NORTH East Lincolnshire Council faces fresh calls to drop its controversial price hike for residents-only parking.

Councillors on the authority's regeneration and environment scrutiny panel have urged the ruling Labour administration to rethink its decision to increase annual permit charges from £15 to £80.

Instead it has proposed an increase to £40 next year, followed by a £10 annual rise until the scheme becomes "cost neutral".

The council said the 433 per cent rise, from January 1, is necessary to ensure the scheme pays for itself and is not subsidised by council tax payers.

But it has angered residents, who have described it as "extortionate" and are not renewing their permits next year.

The existing residents-only parking schemes in the borough will end on January 1, because not enough residents responded to a consultation asking if they wanted to keep them.

That has led to warnings of a parking free-for-all, as well suggestions of a drop in the number of cars using the council's town centre car parks.

Councillor Philip Jackson (Con, Waltham), who proposed the "phased increase", said that keeping the £15 charge, which has been in place since before 2003, was unrealistic, but added that hiking the cost up to £80 in one go had "turned people off" and resulted in the scheme "collapsing around our ears".

He added: "I don't have an objection to the principle of the scheme being cost neutral but there's a real danger that we will end up with a parking free-for-all and lose a considerable income from town centre car parks."

Councillor Annie Darby (Lib Dem, Yarborough) said: "I think the hike from £15 to £80 is unrealistic. Having to find that extra money in one fell swoop is going to have serious implications for people."

But Councillor Karl Wilson (Lab, Heneage) said: "In view of the savings of £30,000 a day the council has to make I think the scheme has to be cost neutral."

The recommendation, which was passed by six votes to three, will be considered by the Cabinet on Monday. which still has the final say.

Have you uttered the words "Bah, humbug" already this year? Grumbling that your neighbour has put up the lights? Can't believe the shops are playing Slade on a loop? Then join the club. All Telegraph reader Graham Larn , of Grimsby, wants for Christmas is sanity, and he couldn't resist putting his anti-festive rant in writing.

DING dong merrily on high, the choir of bosses singing, ding dong verily the sky, the shop tills are all ringing....

Yes, I'm afraid it's that time of the year again, when people start to panic about what to get Uncle Joe for Christmas.

My advice to them is don't get Uncle Joe owt for December 25. Why? Because he, like most of us, has a house full of junk, presents from previous years, that we claimed was "just what I always wanted" so as not to hurt your feelings.

Likewise, as you open his gift to you and your thoughts are, "What's this pile of fertiliser he's given me?"

You may have guessed that I don't particularly do Christmas, or rather, the hype that surrounds it.

This is year two of a Christmas rant. Last year, I appeared in the Grimsby Telegraph as a self-styled Scrooge, you may recall, so here are a few more timely comments on the subject.

Seasonal TV is a particular thorn in my side. Does anyone remember A Carol For Christmas, a weekly talent series from Southern Television to find (would you believe) a new carol for Christmas?

And, of course, there was the BBC's Christmas night with the stars, mirrored by the ITV network's offering, All-Star Comedy Carnival, all specifically scripted, seasonal and largely unfunny.

Not to mention The Benny Hill Show, Eric and Ernie (yes, there's more sedation), The Two Ronnies, Val Doonican ...

So what can we expect this year? The tedious X Factor and the Bruce Forsyth Show. Sorry, I mean the tortuous Strictly Come Dancing.

Then there's the fabulous Christmas Days of old, when dads and lads would go to the pub for a few jars while the ladies of the household would slave over lunch.

The boys would roll home half cut and mother would be furious that the dinner was spoilt. Cue stern looks and expletives, followed by flying cutlery, full teapots hitting the living room wall, a long silence and then everyone falling asleep in armchairs until the early evening, friends once again.

Then it was onto cold turkey sandwiches, settling down to watch the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour (most complain that it was rubbish).

Wait ... is this 1967 or 2012? It all sounds familiar, doesn't it?

As ever, bah, humbug, seasons greetings, adeste fideles and stille nacht to one and all.

See more about Christmas events in Grimsby and northern Lincolnshire

RECALLING memories of lost loved ones was the focus of a special annual memorial service.

The event, organised by Sentiments Independent Funeral Home, based on Grimsby's Chantry Lane, has been growing in popularity each year since the first service took place in 2004.

