STAR-STRUCK Jamie Cullum fans were given an exclusive showing of his new album at an intimate show in Cleethorpes.

The jazz-pop musician put on the show at the Parkway Cinema just two days after the release of his comeback album, Momentum.

The audience were lucky winners of Lincs FM and Compass FM's competition after they organised the gig.

The 33-year-old, whose career quietened down after he became a father in 2011, is pleased with the response to the album and new single Everything You Didn't Do.

In an exclusive interview, he told the Grimsby Telegraph: "It's been fantastic so far. We had a really good day yesterday. I played the train station, a launch gig at Shelter and then on top of the tallest building in London, so that was a good start and now in Cleethorpes to do this.

"It feels really good, I am having a good time."

Ten of the 12 songs on Momentum have been written by Jamie, who plays piano, drums and guitar.

All of the competition winners were from North East Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire – with the exception of four super-fans, who bagged seats at the intimate gig for their unwavering support of the star.

Jamie continued: "I have always tried to challenge myself. On this album, that challenge was to do original songs, which is a much harder job for me to do.

"Sometimes you need to put original songs on your own record, if you put them up against covers, they never have their chance to breathe, so I went out on a limb to do that. Hopefully, this is one good musical leap forward.

Jamie, who is married to Sophie Dahl, has visited Grimsby a few times and has a "very good friend" who is from Cleethorpes.

He praised the resort and the Parkway Cinema for its individuality, which lent itself perfectly to the intimate gig.

He continued: "As soon as I am behind the piano and my musicians are here, it feels familiar and you still have to do your job, which is to connect with the people listening to you.

"This is a really great space, it's independent and takes some risks and puts on some cool stuff. Any town that does something different to everyone else is all right by me. Cleethorpes has the sun, the sea... what more could people need?"

For fans, the gig was a dream come true. Jo Walker, 65, of Humberston, won and took friend Sharon Houghton, 55, of Grimsby. Jo said: "His music is fabulous and speaks to all generations."

Winner Andrea Holden, of Cleethorpes, took her daughter Chelsea Critchley, 19.

Andrea said: "I was so chuffed to win – I think he is great."

Send your photos of the gig to pictures@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

A HEATING engineer caused an explosion which wrecked a house and left the occupants badly burned after botching a simple job, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Daniel Hickling left a hole in piping which caused gas to leak into the home of Martyn and Teresa Moody.

Hickling cut off and capped the protruding pipe and then buried it under the floor during the conversion of a former kitchen into a dining room.

But he punctured the pipe and failed to carry out a straightforward test which would have located the leak.

Hours later, the Moodys smelt gas and began searching their large detached house at Nettleton, near Caistor, for the source.

While checking one of the rooms, Mr Moody flicked on a cigarette lighter and the flame ignited an explosion which rocked the house.

The blast severely damaged the property with windows and doors being blown out.

Mr Moody spent two weeks in hospital being treated for serious burns and has been left permanently scarred.

His wife suffered burns to her legs and feet, and was released from hospital after two days.

The house was so badly damaged it had to be almost completely rebuilt and it was a year before the couple were able to move back in.

The rural property was supplied by an LPG tank in the back garden as it was not connected to the mains gas supply.

The court was told that Hickling, who ran his own heating and plumbing business, was not qualified to carry out gas work.

James Puzey, prosecuting for the Health And Safety Executive (HSE), said: "The defendant was incompetent to carry out this work and it was carried out incompetently.

"That led directly to an explosion which almost destroyed the property and caused serious injury to the householders."

He said Hickling did not reveal he was not a Gas Safe-registered engineer when he agreed to carry out the work.

Mr Puzey said a gas engineer, called in by the HSE, found a "significant leak" in pipework Hickling had buried under the floor.

Stephen Critchlow said Hickling should have carried out a "gas tightness test" before finishing the job which would have revealed the leak.

Mr Critchlow told the court he discovered the source of the leak and when he dug out the buried pipe he found a puncture hole he believed had been caused by a chisel.

Hickling, 32, of Howsham, in Lincolnshire, has pleaded guilty to three charges relating to the incident in July 2011, but is disputing the prosecution case that he knew he was working on gas pipes.

