Lincoln named one UK’s happiest cities

Lincoln has been named one of the happiest cities in the United Kingdom as a company looked at the amount of smiles in photos.

The list was created by a company called JetPac who used their own photo app and social network, Instagram, to see how many people were smiling in photos.

They believe that a person smiling is the biggest sign of happiness; however the degree of a smile is taken into consideration. For example a grin won’t gain as high a score as someone with a wide smile. The software used looks at the amount of pixels in one persons smile.

Lincoln is the fifth happiest city with a score of 31.95, with Belfast leading the list with a score of 34.29.

JetPac looked at over 100 million pictures across 40 towns, observing several different things in the pictures.

Other than smiles, the app looked at women who wore red lipstick and men with moustaches. According to the company, these trends suggested lipstick wearing and moustache bearing humans were more outgoing and wanting to have a good time.

Salford came bottom of the 40 cities with a score of 17.90.

 

Lincoln rower sets world record

A 21 year old Lincolnshire rower has put himself into the Guinness World Record books after being part of the youngest pair to row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Luke Birch from Lincoln and his rowing partner Jamie Sparks completed the 3000 mile challenge, almost 55 days after they started back on December 3rd 2013.

The best friends, who named themselves “Two Boys in a Boat,” started their journey in the Canary Islands before travelling the 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean and ending their challenge in Antigua.

The pair raised nearly £190,000 for Breast Cancer Care, which is more than the £150,000 target they had set before they began and the figure is still rising.

The previous record was set by Tom Heal and Will Smith back in 2009, with them being only a few months older at the time.

The challenge was part of The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in which 16 teams took part in the 3000 mile adventure. Two Boys in a Boat finished fifth in the overall competition and second in the pairs competition.

The duo engaged in two hour shifts as they battled huge waves, extreme weather and very little sleep. With each of them losing around 10,000 calories a day, they had to ensure they ate as much as they could to keep them going.

The pair are said to be delighted at the achievement and also stated that it is the best thing they have ever done and an incredible experience.

Dead animals found in Brayford

The bodies of a dead sheep and a dead deer were today removed from Brayford Pool area of Lincoln, having both separately been found washed up in and around the quay.

Staff at the harbour were notified about the body of a deer in the morning after it was discovered by boats moored along the Brayford.

The view along the Brayford, the place where the dead deer was found

Then in the afternoon, they were slightly more alarmed when they were notified that a body of a dead sheep had found itself lodged in the glory hole embankment.

The staff used rope to drag the carcass of the sheep out of the water, in front of a gathering crowd.

Georgia Stillman, 20, watched on as the sheep was hoisted out of the water. “At first I thought they were pulling out a dead swan as it was by the area that the swans usually are but then I realised it had legs.”

“They had to tie the legs together to pull it out. It was horrible to see as we were wondering how on earth it got there in the first place. There was a growing crowd and lots of people taking pictures and videos.”

The high downfall of rain throughout the month of January is being blamed for the deaths of the animals, most likely to have been trapped in the water somewhere along the River Witham, which has struggled to deal with the high volume of rain.

David Attenborough’s coming to Lincoln- and we can’t go and see him

The people of Lincoln have been denied the chance to see Broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough when he will open an exhibit dedicated to Lincolnshire naturalist Joseph Banks at the Collection museum in Lincoln on the 14th of February.

Residents are in uproar as they are denied being able to see one of the most influential people of the 20th century. One said “Not a great news story for the public if the public cant share in it. It’s like saying, there’s a great film on at the cinema, but you can’t see it”.

Attenborough, famous for nature programs such as Frozen Planet, has said “Young Joseph Banks’s voyage on the Endeavour in 1768 to 1771 set the scene for much in the world of botany and of natural sciences.” He has however, not commented on the deliberate removal of the public from the event.

The exhibition is said to centre around the explorer and his travels whilst accompanying James Cook on the ship Endeavour on Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific Ocean between 1768 to 1771. Between this time he is known for collecting natural history data and notes on society and culture of the indigenous people he encountered.

The exhibition, which features material from the British Library, British Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, will be opened at a private ceremony. The event has been made possible thanks to a £140,000 donation from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Andrea Martin from the Collection said “It only seemed fitting for David Attenborough to play an integral role in this exhibit because he works in the same field, and is a clear admirer of Joseph Banks.” She too did not comment on the opening event being closed to the public. They can, however, visit the exhibit on the 15th of February, through to the 11th of May where there will be lectures, educational materials and family activities.

Lincoln footbridge plans approved

Plans for a footbridge to go over the level crossing on the high street have been approved.

A planning committee gathered on Wednesday night to discuss the proposed solution and subsequently have allowed the plans to go ahead.

A design of the newly approved plans of the footbridge on Lincoln High Street

The pathway is being put in place to reduce waiting times, whilst also ensuring the safety of the public, with Network Rail having footage of people risking their life, to get over the barrier quicker.

Work is set to being in Autumn 2014 after it was announced it will take the place of The Sleep Shop and Superdrug. However, full possession of this site is required before work can begin.

The bridge structure will include lifts for both disabled and cycle access.

Network Rail say the bridge will be made out of high quality materials such as Stone and Copper, whilst there will be glass panels to give a viewing point on the footbridge.

Officials and the public are both delighted by the news, with a spokesman for the rail company saying it will bring convenience to the high-street, but it will also deter people from climbing over the barriers.

Lincoln resident, Ben Atkinson is delighted with the news. “The amount of times I find myself stuck at the train crossing is ridiculous. It’s great news to hear that I will no longer have to wait five minutes, just to go into town. The train crossing has made me late for work on more than one occasion.”

This coincides with similar plans approved at the Brayford Wharf train cross, with work set to start in June.

Both the High Street and Brayford Wharf East will become one-way systems once the work on the footbridges is complete.