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The top stories from the KentOnline news team

  1. Podcast: Grandad living off-grid on Swanscombe Peninsula describes the scene after his home was demolished

    2D AGO

    Podcast: Grandad living off-grid on Swanscombe Peninsula describes the scene after his home was demolished

    A man who had been living off-grid in north Kent for more than 30 years, says he feels 'absolutely dead' after his property was demolished. Bob Thwaites had called a caravan on Swanscombe Peninsula home since 1991, but the structure - and everything inside - has been levelled to the ground by the landowners of the site. Also on today's podcast, a dangerous driver who led police on a 20 minute chase after refusing to stop in Edenbridge has been jailed. The 23-year-old was spotted acting suspiciously on Mont St Aignan Way last month and followed into south London. The chief executive of South East Water has resigned. David Hinton has been under fire since water outages affected thousands of customers in Kent before and after the new year. A Faversham man who lost both of his parents to brain tumours has revealed how it's now inspired his career. Ollie Payne's dad passed away when he was just seven and his mum died just five weeks after being diagnosed 10 years later. And, events are being held in Kent to mark David Attenborough's 100th birthday. The broadcaster has worked on more than 100 nature documentaries during his career, which spans across eight decades. Hear from pupils near Ashford who are among those celebrating. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    25 min
  2. Podcast: Teenage biker, 17, killed in crash on Lower Road in Tonge has been described as the 'kindest of souls'

    3D AGO

    Podcast: Teenage biker, 17, killed in crash on Lower Road in Tonge has been described as the 'kindest of souls'

    A teenage motorcyclist who died in a crash near Sittingbourne has been described as the 'kindest of souls'. Oliver Tarvit collided with a VW transporter while riding along Lower Road in Tonge last month. The 17 year-old's parents have now vowed to improve the safety of the 60 mile per hour road. Also in today's podcast, a union's warning staff at Darent Valley Hospital are struggling to maintain safe hygiene standards because of a water supply issue. A fault in the heating system means taps in a large part of the building in Dartford have been deemed contaminated since last week. UNISON claims patients are being put at risk. Hear from their south east regional secretary and the interim chief executive of the hospital. Victims of domestic abuse in Maidstone are being given an easier way of accessing mental health support. A new pilot will see experts working alongside volunteers at a drop-in hub. Bosses at a Kent shopping centre say they're now at 100 percent occupancy, just a year after taking over the site. The Forum in Sittingbourne was struggling with nine empty units before Vanguard Properties UK Ltd bought it for £2.4 million. It's now full and average weekly footfall is up 24%. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    20 min
  3. Podcast: Residents in Lordswood near Chatham say building work on the Capstone Oaks development is causing dust and vibrations

    4D AGO

    Podcast: Residents in Lordswood near Chatham say building work on the Capstone Oaks development is causing dust and vibrations

    People living next to a building site in Medway say their lives have been made a misery by dust. The first phase of the Capstone Oaks development off North Dane Way in Lordswood will have 91 homes, but neighbours in Hampshire Close and Barleymow Close have complained. Hear from one of them who says construction noise is also an issue. We've also got a response from developers. Also in today's podcast, the Dartford MP has told us that lessons need to be learnt - after a major water supply issue at a Kent hospital. Patients and staff have been told not to drink or wash in water from taps in a large part of Darent Valley. The air ambulance charity covering Kent has raised serious concerns about the impact of the Iran war on the cost of fuel for their helicopters. Bosses say aviation fuel has risen by 63% since the start of the conflict which means the organisation is having to find an extra £25,000 a month to fly life-saving missions. Three lions have arrived at an animal park in Kent as part of a vital breeding programme. There are currently less than 600 Asiatic lions left in the world and Theo, Rakesh and Thor are settling into life at Wingham Wildlife Park. MD Tony Binskin has been chatting to us. And, the line up for this year's Pride event in Canterbury has been confirmed. It's celebrating its 10th anniversary and will return to the city's Dane John Gardens after they underwent a renovation. Hear from Jon Fitter-Harding who is one of the organisers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    23 min
  4. Podcast: Hythe man secretly cremated dad and stole £5,700 from his bank account days after his death

