Control: Building fire in Stallingborough area. Residents in surrounding area advised to keep all windows and doors closed as a precaution.

— HumbersideFire (@HumbersideFire) June 22, 2014

Fire on Stallingborough Ind Est. pic.twitter.com/AR5IKnHHr2

— Matt Leggott (@matthewleggott) June 22, 2014

DE-TANGLING hair around the globe has earned Grimsby-born businessman Shaun Pulfrey a second Queen's Award in two years.

Having scooped Her Majesty's enterprise gong in 2012, the Tangle Teezer inventor has now been recognised for success in taking a British-made product abroad.

The brush that caught the attention of the nation with a Dragons' Den mauling seven years ago is now available in 80 countries, as well as on British Airways planes as they head around the world.

"I am over the moon," Mr Pulfrey said. "It was an extremely tough category, we were told the criteria was exceptionally high. It has been an excellent two years since the last award. The brand has gone from strength to strength. We had lots of interest from overseas so we acted very quickly and took it globally.

"Now 79 per cent of what we manufacture goes overseas."

When the first award, the Queen's Award for Enterprise – roundly considered the most prestigious in business – was bestowed on the company, Tangle Teezer was just set to launch in the US and Germany.

Four years ago, sales outside Britain accounted for four per cent of the turnover.

Keen to enter last year, Mr Pulfrey found they were unable to, due to exceptional standards required for an accolade that carries so much weight.

Investigating the process, he discovered that the minimum trading threshold for the first year of the three years of accounts required by assessors had not been met.

"We had only done £60,000 of overseas sales in the first year of accounts to be taken into consideration, and you had to do £100,000," he said.

"The following year we did £900,000 and then £1.8 million!"

In 2013, turnover was £14.2 million, and between awards the Brixton-based team has grown from eight to 20, but the biggest lift has been at the third-party owned factory in Oxfordshire, which produces 250,000 Tangle Teezers a month.

"We have built a very strong relationship with the factory, and now account for about 90 per cent of the factory's business.

"It takes a lot for them to give you that confidence, but British manufacturing is key."

So much so, it was virtually a condition of the Chinese, bucking the tide of mass production.

A fan base, including British fashion model Cara Delevingne and Hollywood actress Salma Hayek, is certainly helping the growth at home and abroad.

It is rarely out of glossy magazines and enjoys a strong social media presence.

Last month saw the 10-millionth Tangle Teezer sold, and he praised the tight team and the committed agents, while acutely aware of the global appeal. He has rolled out the same business model abroad as at home – premium salons, high-end retail and e-commerce platforms.

"There is no cultural barrier, no having to seek approval from authorities, and, after all, a tangle is a tangle," he said, "It all means we can go into a market quickly. We are even in Afghanistan!"

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A PENSIONER from Grimsby says it is "disgusting" that many Government services will soon only be available online.

Barbara Cowper, 79, says cabinet office minister Francis Maude's opinion that older people must start using the internet to access public services is a breach of "OAP human rights".

The Government says millions of pounds can be saved by moving services so that they are solely online and that getting to grips with the interest is a "better thing for people's lives".

But Mrs Cowper, who is a retired secretary and knows how to use a computer, disagrees.

She said: "It is infuriating that older people are being given no say over whether they actually want to use the internet or not.

"You cannot force people to use computers and become au fait with the internet if they don't want to. It is against our human rights.

"Many people of my age or younger simply haven't got the ability to learn how to use computers, so they're going to have to get somebody else to access these services for them.

"It puts people in a terrible position."

Dozens of public services are in the process of being moved solely online, including the carers' allowance – used by 3.2 million people a year – driving licences, small claims services and lasting powers of attorney.

The Government plans to offer one-off internet training sessions for people who are "digitally excluded", but this will not be offered repeatedly.

Mrs Cowper says that aside from pensioners not being given a choice about whether they wish to use the internet, signal is a problem in many places.