He admits carrying out work to an inappropriate standard, carrying out work while not registered with the Gas Safety Register and carrying out gas fitting work he was not competent of doing so in breach of the 1998 Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulation.

Hickling says he never put himself forward as a qualified gas engineer and did not know he was working on a gas pipe.

The trial of the issue of whether or not Hickling knew he was working on gas piping is being heard by Recorder Helen Malcolm QC sitting without a jury.

The hearing was adjourned to a later date – keep checking www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk and your Grimsby Telegraph for updates.

SO it could be Scott Kerr, but it most definitely won't be Dean Keates.

Joint boss Rob Scott gave the latest on the Mariners' search for a central-midfielder in the Telegraph earlier this week.

And, after confirming that former Lincoln and York City man Kerr is on the wanted list, he ruled out a move for Keates.

The Wrexham skipper put that one to bed completely by penning a new deal with the Red Dragons yesterday.

Kerr, meanwhile, would be a handy addition to a Grimsby Town squad that currently boasts just two 'centre-mids' – captain Craig Disley and youngster Andi Thanoj.

Speaking to one of our counterparts at the York Press newspaper this week, Kerr was described as an up-and-down midfielder who retains possession but also adds a physical presence in the middle of the park.

Sounds like the real deal – sign him up!

The 31-year-old would also provide some much-needed experience for a youthful Town squad, and has tasted promotion from the Conference with the Minstermen.

The one question mark hanging over the former Leeds United trainee must be his injury record in recent years.

A cruciate ligament injury put him out of action for seven months last year before a back problem ended his season prematurely in April.

With such a small squad pencilled in for next season, the Mariners certainly can't afford to carry any passengers next time around.

While the need for experience is all well and good, Kerr's age could also be a concern for some fans.

If he were to partner Disley, that would see a Town central midfield consisting of two 31-year-olds.

Now, no one can question the skipper's engine after last season's heroics but would some youthful vitality alongside him be a better option?

A criticism levelled at the Town midfield in the 2012/13 campaign was that it looked one-dimensional at times, especially at home when opponents came to defend.

It may be idle speculation or plucking names out of the air, but an all-action midfielder in the shape of Lincoln City's Alan Power could be an attractive alternative.

The 25-year-old had an impressive season at Sincil Bank, reaching double- figures, including a goal in each of the derby matches over the festive period.

Power is currently considering a contract offer from the Imps after his initial one-year deal ended.

But given Lincoln's much-publicised financial difficulties last season, I'm sure he wouldn't cost the earth and certainly wouldn't have to move far!

Who would you like to see in the Mariners engine room? Comment on this story on our website at www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/sport

A CLEETHORPES resident said he is considering moving out after the latest act of vandalism on his property.

Neil Fletcher, 40, has his main door in an alleyway called Cuttleby, off Yarra Road, Cleethorpes.

It is used by youths who have carried out repeated vandalism and arson attacks in the area.

Neil discovered the wall outside his home daubed with graffiti on Sunday.

Slogans were painted using a spray paint.

The vandalism had been done sometime during the previous night.

He had already had to repaint his front door and has painted the wall twice before because of the graffiti.

The criminal damage came several months after youths had set fire to children's play equipment in the neighbouring St Peter's Church of England Primary School.

Neil said he wanted to erect CCTV cameras but was hampered because the alleyway is next to a school playground.

He said: "It is isolated. It is a favourite place where young people hang out.

"But it is happening too often.

"Having moved into this property late last year and worked myself into debt to make it my home, I find this soul-destroying even to the point of moving.

"I wonder how the idiot who did this would feel waking up to this where they live.

Neil said: "It is just random vandalism and a real pain. I grew up in this area and lived in the neighbourhood all my life. But I have never experience anything like this before."

Cuttleby has been in the headlines over the years for a number of violent incidents.

In September 2005, a 27-year-old man was left with fractured ribs and facial injuries following a gang attack down there.

In April 2007, a 42-year-old man was attacked and robbed on his way home from a night out. He needed hospital treatment after being knocked unconscious.

In 2009, it was named by residents in our Grot Spots campaign – where we asked you to let us know which areas you wanted to see cleaned up. It was a hotspot for discarded food packaging.

