ALICE Davis is still cracking jokes and enjoying life, as she marks her 105th birthday.

Alice, who lives at Eaton Court Residential Home, says there is no secret to her age.

"I don't drink tea or coffee but I do like to have a brandy now and then," she said.

"A brandy a day keeps the doctor away!"

Alice was an avid dancer and enjoyed visiting many of the dance halls in the area until she was unable to carry on, at 101.

"It's not very much fun being old," she continued.

"I would much rather be a young girl again and be active.

"I used to dance all over, at The Gaiety, in Grimsby, at Caistor and Louth, and at the Central Hall in Grimsby.

"I used to like all the sequence dances and I would go with a group of friends.

"I never entered any competitions; it was always just for fun ... and it was a lot of fun.

"To celebrate my birthday, I will be having a little party here with my family, friends and staff from the home."

Alice's nephew Michael Coates said: "For a 105-year-old, she has a good sense of humour.

"She is not as active as she used to be, but what do you want from someone who is 105?

"It was only a few years ago she was still dancing!

"She used to really enjoy her gardening as well.

"She gets tired quickly now but she is still full of life."

Close friend Connie Elwis, of Stallingborough, said: "We have been friends a long time. She is a lovely person.

"We used to travel to each other's homes for tea once a week with our husbands.

"We met through our husbands who both worked on the railways.

"I remember her helping to rock my eldest to sleep, and he's 56 now.

"In her older years, Alice took up dancing and she was really good at it.

"We have had many good times together."

Alice – who married her late husband Lancelot when she was 34 and has no children – has lived throughout Lincolnshire including Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Gainsborough and Laceby.

The activities co-ordinator at Eaton Court, Melanie Redgrift, said: "Alice is always up for a natter with the staff.

"She doesn't get out so much now as her mobility is reduced, but she will always have a chat with everybody she sees.

"She is so full of life and has a sharp sense of humour."

JANE Bowman has spent 12 years at the helm of one of Grimsby's biggest schools and 39 years in the teaching world. Before her departure, she gave education reporter James Dunn a frank interview on everything from her opinions on Government education policy to sport and her favourite Bond.

BORN in Cannock, Staffordshire, Jane Bowman spent the first 18 years of her life in the rural town with her dad, an electrician, her mother, a housewife, and her older brother.

The family lived for sport – particularly Jane.

"It was a fantastic place to grow up. My brother and I took picnics on bike rides and spent our days playing cricket and football. I watched football with my dad and supported Manchester United. George Best was my favourite.

"When it came to sport, I did anything and everything. I rode horses, learnt to sail at an early age, played netball and hockey and swam at county level. I was never beaten at breast stroke."

But sport wasn't the only thing she was good at. Jane passed her 11 plus and went to Cannock Grammar. It was there that she was inspired to become a teacher – a decision she made at just 11.

"I liked all the PE staff but my favourite was Diana Price-Owen. She was friendly and spent her time taking us round the country for various sporting competitions. I had a lot of opportunities through school so being a teacher was always my dream."

At 18, she moved from her quiet rural home to Liverpool. Jane got a place at John Moore University, a specialist physical education teacher training college. She remembers it fondly.

"I had a really good group of friends. We worked really hard with lectures from 8am to 6pm every day – and you didn't miss any. A lot were very physical, but we would have lots of fun. Life there was so different to where I grew up.

"Sport was my life back then and so, living in Liverpool, I switched allegiance. Bill Shankley was Liverpool manager and I remember them parading the European Cup round the streets on a bus when they won it."

There wasn't much down time between university and work for Jane. In the June of 1974 she finished her final exam on a Tuesday and she started her first job – in Hull – two days later. The area appealed to her because she and her family had been on holiday to Yorkshire.

In 1979 she went to Graham School, in Scarborough, where she was the head of PE. In 1982, she went to Bridlington School, where she worked her way up to deputy head. And in 2001, she took her post as head of Wintringham School – which was "a challenge".

"It wasn't in a good place at the time. It had been in 'categories', which was like special measures. Bridlington School had been similar. Both had been very good grammar schools but ran into difficulties when they became comprehensives. There was a change in catchment and teachers struggled, so both schools went downhill. I thought I could really make a difference here.

"I moved here on August 23, 2001. That day I got the Grimsby Telegraph through my door and looked inside. We were expected to get 25 per cent with five A*-C grades. We only got 17 per cent. At that moment I realised the full extent of what I had to do.