She added: "So many places do not even get an internet signal.

"The village where we live has a receiver hanging on the church steeple to receive a satellite signal and bounce it back to a metal receiver that you have to buy to place on your chimney.

"It costs £30 per month and you have to pick up your computer and hold it by a window facing the church to connect to the internet.

"It's just ridiculous."

Helen Kirk, acting chief officer for Age UK North East Lincolnshire, says it is on hand to offer assistance to older people who do want to get online.

She said: "We ran one IT course that ended in May and we have another one starting in September.

"Many older people want to learn how to use tablets and smartphones so that they can communicate with relatives who live further away.

"But there are also many older people who simply don't want to have to use computers and the internet and would rather pick up a pen and paper or a telephone and speak to somebody.

"The important thing is that nobody should be left unable to access services simply because they don't use the internet.

"With their permission, we are always happy to help people access services online. We help many people to complete their pension applications from our offices, for example."

Age UK is based in Osborne Street, Grimsby. Call 01472 344976.

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TWO ex-employees at a company which has been accused of failing to provide adequate care for people with mental health problems fears that "something awful" could happen.

The pair say they left Carmand following fears over their personal safety and a lack of support from management.

As reported, the company runs five care homes across Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Humberston and Brigg.

It comes as the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which uncovered a series of failings at three of the properties earlier this year, revealed a team of seven staff had returned to the homes last week to carry out further inspections.

"One of the clients threatened to harm himself and make allegations that I had done it," said the first ex-employee, who worked as a home co-ordinator at Carmand for eight months, leaving in May.

"It was a nightmare.

"I felt isolated and alone. I honestly felt like I could be in danger."

The employee, who had six years of prior experience of working with vulnerable people, added: "It seemed to me that things weren't right from my first day.

"I thought I would be working with an experienced member of staff while I learnt the ropes, but I was chucked in at the deep end and was on my own.

"I was supposed to be given training, but it consisted of being stuck in a room with some DVDs and then given a questionnaire to fill in, which somebody was telling us the answers to.

"I honestly believe Carmand needs closing. In this line of work you get taught certain core values and ethics and that it should be a person-centred approach to care, but Carmand doesn't have that."

Other allegations made by the ex-employee include lone female workers being threatened by male clients with a history of sexual offending, and continual errors with medication.

The second former employee, who worked for Carmand for two years as a support worker and left in April, added: "It became very stressful working in such a challenging environment without the necessary support.

"I believe what Carmand really needs is to get more competent, experienced staff to work in the areas in which clients struggle, but there is a complete absence of that.

"There is a constant flirtation with the boundaries of what is acceptable. I fear it could only be a matter of time before something awful happens."

However, Carol Faniyi, forensic psychologist practitioner and director of Carmand, said many of the issues raised by the former employees have been addressed since they left.

She added: "In the last month we have done 125 sets of staff training and have employed two external staff training providers.

"Our staffing ratios have always been good and we have regular staff meetings to listen to staff and understanding where they need additional support.

"The property where we used to have a lone worker has now been changed and isn't like that anymore. We've had a shuffle around.

"We are genuinely doing all we can to make staff feel supported and that they have the training they need."

A spokeswoman for the CQC said that findings from the latest inspections are being put into a report, which will be published in due course.

As reported, the CQC previously discovered a catalogue of failings after visiting three of Carmand's five properties in the area – Amber House in Grimsby Road, Humberston, and Topaz House and Sapphire House in Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes.

Inspections carried out in February found, among other things, that staff using "unlawful or excessive control" to restrain patients and two new members of staff being left to care for four people with very complex needs, including a history of self-harm.

ON THE WEB: Read more about past criticism of Carmand at www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/health

Non-League blogger of the year 'Too Good To Go Down' asks whether Grimsby Town's stunning new promo video could be played on the Blundell Park scoreboard before Mariners matches...

