This week in 1988 and 1993

Pupils from Stickneys William Lovell School and Coningsby Primary School are pictured this week in 1993 stepping back in time to the days of the Civil War thanks to members of the Sealed Knot Society.

A Donington family fled their home after lightning ripped through the building – before the father and a neighbour bravely rushed back inside the property to tackle a fire.

The Firth family – mum Ann, dad Robin, and daughters Rebecca, seven, and Charlotte, four, had been sat in the living room when the bolt struck, sending the TV and aerial socket rocketing across the room.

The blast tore off half of the roof, left all the upstairs ceilings collapsed, and split a water tank, sending gallons of water through the house.

Ann said: “There was an enormous explosion and bang like you’ve never heard that made me deaf for five minutes – I could see the kids crying but I couldn’t hear them.

“Then my husband shouted ‘get out, get out’ and we just ran for our lives.”

Robin and neighbour Hugh Marrows (of the Standard’s Country Walk feature) rushed back in the house when central heating oil caught fire and extinguished the flames before they could spread.

It was thought the lightning must have entered the cold water piping system as a women three houses away suffered minor burns from leaning against an aluminium sink when the lightning struck.

This week in 1993

* Boston councillors were extending their no smoking policy – already enforced in most of the municipal offices – to some public places.

Members of the Environment Committee heard that a decision were required to comply with the Government’s code of practice.

They agreed at some venues like the Assembly Rooms, Fenside Community Centre, and the Central Park cricket and bowls pavilions, the decision on whether to allow or ban smoking should rest with each hiring organisation.

They did agree, however, that smoking should be banned in the changing rooms at Garfits Lane and Rosebery Avenue.

The crematorium was in a category of its own, members decided.

Mike Blessed, head of environmental services, said: “It’s a very sensitive matter. Even non-smokers among you would understand that a smoker wants to smoke at a time of stress.”

The code of practice advised a separate smoking room should be provided, but as no such accommodation was available it was agreed that a ventilation system should be supplied to the crematorium waiting room where smoking would be allowed.