This year, scores of people received a single white rose – the flower symbolising the person no longer with them – as they entered Grimsby Minster to take time out to remember those who they have loved and lost.

Led by Father Terry Atkinson, this year's service focused on memories and the happy times people had spent with their loved ones.

Halfway through, Mr Atkinson paused to read out the names of people who have passed away. Family and friends who had received a white rose on entering the church then had the chance to lay it at the front of the Minster where they were later blessed.

Helen Beckett, of Grimsby, attended the ceremony for the first time as a way to remember her mum.

The 47-year-old said she was surprised by how wonderful and special the service felt.

She said: "My mum, Rose Ellen Mavis Beckett, died in May. Our emotions are still raw, but coming to this was lovely.

"You do not feel alone with your grief, as everyone inside the Minster had lost someone close.

"Laying the rose down to be blessed was a very nice touch to the service. It made part of it personal to us, despite sharing the day with others."

The Grimsby And Cleethorpes Orpheus Male Voice Choir helped people to reflect as they sang My Lord What A Morning and Softly As I Leave You.

People could also join in with the carols, Angels From The Realm Of Glory and Hark The Herald Angels Sing, as well as the song, What A Wonderful World, which closed the ceremony.

For Colin Balderson, 66, of Grimsby, this year was his third time attending the service.

He said: "I come with my family to remember my mum, Gladys Bellamy.

"It is very special to have this service running each year.

"I think Sentiments do a fantastic job and I will come every year they put it on.

"There are not many things you can do as a whole family, but this is one we can all share together."

Paying tribute

You can light virtual candles to lost loved ones by visiting www.thisisannouncements.co.uk, where you can also read tributes to those who have passed away. Family announcements can also be read from page 25 of today's paper.

If you have recently lost a beloved family member or close friend and would like our team to write a fitting tribute to them, please contact our news desk on 01472 372236 or email newsdesk@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.

RSPCA inspectors have to deal with all kinds of creatures – great and small – on a daily basis.

Chief Reporter Sarah Carey spent a morning with Inspector Graeme Petty to find out more about what the job entails.

"NO TWO days are ever the same – that's the beauty of this job. You never know what you're going to be doing."

And, after 21 years working as an RSPCA Inspector in South Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire, Graeme Petty should know.

From rescuing animals abandoned by their owners and those suffering the worst kinds of abuse, to helping secure loving new homes for pets in need and providing information and advice to owners, there are many facets to the role.

In a typical day Insp Petty is given the details of up to 30 cases for his attention, of varying degrees of urgency – and, of course, an emergency call could come in at any time.

On the day I tagged along, our first port of call was to visit a Grimsby home after concerned member of the public contacted the RSPCA claiming the family's bull mastiff was "a bag of bones" and "barely able to walk".

As Insp Petty drove us to the East Marsh property, I tried to steel myself against what could be awaiting us – and asked him how he copes with the harrowing things he has to see.

He said: "You have to harden yourself to it for your own sanity.

"I have been doing this for 21 years now and there are always things which will pull on your heartstrings, but you have to remember the main aim is to get the animal that's suffering the care it needs, quickly and professionally.

"It's the only way to deal with it."

And the horrific sights of neglected or abused animals are not the only things RSPCA staff have to deal with.

Insp Petty has been assaulted by angry owners on more than one occasion and has also had to involve social services when it's become clear that there are also young children living in squalor.

He said: "We work closely with a number of different agencies. It can be hard sometimes, but you have to be honest with people and tell them you are concerned that they're not coping."

We pull up outside the house and, at first, it appears no one is in. However, just as Insp Petty is about to post a calling card through the door, a woman opens it and lets us in.

Insp Petty explains about the call – though he cannot disclose who it has come from – and asks if we can see the woman's dog.

She is more than happy to oblige and, after taking us through to the back yard, we are introduced to the well-fed, exuberant and extremely friendly Xena.

It's clear to see – to our relief – there's absolutely nothing wrong with the three-year-old.

However, Insp Petty explained that calls from people worried that mastiffs and similar-sized breeds – such as rottweilers – are underweight are not uncommon.

He said: "With deep chested dogs, you can see their ribs when they breath in. It's perfectly natural and healthy. In fact, the thick set shape you often see in these breeds is actually a sign they're overweight."

While we were there, he also gave Xena's owner some advice about ensuring her cat's litter tray was regularly changed and we were on our way again.

