Woman sexually assaulted near funeral home in Lincoln

Pop megastar Olivia Rodrigo has recruited Lincolnshire artist Holly Humberstone for her North American tour next year.

2021 was truly the year of Olivia Rodrigo, as the Disney Channel artist turned pop sensation broke countless streaming and chart records with her debut album Sour.

The 18-year-old’s smash hit Good 4 U reached the top of the charts in countless countries, and her huge year of fame resulted in seven Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

She will now hit the road for a worldwide tour in 2022, starting in April, and she has enlisted the help of Grantham artist Holly Humberstone as a support act for her North American dates.

Holly herself has had a stellar 2021, releasing her second EP The Walls Are Way Too Thin in November to critical acclaim, being nominated for the prestigious Rising Star award at the BRIT Awards, and finishing runner up in the BBC Sound of 2021 list.

The Walls Are Way Too Thin, Holly’s second EP release so far. | Photo: Chuff Media

Humberstone, 21, posted on her social media channels on Monday to confirm the news, saying she was “so gassed” to be going on tour with Rodrigo.

She said: “Think I’ll burst with excitement these shows are gonna be the best ever!”

Holly is no stranger to performing Stateside, having made a name for herself on James Corden’s Late Late Show earlier this year and playing multiple headline shows in America also.

The month-long run of the tour will see Holly play most of the North American shows as the opening act for Olivia Rodrigo, starting in New York on April 26, and finishing in Los Angeles on May 25.

The dates for Olivia Rodrigo’s world tour, titled Sour after her debut album of the same name. | Photo: Olivia Rodrigo

A Covid-19 testing bus is launching this week offering supervised lateral flow tests for people without symptoms in areas with high deprivation, low vaccination uptake and high infection rates.

The Lincolnshire County Council’s Public Health has joined forces with Stagecoach to launch the bright green bus providing rapid testing with results within 30 minutes.

Councillor Martin Hill, LCC leader and chair of the Lincolnshire Outbreak Engagement Board, said: “This is another addition to our community testing programme and will help us to identify Covid amongst those people who are showing no signs of having the infection.

“We’ll use the bus at various locations around the county where it might be most needed. It provides a quick and easy way for local residents who might be out shopping or taking a stroll to pop in and take a supervised lateral flow test or pick up test kits.

“Not only will it give people peace of mind with an on-the-spot testing opportunity, it will also provide us with extra data on infection rates – even more important with the new Omicron variant emerging.”

Residents can also pick up test kits to use at home and make sure they aren’t infected before visiting family and friends with vulnerable members, large indoor events or other high-risk environments. Staff will be on hand to provide advice and guidance on testing.

Natalie Liddle, acting head of service – health protection, said: “The testing bus is a timely boost for our testing programme in Lincolnshire.

“The bus will be used in locations across the county where our data shows it is most needed, for example areas of high deprivation, low vaccination uptake and areas where there are high infection rates. The bus will provide residents with quick and easy access to lateral flow testing.”

More than 276,000 people flocked to Lincoln Christmas Market as the festive event made a comeback following last year’s cancellation.

More than 150 stalls were in Castle Square, Lincoln Castle grounds, The Lawn, and Westgate, providing a wide range of both local and national gifts, food and drink between December 2 and 5. There was also fun for all the family including a funfair and a big wheel, where one Lincoln couple got engaged.

The visitor numbers for this year’s event represented a 15% increase on 2019, despite the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the largest crowds of people to the city Covid since hit.

As well as the market, people were also able to enjoy stunning views of Lincoln Cathedral, which was lit up in purple for advent.

Councillor Neil Murray, portfolio holder for economic growth at City of Lincoln Council said: “Lincoln Christmas Market was dearly missed last year and to have received such positive feedback for this year’s event is very rewarding.

“This market brings millions of pounds to the local economy and sees many visitors who go to the market at Christmas return again and again to the city to explore what else we have to offer.

“I’d personally like to thank all City of Lincoln Council staff involved in making this such a successful event, and to our partner organisations for all their work. We look forward to welcoming visitors back to the market in 2022.”

Next year will be the 40th anniversary of the event. The 2022 Lincoln Christmas Market will take place between December 1 and 4 next year.

The festive event was enjoyed by many people, but some were left frustrated by the decision to close the Park & Ride at the Lincolnshire Showground on Sunday after adverse weather left the ground too muddy.