Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Good deeds in Scunthorpe ... The Scunthorpe Telegraph reports that North Lincolnshire Councillor Dick Long offered to 'man the Scunthorpe market' to make sure that it could open on Christmas Eve. This didn't come to anything as Health and Safety rejected his offer.

The Telegraph also reported that the Brigg Bomber Quadrathlon may take place on a new route along Wrawby Street in 2007 if permission is received.

The Environment Agency has begun to use mobile phone text technology to issue flood warnings to the public. Brigg - and the rest of the Ancholme valley - is very low lying and at risk of flooding. To register for these free warnings surf to: Environment Agency website

Myles Scanlon - former landlord of the Nelthorpe Arms - has died at the age of 78. His funeral took place at St. Mary's Catholic church and saw a great many people showing their respects for this very popular publican.

Brigg MP Ian Cawsey has issued a warning of bogus charity collectors. Before putting any goods in the charity collection bags always check that there is a charity number and name, landline telephone number. More info: Charity commission.

I'm dreaming of a grey Christmas, just like the ones I used to know ...

... or Fog on the Ancholme is mine, all mine. A picture of a foggy, cold and damp River Ancholme with equally damp and cold seagulls to make all the visitors from Bondi Beach jealous. 'If only we could have genuine English Christmas weather', they must be thinking as they slip on their festive shorts and barbecue the turkey on the beach ... incidentally, the weird purple rings are a 'digital artefact' - the camera must have been trying to make a forlorn attempt to brighten up the scene a bit. Hey ho.

Clear thinking ...

"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur." --- Dan Quayle

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"Calm down, dear: it's only a housing estate" - commencing 8th Jan. 2007 speed cushions will be installed on Redcombe Lane and road humps on Hawthorne Avenue and Woodbine Avenue.

Speaking of strange shaped objects - the Brigg 'Tin Tabernacle' (pic right) is under consideration for improvement: members of the Brigg Beacon Towns forum are looking to raise £10,000 from Brigg businesses and individuals to repair this feature. What do you think should replace the Tabernacle??

A campaign has been started by 12 year old Samuel Barbour from Dunston (near Lincoln) to give hares a close season which will give them a chance to breed (feature in Lincolnshire Echo). Although hare coursing has been illegal since 2004 many hares are still shot. In 1900 there were over 5 million hares now there are less than 800,000 left in the UK. To sign the petition call 01526 322253.

Campaigning is in the air. Local (Brigg and Goole) Tory hopeful Andrew Percy is starting a campaign to save the rural post offices. Sign the petition online or view the government consultation.

Re: The Tuckers at the Brigg Christmas Fair

EMAIL. I read your review of The Tuckers in Brigg and I wasn't sure if you liked them or not. I do like your style of writing though it's different and I suppose it was good to be likened to a fine merlot and an exquisite chardonnay. The boys release their first single "Gabriel" tomorrow.
Thank you. Bass player Ricky's mam. Claire Clark

Bofkont replies: Sometimes these things work out and sometimes not. I hope that your son wasn't too offended. My knowledge of new musical styles isn't sufficient to be able to be able to pick out the finer points or make a sensible comparison. Of the indie groups that I have seen (at the Adelphi in Hull) they compare very well. Trying to get involvement from the crowd is always difficult - particularly when it is a cold evening in a draughty marketplace. Never fear: if he's in Brigg again I'll get him a dog.

Pen friend wanted from China

EMAIL. Dear sir or madam. I am Rainbow ,from China , female, 24years old. I want to search a friend fluently in english. Can you help? Pls contact with me if you have question. rgs - luv fabric-nature Rainbow

Ed: if you would like to write to Rainbow please send an email and it will be forwarded on.

There's snow business ...

EMAIL. Hi guys and girls. Just wondering if it is possible to have you guys email the picture you have on your front page of Brigg tourist info centre with snow lying around.

I now live in OZ after growing up in Wrawby. I was just showing my aunty in sydney your site and we came across that picture. My aunty has lived here since emigrating some 30 years ago after growing up in ash grove. We would be both very grateful if you could email the picture in as large a version as you can. I think it is a great picture and would be very grateful.

Yours hopefully - Matt.......

Ed: Keep getting requests for snow pictures, but I haven't been able to find the original picture - though I'm sure large wads of crisp cash might spur me on in my search :-)

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Shop news. The old Wool Shop on the Market Place has recently been refurbished and has now re-opened as a Lindsey Lodge Hospice charity shop on Brigg Christmas Fair day. The pet food shop on Wrawby Street did a 'Brigg sashay' and also moved on the same day to a new location several doors up. DTP printers have moved out of town to Scunthorpe.

Permission has been granted for a new waste incinerator at Hedon. We need to get rid of waste, but what about the pollution when we get the norteasterlies in the winter? What do you think?