He said: "You sometimes find that when you get called out to a job, it's not the issue you were attending about that requires the most attention.

"You have to keep your eyes peeled for things such as exotic pets, which can be tucked away and suffering in vivariums in the corner without anyone but the owner knowing they are there."

As a cat owner, the next job on our list was one that tugged at my heartstrings.

It has been brought to the attention of the RSPCA that a man in his early twenties living in Barton is keeping six cats in squalid conditions in a back bedroom.

Insp Petty has previously visited him to warn him that his treatment of the animals – two of which are kittens – is not good enough and today our job is to check that standards have improved.

However, as soon as he opens the door, it is clear from the smell that they haven't – although Insp Petty is relieved to find that the kittens have been re-homed.

Mumbling that the kittens' new owner may also be able to take on the rest of the animals – and that he is being evicted in the morning – the man reattaches a door handle and lets us into the bedroom.

The litter tray is overflowing, the floor is dotted with urine stains and faeces and the half-bag of replacement cat litter Insp Petty gave him when he visited a week ago does not appear to have been touched.

When the man claims he has been cleaning the litter tray every day, Insp Petty makes it clear that he knows he is lying and that he will not stand for it.

In no uncertain terms he tells him that what he should be doing to care for the cats and that he will get in touch that night to make sure the cats have been re-homed.

Insp Petty also warns the man that if he simply turns them loose, he will be prosecuted.

They are all very affectionate, quite distinctive – as one was born with a deformity in its tail – and, as we put down food and water for them, we give them a few well-deserved scratches behind the ears.

One in particular, a tortoiseshell, is very loving and – were it not for the three I already have at home – would have been coming home with me. Clearly I need to work on hardening myself up.

Insp Petty explains he wishes he could take the cats away from the man, but there are no places left for them in local rescue centres, which are full to capacity.

He said: "These cases are the worst ones for me. I can sympathise with people who have fallen on hard times after losing their jobs or something, but the ones that let animals live in filthy conditions, just because they are lazy, really gets to me."

Before I have to rush off and leave Insp Petty to his work, we get an emergency request to collect a stray cat from another Barton address.

A woman has got in touch with the RSPCA after taking in the cat, which she has spotted has injured its leg.

The cat, an elderly black female, is clearly happy around people and lets Insp Petty catch her and examine her leg without making a fuss.

However, she is less happy to have her mouth checked and Insp Petty is concerned at how skinny she is, as the woman tells him that someone has been feeding her for the past month.

Fearing something could be seriously wrong, he makes her comfortable in a carry cage and prepares to whisk her away to the vet – all to the accompaniment of contented purring from his latest satisfied customer.

Insp Petty has since been in touch to update me on the fate of the animals we encountered.

The Barton man did manage to find an appropriate home for his four cats and they're now faring much better.

The elderly female cat is also doing well – and purring away – though she is puzzling vets, who have ruled out feline aids and leukaemia, but fear she may still have a serious condition that needs to be treated.

However, she seems happy to be off the streets, out of the cold and getting regular meals – all thanks to the RSPCA.

Do your bit

If you are concerned about the welfare of an animal, call the Cruelty Line on 0300 1234 999.

A NEW Grimsby charity has the recipe for getting its service users into employment.

Care4all, which provides services to older people and people with disabilities, hopes to enable users to gain valuable work experience through its new café and charity shop.

As reported, Care4all Enterprises is a group of social businesses which aims to create real training and experience which could lead to paid employment.

The new shop, Keeping Up Appearances, in Victoria Street West, provides a wide range of high-quality products from wedding suits to fashion dresses, as well as other items, such as DVDs.

The new café is located at the Queen Street, Care4all centre.

The charity also runs two cafes at Freshney Green Primary Care Centre and at Oasis Academy Wintringham and the 4AllSeasons garden centre at the rear of Cromwell Road Health and Wellbeing Centre.

Enterprise manager Sean Brown said: "We have opened the café and the new store to the public.

"These new enterprises will join with the two cafés we already have and the garden centre.

"We are not a charity of the traditional type, we work like a business.

"We don't ask for money donations, all we ask is that you use our enterprises.

"The more these are used, the more opportunities we can offer. We currently have 35 staff of which 80 per cent have some form of disability.

"If these businesses grow, we can offer more paid opportunities to our service users."

The new café offers a wide range of meals and a free-to- use cyber café. Customers can also hire the staff to prepare buffets for functions off the premises.

