Episodes
A rogue builder from Chatham who took money for jobs he never finished has been ordered to pay back more than £8,000.One of the people scammed by Oliver Hooper-Ross turned detective on Facebook to find other victims and make sure justice was served.Also in today's episode, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner has called for more prisons to be built to tackle current overcrowding.Matthew Scott says the system needs more capacity to deal with the number of charges being brought by officers.An engineer from Kent has been telling us how his apprenticeship has helped him in his career .Nick Letham...
The dad of a young man who died after taking a 'cocktail of drugs' during birthday celebrations has paid a heartbreaking tribute.Chase Oldale-Worth was found unresponsive at his home in July after turning 23. Hear from reporter Alex Jee who has been speaking to the family.Also in today's podcast, foodbanks across Kent are braced for their worst winter yet with demand for their services at an all time high.The Trussell Trust runs seven sites in the county and expects to hand out more than one million emergency food parcels in the next three months. We've been speaking to their project manage...
A former RAF Air Cadets base in Gillingham has been branded a 'death trap' after being targeted by vandals.The site has been left covered in graffiti with crumbling concrete and needles on the floor. Hear from reporter Joe Harbert who has been covering the story.Also on today's podcast, more pressure is being put on Eurostar to stop their trains in Kent again.The services haven't called at Ashford or Ebbsfleet international stations since the pandemic - and there's no sign of them resuming.Now council bosses have joined forces and want to hear from companies about the impact it's had on the...
There will be Christmas lights in Medway this year - despite the council saying they can not afford to fund them.The authority announced last week it was having to cut back on festive decorations in the Towns which would have cost £75,000.A crowdfunding campaign set up over the weekend for lights in Rochester has raised almost £24,000 and three companies have announced they will make sure Strood, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham are lit up.We've got reaction from Rochester's conservative MP and a local Labour councillor.Also in today's podcast, a coach company has announced it's closing a de...
More than 80 families from London are set to be moved into an 11-storey former office block in Chatham.A private housing association has confirmed tenants could arrive at Anchorage House on the High Street at the start of next week. We've got reaction from Neil Charlick who founded Gillingham Street Angels and works with people facing poverty in Medway.Also in today's podcast, we've got an update now on a story we brought you earlier in the week about the Orchard theatre in Dartford.It's going to have to close for about a year so £7 million of repairs can be carried out after potentially da...
Bus passengers have been left angry and frustrated after an operator cancelled 4,000 journeys in a month.Stagecoach say a shortage of drivers is to blame and they have promised improvements will be made. Hear from reporter and regular bus user Rhys Griffiths and we have a full statement from the company.Also in the podcast, it is being reported convicted criminals could avoid jail from next week because prisons are full.Crown Court judges have apparently been told to delay sentencing hearings to try to manage numbers. Hear from Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat.It's been revealed a Ken...
A Romney Marsh stabbing victim says she tried to keep her eyes open and stay awake after being attacked because her children needed her. The mum-of-four suffered wounds to her abdomen, chest and arms and was flown to a London hospital.Also in today’s podcast, four men have gone on trial accused of murdering a homeless man in Canterbury earlier this year.The victim was a former barrister and was attacked with a wooden gavel and a laptop. A man from Herne Bay is still shielding from covid more than three years since the pandemic hit. He says he's doing it to protect his vulnerable family memb...
A TV DIY expert is lucky to be alive after his flat caught fire in Gravesend. Ben Bryant, who featured in the program 60 Minute Makeover had to be put on life support for three days after a chip pan caught alight. Also making news today, a man has been left with a broken jaw after violence erupted during a night out in Deal. The attacker turned on his mate after accusing him of "chatting up" his partner. Angry neighbours of a development in Hythe have been told by planning bosses that "nobody has the right to a view".Building work at the site of a former hospital is set to be two metres hi...
Residents in St Mary's Bay say a luxury sea-front development that's been abandoned half way through has become a "disgusting dumping ground".More than four years after The Sands was supposed to open, it's become at £20-million home to rabbits, pigeons and vandals. Also in today's podcast, you can hear from the Medway parents who set up a podcast after their daughter was stillborn. David and Jo Ward set up A Journey with Abigail's Footsteps to help other bereaved parents. A Maidstone man says he was told by council to drill a hole in the bottom of his waste bin to avoid paying for a new one...
The boss of one of Kent's oldest family firms has pleaded guilty to hiding a tracker under his ex-girlfriend’s car during a four-month stalking campaign.Graham West, who runs West Whelks in Whitstable Harbour, used the GPS device to monitor her movements. Also in today's podcast, the temporary manager for Gillingham Football Club says he's ready to step in after the shock sacking of Neil Harris. Keith Millen will lead the team against MK Dons tomorrow. A group of bikers have been allowed to run a social club in a former pub in Dover despite fears "excessive noise" would keep residents up a...
