One year on, sufferings in Ukraine to be marked by minute's silence outside Grimsby Town Hall

                                                   

More than 80 Ukrainians have been welcomed into the Grimsby area since the invasion 

THE National Minute’s silence to mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine will be held in Grimsby at 11am tomorrow, Friday February 24.

From the main steps of the town hall, it will be led by the Mayor of  North East Lincolnshire, Cllr Steve Beasant.

The start and finish of the event will be marked by the ringing of the town hall bell. 

A statement from North East Lincolnshire Council reads: "The Ukrainian flag will continue to fly at full mast over the town hall.

"After dark, Grimsby Minster and The Knoll in Cleethorpes will be lit up in blue and yellow, the colours of the Ukrainian flag."

Says NELC leader Cllr Philip Jackson: "What we are continuing to see in Ukraine is beyond many people’s experience and comprehension.

"Over the least year, we have welcomed more than 80 Ukrainians to North East Lincolnshire, including several families.

"I should like to extend my thanks to the sponsors and others who have helped support our Ukrainian guests to settle in here in North East Lincolnshire.

"I am sure I speak for all in the whole borough when I say how the  country’s brave people remain in our thoughts, hopes and prayers."

Prime Minister's warning to rail company - get the trains sorted or you risk losing your franchise!

                                                       

What's the point of a railway station if trains don't run?

AILING train operator Transpennine has been given until May to rectify its underforming rail service.

Unless the company bring an end to the cancellations and delays, its existing contract - which terminates in that month - is most unlikely to be renewed.

This was the message from Rishi Sunak, when the matter was raised at today's Prime Minister's Questions session in the Commons.

The company seems never to have recovered since covid lockdown, and its poor service has caused months of frustration  for numerous travellers in the Grimsby area and the many other areas which its trains (supposedly) serve.

Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers is among those who, out of despair, has called for Transpennine, which is part of First Group, to be stripped of its franchise.

An improvement plan has reportedly been drawn up, but, if so, there is scant sign yet of its having been implemented. 

The joy of the great outdoors - cattle put out to graze in Cleethorpes farm field

 

Always a good sign to see cattle out grazing in the fields again. These belted galloway have this week been feasting on fresh grass on a field between Cleethorpes Country Park and the Wilton Road industrial estate in Humberston.

Windfarm operator: Remediation needed or cable degradation could lead to 'power transmission loss'

The Hornsea One windfarm - 174 turbines in total 

A NOTE of concern has been sounded on the integrity of the cable network - specifically the foundations - linking Ørsted Hornsea One  windfarm, 75 miles off the Yorkshire Coast, to Horseshoe Point in Lincolnshire.

Recent investigations have shown degradation of the existing Cable Protection System  associated with the foundations. 

The Danish company fears that unless there is extensive remedial work, there will be continuing degradation "resulting in significant power transmission loss, and requiring subsequent emergency cable repairs". 

According to a report seen by the Grimsby News, the proposed works include "the placement of permanent rock and/or rock bag berms to stabilise cables ends". 

Assuming there are no environmental or other objections, the work is expected to start in spring or summer this year and will be completed over a period of 150 days within a five-year period.

Why such a long timeframe? Progress will depend on ease of rock transit and laying, weather downtime, currents and tidal states and any additional stabilisation challenges.

* All images courtsey of  Ørsted 

                                           

                                                

With just one rotation of its blades, a single turbine can supply sufficient electricity for a day for an average home

Urgent probe under way after two swans are contaminated in Humber Bank oil incident

Horribly oiled - but still able to fly (photo: Phil Jones)

AN urgent multi-agency investigation is underway following an oil-spill  incident which has hit wildlife on the Humber Bank.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s ecology officer, Rachel Graham, is liaising with her counterpart at neighbouring North Lincolnshire Council to establish the extent of the contamination, its impact and what caused it.

It came to light late on Tuesday of this week when birdwatcher Phil Jones was alerted by a fisherman at Homestead Park in Immingham to the presence of  two "oiled-up" swans.

When he arrived, Phil  was surprised that, despite extensive  contamination of its underbody,  one of the birds was still able to take to the sky, and it flew from the site.

Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue was unable to attend the scene because of other calls on its time, so Phil stayed at the scene for more than four hours to safeguard  the more severely stricken bird from disturbance until a welfare group, Yorkshire Swan Rescue Hospital, was able to take it back to their sanctuary at Selby.   

Distressing sight - the more seriously contaminated bird

What happened to the bird that flew off?

Last Thursday, two days after the alert, it was detected, at Cleethorpes Boating Lake. by another birder, Nick Coulbeck, who alerted North East Lincolnshire Council and the Beach Safety team which watched over the bird until Yorkshire Swan Rescue could collect it.

Both birds have been undergoing a clean-up to remove the oil.

What has been the source of the oil?

Phil believes it is a drain outfall not far from the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's Killingholme Haven nature reserve.

Says he: "There is a constant flow of petroleum film on the water coming out - and it smells that way, too.   

"I couldn't find any evidence of oil on the drain side or on the riverbank, and my judgement is that this is not where the oil problem lies.  

"If that petroleum film flow is normal and constant, it represents significant ongoing  pollution entering the river to the potential detriment of waterbirds and other aquatic wildlife."  

Anglian Water and the Humber ports authority are also making inquiries as is the Environment Agency which has logged the incident as  Number 02130427.

Rescued at Cleethorpes Boating Lake - and now under specialist care

Hopes rise of tourism-related project soon on derelict and unloved Cleethorpes seafront site

 

Expect an announcement soon from North East Lincolnshire Council on the future of site of the former Waves pub opposite Cleethorpes pier.  Earlier this month, civil contractors moved in with materials and machinery in advance of laying foundations. The council is hoping to attract a tourism-related development but, to date, marketing initiatives have failed to bear fruit. It may be that NELC will proceed with some short-term project pending some more ambitious and long-lasting scheme.   

Which team will take the pancake gold medal? Morning of exciting sporting action beckons

Grimsby Minster has announced that Grimsby’s annual Pancake Day race returns again this year as a relay event. Teams from the Minster (skippered by the Fr Chris Hewitt), from North East Lincolnshire Council (captained by the Mayor, Cllr Steve Beasant), from the business community and from local schools will compete to be the first to cross the finish line with all their pancakes intact. The action is to take place in St James' Square  from 11am on Shrove Tuesday February 21. What will happen to the pancakes after the race? This has not been divulged.