Sean added: "We hope these enterprises will encourage interaction with the public.

"The opportunities we provide help the service users prove to themselves, their carers and any potential employers that they can hold down a paid job.

"The experience is crucial. Many employers will not consider you without relevant experience.

"The new café currently has six paid employees and we have also given work to one man who has volunteered here.

"It is hoped these employees will find new jobs and allow another group to work the café and gain experience.

"Over the five years we have been running we have helped more than 300 people, with many going into further employment."

Café manager Gill Webster says the enterprise scheme makes a real difference.

She said: "I was a service user at Care4all, Sean gave me a job working the café.

"It was just a couple hours a week, but it grew and now I manage all three cafés.

"The businesses give service users a boost to their confidence. It's not just a job, it's a great friendship with lots of support.

"It gives people something to be proud of, a reason to go outside and they get paid for their work.

"I have seen many people go from our enterprises into further employment."

See for yourself

For opening times and additional information call 01472 571101.

A HOST of Santas took a break from the race to get all the toys ready for Christmas – to race each other!

It's the fifth year the event has been staged by the Humberston Lions Club and, as always, it saw scores of charitable runners pulling on their red hats and beards to take on the two-and-a-half mile run through the resort.

The run started at the Discovery Centre, in King's Road, headed down the back of Cleethorpes Leisure Centre towards the pier and back again, with a shorter run for disabled people.

Entry was £10 per adult – including a Santa outfit, mince pie, competitor's medal and a glass of non-alcoholic wine at the end of the run – and £2 for children, with all proceeds going to a host of local charities.

To view more pictures from the event, visit www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/buyaphoto.

See more about Christmas events in Grimsby and northern Lincolnshire

A YOUNG cardiac patient is tucking into some festive treats after her mum became the first of 12 deserving people to receive a Christmas hamper.

As reported, the Grimsby Telegraph has teamed up with the Artie White Foundation for the charity's 12 Days of Christmas Campaign, which will see food hampers or toy vouchers being donated to deserving recipients across the area.

And their first delivery was made over the weekend to Dannielle Bee, of Pershore Avenue, Grimsby.

The 31-year-old was nominated for a hamper by her mum, who has seen the heartache her daughter has gone through over the past five years.

Dannielle's daughter, Skyla-Paige Bee, 5, has already undergone two operations, including open-heart surgery, to help save her life after she was diagnosed with tricuspid atresia – when a valve in the heart is not fully formed – before she was even born.

Despite this, Dannielle has remained strong and has even found time to campaign against the proposal to close Leeds Children's Heart Unit, the place Skyla-Paige had her surgery.

The devoted mum was shocked when the charity told her about the Christmas hamper, but says she is delighted to have been recognised in this way.

Dannielle said: "The past few years have been hard but, as a parent, I have not dwelled on them and just got on with helping my daughter.

"I am shocked to have received this gift. I never knew the Artie White Foundation did things like this.

"The hamper was full of snacks and food that will go a long way over the festive period – Skyla-Paige has already found the chocolates inside.

"I just want to thank my mum and dad for all their support. In a way I feel as though I should be giving back to them and not the other way around.

"My mum always tells me how proud she is of me, especially for keeping strong with Skyla-Paige.

"I think these hampers are a great idea, it has certainly been a nice surprise for me."

Grimsby Telegraph readers can still nominate someone to receive a hamper by filling in the form on this page.

It could be someone who always goes that extra mile for others, a young family struggling to buy presents, or an elderly person facing the prospect of spending Christmas alone.

Whoever they are, you can put a smile on their face.

The recipients will be chosen by committee members of the Artie White Foundation, and each presentation will be reported in the paper.

Committee member Debbie Boylen said: "As a charity, we raise money locally and want to ensure that we spend our money locally.

"We would love to hear about any deserving cause, be it people who selflessly put others before themselves and deserve a special treat or maybe a person or family who are going through difficult times.

"We would love to help make Christmas special this year. So please send your nominations in."

Barry Meadows, chairman of the Artie White Foundation, said: "Christmas is a special time of year, but it can also be a difficult time for many people.

"It was a delight to give Dannielle a hamper, she was not expecting it at all.

"I met her daughter, and when you hear just how much the family have been through, you know what you are doing is worth it. The Artie White Foundation has supported local charities for the past 16 years.

