Council leader Kelham Cooke said the latest decision had been taken based on the unveiling taking place in May 2021.

However, he added: “As (the unveiling) has now been delayed until COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, we now have the time to fund-raise all of the funds required prior to the event and therefore no longer need to use any allocation of underwriting or forward funding from South Kesteven District Council.

“This will mean the whole unveiling event and preparations will be privately funded through donations without the need for any underwriting or forward funding for this event and the funding for this will be removed from the council’s budget.”

The plans for the 10ft statue include placing it on a 10ft high plinth meaning the installation will be 20ft high in total.

The homemade statue standing on the 10ft plinth designed for the council’s unveiling. | Photo: MarkRobla

When planning was approved for the original statue, the height was a requirement for security purposes, along with CCTV cover.

Margaret Thatcher (nee Roberts) was born and raised in Grantham and attended Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, before gaining a scholarship to study at Oxford University.

Her father Alfred, a grocer, was Mayor from 1945 to 1946. She was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990. She entered the House of Lords in 1992.

Plans to build the statue on Parliament Square, in London, were previously rejected by Westminster Council due to the fear of it being targeted by protestors, like the 14,000 people who joined an egg-throwing contest when the Grantham statue will be put up.

Some 140 hay bales worth around £10,000 used to keep pigs warm at night were destroyed in an alleged arson attack at a farm attraction in Scunthorpe.

The owner of The Pink Pig Farm Sally Jackson went to the site on Holme Lane where there are around 400 pigs and piglets, after being alerted to the fire at around 6.15pm on Friday, February 26.

Humberside Police said they are investigating the reported arson after they attended the scene. The officers have been following up a number of lines of enquiry to determine those responsible.

Due to its location the fire was allowed to burn out under the supervision of the farmer. Fortunately, no animals or people were injured.

This is the second suspected arson at the farm during lockdown after another incident last year.

Sally told The Lincolnite: “It was a big blaze around the height of up to the eaves of a two-storey house.

“The fire brigade came down and monitored the blaze to make sure it wasn’t going to spread. They felt it could naturally burn out and this took a few days.

“The pigs were no more than 100 metres from the fire. They had a very lucky escape. Had it been dry and windy they could have been in real danger.

“I thought ‘not again’, it is such a worry and I honestly don’t think the teenagers know the kind of devastation it can cause. We just want to stop people doing it as arsonists get a taste for it and keep doing it until they are stopped.”

The Pink Pig farm said these photos were taken just before the fire and is urging anyone who recognises those pictured to email [email protected]

Humberside Police is urging anyone who has not yet spoken to them who may have information to call 101 quoting log number 542 of February 26.

The farmers who own the pigs now need to source more straw and the cafe continues to open for an hour a day for takeaway coffee.

Sally also thanked people for spreading the message, being proactive and raising money for the farm, with any donations being passed directly to the farmers. A fundraiser set up by Candice Priest has raised over £650 by the time of publication.

The Pink Pig Farm will reopen again fully for business on April 12, including the indoor and outdoor play areas, two cafes and the animal trail where visitors can get up close and personal to the pigs.

Booking online is essential with tickets costing £8 per person.

Sally added: “We cannot wait to see people back again. We’ve been eligible for a grant and been really careful and cut our overheads.”