    5D AGO

    Podcast: Hythe man secretly cremated dad and stole £5,700 from his bank account days after his death

    A Hythe man who stole thousands of pounds from his dad and secretly arranged his cremation without telling his family has appeared in court. Richard Avery had been estranged from dad George for 20 years, and took cash from his bank account within days of his death in 2022. The 56 year-old from Battery Point admitted fraud by false representation. Also on today's podcast, hear the moment a man was kicked out of a Canterbury City Council meeting just days after being convicted of harassing a councillor. Kenneth Little narrowly avoided being issued with a restraining order after appearing in court recently. Campaigners fighting to reopen a derelict cinema in Deal have staged a protest while dressed as Star Wars characters. The Regent building has been empty since 2008 and recent plans to redevelop the site fell through. A Kent mum's told the podcast how she's determined not to let her son's deafness define who he is as a person. David from Hythe was born during covid and failed his newborn hearing screening - he was eventually diagnosed with complex bilateral hearing loss at six months old. Mum Tracey Washington immediately learnt sign language and 6 year-old David's recently been fitted with implants. In sport, it was a win for Gillingham over the bank holiday weekend - finishing the season on a high. They beat Shrewsbury Town 1-0 at Priestfield on Saturday - ending the campaign 17th in league two. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    21 min
  5. Podcast: Three teenagers who killed Alexander Cashford on a Sheppey beach have been locked up for a total of 19 years

    MAY 1

    Podcast: Three teenagers who killed Alexander Cashford on a Sheppey beach have been locked up for a total of 19 years

    Three teenagers who killed a man on a Sheppey beach are starting a total of 19 years in custody. The group attacked Alexander Cashford two days after he'd met one of them by chance in an arcade in Leysdown last August. They accused the 49-year-old from Rainham of being a paedophile, he was then hit with a bottle and pelted with rocks. Also in today's podcast, the chair of South East Water has resigned as a group of MPs say they have no confidence in the company's leaders. Chris Train has stepped down following a report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee. We've got reaction from Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin. The leader of Kent County Council says the learning curve has been "enormous" after Reform UK took control of the authority. It's been exactly a year since we voted in local elections. Linden Kemkaran has been speaking to the local democracy reporting service. A Kent homelessness charity is welcoming the new Renters' Rights Act which has come into force today. It gives private tenants more protection and bans so-called no fault evictions. Hear from Tom Neumark who is the chief executive of Canterbury based Porchlight. Rochester is set to welcome thousands of visitors this weekend for the annual Sweeps festival. It's one of the largest May Day celebrations of its kind - and will see Morris dancers and groups from around the world performing in the high street. A walk among the bluebells in Halling is taking place this weekend in memory of a little girl who died from a brain tumour. Seven-year-old Sofia Le Brunn-Healey passed away in March last year, after being diagnosed in November 2023. And in sport,  it's Gillingham's final game of the season this weekend. They're welcoming Shrewsbury Town to Priestfield tomorrow. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    24 min
  6. Podcast: Woman ordered to repaint blue home in Deal after Dover District Council issued an enforcement notice

    APR 30

    Podcast: Woman ordered to repaint blue home in Deal after Dover District Council issued an enforcement notice