"This year we wanted to widen the range of possible recipients by allowing readers of the Grimsby Telegraph to tell us who they think deserves a gift this Christmas.

"Whether it is a food hamper or a toy voucher, every little helps during the festive period."

Make a nomination

To nominate someone you believe deserves a Christmas treat, fill in the form below:

PLANS to extend a miniature railway – at the request of the public – will not be backed by Waltham parish councillors.

As reported, the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Model Engineering Society, submitted an application to North East Lincolnshire Council for permission to extend the existing track at Waltham Windmill, in Brigsley Road.

In addition to the proposed extension of the track by approximately 300m, members of the society also want to extend the existing tunnel by 13m, construct a canopy over the current station, create a small garden gauge railway and put up a notice board at the main entrance.

However, after careful scrutiny of the current plans and a tour of the site on Saturday, parish councillors have deemed them to be inaccurate.

During a special committee meeting, each councillor voted to recommend the application be refused, but also gave various recommendations of ways the scheme could be altered to get their approval.

They want members of the engineering society to amend their plans with "accurate measurements" and to think about ways they could reduce noise pollution.

Waltham parish councillor Paul Teanby said: "Before we could make a decision on this application, we wanted to take a look at the site for ourselves.

"What we found is that measurements and designs on the plans did not add up when we compared them to the actual site.

"There are also two new bridges to be created as part of the proposals and we believe they will create a lot of noise when the train goes over them.

"There are residents nearby, so we need to be reassured that they will not be affected.

"The railway track here in Waltham is loved by a lot of people from the young to the older generation.

"As a parish council, we are all in favour of the idea, the plans just need to be amended."

And it is not just the parish councillors who are objecting.

A resident of Brigsley Road claims the proximity of the track extension would be too close to their property.

In a letter, the homeowner said: "Our lounge, bedrooms, kitchen and outside patio area will all be affected by the proximity of this extension.

"It would result in further noise disturbance, loss of privacy and outlook, to the detriment of residential amenities of ourselves and neighbours."

Barry Green, of Grimsby and Cleethorpes Model Engineering Society, said the plans have been drawn up for two reasons, to create a more challenging track for the locomotive models and in response to public requests.

He said: "We are disappointed that the parish councillors and some residents have refused our initial ideas and designs, but we will take on board their comments.

"We are remaining open minded and their recommendations can easily be accommodated.

"Those that come and have a ride on our track always leave with positive things to say, but the comment we usually get is, the ride needs to be longer.

"These plans are all about us listening to what the public wants.

"We have unused land here at Waltham Windmill which we believe would be perfect for our extension and would tidy up the area.

"The final decision rests with North East Lincolnshire Council planning committee. We shall have to wait for its verdict but this is a very exciting time."

Keep up to date

As yet, no date has been set for a decision to be made. Keep reading your Grimsby Telegraph for further updates.

A WOMAN who suffered the same extreme pregnancy sickness as the Duchess of Cambridge is using her experience to help other women in the North East Lincolnshire area.

Jessica Male, 32, of Ashby-Cum-Fenby, said that hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) – the condition Kate was diagnosed with earlier this month – left her bedridden and unable to eat.

As a trustee of the national Pregnancy Sickness Support Group, the mum-of-four said it was worth going through the trauma to have her children, but that it was important for people not to dismiss the condition as morning sickness and to realise it is a severe complication some women suffer during pregnancy.

Jessica said she had always dreamed of having a big family of her own, but before falling pregnant for the first time 13 years ago, she never envisaged just how horrible her pregnancy would be.

In 1998 Jessica was being treated for persistent vomiting at Grimsby's Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, when she discovered she was expecting.

However, although she was delighted at discovering she was going to have a baby, over the next nine months she spent weeks at a time in hospital, undergoing blood tests and being attached to IV drips to stop her from getting dehydrated.

She was diagnosed with HG – a severe form of nausea and vomiting – a condition that did not subside until she had given birth.

She said: "I was not just being sick once. Most days it was more than 30 times.

"I could not keep any food or drink down, which is why I would be put onto a drip.

"This was my first pregnancy. I knew nothing about HG and just thought it was all normal.

"I gave birth to my first son Zachary – now 13 – and my vomiting just stopped."

When she discovered she was expecting again two years later, Jessica wanted to believe that her second pregnancy would be better than the first, but it was not to be the case. Her symptoms were the same and the vomiting was constant.