"Last year, 84 per cent of students reached that benchmark and 46 per cent of them did so with English and maths. We've come a heck of a long way in 12 years."

In 39 years of teaching, a lot has changed. And educational policy has been a hot topic – particularly in areas such as North East Lincolnshire, where there are now no local authority-maintained secondary schools since the introduction of academies. Wintringham School itself became Oasis Academy and was replaced by a brand new building in 2007. But things are always moving in education.

"The goal posts constantly change because education is controlled by Government. The pace is phenomenal. I look back on the huge number of initiatives that have cost billions and are then scrapped when the next lot come in. You feel as though you're on a tread mill all the time.

"Everyone wants their children to achieve the very best that they can. But I think these initiatives created a situation where some schools concentrated on certain children. The cut-off C grade has had a significant impact. There is much more pressure for teachers now."

But after all those years, the stalwart teacher has now retired. It's the first time since she was five years old that she is not going back to school after the summer. She plans to travel to South America, Canada and New Zealand with husband Neil – a former RAF Officer, who she met in 2003 and married in 2009. The couple will also holiday with Indy, Jane's dog, who has his pet passport ready for a caravan tour around Europe. But not everything is decided.

"I don't know how I'm going to find retirement. I broke my ankle earlier this year and found it really difficult because I'm a very active person. I'll do some travelling, some gardening and maybe some volunteering, which is something that I've always wanted to do and never had time for."

Everyone knows about Jane's background in education, so we asked her three questions about what she likes: what's your favourite film, what's your favourite book, and who is your hero.

"They're hard questions. As a child, I loved Black Beauty because I loved horses. My favourite films were James Bond movies. I remember going to see Goldfinger at the cinema as a child – but I loved the last Bond movie as well. The best Bond has to be Roger Moore – but it's a tough one and I like them all.

"As far as heroes go, probably David Beckham – even though I still support Liverpool. He has done a lot of charity work and been an ambassador for sport in general.

"Sport instills so much in children, from social skills to determination – and Beckham is a great role-model."

On Wednesday, Jane said goodbye to Oasis staff with a special ceremony at the Oaklands Hotel. The school also planted a sapling at the school to mark her retirement and remember her legacy.

Afterwards, she said: "I've enjoyed every school I've taught in but having been a principal, obviously my biggest soft spot is for Wintringham.

"As the head, you obviously buy into what happens there because you have more control over it. I've very fortunate in that people have believed in me and given me opportunities and I have taken them."

Julie Atkins , 59, from Humberston, has been Jane's PA for 12 years. She said: "I will miss having our chats and laughs together because we have grown close working together for so many years. We work in the same way – we are both organised and like things done on time and in a certain way.

"We have so many fond memories together and I will miss her not being there, but we will stay in touch of course so it's not the end. It will be a challenge working with a new principal.

"I have been working at the school for 25 years and it has changed a lot since Jane has been here, such as the new building and becoming an academy. But the staff and children have always pulled together to make things work.

"The students are fantastic and always help each other out."

LIAM Hearn looks likely to start this evening's clash with Hull City after sitting out Grimsby Town's last friendly encounter.

The striker was an unused substitute in the defeat to Bradford City on Tuesday – a sure-fire way to set tongues wagging about the popular forward's future.

But Paul Hurst insists there was nothing sinister about the decision to leave the 'Hitman' on the bench.

And the Mariners joint boss hinted that winger Joe Colbeck should also be involved against the Tigers.

"If we play with three traditional midfielders in there, there's only room for three attackers – we've got eight," he said.

"We changed the entire front three towards the end and that still leaves two out of it, so Liam and Joe didn't get on.

"Andy Cook did well because he's not used to playing that focal role, and Lenny (Lenell John-Lewis) looked nice and strong when he came on, and got hold of the ball for us.

"Initially we had two wide players in the wider forward areas, so there are lots of options for us.

"We can of course revert back to two up front as well, and it doesn't have to be a 4-4-2 in that case either.

"We've said all along that we feel we're really strong in that area – the competition is high."

Away from the attacking areas, this week's arrival of defender Paul Bignot, below, has also increased competition.

"Paul can play anywhere across the back-four," added Hurst. "I'm not saying that we're going to look at him playing in all those positions but it's nice to have that.

"On Tuesday, for the first-half, he had a real test against (Kyel) Reid and that was a good battle.

"He likes to get forward and he certainly looked fitter against Bradford.

"In the last 10-15 minutes you could tell he was physically tired and we could have quite easily brought him off, but you have to go through some tough barriers sometimes.