IT'S difficult not to get carried away with the positive feelings coming from Blundell Park.

Just a few weeks ago I wrote about how the new signings had excited supporters and whetted the appetite for the 2014/15 season.

But positivity levels were cranked up a notch over the weekend as Grimsby Town released a new video urging Mariners fans to get behind the team.

The video, which lasts just a minute, sets the scene for the new season.

Directed by Grimsby-born James Willis, who has shot music videos for the likes of Maccabees and The Kooks, it is narrated by Thomas Turgoose and features a cameo from comedian Lloyd Griffith.

Mariners skipper Craig Disley also makes his acting debut in the promo – although I'm not sure he needs to give up the day job yet!

On top of all that, 600 new shirts were snapped up by supporters over the weekend. With the club launching both the new home and away shirts, fans turned out in numbers to bag themselves the new kit.

With season ticket sales also on the up, the memories of defeat up at Gateshead seem a long time ago now.

And hopefully the film will do its job and inspire Town fans to get behind the team, by buying season tickets and being positive and passionate at Blundell Park.

Wouldn't it be great if the club played the video on the new scoreboard just before the players walk out of the tunnel? It would surely get the crowds warmed up before the start of the game.

Over the last few seasons Town have been slow starters and it's imperative they get points on the board early.

In fact, last season's start was one of the best in recent campaigns. The Mariners netted ten points from their first five games – their best start to a season since 2005/06.

It also equalled the points haul Town had in September 2001 when England thumped Germany 5-1 and, of course, the Mariners topped the Championship table.

Fingers-crossed this positivity remains after the opening few games of this season!

THIRTY new jobs have been created as part of a £7 million extensive relaunch of the Tesco Extra store at Hewitts Circus in Cleethorpes.

The improvements are part of the retailer's Building A Better Tesco programme that will see it refurbish 650 supermarkets across the UK this year.

With the introduction of a new beauty world, Decks Carvery restaurant and more, the store received in excess of 300 applications for the new positions.

The majority of the workforce was from the local area with some current members of staff being promoted internally in what store manager Iain Moate calls "a boost for the local economy".

He said: "We've recruited solely from the local area, with some current staff picking up some more hours.

"We are delighted with the improvements in store and the relaunch event has been a great way to celebrate with our customers."

As part of the official relaunch, the store made a £500 donation to the Grimsby branch of the RNLI.

Treasurer Pam Thackeray said: "Every penny of every donation is put to good use to keep the service going, so I would like to thank Iain and the team at Tesco Extra Cleethorpes for this very generous cheque."

Also unveiled was a community hub that will be a facility for use by locals clubs and groups in an attempt to boost the firm's commitment to supporting the local area.

The room offers a 600 square foot space where local groups and charities of between 15 and 20 people can meet for free to host events and run workshops, set up health groups or run training courses.

Local theatre school Zoogle wowed customers with a Brazilian World Cup-themed performance before the Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Alex Baxter, cut a ribbon declaring the community space open.

The facility is booked up until September with silver surfers' groups – who will use the four computers within the facility – as well as baby yoga, sewing groups, theatre and dance companies, plus Zumba.

Community champion for the store Jenny Follan said: "As a store we are committed to supporting the area and the introduction of this facility will enable us to continue to do this and will also allow us to hopefully build and establish new relationships with a variety of local groups and organisations.

"If people or groups want to use the room they can do so free of charge provided they have liability insurance and the necessary credentials for their chosen activities."

Mayor Alex Baxter said: "I think it's a safe environment for community groups to use, it's a warm and comfortable space and it's free, which in itself is hard to come by these days."

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STAFF were today counting the cost of a burglary at Grimsby's Yarborough Hotel, where a man tried to flee from the roof of the three-storey building.

It is alleged the man had smashed a downstairs window to gain access to the bar, where it is thought he attacked a gaming machine.

Glass was strewn around an area of the bar which was cordoned off yesterday morning.