She said: "I could not believe how unlucky I was. Most new mums spend their pregnancy getting excited about the arrival of their child, but all I was thinking was when would I be sick or in hospital next.

"My partner Chris is fantastic, as he looked after Zachary while I was in hospital. When my second son Dylan arrived, the sickness cleared almost immediately."

After her second horrific experience, Jessica began to contemplate giving up her dreams of having a big family.

She said: "I never wanted to say no to having any more, but the thought of going through all the symptoms again was unbearable."

However, to the surprise of Jessica and Chris, in 2005 they discovered they were expecting their third child.

This time Jessica's conditions worsened and just six weeks into the pregnancy, she was hospitalised for a month.

Anti-sickness drugs failed and doctors twice asked Jessica to consider having a termination.

She said: "Medics did not know how to help me any further, but I could not give up my child.

"After some deliberating with colleagues, my consultant tried me on a new drug which helped me to reach my 12 week mark before he put me onto steroids.

"During this time I had lost three stones.

"I slept through the majority of my pregnancy as the constant vomiting exhausted me."

Once again, following the safe arrival of Reuben – now seven – the sickness immediately stopped.

Despite being mum to three beautiful boys, many people would assume that having had such horrendous pregnancies, Jessica and Chris would have taken steps to ensure they had no more children.

Jessica now looks back and laughs at her reaction on discovering she was having her fourth child, Ava, who is now three.

She said: "I can laugh now as I have a wonderful daughter, but at the time it was awful.

"During my final pregnancy I refused to go into hospital – that was until I got to such a point of dehydration that I could not stand up and I began having an irregular heartbeat.

"I spent 12 weeks in hospital this time, before I was given a syringe driver to administrate medication myself at home.

"I had the help of a district nurse who visited the house.

"I do look back and see the horrible side of pregnancy and the suffering I put myself through but then I look at all four of my children and I am so pleased they are here.

"I feel lucky that through all this I still managed to follow my dreams of wanting a big family."

As a trustee of the Pregnancy Sickness Support group, Jessica wants to support other women going through a similar situation, to offer advice and guidance through it.

She also hopes that now people are more aware of the condition, they will be more sympathetic to those who suffer from it.

Jessica added: "I do feel for Kate, as I know just how bad it can be and I hope her symptoms are not too severe.

"However, on the other side, we could not have asked for a better public figure-head to have been diagnosed with it and help to raise awareness.

"I just want HG to be recognised as a severe complication in pregnancy and not just morning sickness.

"I find people are less sympathetic when this term is used."

Find out more

For more information about HG, visit www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

SHE may be out of Strictly, but Karen Hauer is inviting Grimsby residents to Come Dancing just the same.

As reported, the star, who has been partnering Westlife heartthrob Nicky Byrne, will perform at Clifton's Dance Academy's dinner dance at the Humber Royal Hotel, in Littlecoates Road.

This time she will be taking to the floor with her boyfriend, Kevin Clifton – the son of Academy owners, Keith and Judy – for a Latin American cabaret dance.

And it is sure to go better than last night, which saw she and Byrne leave the hit BBC show after failing to impress the judges with a fusion of samba and American foxtrot.

Dancing to Olly Murs and Flo Rida's Troublemaker, the pair performed an energetic routine that saw Nicky sliding across the floor on his knees.

But after being forced into a dance-off with Denise Van Outen and James Jordan, the judges tonight voted unanimously to kick Nicky, a former youth team footballer with Leeds United, off the show.

Nicky, the ninth celebrity to leave the show, said: ''It has been just so much fun. It is the biggest and best show in the world. 'Karen, every week, every day, has been incredible. We had a bit of a shaky start in terms of judges and stuff, but we just seemed to improve."

Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh topped last night's leaderboard with a perfect score of 40 points following her and partner Pasha Kovalev's effortless tango crossed with cha cha to The Weather Girls' hit It's Raining Men.

Tickets to the Clifton Dance Academy dinner dance are on sale now and cost £32.

Call 07500 545547 to find out more.

LAUGHTER lovers will get more than a chuckle when comic star Charlie Chuck performs in Waltham.

The 1990s legend who found fame on BBC series The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer will entertain a crowd at the Waltham Tea Gardens on Thursday.

Many will best remember him for his bizarre and manically surreal humour on the programme which he appeared on between 1993 and 1995 and referred to by the comic duo as Uncle Peter.

