Episodes
A complaint has been made about the arrest of a teenage boy in Margate after footage emerged of an officer appearing to knee them in the stomach.Police had been called to Dane Park following reports a group possibly had weapons.Sir Keir Starmer has been in Medway to launch Labour's general election campaign.Rishi Sunak announced yesterday that we will go to the polls on July 4th.Figures show more drivers are being caught speeding around the Dartford Crossing than anywhere else in the county.More than 64,000 notices and fixed penalties have been issued on the approach road and through the tu...
A Queenborough mum has been slapped with a £200 fine for littering after seagulls ate a few McDonald’s chips she accidentally dropped on the floor.She'd been tucking into her quarter-pounder meal next to a seaside Tesco when an environment warden “hidden between the cars” approached her.Also in today's podcast, a Kent MP has revealed he had to have his arms and legs amputated following a devastating battle with sepsis.Speaking publicly for the first time about the “extreme surgery”, South Thanet Conservative Craig Mackinlay has told how doctors were forced to operate because of the effects ...
An exotic animal is on the loose after escaping from its zoo enclosure - and we're being warned not to approach her. The Tayra - a weasel-like mammal from Central America - was discovered missing from the Hemsley Conservation Centre on Sunday. Also in today's podcast, drivers have had their say on a new £650k turbo roundabout as work comes to an end.Some claim the redesign of the Running Horse Roundabout in Maidstone is a waste of money, while others believe it has significantly reduced queues.The KentOnline Podcast has heard from an Ashford man who lost his father and uncles after they wer...
A group of residents in Maidstone claim a parking company is trying to charge them from parking on their own land.Half a dozen signs were put up in a private car park just off Northumberland Road by UK Car Park Management. Hear from one of the residents and what the housing association have said.Also on today's podcast, a Whitstable man who was infected with hepatitis and HIV as a child has spoken about how it's affected his life.Roger Newman is one of the victims of the worst treatment disaster in NHS history - known as the infected blood scandal.A report following a public inquiry into th...
The petrolhead behind Kent’s first car ‘drifting’ school says he will continue to operate the new track - despite being advised to slam on the brakes by local bosses. It's after complaints about the noise of revving engines and screeching tyres at the Skidz Advanced Driving School set up at Manston Airport. Also in today’s podcast, a secure school designed to turn around the lives of some of Britain’s most violent young offenders is set to open in Kent.The Oasis Restore school in Rochester is the first of its kind and will see young offenders receiving vocational training and one-to-one lea...
Several staff from a Kent prison have been taken to hospital after their canteen food was spiked with drugs.Paramedics were called to HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey last Thursday. Hear from Andy Hamlin from the Criminal Justice Workers Union.A childcare worker has described the moment a baby boy started choking on his food at an Ashford nursery.Nine-month-old Oliver Steeper was being fed penne Bolognese by Nazia Begum when he started to gag and gasp in September 2021.The price of a bus pass to help children get to school in Kent is set to increase by £100.The Kent Travel Saver curren...
A serial conman from Maidstone has been jailed for defrauding two companies straight after leaving prison for the same offence.Darren Carvill was locked up in 2019 for taking £260,000 from his work in Strood and changed his surname when he was released.More food parcels have been handed out in Medway than any other part of Kent according to new figures given to KentOnline.The Trussell Trust say they delivered over 15,000 parcels in the year to the end of March - up from 5,800 just 6 years ago. We've been speaking to the campaigns manager at Medway Foodbank.It's now illegal to export live an...
A Dymchurch woman who stabbed her husband when he fell asleep as she told him about her life problems, has avoided being sent to prison.He needed emergency treatment but pleaded with a judge not to jail his wife - blaming the outburst on menopausal symptoms.Also in today’s episode, a Kent MP says she hopes measures will be put in place urgently to ensure women receive better care when giving birth.Canterbury’s Rosie Duffield has co-chaired a parliamentary inquiry into maternity services, which heard evidence from 1,300 mums about the trauma they have suffered.Businesses in part of Medway ar...
A Gravesend mum has hit out at her son's school after receiving a letter criticising his attendance, despite the fact he was having life saving treatment.Louie Wilders missed most of Year 8 after being diagnosed with aplastic anaemia.Also in today’s episode, an Ashford woman says she has been left unable to sleep because of the stress of living in a mould-ridden flat.Barbara Hasiuk suffers from leukemia and says issues with damp at her home in Downland Court have made her poor health even worse.As Rishi Sunak gives a speech to try and win over voters, we have been taking a look at how a gen...
The Labour leader has been in Dover to explain how his party would tackle the issue of small boat crossings.Sir Keir Starmer described it as 'one of the greatest challenges we face' and confirmed he would scrap the government's Rwanda scheme.He was joined by Dover MP Natalie Elphicke who defected to the party earlier this week.Also in the podcast, a leading Kent doctor is urging mums-to-be to get the whooping cough vaccine after a huge rise in cases.Around 2,800 infections have been reported in England in the first three months of this year - up from just 858 in 2023.The landlord of a villa...