Armed officers from Humberside Police surrounded the hotel after the break-in at around 1.50am yesterday.

There was a rooftop siege lasting about four hours.

An eye-witness in a taxi, who did not wish to be named, said: "The emergency services had the place locked down.

"The cordon was from St James' Church to West St Mary's Gate.

"I counted up to ten police cars and vans, a fire appliance and ambulance. They moved the taxis off the rank at around 2am.

"I did not know what was going on at first, but then I saw a person on the roof and realised it was a siege. How they did not fall off is a miracle."

The witness said: "Armed police arrived and then riot officers went into the hotel with their shields up. You could see them working their way through the hotel room by room because their flash lights could be seen in the windows.

"Other officers were using a thermal image camera. The person was on the roof. That was why they got the taxis off the rank in case they started lobbing objects from the roof."

The man said: "It was quite an intense scene.

"It was a big response. There were a few lads on bikes who hung around to watch it all and there were one or two shift workers from the docks who stuck around. Negotiators arrived and the person was eventually talked down."

Duty manager at the hotel, Gareth Pidgen, posted a message on the Grimsby Telegraph Facebook page and praised the emergency services.

He said: "I just want to say how thankful I am that the emergency services reacted how they did. Because of their hard work someone is now in custody and a lot of local businesses can relax now.

"Well done to the men and women who worked professionally and efficiently to get the man down, without any casualties

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "Our main concern is the safety of our staff and fortunately no one was involved in the incident as it happened after closing time.

"We will leave it with the police to deal with the matter and will assist them in any way we can."

A Humberside Police spokeswoman said police responded when an intruder alarm sounded at the hotel around 1.49am yesterday.

She said a man was seen trying to escape from a window.

She said: "As officers moved to detain the man, he made his way to the roof space in an attempt to evade capture.

"The man refused to come down and police negotiators worked to seek a resolution.

"The situation remained in place for a time until the man made his way down and was arrested by police."

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A YOUNG mum who beat, mugged and taunted a frail pensioner in the street – escaping with a wallet that only contained his bus pass – has had her sentence slashed.

As reported, Jade Mitchell, pictured, formerly of Wootton Road, Grimsby, now 21, was the worse for drink when she targeted the 73-year-old dementia sufferer in Grimsby town centre.

She cornered the old man in an alleyway, Mr Justice Burnett told London's Appeal Court, kicking his hat before grabbing his wallet.

"She held the wallet out, taunting him as he tried to retrieve it," said the judge.

Mitchell responded by repeatedly lashing out, the court heard, punching the pensioner in the stomach and left arm, and kicking and stamping on his legs, before making her escape.

In August last year, two months after the mugging, Mitchell was arrested at the wheel of a "written-off" car which had earlier been snatched from outside a house in Eleanor Street, Grimsby.

Mitchell, then of Dundas Road, Sheffield, was jailed for 39 months by Judge Kate Buckingham at Grimsby Crown Court in February after admitting robbery and aggravated vehicle taking.

But her case reached the Appeal Court as Mitchell, who has an 18-month-old daughter, challenged her total sentence with claims it was too harsh.

Mr Justice Burnett, sitting with Lady Justice Rafferty and Mrs Justice Elizabeth Laing, said she was "completely out of control" at the time.

Mitchell – who had a string of previous convictions for shoplifting – was still subject to an antisocial behaviour order imposed for assaulting a teenage girl at a bus stop and hurling racial abuse at takeaway staff at the time of the attack.

However, Mr Burnett said she had made good progress behind bars.

"This was a nasty and mean-spirited offence," said the judge, who added: "Her victim was vulnerable and there was an element of taunting here."

However, he concluded that the total sentence was simply too long – particularly in light of Mitchell's recent progress in custody.

"Serious though her offences were, we conclude that the sentence was manifestly excessive," said the judge.

Mitchell's sentence was reduced to 30 months.

