NOSTALGIA: Teen makes Wembley appearance (at Subbuteo) in 1984 and first patient for new air ambulance in 1994

Sixty-eight Boston High School girls spent two weeks in Lyons, France, during the Easter break, in 1994. The pupils stayed with French students from the College Charcot and the Lycee St Just. The visit included a trip into the Alps.

* There was a lack of progress in plans to build a new road between Boston’s Haven Bridge and London Road.

The borough council’s development committee ruled a deputation should go to the Minster of Transport to press for a speed-up to the scheme.

Councillors were told the road – an alternative to High Street – could be 10 years away.

One reason for the delay was that a level crossing would be needed to take it over the rail link to the dock.

* A Boston teenager had been playing football at Wembley ... in the finals of the National Subbuteo Championships.

Andrew Boyer, of Windsor Crescent, qualified for the final – held at the Wembley Conference Centre – when he won the regional heat in Sheffield the previous month.

The 17-year-old sadly bowed out in the first round after being drawn against the previous year’s junior champion, losing 3-0.

The new air ambulance during its first mission in 1984.

The visit did include, though, a tour of Wembley Stadium, dinner in the banqueting hall, and the chance to watch the FA Vase Final (which, by coincidence, featured another local name – Mick Lyon, 21, of Wyberton – as part of the Stamford Town team which suffered a narrow defeat, 3-2, to Stansted.

Twenty-five years ago ... 1994

* Lincolnshire’s new air ambulance service was rushed into operation a day ahead of schedule.

County ambulance chiefs called in the helicopter – a German-built MBB 105DBS Bolkow – to airlift a patient from Skegness to Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital.

Piloted by Captain Ian King, the ambucopter with two medical attendants on board, had been scheduled to make a training flight to the hospital that day, but the request for a transfer from Skegness hospital meant this had to be abandoned.

The patient – a pensioner from Ingoldmells – had suffered a broken sternum in a road accident.

Thirza Hart, from the air ambulance trust, said the helicopter provided a faster and smoother rise than a land ambulance, especially with the weight of traffic in the Skegness area that day.

The transfer took 11 minutes, although actual flying time was only eight minutes.

The patient was discharged from Pilgrim Hospital three days later.

On the same day, the ambucopter was called into service again following a three-vehicle collision on the A16 at Surfleet, again travelling to Pilgrim Hospital.