In pictures: University of Lincoln 2019 graduates collect their degrees

Lockdown restrictions will be partially lifted for Christmas, allowing up to three households to meet in an ‘exclusive bubble’.

The plans are yet to be officially confirmed by government, however, according to major outlets including BBC News and Sky News, it will mean that in the five day period between December 23-27:

• Three households will be able to form an exclusive “bubble” and meet indoors
• Travel restrictions will be also be lifted

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on Tuesday afternoon chaired a meeting with the first ministers of the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to agree the plans.

It is understood there will be some minor changes to the initial plans for each of the nations.

Travel restrictions are also set to be lifted during the same period and some overnight stays will be allowed.

In a briefing on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I can’t say that Christmas will be normal this year, but in a period of adversity, time spent with loved ones is even more precious for people of all faiths and we all want some kind of Christmas — we need it.

“But what we don’t want is to throw caution to the winds and allow the virus to flare up again, forcing us all back into lockdown in January.

“This virus is not going to grant a Christmas truce. It doesn’t know Christmas and families will need to make a careful judgement about the risks.”

There have been 209 new coronavirus cases and 24 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday.

The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 118 new cases in Lincolnshire, 51 in North Lincolnshire and 40 in North East Lincolnshire.

It also registered 16 deaths in Lincolnshire, four in North Lincolnshire and four in North East Lincolnshire.

These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England reported nine local hospital deaths on Tuesday. Five were at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and four were at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust. This takes the total number of hospital deaths in the county to 477.

On Tuesday, national cases increased by 11,299 to 1,538,794, while deaths rose by 608 to 55,838.

Lincolnshire COVID-19 deaths up to November 24.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases at the University of Lincoln has more than halved this week. It currently has 61 coronavirus cases — 58 students and three staff.

Lincolnshire’s health bosses won’t be drawn to guess which tier the county will end up in once the national lockdown ends on December 2. However, they should find out this Thursday.

The man in charge of care homes in Lincolnshire said extra precautions are still needed for visitors, besides twice-weekly rapid testing, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined in his winter plan on Monday.

In national news, new figures show weekly COVID-19 deaths in England and Wales are at the highest level since May.

The transport secretary announced that international visitors will be able to reduce their quarantine time by more than half from December 15, provided they purchase a COVID-19 test after five days.

Geordie comedian Sarah Millican will perform at four Lincolnshire venues next year as part of her new UK tour Bobby Dazzler.

Sarah, who is married to fellow comedian Gary Delaney and has appeared on various TV panel shows, will visit Lincoln, Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Skegness between July and October 2021.

Tickets will be available for general sale from 10am on Friday, November 27 – see more details here.

However, anyone on Sarah’s mailing list will have access to book at 10am on Wednesday, November 26. The first 5,000 tickets that get sold to mailing list members will have no booking fee.

Tickets are priced at £27.50 before any venue charges. The booking fee will only be £1.50 per ticket.

Lincolnshire shows

• The Baths Hall, Scunthorpe – July 16 and 17
• Grimsby Auditorium – August 21
• Embassy Theatre, Skegness – September 1
• The Engine Shed, Lincoln – October 27 and 31

As well as the UK and Ireland leg of the tour, Sarah is working on booking some international dates in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America.

Police are appealing to identify a woman who allegedly didn’t pay beauty treatments in Lincoln.

Just after 8pm on Wednesday, November 4 a woman received £330 worth of beauty treatment from an appointment at Lincoln Aesthetics on Silver Street.

She left the salon without paying for the treatment and now police are investigating the incident as fraud.

She has been described as a woman in her 30s, of slim build, with blonde hair, a pale complexion and light freckles on her face.

If you know who this person is, contact officers in one of the following ways:

• Call 101 and quote incident 206 of November 6
• Email [email protected] and put incident 206 of November 6 in the subject box
• Call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111