'˜Safest year yet' for parties in Skegness

The ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme has been extended to Skegness following its success in the county, nationally and even around the world.

Under the scheme, featured on the BBC’s One Show on Thursday, residents enjoying a night out over Christmas and the New Year are being reminded that bars and pubs that run the scheme can help them if they find themselves in unsafe situations.

Hayley Child, Sexual Violence Strategy Co-ordinator at Lincolnshire County Council, developed the scheme. She said: “Pubs, clubs and bars in Lincoln and Spalding already use Ask for Angela through their Pubwatch schemes.

“I’m delighted to announce that we have now extended this to Skegness in time for Christmas.

“Skegness is a great place for a night out, including with visitors from outside of the county.

“If they’re new to the area or meeting people they don’t know very well, they will now be able to choose venues where bar staff will be able to help if they get into difficult situations.”

The announcement comes as the latest police Operation California on Saturday reported the fewest number of positive tests for drugs since the scheme was introduced earlier in the year.

Drugs testing equipment was set up at Busters and according to East Lindsey’s T/Chief Insp Colin Haigh, only a handful of customers proved positive.

He said: “We put an Op California on due to the large amounts of work Xmas parties booked on December 9 and December 16 in Skegness.

“One thing of note is that we are getting fewer positive indications from this time last year so the word is clearly getting round.

“On Saturday, over 300 people were swabbed with few indications. We have received good support from Busters and we are planning more ops in the future.”

l For more information on Ask Angela and a list of venues visit www.lincolnshire. gov.uk/nomore.

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