And at the end of last year, it was highlighted as one of the worst places in the resort for dog mess.

Anyone with information was urged to contact Humberside Police quoting incident number AB1975 238 of May 19.

POTTER Stuart Carrington is determined to show his true colours as he prepares for a return to the Main Tour.

The 22-year-old booked his place on the professional snooker circuit – for 2013/2014 – with two victories in Sheffield last month, and will chalk up against the sport's biggest names from Thursday next week.

With Gloucester his first destination, Carrington – who endured a tough debut season in 2011 – hopes improved consistency will make his second journey to the summit a more enjoyable experience.

He said: "I'm absolutely buzzing and couldn't wish for anything more. I played so well, and dealt with the pressure – I woke up on the Monday morning on top of the world.

"My aim now is to get off to a solid start. In the first year you hope to just win a few matches, which will help towards gaining enough points to push on in the second year.

"I'm a much better player now than before – my game has improved a good 75 per cent in the last 12 months. And the main improvement is with my break-building.

"When I get chances now, I punish my opponent more often then I was doing – I'm undoubtedly more consistent now."

After beating practice partner Jeff Cundy (4-2) in round one of the professional qualifier, Carrington then whitewashed Adam Wicheard (4-0) in fine style to clinch his Main Tour return.

The Grimsby potter even had the chance to register a maximum break of 147 in the decisive frame, but elected to play safe, on 72, when he ran slightly out of position. Nonetheless Carrington – who pocketed four breaks over 70 – was delighted with his performance in Sheffield.

He added: "My first match was really tough. Me and Jeff have so much respect for each other, and he played really well on the day – I had to fight hard.

"If Jeff had won it wouldn't have been an injustice. But, I managed to come through at the right time, despite the nerves and pressure.

"And after that I didn't miss a thing in the second match."

On missing out what could have been a historic maximum, Carrington declared: "I potted a red above the black and developed the table – the balls were spread nicely and I had a good chance of a 147.

"But at first I wanted to get to 50, and make sure I was halfway there in the frame. I landed on a red, but position on the black was difficult.

Winning the frame, and match, was so much more important. I decided to play safe and saw the game – the relief and excitement was just incredible."

Despite his achievement, Carrington will not have much time to rest his cue action ahead of the new season – which gets underway at the Capital Venue next month.

And that Australian Open qualifier will mark the beginning of a new era for the sport, which has installed a new seeding method.

Indeed, with all players entering competitions at the first stage, lower-ranked pros like Carrington will be hoping to make their mark amongst the snooker elite.

GRIMSBY Town joint boss Rob Scott believes all of the promoted clubs are well-capable of springing a surprise in the Conference next season.

Welling United, Salisbury City, Chester and Halifax Town will all take their place in the top tier next season after winning promotion from the leagues below last season.

Chester comfortably won the Blue Square Bet North by 16 points while Halifax beat Brackley in the league's play-off final.

Welling, featuring former Mariners frontman Kiernan Hughes-Mason took the Conference South title, with Salisbury winning their play-off final courtesy of a 3-2 win over Dover Athletic.

Scott believes all four sides are well-equipped to emulate the success of teams such as Dartford last season, and Braintree before them, who both impressed in their respective debut seasons in the league.

But Scott insists it's difficult to pinpoint who will be next season's 'dark horses' until clubs really show their hand in the transfer market.

"You always get one club that is a surprise," he told the Telegraph.

"Last season it was Dartford and before that was Braintree – they both did particularly well in their first season.

You look at the teams that the teams that have come up this time around and they're going to make it tough.

"Salisbury are full-time anyway and they're going to be a tough proposition and then there is Halifax, who are a big club in terms of their history and the squad they'll have to call on.

"They are all big clubs that have come up and they will certainly be tough opponents."

He continued: "It's difficult to tell who's going to be the dark horses this season because there is only a couple of clubs that have really started to sign players.

"A lot of clubs are doing the same as we're doing and that is hanging on.

"We've added Scott Neilson back into the squad and we're happy with that.

"We're just biding our time at the minute and there's nothing on the horizon in terms of the next couple of weeks."