The family of a much-loved Whitstable football coach say they're heartbroken after he died suddenly on a flight home.He's being remembered as an "amazing husband and dad" after suffering from a deep vein blood clot while on a long haul flight. Also in today's podcast, hear the reaction of a Kent GP after yesterday's announcement of plans to raise the smoking age.Under Rishi Sunak's plans anyone born after the 1st of January 2009 will never be able to legally buy cigarettes.Residents in Gillingham are angry after "secret" approval was given to three-storey homes. Neighbours of the new develo...
A man and woman have gone on trial accused of murdering a toddler in Kent during lockdown.Alfie Phillips was taken to hospital in November 2020 after paramedics had been called to Hernhill near Faversham - but he couldn't be saved. Hear what the jury at Maidstone Crown Court have been told so far.The family of a Maidstone teenager who was found dead in woodland have vowed to raise awareness of mental health issues.Russel Burdette-Deakin was discovered in Mote Park on Monday.Also in today's podcast, politicians in Dover have hit out at the home secretary following her speech at the Conservat...
Police searching for a Maidstone teenager who'd been missing for almost a month have confirmed a body has been found.Russel Burdett-Deakin was last seen leaving his home near Sutton Road - officers liaising with the 17-year-olds family say the discovery was made in woodland at Mote Park.Also in today's podcast, it's feared more than 13,000 patients in part of north Kent could be without a doctor's surgery within a year if a new super surgery's not built.New figures show the bill for temporary housing in Kent has doubled over the last five years.Councils spent more than £26 million on proper...
A woman who left a motorcyclist paralysed after causing a crash in Canterbury has avoided prison after being sentenced in court.Amanda Ballard pulled out of a junction after a van flashed her to signal she could go.Also in today's episode, a Medway clinic has warned of the dangers of getting cosmetic surgery done abroad after some patients were left suffering in pain and with infected wounds. One woman in her 40s was discharged from a practice in Turkey only a day after multiple procedures, despite needing a blood transfusion.Villagers near Folkestone are calling for an abandoned pub to be ...
A mum has removed her son from a school in Tonbridge after finding a blade in his bag.The eight year-old claims it was put there by another pupil. Hear what the school have said to other parents in an email.Also in today's podcast, a man has been taken to hospital after being stabbed in Canterbury.It happened on Station Road East in the early hours of this morning.Firefighters have spent the night at the scene of a large fire at a farm near Ashford.Several buildings and tonnes of hay caught alight at the site in Sellindge on Wednesday night.Green campaigners in Kent are welcoming a ban on s...
Dozens of firefighters have been tackling a huge fire at a farm near Ashford.Crews were called to Elmtree Farm in Sellindge last night and battled to move cows to safety as flames swept through two barns.Hear from people who live nearby and from Kent Fire and Rescue Service.Also in today's podcast, a protest has been held outside County Hall in Maidstone as parents call for a reform of special needs education.We've been speaking to organiser Lisa Lloyd from Larkfield, who has two children with autism.A mum and daughter in Maidstone say they have been forced to sleep outside after a strong s...
The Princess of Wales has been in Kent to learn about the support given to children with special educational needs and their families.Kate joined a family portage session - something that's available to youngsters from the time they're born until they start school.Our reporter Megan Carr was also there and spoke to families and practitioners who met the Princess.Also in today's podcast, four Kent firefighters who went to Morocco to provide support after the deadly earthquake have been speaking to the podcast after arriving back home.Nearly 3,000 people are known to have died and thousands m...
A boxer from Ashford is starting more than two years in prison for dealing cocaine.Welterweight Jack Ewbank was pulled over by police while driving in Folkestone - find out what details were revealed in court.Also in today's podcast, a Chatham dad's issued a warning after a fire at his house which was caused by leaving electrical items on charge.A bedroom at the property on St Mary's Island was badly damaged - but crews say the flames didn't spread further because the door had been closed.We've got reaction to news the number of NHS appointments moved or cancelled because of strikes in Engl...
Three hostels for homeless people in Gravesend and Northfleet are going to close after the charity running them ran out of cash.The House of Mercy charity has supported people in the towns for more than 30 years - hear from Michael Donovan who's vice chairman of trustees.Also in today's podcast, a Northfleet woman who owns an XL Bully has joined a protest in London after plans were announced to ban the breed.The Prime Minister made the decision after a spate of attacks - we've been speaking to Chell West who owns one of the dogs.A Kent woman has joined an MS society campaign to call for an ...
Residents have slammed plans for new houses in Teynham saying the once idyllic village has become a "dumping ground" for development. Just this year, work has started on 300 new homes with approval granted for another 380. Also in today's podcast, we hear the story of a Kent dad who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer after being told his neck pain was a pulled muscle. The 33-year-old was given the devastating diagnosis only days after he thought he was in remission.A mother has made a heart breaking plea for her son to come home - after he went missing from Maidstone more than two week...
