KentOnline

KentOnline
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The top stories from the KentOnline news team

  1. 1d ago

    Podcast: Crews called back to the Grand Burstin as the future of the hotel hangs in the balance following fire

    Firefighters have been called back to the Grand Burstin hotel in Folkestone - four days after a huge blaze. Smoke was seen coming from the site on the seafront earlier this morning. A stablehand from Borough Green has avoided prison after a dog in her care launched an attack on a horse welfare officer. Rachel Stannard was handed a suspended nine-month sentence. Residents in part of Kent have criticised plans to introduce parking charges at a medical site. Bosses want install ANPR cameras at Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital in a bid to tackle congestion. A new Same Day Emergency Care unit is going to open next week to patients at the QEQM Hospital in Margate. It aims to reduce corridor care and unnecessary admissions by treating over 100 people a day without overnight stays. Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth reacts to their loss in their opening EFL Trophy match. They were beaten 4-1 by Cambridge United at Priestfield last night. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Podcast: Crews called back to the Grand Burstin as the future of the hotel hangs in the balance following fire

  2. 3d ago

    Podcast: The family of a former teacher who suffered from psychosis and died say she was let down by mental health services

    The family of a former teacher has said she would not have taken her own life if seen by a psychiatrist and given medication for her psychosis. Carolyn Groom went missing from her home in Earl Road, Northfleet in April 2025. Two arrests have been made after hundreds of people were evacuated following a fire at a hotel in Folkestone. There was a huge emergency response following the blaze at  the Grand Burstin in the early hours of Saturday. Police say they've had success with an operation to crack down on antisocial behaviour in coastal towns in east Kent this summer... More than 350 potential troublemakers have been moved on from areas including Herne Bay, Whitstable, Margate and Broadstairs. Scientists say they've discovered why a strain of meningitis B that spread in Kent earlier this year was so dangerous... Research has found the infection had picked up small pieces of DNA from bacteria in people's throats - which helped it bypass the immune system. Southern Water's been fined 2-point-4 million pounds after admitting environmental offences in Kent... Untreated sewage, diesel and waste was released into waterways around Whitstable and Faversham between 2019 and 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Podcast: The family of a former teacher who suffered from psychosis and died say she was let down by mental health services

  3. 4d ago

    Podcast: Kent families call for changes to school admissions process after missing out on places

    Families from Kent want changes to the secondary schools admissions process, after missing out on places at their four closest secondary schools. Year six pupils living around Maidstone say they have been allocated schools much further from home despite lodging local preferences. We look at the impact of the huge hotel fire at the Grand Burstin in Folkestone over the weekend. The blaze is thought to have been started deliberately. More than 100 residents, including some celebrities, joined a major demonstration calling for the water industry to be returned to public ownership in Sheppey. Southern Water says they're committed to reducing storm overflows and are using AI and other solutions to improve the network. Gillingham made it three wins in a row following a victory over Bristol Rovers at the weekend. The result leaves them fourth in the league two table, we hear from manager Gareth Ainsworth.       Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Podcast: Kent families call for changes to school admissions process after missing out on places

  4. Sep 18

    Podcast: Family say they still have unanswered questions following death of mum at Inn on the Lake hotel in Shorne near Gravesend

    The family of a woman found dead at a hotel near Gravesend say they still have unanswered questions. Karen West was discovered at the Inn on the Lake in Shorne last December. The 49 year-old from Essex had booked a stay with her partner to celebrate their anniversary - a coroner's concluded her death was drug-related. Also in today's podcast, more than a dozen businesses in Maidstone have been closed down or evicted during a police operation to crack down on organised crime. Nine people have also been arrested over the past six months. Cigarettes, cocaine, cannabis and other drug paraphernalia have been seized. Celebrities including Danny Dyer will be taking part in a water quality protest in Kent this weekend. He'll be joined by his daughter Dani and singer Becky Hill for an event in Leysdown. It's been organised by SOS Whitstable, hear from the campaign group. Gravesend is going to be turned orange tonight as hundreds of people take to the streets for a twilight walk to raise money for a hospice. ellenor supports people with life limiting illnesses at the hospice but also in the community. And in sport, Gillingham will be hoping to make it three wins in a row in league two this weekend. Bristol Rovers are the visitors to Priestfield follows the Gills' victories against Rochdale and Tranmere Rovers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Podcast: Family say they still have unanswered questions following death of mum at Inn on the Lake hotel in Shorne near Gravesend

  5. Sep 17

    Podcast: Work starts to remove masts from famous SS Richard Montgomery bomb ship that sank off the coast of Sheppey

    The KentOnline Podcast has been hearing from the team who're off the coast of Sheppey removing the masts from a famous bomb ship. The SS Richard Montgomery sank during World War Two with 14-hundred tonnes of explosives on board. Three masts have been sticking out of the water ever since - but they're now being removed for safety reasons. Also in today's podcast, a teenage boy who admitted adding a chip wrapper to a fire that caused millions of pounds worth of damage to a former Debenhams in Canterbury has avoided being locked up. He was a among a group who'd gone into the derelict department store before flames ripped through the building in December 2024. Business and political leaders are going to be in Kent today for major talks following a pause of plans to shake-up local government in Kent. We told you last week how the idea of scrapping the county's 14 local authorities and replacing them with four unitary ones was being put on hold. Reps from the Bank of England and the leader of Medway Council will be at a summit at the University of Kent in Canterbury. And in sport, Kent were on the verge of victory heading into day three of their county championship match against Lancashire. They limited the visitors to 192 in their second innings at Canterbury. Kent were due to resume on 84 for 2 - and only need another 56 runs to win. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Podcast: Work starts to remove masts from famous SS Richard Montgomery bomb ship that sank off the coast of Sheppey

