Lincolnshire this week.

No need to head over to Munich this autumn, the Oktoberfest is coming to Lincolnshire. Lederhosen, oompah bands and German beer will be in good supply at the Epic Centre, Lincolnshire Showground. Traditional dress will be encouraged for the one day mini festival on October 13. Dirk Terjung, one of the men behind the idea, said being at Oktoberfest was a unique experience.


"It is a very positive, fun-loving event where people can get together and just have a great time," he said.

"It has a community feel to it. It's unique and people come from across Germany and all over the world to enjoy it."

With bratwurst and other German delicacies available locals will think the Christmas Market has come early.

A gardener with Crowders Nursery in Horncastle doesn’t just get his kicks from herbaceous borders. By day Jamie Key tends the plants at the well known plant centre but Jamie’s passion is kick boxing and he’s got the breaks and bruises to prove it. The 23 year old will fly to Canada in October to fight for the world title thanks in no small measure to his employers who have granted him extended leave to attend the various events. In addition, Robert Crowder is paying for the Canada trip. Jamie took up kick boxing at the age of 11 saying the sport saved him from ending up the wrong side of the tracks. “I suppose I was a bit of a bad boy to be honest. It has helped me transform my life; it’s definitely kept me on the straight and narrow.”

Lincoln resembled one of those TV programs you flick on to on cable when you’re about to go to bed today. The UK rescue challenge will see 130 teams compete against each other in a series of rescue simulations. Members of the public are free to watch and see demonstrations of rescues from water, a high rise building and a collapsed structure. In addition the new Lincolnshire fire and rescue flood response power boats will be demonstrated. The main competition will see teams compete to rescue victims from a mock car crash for which they will be allowed twenty minutes.

Members of the Egyptian Paralympic team who have been training in Lincolnshire prior to the big event have been struck by the welcome yellowbellys have given them. "The people have been the highlight for us," said spokesman Hossam El-Shobary

"They have been warm and welcoming.

"We have enjoyed our time in Lincoln, we have walked round the beautiful cathedral and enjoyed eating in the restaurants.

"But it is the people, all the staff and all the volunteers have seen to all our needs.

"It has made a big difference and been very good."

Mr El-Shobary said the facilities have been first class. "For me, the table tennis facilities at the University have been brilliant, but when I speak to the coaches in the other squads they have been really impressed, too," he said.

"It is ideal for us and our preparations are going well."

"The preparations have been perfect," Mr El-Shobary added.

"We are pleased with how it has gone and we are excited about heading to London now.

"I've heard some really good things about the Olympic Park and also the table tennis facilities there."

Crimpers at a Lincoln area salon have told how they had a lucky escape when a car smashed through a wall. Stylist at Hair Lounge in Waddington had to have their wits about them as they pulled customers out of the path of a Vauxhall Corsa as it careered through the shop front. Owner Sophie Emmerson told how she reacted to the drama. "By thinking of the worst that could have happened, you realise how lucky we were. The woman in the car had a burn on her arm from an air bag and everyone else was just bruised.

"It would have been about 10am and had this happened 20 minutes later there would have been a 6-year-old child sitting on the sofa in the window.

"To be honest, we never even heard the window smash – the revving of the engine was so loud.

"The car came in and I pulled my client away from it.

"One of my stylists, Cheryl Wright, had her hands on the bonnet and was running backwards with the car.

"Cheryl's client stood up and got out of her chair.

"The car caught the customer's leg and she has some bruising but the chair hit a full-length mirror and went through to the other side of the wall."

Mrs Wright said. "There was the roar of the engine, I could see it was on the pavement and then it came through.

"The next thing I remember is putting my hands on the bonnet and it pushing me backwards.

"Sophie pushed me out of the way but I don't remember that.

"When I came to my senses I found myself on the other side of the salon."

Well that’s enough of hair raising events. I’m off to the Edinburgh fringe. Enough barnet puns. Have a good weekend.