And his show, I'm In Waltham, promises to be no different, as he plans to perform his usual stand-up gold along with a magic show.

Entertainment promoter and close friend Andy Wood has been thrilled by the number of excited fans who have bought tickets so far – but there are still around 20 left up for grabs.

He said: "Like Charlie Chuck, there is nowhere quite like the Tea Gardens, so I thought the two would go together. Charlie likes to play those types of places and I know he will love performing there.

"People who have bought tickets can't believe they are going to see him. It is not something that happens often in the village. It will be bonkers and crazy – everything that he is."

Charlie Chuck – whose real name is David Kear – started his career as a drummer and has performed with bands in the 1970s and 1980s such as the Small Faces and the Amazing Barvarian Stompers.

Later he appeared on Sky TV talent show, Sky Star Search where he was spotted by DJ James Whale who booked him on several late night editions of the James Whale Radio Show before landing the gig with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer.

Andy, who is a musician, struck up a friendship with Charlie Chuck – after gigging together on numerous occassions.

Charlie Chuck will be also supported by comic 1980s rock star Randy Rimmer.

Andy continued: "It will be a great night with good people all getting into the Christmas spirit.

"I am really looking forward to it. I haven't seen him doing any magic stuff before so no doubt, that will be a bit different and funny.

"We still have a few tickets left and we want it to be a sell out."

Get tickets

If you want to see Charlie Chuck live, contact Andy on 07879 680600.

A KNIFE-wielding thug who broke into two homes while high on M-Cat – and prevented his victims from calling an ambulance as one suffered a suspected heart attack – has been jailed for ten years.

Christopher Smith, 25, of Kirkstead Crescent, Grimsby, and his accomplice in the first robbery, Daniel Carrick, 28, of Mallard Mews, were brought to justice after the victims identified them through pictures on Facebook.

Grimsby Crown Court heard Smith had admitted three offences of robbery and another of attempted robbery after taking the drug.

In June the Grimsby Telegraph launched a campaign to highlight the dangers of the illegal drug, and the adverse psychological effects it can have on users, as reported.

Phillip Evans, prosecuting, said Smith and Carrick had burst into a home in Healing Road, Stallingborough, and aggressively threatened the occupants of the house – including a 79-year-old man.

Smith "bounced up and down", demanding to know where the safe was, as Carrick also brandished a knife. Smith then warned the father and son, as well as the younger man's girlfriend, that he would stab them if they moved, demanding they hand over the pensioner's wallet, which contained about £500 cash.

His son also handed over his wallet and the woman was asked for her purse – which she did not have with her.

The pensioner, who had a history of heart trouble, began to curl over and his son feared that he was having a heart attack.

He tried to call an ambulance for his father, but Smith callously put a knife to his face, swore and told him: "Give me your mobile phone."

They escaped in the son's car, but after the family did their own investigation, they discovered their names, looked them up on Facebook, and were able to confirm from pictures posted on the site that they were the two who had robbed them.

Carrick was jailed for six years and nine months, after admitting offences including two of robbery and another of attempted robbery.

In another robbery, Smith and Jarred Brown, 19, of Fairview Avenue, Cleethorpes, left a man terrified after confronting him with knives in the bedroom of his home, in Harold Street, Grimsby, on July 30.

They filled a duvet cover with items, including mobile phones, four laptops, £400 cash, a games console and an iPod, together valued at £1,970.

The raiders left in a taxi for Mallard Mews and even tried to use the stolen iPod to pay the driver, but he handed it over to the police. They were arrested later.

Brown was locked up for three-and-a-half years.

After he was jailed, Smith continued grinning, showing off and playing to the gallery in front of his supporters in court and pretended that he was not bothered about the length of the sentence.

He repeatedly swore at the judge – despite his barrister claiming earlier that he was remorseful – and was given a consecutive three months for contempt of court.

He had also asked for four shoplifting offences to be taken into consideration.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told the trio: "It must be made very clear that individuals who enter a private house late at night, threatening the occupants with a knife, particularly where one of the occupants is elderly, and go on to steal property, will receive very substantial sentences."

The sentence on Carrick also included separate offences of dangerous driving, drink-driving, failing to stop and having no insurance on June 16. He admitted those matters.

He was banned from driving for three years and the car he wrote off after crashing it in to a house, causing £2,100 damage, will be forfeited to go towards paying £300 compensation for an insurance excess.