  6. Sep 16

    Podcast: Canterbury woman appears in court after punching fellow dog walker before spitting in her face

    A Canterbury woman who punched a fellow dog walker before spitting in her face has been fined and ordered to pay compensation. Violence broke out after the 25-year-old's mastiff-type dog Enzo started attacking another woman's German Shepherd in a pedestrian area off Sturry Road. Also in today's podcast, the case of a Dartford man who was killed while on holiday in Cyprus has been raised in the Commons - 10 years on. George Low was stabbed outside a pub in Ayia Napa in 2016. Two suspects were identified, but they fled to Turkey and have never faced prosecution. The head teacher of a primary school in Kent has banned pupils from bringing in smartphones - over concerns about the impact of social media. Children who go to Wouldham All Saints Church of England school can no longer take a device that can access the internet into class. Medway Council is facing an £82 million budget gap, as costs for adult and children’s social care soar. The authority was due to be abolished as part of plans for local government reorganisation - but that's now been put on hold. Bosses have previously had to ask for extra cash from central government. The family of a teenager from Hythe who's battling cancer fear they could lose their home due to how much it's costing them to travel for treatment. Maya Nash was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was just three. Despite spending five years in remission, the disease returned in 2023. And in sport, Gillingham have been beaten by Birmingham City Academy in the group stage of the Premier League Under-21 Cup. The Gills were allowed to field up to three over-age players - but hopes of Bradley Dack making a return were dashed as he's suffered “a minor setback” in his recovery from a pre-season injury. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Podcast: Canterbury woman appears in court after punching fellow dog walker before spitting in her face

  7. Sep 15

    Podcast: Police launch investigation into death of woman taken to Ashford's William Harvey Hospital with unexplained burns

    An investigation is underway following the death of a woman who had suffered severe burns. Diane Taylor was taken to the William Harvey in Ashford in August - but died the next day from her injuries. Officers say it's not known how the 74-year-old from Brenzett on Romney Marsh was hurt. Also in today's podcast, a police operation using live facial recognition cameras in Chatham has led to 18 arrests. We told you in last Friday's episode how CCTV vans were being deployed to scan members of the public and match them with pictures on the police database. Officers say they detained people wanted for violence and theft - as well as seizing a knuckle duster. A young man from Sheppey who lost his mum to sepsis is helping to organise a charity football match in her honour. Dawson McFarland, 20, plays for FC Bourne Knights near Sittingbourne and been using football as an outlet for his grief. Campaigners have won a three-year battle to improve a pedestrian crossing in Ashford. Buttons to request traffic to stop have now been installed at the junction between Bybrook Road and the A28. And, a bridge over the River Medway that transformed journeys for people living on either side is 10 years old today. Peters Bridge at Wouldham was opened by the Lord Lieutenant at the time, and was built as part of planning permission for an additional 1,000 homes in the area. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Podcast: Police launch investigation into death of woman taken to Ashford's William Harvey Hospital with unexplained burns

  8. Sep 14

    Podcast: Four people, including two children, treated by paramedics after being rescued from a house fire in Northumberland Road in Shepway, Maidstone

    Four people have been treated by paramedics following a fire at a house in Maidstone. Crews in six engines were called to Northumberland Road in the Shepway part of town at about 8 this morning. An adult and a child were rescued from the building - while another adult and child were helped out by members of the public including two off-duty firefighters. Hear from our reporter Davina Jethwa who has been at the scene. Also in today's podcast, a man in his 30s is in a critical condition in hospital following an attack in Ashford. He suffered serious head injuries after being assaulted in the Lower High Street early yesterday morning. A Kent theatre has been shortlisted for a new national award. The Granville in Ramsgate re-opened in 2023 after work to remove damp and asbestos and breathe new life into the venue. It originally welcomed audiences in 1914 and is up for the 'Great Renovation' prize at the inaugural Great British Theatres Awards. We've been speaking to the CEO of the Theatres Trust. The 2026 grape harvest in Kent is set to get underway today - the earliest date ever for one of the county's wine producers. Nyetimber don't normally start picking until early October. They say the change of date is due to the long, hot summer. Hear from senior wine maker Brad Greatrix. And in sport, Gillingham made it back-to-back wins in league two at the weekend. They beat previously undefeated Tranmere Rovers 2-nil at Priestfield. We've got reaction from manager Gareth Ainsworth and defender Logan Dobbs who scored his first ever league goal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Podcast: Four people, including two children, treated by paramedics after being rescued from a house fire in Northumberland Road in Shepway, Maidstone
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The top stories from the KentOnline news team

Information

  • Creator
    KentOnline
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    KentOnline

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