"That's when you reap the benefits of staying out there and playing through the game."

Sam Hatton's impressive switch from his accustomed right-back role on Tuesday also pleased the co-managers.

"Sam played at left-back and also played in midfield, which I know he enjoys," said Hurst.

"He looked good, so that's again another positive for us and another player who can add competition if we want to go that way.

"If the season started tomorrow I think we'd have a bit of a sleepless night and it would take a long time to come to a decision in terms of the side we go with.

"That can only be healthy for us because we want competition – we don't want them to make it easy."

THERE was no room for error as two emergency rescue teams came together to perfect their life-saving techniques.

Lincolnshire Coastguards and the East Midlands Ambulance Hazardous Area Rescue Team joined forces on Cleethorpes beach to practice the basics of sand hole collapses, low-angle rescues and mud safety exercises.

The exercises will teach and strengthen the knowledge of those taking part, ensuring the best rescue services are available for those in our area who need them.

Sector manager of Lincolnshire Coastguard Jamie King said: "Today's exercise will let us share techniques with each other by showing off the equipment we use to save lives and hows it's used and what we do in certain scenarios and the actions we would take.

"Today's scenario will involve dummies buried around the beach for the volunteers to practice with and work out the best techniques for digging them out."

Lincolnshire Coastguards brought along essential gear for saving lives such as water rescue kits, life jackets and harnesses. "It's great multi-agency training and it's valuable to everyone who takes part.

"Sharing experience in a training exercise like this makes it easier when we have to respond in real life.

"A lot of hard work has gone in to today and a lot of training sessions have gone into perfecting the techniques we will share with one another.

The East Midlands Ambulance Hazardous Area Rescue Team took along their off-road vehicle Polaris, which is an essential part of their life-saving operations.

Spokesman Chris Davey said: "It's great to be working in conjunction with one another. We will be working on the roles and responsibilities that we both have. It was difficult working together in the past, and we didn't know what each other did, but this will give us a better understanding of what each of us does.

"The Lincolnshire Coastguard will give us an input into sand and mud rescues so we can work together effectively.

"We came together nine months ago and looked around each other's base of operations and it's days like this that strengthen the bond between us and allow us to work better in case there is ever a big real incident that we would both have to get involved and work together in."

The two groups spent the day learning and training with the equipment essential for saving lives.

Mr King added: "Sand collapses are becoming more and more common, especially when the weather is warm, people dig huge holes in the beaches and often these holes collapse on top of them, people need to be aware of the dangers they face on the beach and training sessions like this ensure everyone has the right skills to save lives."

PAUL Hurst has ordered Grimsby Town's players to "get their heads up" ahead of tonight's friendly against Hull City.

The Mariners host a Tigers' development squad at Blundell Park as their pre-season build-up continues.

With little more than two weeks until the Conference season begins, at home to Aldershot Town, preparations for the new campaign are now at full tilt.

And after the 'disappointment' of Tuesday's home defeat to Bradford City, the Town joint boss wants to see a positive reaction from his squad.

"In the dressing room I sensed there was a bit of disappointment after Tuesday and the players were a bit down," Hurst said.

"That's never a bad thing – you don't want them to be happy when we lose a game.

"But we've said to them that there are so many positives to take from it and they need to get their heads up. They need to think about their performances and listen to the feedback we're giving them.

"They're taking onboard new things we're working on, it's a new system for the majority of the players, and we're putting some good passages of play together.

"I was pleased – as much as you can be when you lose a game. There were some good individual performances and a good team performance.

"We know it's not about results at this stage and again there were some positive signs there."

Following the Lincolnshire Senior Cup loss at Scunthorpe last weekend, the Mariners haven't hit the back of the net for two matches.

But Hurst insists his side shouldn't be judged on their displays against League One and Two opposition.

He added: "Ultimately, we're playing against better teams than who are in our league currently, and better defenders."

"We still created a few chances on Tuesday night and we're confident that with the strikers and forward players that we've got, the goals will come.

"Tonight we're up against a different kind of test and hopefully can get on the scoresheet.

"We definitely looked sharper from Saturday and, although we changed it around, some of the players looked better for the time they were on or for the 90 minutes.

"So, in our eyes, it's all good at the moment."

ANGRY residents raised concerns to the owner of a proposed recycling plant in South Killingholme.

An open consultation meeting was held at the community centre so people could quiz the owner of ClarkeSon Recycling, who plans to build a plant on the Poplar Far m site, in Ulceby Road.