All three robbers claimed they regretted their actions.

Andrew Bailey, mitigating, said Smith wanted to apologise to the victims, and was "ashamed of himself" and was genuinely remorseful.

He had drunk large amounts of alcohol and had taken the drug M-Cat which, he claimed, changed his character.

Michael Culshaw, representing Carrick, said his client had no previous convictions for violent offences.

Carrick claimed he acted out of character and "would like to apologise profusely".

Craig Lowe, representing Brown, said his family was "ashamed of him" and he claimed he wanted to wanted to apologise to the victim. He wanted to "make something of his life".

Drink and drugs were involved and he was "shocked and angry at his own behaviour".

MEASURES to improve safety on the A18 – and other roads across North East Lincolnshire – will be looked into during a series of meetings in January, following the death of a cyclist.

As reported on www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk, the 64-year-old North Lincolnshire man, who has not been named, was killed following a collision with a red lorry on the notorious stretch of road between the junction with the A46 Laceby bypass and the Barnoldby-le-Beck turn off, on Saturday morning.

The lorry driver, a 48-year-old local man, emerged from the crash uninjured.

Although the circumstances of the accident are not yet known, the A18 has long been an accident black spot.

Over the past three years, there have been 20 collisions – ten of these at junctions – and, last year, TV show Britain's Killer Roads, claimed the ten-mile stretch of Barton Street – from Laceby roundabout to the A16 at Ludborough – was 25 times more dangerous than the average British motorway.

Cycle safety has also been hitting the national headlines in recent weeks, after Britain's first Tour De France winner and four-time Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins was injured after being knocked off his bike by a driver as he cycled past a petrol station.

And, in October, Humberside Police's casualty reduction officer Pc Barry Gardner launched the Cycle Bright campaign to try and reduce the ever increasing number of cyclists being injured on our roads, as reported.

Between January and August this year there were four serious accidents and 51 slight accidents compared to 198 slight injuries and 41 serious crashes between January 2009 and December 2011, the majority of which were at junctions.

As part of the campaign as well as putting up signs at accident blackspots, cyclists are being urged to pick up a free high-visibility jacket.

PC Gardner said: "There has been a large increase in the number of accidents both nationally and locally.

"We want motorists to look out for cyclists, give them a bit of space.

"The devastating effect of a collision can last a lifetime, not just for the cyclist, but their families."

His comments were echoed by Jamie Ward, who runs the Alp-Action Ettridge Cycling Club.

He said: "It's tragic to hear someone has been killed.

"In terms of cycling safety, I would say you should always wear bright clothing, a helmet and have lights on your bike all the time, so you can switch them on if it gets a bit dim.

"I would also say motorists need to give cyclists more space. I am sure they don't mean to, but they can pass very close to you.

"My dad, who is still a keen cyclist at the age of 70, was knocked off his bike on the A18 when a driver clipped his handlebars with his wing mirror as he overtook him."

Pc Gardner also said he would welcome a reduction in the speed limit on the A18, from 60mph to 50mph – which is one of the issues a special North East Lincolnshire Council select committee will be discussing in the new year.

The committee, made up of members from NELC's regeneration and housing scrutiny panel, will come together to discuss how the number of accidents on roads across the area can be reduced – and whether speed is a factor in doing so.

However, Councillor Philip Jackson (Con, Waltham) who also lives in Barnoldby-le-Beck, said believes on roads such as the A18, more needs to be done than simply reducing vehicles' speed.

He said: "I travel up and down the A18 most days, there are numerous blind spots and it is very difficult to overtake safely.

"It is not just about cutting speed limits here, as this is not always the cause of an accident. More needs to be done to help reduce the number of casualties.

"Whether this means the introduction of road signs or other alternative safety measures I do not know yet. They will be ideas to discuss during our meetings – the first will take place on Thursday, January 17.

"The public are invited to attend these meetings, as the committee will be directing questions to the police and other road safety experts who have been asked to attend.

"It is devastating to hear another life had been taken because of this dangerous road."

Be seen:

Cycle Bright high-visibility vests can be picked up from the Victoria Street police station in Grimsby while stocks last.

Anyone who witnessed the crash on Saturday morning, is urged to contact Grimsby Road Policing Unit on 101 quoting the log number 230.

Keep checking your Grimsby Telegraph for further updates.