We're starting today's episode with reaction to the shock political news that Natalie Elphicke has defected to Labour.The Dover MP released a statement criticising the Prime Minister's record on tackling small boat crossings - saying he's 'failing to keep our borders safe and secure'.Hear from a leading charity in Dover that works with asylum seekers, we have also spoken to the leader of Dover District Council and Rochester and Strood rep Kelly Tolhurst.Also in today's podcast, drivers have reported having to queue for an hour to pay to get out of a car park in Folkestone after new charges ...
Fed-up residents say a stretch of scenic seafront is at risk of becoming a “squatter camp” if something is not done to stop campervan owners from setting up there for weeks at a time.Locals say people are practically living at the site on Sheppey and committing anti-social acts such as urinating in public.Also in today’s podcast, a shop owner has been left with thousands of pounds worth of damage following a mass brawl in Sheerness. You can hear audio of the fight which involved as many as 15 people on Saturday night on the high street. A homeless man living out of his car in Maidstone has ...
A Rochester woman had to undergo surgery and has been left with a broken nose after an unprovoked attack while on a night out. The 42-year-old has lost her sense of smell and taste following the assault - a man who has a history of violence against women has faced court. Also in today’s podcast, worried business owners in Medway have been left fearing for their future after seeing customer numbers plummet following a hike in car parking fees.They claim footfall has dropped by around a third since the authority decided to increase its pay and display costs for on and off-street parking by 60...
Staff at a nursery which has been open inside a recreation centre since 1996 say they have been told to “leave immediately” by new owners.Bosses at centre in Ashford have told the KentOnline Podcast they were informed via the new owner’s solicitors that they need to leave.Also in today’s podcast, you can hear from the RSPCA following a spate of attacks on wildlife in Kent by people using catapults. Ducks and pigeons are among the animals that have been targeted in the county – with fears it’s being made popular by videos on social media. A Kent based charity says the record number of people...
A Gillingham woman who has spent almost 20 years stuck in just one room of her home has told the podcast she often wishes she went to sleep and didn't wake up.Illa Smyth struggled with her mobility after skiing and horseriding accidents and now weighs 35 stone. She's paid tribute to her loving husband and she describes her quality of life.Also in today's episode, a woman's facing life in prison after being found guilty of murdering a pub landlord in Maidstone.Stephanie Langley, 54 from Wilsons Lane in East Farleigh, stabbed her ex-brother-in-law Matthew Bryant to death at the Hare and Hound...
Plans for a an 8,000 seater stadium in north Kent have been approved.It is the centre piece of a major development on brownfield land in Northfleet which also includes houses, shops, medical services and community venues.Also in today’s episode, another person has been arrested over the deaths of five people as they tried to cross the Channel to Kent.Figures show 900 asylum seekers have made the dangerous journey since Friday.Bungalow owners in Dymchurch say they feel like they are living in a box after new houses we're built behind their gardens Residents in Hythe Road say they have been l...
A Sheppey woman who scammed her bosses out of nearly £80,000 has been sent to prison.Carly Miller, 39 from Main Road in Queenborough, siphoned off company money that was meant to be used to pay suppliers.Also in today's podcast, there are calls to ban lorries from a stretch of road in Kent following a number of serious crashes.Campaigners also want the speed limit on the A251 between Faversham and Challock cut from 50 to 40 miles per hour.New import checks at the Kent border that have been delayed five times finally come into force today.Businesses bringing in food and flowers have had to f...
More than 40 hair and beauty students at an academy on Sheppey have been told their past year’s work was for nothing.The pupils have been left stunned they won’t be getting a BTEC qualification despite signing up for the course and studying hard.Also in today’s podcast, an award-winning architect who designed and built his “dream home” on the Kent coast says it no longer feels safe following an attempted armed raid at the property.David Liddicoat, whose work has featured on Grand Designs, was inside the house with his partner and their two children at the time of the terrifying ordeal.A cou...
A mum-of-four who endured cancer chemotherapy after being misdiagnosed with the disease says a hospital trust “has not learned from its mistakes”.The Whitstable resident says she has “absolutely no faith in doctors” after being told by Kent and Canterbury Hospital staff she could “drop down dead” at any moment.Also in today's podcast, furious swimmers say a “dirty” leisure centre that employs three cleaners must take on more staff as the site has “never looked so bad”. Bosses at Ashford’s multimillion-pound Stour Centre stress they are “committed to maintaining excellent standards” - but vi...
A developer has been criticised for going back on a promise to provide affordable housing in Deal.100 properties are due be built in Cross Road and 30% were supposed to be affordable. We've been getting reaction from people who live nearby.Also in the podcast, bosses in Dartford have approved plans to build more than 12 and a half thousand homes over the next 13 years.The area's seen a 20% population increase in recent years - partly driven by the development of a garden city at Ebbsfleet. Hear from the council leader.A Gravesend dad with an inoperable brain tumour hopes a fundraiser will h...