The main questions from residents were about the smell, position and proximity of the site, the effect on house prices, the possibility of rodents and job prospects.

But managing director Steve Clarke was quick to reassure them.

Resident Michelle Hardy created a placard to hold outside the venue in opposition.

She said: "I do not want this recycling plant because I want the next generation to enjoy the area.

"I have a daughter, Milly-Jane, who is five years old, and we don't want to be able to smell the plant.

"I also don't want my house price to go down."

Parish Councillor Tracey McInanny said she is worried about property prices if the plant was built.

"I don't want smells, flies or rats," she said.

"We have the refinery nearby, we don't need anything else."

One man told the Telegraph he would avoid saying yes to the recycling plant like the "plague".

Mr Clarke, said the firm controls the smell problem as it does at its other site in Riby.

He said: "We wanted to give the public the opportunity to say their thoughts before we draw up the plans so we can take it into consideration.

"I am more than happy for any residents to look at my plant in Riby to see how it works.

"I will be the closest resident to the plant as I will be living in the farmhouse there – so if it smelt that bad, I would not live there.

"Compost will be in glass houses and the vapour which smells will be collected for nitrogen.

"We don't have a problem with pests or rodents in our current site."

Mr Clarkson defined it as a "unique development" which will link recycling to create different products such as fish pellets and compost from local people's waste.

"I will create 35 jobs in the town because I want to keep everything local," he added.

"Local tradesmen will construct the plant and I will be supplying to local businesses too.

"Since I began my business in 2006, I have had 150 complaints – only seven of them were agreed by the Environmental Agency and were resolved."

TWO young girls were illegally tattooed by a teenager who was just using them as "practice" for a possible career as a tattooist.

One of the tattoos on a 14-year-old girl read: "Everything I like is either immoral, illegal, fattening, addictive, expensive or impossible."

The girl later regretted the tattoo and her family was probably "aghast" with horror, a court heard.

Aaron Goddard, 18, of Sutcliffe Avenue, on Grimsby's Nunsthorpe Estate, admitted two offences of tattooing two girls under 18.

Philip Morris, prosecuting, told Grimsby magistrates that a 14-year-old girl and her friend visited Goddard's home in January or February to have tattoos done but they did not go ahead.

Arrangements were made via Facebook to meet again in May so a tattoo, in the shape of a bird, could be done on the back of her neck.

"She did not mention her age or anything about school," said Mr Morris.

"He went on to tattoo the bird on the back of her neck as agreed. When she left, she said she wanted another one doing."

The girl contacted Goddard via Facebook and arranged to return. He tattooed her forearm with two lions, as well as the words: "Everything I like is either immoral, illegal, fattening, addictive, expensive or impossible".

They were even done with the correct spelling, said Mr Morris.

The tattooing stretched from her elbow to her wrist.

"She now regrets having that tattoo done," said Mr Morris.

Goddard told the other girl, aged 13, when they were talking about tattoos: "Don't tell anyone or I could get done for it."

A friend of the girl was tattooed by Goddard – there was no prosecution relating to this matter – and he then put tattoos of three stars in different sizes on the 13-year-old's side.

Goddard did not ask for any payment.

The court heard that it was thought the offences came to light when the girls' parents saw the tattoos, were "aghast" and demanded answers from the girls.

Goddard told the court he did not realise the legal age for tattoos was 18 and claimed he believed that it was 16.

He claimed he thought the girls were both 16.

"If I had known any of them were under that age, it would not have got done because it's just wrong," he said.

He said of the first girl: "She looked older than she was."

He admitted a claim from the magistrates that it defied belief that he really thought the 13-year-old girl was 16, let alone 18.

He added that he was doing the tattoos "just as practice" for a possible career in an area that had been a hobby.

Goddard, who is at college, was given a one-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a Government-imposed £15 victims' surcharge.

The magistrates ordered that his equipment should be forfeited and destroyed. Goddard asked if that meant he could not buy new equipment. He reacted with delight when told that there would be nothing to stop him buying replacement tattoo equipment.

"EVERYONE makes mistakes – but I've changed my life for the better and I am now on the right path."

These words were written in a heartfelt letter from 14-year-old Kloe Fitzgerald, who appeared on the front page of the Grimsby Telegraph for being given an Antisocial Behaviour Order (Asbo) after committing crimes including theft, racially abusing a shopkeeper, violence and vandalism.