Breaking news, sport, travel and weather updates from across Lincolnshire.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A new 3G sports pitch and 75 homes could be built on Ravendale Sports Ground in Lincoln.

Image source, Lincoln College

The plans, put forward by Lincoln College, would see the current facilities at the site enhanced, including laying three new football pitches.

The homes will include energy efficiency and low energy measures in a bid to reduce the impact on the environment.

Lincoln College says they would “respect the setting and character of the surrounding residential areas”.

Image source, Lincoln College

Lincoln College Group Director of Finance and Commercial Tom Dannatt says the plans will bring great benefits to the area:

Unite leader Len McCluskey has accused Lincolnshire County Council of "failing its public duty" to resolve an ongoing dispute about health visitors' pay.

Since July more than 70 health workers have walked out on numerous occasions for a total of 32 days.

They argue that since the county council took over their contracts from NHS two years ago they haven't had a pay increase, meaning they've lost £2,000 a year.

Speaking at the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association, in Harrogate, earlier Mr McCluskey said the "cash-rich county council' was forcing through a "two-tier system to divide workers".

He said Lincolnshire families with young children are suffering the consequences of a reduced service.

Image source, Unite

Lincolnshire County Council say they have always valued the work of health visitors, are committed to working collaboratively with the workforce and would welcome further constructive talks with Unite.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Boston Conservative councillor says "personal circumstances" are behind his decision to stand down from the authority.

Alistair Arundell, Boston Borough Council’s cabinet member for tourism, announced his resignation on social media last night.

He was elected to the council in May and represented the Skirbeck ward.

The Boston businessman, hotel owner and entrepreneur later became the portfolio holder for tourism, arts, culture and heritage.

The council will announce a by-election for the Skirbeck ward in due course.

Train operator Northern, which runs services across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, has been asked by the government to submit proposals suggesting how it can improve its service for passengers, or it faces being removed from the franchise.

Image source, PA Media

During a Transport Committee session, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had issued a “request for proposals” as Northern's service had been poor.

In a statement on Friday, Transport for the North said it believed the franchise should be taken into public hands, via what’s known as an Operator of Last Resort (OLR).

The OLR is, on behalf of the government, currently in charge of LNER, the East Coast Mainline intercity franchise.

Mr Shapps told MPs he has asked train operator Arriva and the OLR for a “list of proposals” because the franchise “cannot continue delivering in the current delivery method".

A decade on from the violent murder of a 50-year-old man, Lincolnshire Police say they will not rest until they find the person who did it.

Image source, Wood family

Alan Wood was tortured and killed at his home in Lound, near Bourne, in October 2009.

His bank cards were stolen and later used to take a small amount of money from his account.

Lincolnshire Police said it was determined to solve what it describes as one of the force's "most serious and disturbing unsolved crimes".

Campaigners opposed to plans to build a new relief road for Spalding say they will continue to fight after a report recommended the route should go through five houses.

Image source, Lincolnshire County Council

Lincolnshire County Council commissioned the report to find the best route for the £39 million road.

It says the authority should use compulsory purchase orders to buy five properties on Bourne Road so they can be demolished.

But Heather Violet from the Spalding Against Relief Road campaign group says the council just wants the cheapest option:

Lincolnshire County Council says no final decision will be made until January 2020 and work won't start for at least another 10 years.

Proposals have been revealed for a new multi-million pound business park in Skegness.

Image source, Google

Seven small business units will be installed on a five-hectare area of land off Hassall Road.

It's the first phase of a much larger development which is expected to cost nearly £2.4m in total.

Work will begin at the start of next year.

Lincolnshire County Councillor Colin Davie says the development would be great news for Skegness:

Meet the super Nova swimmer and her fellow teen stars who are Olympic hopefuls as Tokyo 2020 looms on the horizon.

At least 30 incidents of lead theft from church roofs have taken place in Lincolnshire so far this year.

Replacing stolen lead costs tens of thousands of pounds and historic buildings are often left without a proper roof for weeks following such thefts.

Police and insurers believe organised gangs are behind the attacks.

St Peter and St Paul’s in Gosberton had an estimated 12 tonnes of lead stripped from its roof in May - and, as this video shows, water is still coming into the building when it rains:

The Reverend Ian Walters, the vicar at St Peter and St Paul’s, says it's hit him and the congregation hard:

Alan Wood was bound and tortured before he was killed in his home near Bourne in October 2009.

The number of East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) staff taking sick leave due to poor mental health is on the rise, new figures suggest.

The figures released to the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act show 431 members of EMAS staff took leave due to issues such as stress, anxiety and depression between 2014-19.

Ambulance service bosses say it's partly down to the level of abuse workers receive while doing their job.

The government say it's funding a number of initiatives for emergency workers to tackle stigma around mental health.

The Reverend Kev Charles, chaplain and staff support lead at EMAS, says support is in place:

Ten years after the brutal torture and murder of a Lincolnshire man, police are again appealing for help with their investigations.

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

Alan Wood, 50, was killed at his home in Lound, near Bourne, external in October 2009.

He was bound and tortured for a number of days but the killer made off with just a few hundred pounds.

The person or people responsible have never been found.

A £40,000 reward is being offered by Sainsbury’s - where Mr Wood worked - for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.

The impact of the overnight closure of Grantham's A&E department is expected to be outlined by health bosses to Lincolnshire councillors later.

A lack of doctors was blamed by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust for the closure of Grantham Hospital's unit from 18:30 to 09:00 which was introduced in August 2016.

The trust's actions led to protests from a campaign group which claimed the closure of the unit put people's safety at risk - a claim the trust denied.

Details of a planned consultation on the future of the department are expected to be revealed at today's meeting of Lincolnshire County Council's health scrutiny committee.