The wife of a dad from Gillingham has paid tribute after he died in a work accident at Twickenham stadium.Mitchell Bonney, 36, was an escalator engineer and a volunteer coach for the Upchurch Colts Under 9s.Also in today's podcast, a young Kent woman whose ex shared naked pictures of her online when she was just 14 has welcomed the Online Safety Bill finally becoming law.It's been signed off by parliament and means tech companies will have to make their sites safe for children.Local bosses say they are doing all they can to get Kent's roads ready before winter.It follows stats that show Ken...
People living on an estate in Ashford say they feel trapped in their own homes after a bus service was suddenly scrapped.Stagecoach says it's made the decision not to serve the Little Burton estate because of a fall in passenger numbers. Hear from one resident who relied on the bus, and we've got a response from the company.Also in today's podcast, the home secretary's urging tech companies to improve online safety, following a visit to Kent Police.Suella Braverman's been to the digital forensics lab in Maidstone.A financial report's revealed Medway Council is 'very likely' to go bankrupt.T...
The landlord of a Medway pub says his income has been badly affected by regular closures of the Lower Rainham Road.Hear from our reporter Joe Harbert who has been following the story.Also in today's podcast, NHS bosses say strike action this week will result in "serious challenges" for health services across Kent and Medway.Hospital consultants are beginning a two-day walkout and they'll be joined by junior doctors tomorrow. We've been getting reaction from Medway GP, Dr Julian Spinks.A Medway vicar who took part in a major inquiry into the treatment of people at an immigration removal cent...
The family of a Margate mum who died just a month after giving birth claim she was "fat-shamed" by staff. An inquest has heard how the 38-year-old was “tormented” by comments - hospital bosses say a thorough investigation has taken place. Also in today's podcast, there are calls for police to be tougher on boy racers gathering on an industrial estate in MedwayBusiness owners want police to start getting tough after buildings were vandalised and staff were abused. An ex-soldier has been sent to prison after assaulting a pensioner and killing his dog in a Folkestone bedsit.The 56-year-old wa...
Firefighters have been tackling a blaze involved 300 tonnes of waste at a recycling centre in Medway.Crews were called to the site at Chatham Docks just after midnight and told people living nearby to keep windows and doors closed because of the smoke. Hear from a man who lives nearby and our reporter Alex Langridge.Also in today's podcast, a killer insect that's threatening bee populations has been spotted more in Kent than any other part of the country this summer.Just last month there were 18 confirmed sightings of the Asian Hornet in the county - with more than 20 nests destroyed.Repor...
Firefighters from Kent who have been sent to help with recovery efforts in Morocco say they're witnessing devastation. Nearly 3000 people are known to have died following last week's earthquake. Also in today's podcast, parents of school children near Canterbury are calling for better bus services after students were left stranded by the side of the road. The busses drove past because they were already full but it's angered those who pay £450 a year for a bus pass. Local bosses in Kent have hit back at claims the authority is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.It's been claimed Kent Count...
New parking charges are being introduced at a popular shopping centre in Chatham. The decision has caused outrage with many saying it's a money making scheme and they won't shop there anymore. Also in today's podcast, we have an update on the murder of a pub landlord from Maidstone.Matthew Bryant was stabbed to death on Monday night and a woman has now been charged. Hear the reaction of staff at a shop in Deal who say new double yellow lines outside are keeping customers away. They say the restrictions have taken away six parking spaces and people are too scared to stop. A Kent McDonalds ha...
A murder investigation is under way following the death of a man in Maidstone. The victim has been named as a popular pub landlord - a woman who is known to him has been taken into custody. Also in today's podcast, a Rochester mum is urging new parents to be aware of a rare brain condition that she claims was missed by maternity staff and health visitors. Oliver's conditions wasn't diagnosed until he was nearly one year old when he was forced to have invasive surgery. Two Wilko stores in Kent are among the 24 outlets set to shut today. It comes as hopes of a last-minute rescue deal collapse...
Residents in Teynham near Sittingbourne say constant water leaks around the railway station are becoming dangerous.People living near the level crossing are scared it could be damaged or even subside if South East Water don't fix the problem soon. We've been speaking to a local councillor and have reaction from the water company.Also in today's podcast, we've been finding out what sort of impact a Costco store could have as the retailer prepares to open its first store here.The American brand announced last month it had two potential locations in mind. Hear from Tudor Price from the Kent I...
Podcast: Queues on the M20 and extra checks at Dover as search for missing prisoner enters third day
Lorries are stacked waiting for extra checks at Dover and part of the M20 remains closed as the search for escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife enters its third day. Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay says it's highlighted some glaring security issues that need to be addressed. Also in today's podcast, dozens of staff have walked away from a bus company operating in Kent after the closure of a local depot. As many as 50 employees, many of them drivers, have left Stagecoach just ahead of planned service cuts. Drivers in Tunbridge Wells may have been unfairly slugged with a fine for driving in a bus lane. ...