    A woman has been ordered to repaint her home after being told the current bright blue shade is 'unsympathetic' with a conservation area in Deal. Mary Kenny had spent more than £3,000 having the property in West Street decorated but has now received a letter from the council. She has been speaking to our reporter Louis Walker. Also on today's podcast, an investigation has found a knife attack might have been prevented if a man had received better mental health care in Kent. A 31-year-old stabbed another man just a month after being discharged from the care of the Kent and Medway NHS Social Care Partnership Trust in 2020. An ombudsman has found a series of failings by the Trust in the 12 months leading up to the stabbing. Hear from the chief executive of the ombudsman and the patient's mother. A lorry driver who lured a teenage girl into his cab in Greenhithe before attacking her has been jailed. The suspect was identified after being arrested for another offence and his DNA uploaded to a database. A pilot facility has been set up in Kent to turn waste plastic into sustainable aviation fuel. Clean Planet Technologies are researching ways of using materials that can't be recycled to power planes in a more environmentally-friendly way. They've opened a site at the Discovery Park in Sandwich. And in sport, Gillingham striker Sam Vokes has spoken about his decision to retire. The 36-year-old signed for the Gills last summer and has scored three times in 35 appearances. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    24 min
  7. Podcast: People living in Nautilus Drive and Nautilus Close in Minster on Sheppey say their homes and cars have been targeted by someone with a catapult

    APR 29

    Podcast: People living in Nautilus Drive and Nautilus Close in Minster on Sheppey say their homes and cars have been targeted by someone with a catapult

    People living in part of Sheppey think a person armed with a catapult is responsible for a campaign of attacks on property and vehicles. Neighbours in Nautilus Drive and Nautilus Close say they've suffered smashed windows and broken windscreens over the past three weeks. Ball bearings and marbles have been discovered in the rubble. Also in today's podcast, you can hear from two mum's from Whitstable who've developed a new program to help children whose parents are separated or divorced. Tara Flynn and Kim Rojas-Powell say many youngsters don't meet the threshold for support and are falling through the cracks. A new music school has opened in Swanley for teenagers with special needs. SupaJam has moved into the former NatWest building following an £800,000 renovation. A married couple who've run a shop in Snodland for 25 years have announced they're retiring. Theresa and Francis Britto say they've enjoyed serving the community through their business at the Papermakers Arms in Constitution Hill. Reporter Elli Hodgson has been to meet them. And in sport, Gillingham have decided to cancel their end of season awards ceremony. It was due to take place following their final match of the campaign against Shrewsbury Town at Priestfield on Saturday. Some fans had called for the event not to go ahead following a disappointing season in league two with the side currently 18th. We've got reaction from Matt who runs the Gills in the Blood YouTube channel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    22 min
  8. Podcast: Former manager of The Clipper pub in Dartford jailed for fraud after taking more than £100k from the business

    APR 28

    Podcast: Former manager of The Clipper pub in Dartford jailed for fraud after taking more than £100k from the business

    The former manager of a pub in Dartford has been jailed for fraud after taking more than £100,000 from the business. A court heard how the 33-year-old repeatedly failed to deposit all the weekend earnings from The Clipper at the bank. Hear from our reporter who covered the case in court. Also in today's podcast, a court's heard how masked raiders stole £140,000 worth of motorbikes from a warehouse in Medway, after a loading bay was left open by an employee. The gang of 12 targeted Noatum Logistics on the Isle of Grain in July last year. A water company's admitted releasing untreated sewage into rivers and seas across north Kent. The Environment Agency charged Southern Water with releasing debris, diesel and waste into waterways at various times over a three year period. People living near an inland border facility in Kent say their gardens and properties are still being damaged by lorries going the wrong way. The Sevington site in Ashford became operational in 2021 and was given permanent status last December. A river crossing in Gravesend has been restored, completing a section of the world's longest coastal path. The £80,000 swing bridge on Gordon Promenade East near the canal basin connects one side of the town to the other. An event supporting grassroots artists in Kent is returning for a second year. The Dover Summer Series will see various up-and-coming musicians perform at The Booking Hall between May and July. And in sport, Gillingham's Sam Vokes has announced his retirement. The 36-year-old striker has confirmed the Gills' final game of the season against Shrewsbury on Saturday will be his last in professional football. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    18 min
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About

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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