A 57-YEAR-old man has died while in custody at Grimsby Police Station.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) today confirmed it was investigating the death after viewing security camera footage from the cells, which were believed to have been closed for some time yesterday.

A Humberside Police spokesman confirmed that a death had occurred, but said there would be no further comment as it had been passed to the IPCC.

Further updates will appear throughout the day on www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk

An IPCC spokesman said: "At about 11pm on May 21, Humberside police informed the IPCC that a 57-year-old man had died while being held in custody at Grimsby Police Station.

"Police have told the IPCC that the man had been arrested following a disturbance close to his home in Grimsby.

"An IPCC investigator was sent to the station to speak to custody staff and view CCTV footage.

"At 3am, it was decided that the circumstances surrounding the man's death would be independently investigated by the IPCC.

"A further announcement will be made by the IPCC when more information is available."

The spokesman said a post mortem examination was due to be held yesterday afternoon.

North East Lincolnshire coroner's office was unable to comment, but confirmed that an inquest had not yet been opened.

The circumstances of the disturbance have not been revealed, but it has been confirmed that no other arrests were made at the time.

ON JUNE 7 last year, grieving father Stuart Wilson was preparing to place a single sunflower in Pasture Street, Grimsby, where his 21-year-old daughter Claire, and her unborn child, had been murdered three years before.

But Mr Wilson never made it to the site where Alan McMullen had brutally stabbed the young woman on her way to work – because he was visited by police and arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing four children on various occasions between 1983 and 2003.

What followed was eleven months of "hell", with Mr Wilson eventually being charged with one count of rape, one of attempted rape, 16 of indecent assault and one charge of supplying heroin.

Despite strenuously denying the charges, the case went to Grimsby Crown Court, where his four alleged "victims" shared tales of abuse at the hands of Mr Wilson with a judge and jury.

Yesterday, the jury finally returned its verdict – clearing Mr Wilson, 53, of Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby, of all charges, except the drugs offence.

Speaking to the Grimsby Telegraph shortly afterwards, he said: "The feeling of relief is just incredible. It has been a living nightmare.

"I'd convinced myself I was going to prison because the allegations were so horrendous that a custodial sentence was the only option if I was convicted.

"I really thought I hadn't got a chance. Offences of this nature repulse me and I thought that because of the nature of the allegations, people would just assume I was guilty.

"I feel like I've been carrying a bag of cement around on my shoulders since last June and now it has been lifted I'm just looking forward to moving on with my life."

But Mr Wilson says he fears his reputation may be tarnished forever because of the allegations.

He believes the law needs to be changed so that people accused of committing sexual offences cannot be identified in the media until they are proven guilty.

At present, only those who claim to have been sexually assaulted are given automatic, life-long anonymity.

Mr Wilson, who is now working as a bus driver, explained: "As soon as I was given a date for my first court hearing, I knew it would end up in the media.

"The people who made these claims get anonymity for life, but my photograph and name has been plastered all over the press.

"It's no disrespect to the media, but I think things need to be changed so that people accused of crimes like this remain anonymous until they are proven guilty.

"If people have done horrendous things to children then they deserve to be named and shamed, but in cases like mine where the allegations are completely made up, it can tarnish your name forever."

Grandfather Mr Wilson – who was born and raised in Grimsby and attended Grange and Western Schools – said: "My personal life has really suffered over the past 11 months because I've been too afraid to talk to anybody about what was happening for fear that they would judge me.

"They say that if you throw enough mud at someone then eventually it sticks and that's what I thought people would believe.

"I've been in turmoil and paranoid that everybody I met must have known what I'd been accused of.

"How could I even think about starting a relationship with something like that hanging over me? Allegations like that lead to a natural, and completely understandable, response of revulsion."

Mr Wilson says the allegations and court case left him in despair after the tragedy of Claire's death.

He added: "I'll never forget the moment I was arrested – I was completely gobsmacked. It was the anniversary of Claire's death and I just couldn't believe what was happening.

"I lost my sister in April 2009, then Claire was killed and then this happened. I just kept on wondering what else life could throw at me."

Mr Wilson, who has worked on both Grimsby and Immingham docks over the years, including a stint with DFDS, was honest in court about his previous criminal convictions.