Your chance to shine! Brigg Town Council will be judging your house's Christmas decorations this week (9th - 14th) - so get out your baubles and bells and get lit up ...

More people are coming to live in Brigg: official figures have revealed that the population of North Lincolnshire is set to climb from 157,050 to 162,000 in ten years. In the previous ten years 4,650 people have moved to this area.

Pipers Crisps are spreading their wings. The Elsham Wold based company has signed a contract to supply the award winning Eastern Airways with their speciality potato based snacks.

Fears about airplane safety have led North Lincs Council to reject the application for a windfarm at Elsham Top. It was thought that the turbines might adversely affect the radar system at Kirmington Airport.

Pike and boat fishing on the Ancholme

EMAIL. I wonder if you can help me, it's a two part inquiry really. Do you know of Pike being caught from the Ancholme at Brigg I also see the river is navigable (noting the marina visible from the road) so is it possible to boat fish the river, if it is do you know of any one who might hire rowing dinghies on a day basis. Thanks in anticipation and kind regards,
Andy. (Grimsby)

Ed: the Ancholme has got a reputation for the quality of its pike fishing. That said, I haven't seen anyone fishing from a boat. I expect, being a Grimsby lad, you'd be wanting to take a trawler down the Ancholme?? :-) Does anyone out there know about this?

Did you work on the trawlers in the 1960s or 1970s ... ?

... if so, you may be in line for a windfall from the Humber Fishermen's Pension Scheme. Over a thousand trawlermen haven't claimed their money yet. In total around £160,000 is owed. Hull MP Alan Johnson and Norwich Union are trying to trace the fishermen. more

Brigg Christmas Fair - 1 Dec 2006

Brigg's Christmas fair this year was the biggest and best yet. The addition of a group (The Tuckers) in the market place rounded the evening off nicely ...

The Tuckers at the Brigg Christmas Fair

You know when you are past it: when you start liking 'young persons music'. Ok Ok - I'm a BOF - I'll freely admit that. I can't even remember the last time I went to see a group ... More: The Tuckers in Brigg

Horses re-appear in Brigg

Brigg has had for a long while connections with horses. Either to trade at the markets or the annual Brigg Fair. Now however, horses kept by the travelling community are being pastured on the unused land of the Ancholme Industrial Estate making for a pleasing autumnal scene and contrast to the starkness of the industrial buildings.

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Owners of Humberside Airport Manchester Airports Group are rumoured to be thinking of selling the Kirmington based airport so they can 'focus on developing ... Manchester airport'.

Timberland Motorhomes is expanding in a 66,000 sqft premises on Brigg's Ancholme Business park and will be looking to take on a further 20 staff over the next five years. The development has to be completed in three years to meet a Council condition, but proprietor Kevin Cain stated: 'we feel at this point this would be an unrealistic time scale'.

Children are always been asked when they pick their noses 'what do you expect to find in there?' by irritated parents. The kids, according to the Lincoln Echo, however may have just discovered a cure for meningitis. Pioneering research work to help develop this cure has been funded by locals Quentin Stott and Surjit Chand who raised £57000 to help find a cure.

The Scunthorpe Telegraph reports that local Liberal Democrats are campaigning to increase the Saturday only train 'service' into a daily, commuter-friendly real service. Ed: The fare: £24 (Sat reduced) to Cleethorpes however may be a stumbling blocklet.

Boozy Brigg ...

Ed. The Boozy Brigg feature has stirred the locals up:
EMAIL. You have omitted the servicemans club and Brigg Town football club. For Peters info and any others interested the bowls club do not have a bar.

Lidgett, locking

EMAIL. I have recently been researching the name locking, lidgett. Mary ann lidgett birth 1826 Caistor, lodging with the Benton family Caistor, back street Caistor would like to add and interested in this family. - Paul Kiddle

Quotable

"The trouble is that, after about four billion years of worrying about sabre-toothed tigers, the plague, having your heart ripped out by religious zealots and being bombed by the Germans, we've been left with an inability to stop worrying when actually everything's fine" - The World According to Clarkson Vol 2 - Jeremy Clarkson

Ed. Can't agree more Mr C.

Henthorn remembered

EMAIL. Re: Karen Henthorn enquiry.
Dr. Henthorn (or as he was then, Mr. Henthorn) was my history master for several years during my attendance at the Grammar School (1940-1947). He was an excellent teacher and the love of history which I now have is in no small measure due to him. Sadly, I was far from being one of his star pupils but he showed amazing patience despite my inability to remember many facts. However his wonderful aide memoire of sovereigns' names (Willy, Willy, Harry, Ste...etc) is still with me! Good to know there are still descendants of his in the Brigg area.
Sincerely - Ken Bailey

History of Brigg - is there a book???

EMAIL. I am looking for a book on the history of Brigg, if there is such a thing. Please could you help?
Many thanks - Mrs Bratton