We bring you the top stories from May to August covered in the Horncastle News

December is often a time to reflect and make plans.

The end of the year marks a new beginning - and a chance to recall the most notable events of the year.

From the good to the bad, we’ve trawled our archives to give you 2020’s most memorable moments.

Horncastle area residents came out in force on May 8 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day - from the safety of their own front gardens!

Due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, members of the public across the country were asked to mark the occasion with a ‘stay at home’ party on their porch, driveway, or garden.

Local residents made the most of the glorious sunshine this afternoon, and celebrated alongside their immediate family members - and often, their neighbours over the fence!

The month also saw Horncastle Market Place making the headlines with a town councillor’s vision of opening up the cobbles - with backing from residents and business.

A number of drink and food outlets are located in the Market Place including Costa Coffee and two independent cafes.

Updates on this vision would come later in the year.

Horncastle and District Scrubs was set up earlier this year to make PPE for key workers - including NHS staff.

Helen Turner had been working as a clinical nurse specialist in Intensive Care Units at Lincoln County and Boston Pilgrim hospitals.

When Horncastle & District Scrubs heard about Helen, they decided to make her a very special set of scrubs... in the style of Wonder Woman!

Horncastle & District Scrubs were also leant a helping hand by Radio DJ Chris Evans.

His son, Noah, ‘camped out’ for 28 days and raised £20,000 to help scrub-making groups across the country.

Dad Chris held a star-studded auction which raised another £1million.

And, one of the groups to benefit was the Horncastle one as a bumper batch of 5,000 metres of material arrived at its Stanhope Hall HQ, courtesy of the Evans family.

In June, a trio of wartime memorabilia hunters received jail sentences for dumping WWII mustard gas bombs in a lake near Woodhall Spa.

The trio were the first in the country to be sentenced for possession of a chemical weapon.

Martyn Tasker, 40, was jailed for five years for possession of firearms, plus 16 months’ concurrent sentence for possession of a chemical weapon.

His wife Michaela Tasker, 32, and friend Stuart Holmes, 50, were both handed a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years for possession of a chemical weapon.

The month also saw pupils start to return to the classroom as the Government asked schools to re-open for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

All schools had been closed during the Covid-19 pandemic although some had remained open for children of key workers.

Nationally, thousands of parents said they were not sending their children back, despite intensive efforts by staff to make schools as safe as possible.

The News spoke to Horncastle and Louth MP Victoria Atkins who said she believes parents, guardians and carers should have the final say on whether children return to school.

Ms Atkins stressed it was only right that parents, guardians and carers – with health and safety fears – should be allowed to make what they felt was the ‘right decision’ for their children.

Back in June, then Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Bill Skelly announced his decision to retire from policing.

PCC Skelly left the force on December 19 and has been replaced by Chris Haward.

Councillors, business leaders, and members of the public spoke out after East Lindsey District Council revealed plans to reintroduce all car parking charges in July.

Almost three-in-four readers opposed ELDC’s plan to reintroduce car parking charges from July 1, according to an opinion poll hosted by the Louth Leader, Horncastle News and Skegness Standard.

In July, supermarket chain Aldi revealed that it is looking to open a store in Horncastle.

Horncastle is one of 11 locations across Lincolnshire where the German-based supermarket is hoping to build.

Around 70 people observed strict social distancing guidelines to attend the funeral of a much-loved Horncastle man.

Peter Potton died on June 1 and the funeral and burial was held at the town’s Boston Road.

Mr Potton was born in Thimbleby in November 1931.

Mr Potton served as a retained firefighter in Horncastle from 1961 to 1996.

As a sign of respect, the town’s present day firefighters turned out in full uniform as the hearse carrying his coffin passed by the fire station.

July saw Lincolnshire County Council receive a £105,500 grant from the Department for Transport from the first round of the emergency active travel fund to support the installation of temporary projects during the recovery from Covid-19.

For Horncastle, this meant the partial pedestriansation of North of Market Place could go ahead.

The matter was discussed at the monthly Horncastle Town Council meeting.

Town Councillor Alan Lockwood argued that North of Market Place and St Lawrence Street should be closed to allow businesses to recover.

County Councillor Bill Aron was called upon to pursue the matter with Lincolnshire County Council and deliver the partial pedestrianisation.

July also saw a fatal collision on the A153 Belchford crossroads, between Louth and Horncastle.

Emergency services were called to the scene of the collision, between a Honda Jazz car and a motorcycle.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 50s, was seriously injured in the incident, and police later confirmed that he had, sadly, not survived his injuries.

The crossroads have taken the lives of several motorists in the past few years – an issue which the Horncastle News has brought up with the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership and Lincolnshire Police on multiple occasions.

August saw calls for action after a rise in ASB in Horncastle.

Town councillors Alan Lockwood and Richard Barker contacted Wolds NPT Inspector Sarah Constantine after several incidents in Horncastle including damage to a shop window and damage to Horncastle Community Centre.

At the time, Inspector Constantine said officers were doing all they could to address ongoing issues in Horncastle and further afield.

She added that although she appreciates it can be frustrating, officers are limited in what they can do if incidents are not reported via 101/999.

Parking in Horncastle was also addressed as the town’s three East Lindsey District Councillors – Coun Sandra Campbell Wardman, Mayor Coun Fiona Martin and Coun Richard Avison – confirmed that after many meetings and negotiations, one hour free car parking would be introduced at the St Lawrence Street car park.

GCSE/A-Level success was celebrated in August.

Students were able to collect their results – but due to the Covid-19 pandemic rights of passage including prom had to be cancelled or postponed.

• See next week’s Horncastle News for the top stories that we covered between September and December.