He said: "I've done bad things in my life, but I've always put my hands up and admitted them straight away.

"I physically couldn't have done the things I was accused of doing in these allegations. I just don't have it in me.

"I did turn to drugs after what happened to Claire. It probably wasn't the right thing to do, but that was how I chose to handle it and I've been clean for a long time now."

This year, on the fourth anniversary of Claire's death, Mr Wilson will be a free man, able to place a humble sunflower – Claire's favourite bloom – at the site where his daughter was murdered.

And as he walks away from the sad scene as a free man, he is adamant that life will take him "onwards and upwards". An impressively brave attitude after so much tragedy and uncertainty.

STUART Wilson and his family reacted with dignified delight when he was cleared of 18 of the 19 charges against him.

The jury unanimously cleared him of three counts of indecent assault, before returning majority not guilty verdicts on a further six counts of indecent assault, one of rape and one of attempted rape of girls under 16.

After the jury was unable to reach a majority verdict on the remaining seven counts of indecent assault, Judge David Tremberg dismissed the jury.

Mr Wilson was formerly declared not guilty in respect of the charges after prosecutor Jonathan Sharp told the court he did not wish for the matter to be retried and that the Crown therefore offered no evidence in respect of the matters.

Before being discharged, the jury had found Mr Wilson guilty of supplying and injecting a woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons – with heroin in 2003, although the court ruled her claims he had done so in exchange for sex – could not be proved and were therefore also dismissed.

Sentencing him to a 12-month prison term, suspended for two years, Judge Tremberg said one of the mitigating features in the case has been the fact he had spent almost a year with the prospect of spending a "significant portion" of the rest of his life behind bars hanging over him.

He added: "You are 53 years of age and fall to be sentenced for a single count of supplying heroin.

"During the course of the trial it has emerged that from 2003 you had an addiction to heroin and, therefore, you of all people know what such an addiction can do and how it can wreck lives.

"In 2003, heroin had (the woman) in its grip and it is against this background she pleaded with you to help her get some and you did so, taking her to a dealer and giving her money – £10 or £20 – and then injecting her with heroin."

He added that while highly addictive, the use of street heroin was also "dangerous" and that there were "plenty of examples" of users fatally overdosing after using the drug.

Click here to view a live blog as the former home of Woolwich machete attack suspect Michael Adebolajo is searched

FOURTEEN members turned out for the latest Humber SAC match at Humberston Creek, with Mark Taylor taking the honours.

Upon arrival, there was already another club fishing the waters, but both managed to find enough space with plenty of friendly banter between them.

It was nice to see both clubs using the measure and release method, which is almost certainly the best way to go these days.

Initially, the fish were a bit choosy with regards to the bait, seemingly preferring the hooks with crab on the end of them.

Taylor and Simon Drayton got off to a flying start, and caught steadily all match.

But in the end it was Taylor who kept up a blistering pace, showing his class when fishing for the flounders – he seems to have a knack of taming the flatties, and finished up with 19 fish for 12.1lbs.

Drayton finished second with 19 fish for 10.15lbs, with Karl Nangle netted 12 fish for 10.1lbs in third-place.

It was nice to see quality fish being caught and Steve Robinson had a surprise bass of 29cm – he also had the biggest flat fish of the day (37cm flounder).

Meanwhile, Dave Burr continued his winning ways in this week's Skegness Pier Angling Club match, held at Jackson's Corner.

He is in unstoppable form at the moment, clinching his second match on the trot and adding the Frank Parkins Shield to his increasing hoard of silverware.

Burr, pictured, was the only angler to register more than one fish, catching two bass and two flounders – which weighed in at 3lb 9oz.

He also won both heaviest round and flatfish prizes, with a 1lb 5oz bass and 1lb 3oz flounder respectively.

Some way behind in second was another in-form angler, Dave Bradley, whose single silver eel tipped the scales at 11oz.

Bob Foster framed again in third with a 6oz dab.

The next club event is an Inter-Club match versus Humber Sea Angling Club, which will be held on Sunday, June 2 (11am-3pm) at Wolla Bank.

For further information please contact secretary Chas Tibble on 07984 967988 (members only).