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A GRIMSBY man has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of a 29-year-old woman.

Wai Hong Tsang, 33, of Bluebell Road, Scartho, appeared before Lincoln Crown Court charged with the murder of Mingzi Yang.

He is accused of killing her in Sincil Bank, Lincoln, between June 16 and 17.

Judge Michael Heath remanded Mr Tsang in custody until a plea and case management hearing on Monday, September 8.

Residents on the new housing estate off Springfield Road, Scartho, where Mr Tsang lives with his girlfriend, have told of their surprise when police visited the large house at the weekend.

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named said: "We were all surprised when we saw all the police."

She added: "He has not lived here long, not even a year."

The large detached property is one of a number of new homes on the estate.

Another neighbour said: "We have hardly spoken to them. They keep themselves to themselves. It is normally very quiet around here, so it was a shock to see all the police cars."

Mr Tsang sat impassively in the dock in court number one throughout the 18-minute remand hearing, speaking only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.

There was no bail application on his behalf.

Miss Yang moved to the UK from China in 2008 and had been living in Sincil Bank, in the south of the city, for around two-and-a-half years.

She was studying English at Lincoln College. Detective Chief Inspector Martin Holvey, of Lincolnshire Police, said: "She was described as a highly competent student who was very well-liked by tutors and her peers."

He added: "Since the death of Mingzi we have spent a great deal of time trying to build up a picture of her life and we still greatly need the assistance of the public with that task.

"I would directly appeal to anyone who knew her, even if it was only very casually, to get in touch with officers to help us construct a greater understanding of the life she led since arriving in the UK in 2008.

"College friends, people she knew who lived in the area, any individuals from the Chinese community – your information could be exactly what we need.

"We are also really keen to hear from anyone who saw Mingzi on the morning of Tuesday, June 17 – please contact Lincolnshire Police with that information. It may not seem to be important but could prove vital to this investigation."

Another man who was arrested earlier in the week in connection with Mingzi's death has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 quoting incident 181 of June 17.

Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

PAUL Hurst believes Forest Green Rovers are finally going to live up to their pre-season tag of title favourites this time around.

The Gloucestershire club have perennially been picked as one of the main challengers for the Conference crown, given that they have the backing of multi-millionaire Dale Vince.

And after making a host of early summer signings, Hurst believes Ady Pennock's (pictured) men are his side's main title threat this season.

He told the Telegraph: "I was speaking to Darrell Clarke at Bristol Rovers and we both said that some teams are going to be really strong, but the league is going to be tighter this season.

"Saying that, one team always seems to lead the way and at this early stage, I'd look at Forest Green and say that they'd go into the season as favourites.

"I've said it for a few years now, but with a different mentality and a different manager, I think they'll be right up there."

As well as Rovers, plenty of other clubs around the league have been busy bolstering their squads ahead of the big kick-off on August 9.

Hurst has been impressed with some of that business, but acknowledges that the departure of hotshot striker Lee Gregory is a big blow to last season's play-off rivals Halifax.

As reported, the 25-year-old has signed for Championship side Millwall in a £250,000 deal.

He continued: "I think Halifax have got a few lads that would have created a bit of interest, but I think Neil (Aspin) was hopeful of keeping the majority of those.

"With Gregory, it was a move that had been rumoured to be happening for a long time but he'll be difficult to replace with the amount of goals he got for them.

"Obviously there was a decent fee involved and, from Neil's point of view, he'll be hoping to be able to use that.

"Other clubs are slowly but surely doing some business. Woking have done very well, for example.

"They went on a very good run towards the end of the season and have managed to keep their players together.

"They'll be hoping that gives them a chance next season because they were certainly one of the form teams at the back end of last season."

M180 J5 to J4 lane 3 closed due to collision pic.twitter.com/ZBRXQflbZD

— PC Barry Gardner (@CasReductionSB) June 24, 2014