An Eastenders legend is among those calling on a Kent council to reopen a playing field which residents have used for more than 100 years.John Altman, who played ‘Nasty’ Nick Cotton in the soap, says he “treasures” the land and that the green space should be preserved.Also in today's podcast, there are fears for the future of Kent's "music town", with some venue owners saying the town has never been so quiet. A number of business owners are selling up as the pandemic and the cost of living crisis changes consumer habits. Hear from a wildlife expert who says a significant fall in Kent’s ins...
A Gravesend mum has issued an invitation to Rishi Sunak, saying he should come to her home and help give mental health support to her struggling 18-year-old.It comes after the Prime Minister said he wants to tackle what he described as the UK's "sicknote culture" and strip GPs of their power to sign people off work.Also in today's episode, a child is thought to be among five people who have died while trying to cross the Channel.A huge emergency response was reporter just hours after the government's controversial Rwanda Bill was passed in Parliament.There are calls for something to be done...
A coroner has highlighted missed opportunities in the care of a 23-year-old man from Broadstairs, who took his own life days after being deemed "low risk" by hospital nurses.An inquest has been held following the death of Gabriel Farmer.Also in today's podcast, there are calls for tonnes of illegal waste to be cleared from woodland near Ashford before the summer.Access to the site in Hoad's Wood has now been closed off but mountains of rubbish are already causing a nasty smell and water pollution. Reporter Oliver Leonard has been speaking to the leader of the Rescue Hoad's Wood campaign.Bo...
Tributes have been paid to a “genuine” and “caring” 37-year-old who died hours after a severe asthma attack.The gym lover, known as “Big Man” by his friends was found unresponsive by his partner last month. Also in today's podcast, a landlord has banned vaping in his Hernhill pub because he doesn’t want customers to be put off their Sunday lunches.Signs have been put up at The Three Horseshoes warning people that puffing away on the devices while inside is no longer permitted.A retired policeman is pleading with a parking company to see sense after he was fined nearly £100 for parking in a ...
A pensioner left locked out of her home in the dark believes she was ripped off by a “rogue trader” who charged a staggering £1,600 to get her into the property.The Ashford woman paid the eye-watering bill after being told the job had been carried out at the “going rate”.Also in today's podcast, a Strood family of three made homeless after a blaze destroyed their home of 14 years say they have “lost everything”.They are now living in temporary accommodation after their garden shed caught alight and spread to the house.A court has heard how a father-of-three attacked a drunken man who smashe...
An inquest into the death of a 12-year-old girl who suffered a severe asthma attack at a Medway school has heard how staff did their best to save her life. Pearl Unu-Arubi went into cardiac arrest at Rochester Grammar School in March last year. Also in today's podcast, a Kent MP has weighed into the debate about introducing a smacking ban. Doctors have warned the current laws are "dangerously vague" and changes would help crack down on child abuse. More than £150,000 pounds is thought to have been lost to ticket scams in Kent. Among those being targeted by fraudulent tickets are Taylor Swif...
A would-be arsonist who tried to set fire to a police station by pouring accelerant over a front counter and throwing a lit rag later admitted he had been having "an off day".He'd had gone to Medway police station armed with a jar filled with flammable fluid.Also in today's podcast, two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the death of a motorcyclist after police pursued a driver on the M25. Kent Police officers chased the vehicle over the Dartford Crossing on Sunday night before it became involved in a crash. There are calls for the government to step in and put an end to long d...
Seafront traders thrown into “turmoil” by do-not-swim warnings on two Kent beaches fear they could remain in place for years.The water on the Romney Marsh has been found to contain high levels of a bacterium that indicates the presence of human faeces.Also in today's podcast, a Maidstone mum has been left stunned after all her possessions were moved to a storage unit more than 60 miles away after a vehicle ploughed into her home.Allana Spencer is currently living in temporary accommodation with her young daughter after their house suffered extensive damage. A popular music festival held in ...
A 78-year-old woman had to have her lower leg amputated after her family claim she was left on a trolley in a hospital corridor for four days.She was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital with a foot infection on Good Friday which developed into sepsis.Also in today's podcast, a Rainham teacher has shared his incredible story as part of a campaign from Air Ambulance Charity Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The dad-of-three says his bedroom was turned into a makeshift operating theatre after he collapsed out of bed at four o’clock in the morning.The owners of an iconic country house-turned-hotel have un...
Motorists are up in arms about a hike in car park charges considered so “unreasonable” many believed it was an April Fool’s prank.Residents in Herne were previously able to park for a whole day for just £2.20, but that all came to an end when new tariffs were introduced on April 1st. Also in today's podcast, a new report has found 15 percent of Kent Police officers want to leave the force within the next two years. Almost 7 in 10 don't feel valued - and even more wouldn't recommend it as a job.Stab-proof vests have been handed to cleaners at a Kent shopping centre as part of their everyday ...