Kent Messenger Maidstone
Mum: ‘Why aren’t they getting it?’
A grieving mum who is on a mission to educate young drivers about the dangers of speeding and drink driving says she’s shocked so many motorists continue to flout the rules. Keena Entwistle’s son Ethan died just two days short of his 19th birthday...
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‘It’s a disgrace’
A major incident was declared as thousands of homes, schools and businesses were hit with water supply issues. Vast swathes of the county have been left without supplies or experiencing low water pressure. Properties in Maidstone, Malling, Tunbridge...
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‘Is this how they treat veterans?’
The wife of an exRoyal Marine says veterans deserve better after her disabled husband was discharged from hospital in just a gown. Ted Leaney, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, spent 24 hours in casualty on a drip after battling a nasty chest...
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Man shot pal in feud over boat
A dispute between ex-brothers-in-law erupted into a shooting that left one with gun pellets embedded in his head and the other serving time behind bars. Maidstone Crown Court heard how Jamie White fired a BB weapon at Ben Gleeson multiple times during...
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‘He’s our Christmas miracle’
A mum says it’s a miracle she’ll be spending Christmas with her son this year, after four strokes and a bleed on the brain left him fighting for his life. The past four months have been a nightmare for the family of 23-yearold Luke Savage, from...
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Yellow box fines ‘will ease jams’
A crackdown on drivers stopping in yellow box junctions could see six locations across Maidstone armed with cameras ready to dish out fines. Kent County Council has launched a public consultation on the proposed new enforcement measures, which bosses...
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Urgent calls for crossing upgrade
Calls have been renewed to improve safety at an “inadequate” road crossing following the death of a pensioner. An 82-year-old man on a mobility scooter had been crossing Royal Engineers Way in Maidstone when he was hit by a car. He died in hospital...
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Remorse ‘too little, too late’
A driver who killed a couple and a dog as they walked along a country lane has been jailed for 16 years. Scott Gunn had denied causing death by dangerous driving following the fatal crash in Thurnham Lane, Bearsted, but was found guilty by a jury last...
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‘It’s costing me £5k every week’
A pub landlord says he is losing £5,000 a week due to yet another road closure. More than £100,000 has been spent on repairs to Hawkenbury Bridge, between Staplehurst and Headcorn, as a result of numerous accidents in the past five years. But fed-up...
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Customers’ anger as shed firm shuts
Dozens of people have been left thousands of pounds out of pocket after a shed company shut down suddenly. Sheds & Shelters in Lenham has been criticised after failing to complete orders and for the quality of the products that were delivered. Such...
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Flags could stop Christmas lights
A village might have to go without its Christmas lights due to St George’s flags flying from lampposts, a parish council has warned. Harrietsham has had the festive decorations every year along Ashford Road for as long as residents can remember. But...
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DEFEND YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW.
Plans for licensed premises in your neighbourhood could be hidden from view if new government proposals for secret alcohol licensing notices get the green light. SCAN THIS QR CODE
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Modular houses for homeless at former car park
Plans to erect temporary houses for the homeless on a disused commuter car park have taken a major step forward. A contractor has been appointed to build 12 self-contained units on the former Blue Bell Hill car park subject to planning permission....
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Delays ahead
A busy road is set to shut for 16 weeks as part of a £10 million revamp. From next week there will be no access to a section of Bearsted Road in Maidstone, with drivers being sent on a 4.5mile diversion. The closure affects the route between its...
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Asda worker in £6k taxi fraud
An Asda employee fraudulently racked up more than £6,000 in taxi fares on a company account he shouldn’t have been using. Leroy Helegbe, from Maidstone, dishonestly booked trips using the supermarket’s tab with transport service Cabfind, claiming he...
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Gran marks 80th with skydive
A fearless gran celebrated her 80th birthday with a skydive, after making a promise that she’d live life to the full following the death of her husband. Maureen Parkin, from Headcorn, marked the milestone with a 12,000ft jump arranged by her son...
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Hospital named as finalist in 20th national awards
A Kent hospital has been named as a finalist for Hospital of the Year. KIMS hospital in Maidstone has been shortlisted in the LaingBuisson Awards 2025 – which honour businesses which establish new benchmarks of excellence in healthcare across the...
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Big plans for pub chain’s vineyard
Kent’s newest vineyard could soon be transformed into a tourist attraction with a visitor centre and hotel. Frenchman Martial Chaussy has spent the last three years establishing the Wildshark Vineyard across 42 hectares in Harrietsham, near...
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What a mess
A grandfather has described his surprise at finding around three tonnes of fly-tipped waste inside his garage. Martyn de Young had gone to retrieve his mobility scooter from his lock-up in Raven Close, Larkfield, when he found someone had broken in...
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‘I want to house the homeless’
Controversial landlord Fergus Wilson says he wants to see the last of his properties used to help house the homeless. The mogul, from Boughton Monchelsea, has just turned 77, and is beginning to think about his legacy. “I can’t have long left,” he...
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‘All of us quit!’
Three councillors have quit in seven days from a ward earmarked for thousands of new homes. Husband and wife team Tom and Janetta Sams resigned from Maidstone council in protest over the controversial Heathlands project – which will see 5,000 homes...
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Traffic bollard gets colourful cosy in bid to boost safety
A traffic bollard has been given a colourful cosy by members of a village knitting group. But the sleeve in bright neon colours is not just a bit of fun– the ladies of the Yalding Knit and Natter group hope it will help prevent accidents. Yalding has...
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New nursery opens in village
A new nursery is coming to a village lacking childcare provision. Bridges Day Nursery is opening in the former Abacus Nursery site in Smarden Road, Headcorn. The previous business shut in April after an Ofsted complaint, leaving many parents...
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Listed building plan tweaked
Plans to turn a prominent Grade II-listed building into self-contained flats have been tweaked to reduce the impact on its historic features. Medway House, opposite the London Road Retail Park in Maidstone, could be turned into 14 homes. Earlier this...
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Sex workers in ‘gunpoint’ terror
Two men who robbed sex workers while armed with an imitation gun have been jailed for a combined 11 years. Darren Porter and Aaron Charlery targeted their victims in what a judge described as “nasty, well-planned” offences committed in the belief the...
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‘We tried to get our son help’
The parents of a gas engineer shot by an armed police officer say they previously made “repeated efforts” to get their son the professional mental health treatment “he so desperately needs”. Speaking this week, Catherine and Stuart O’Meara said...
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Kart circuit’s bid for events centre gets green light
Plans to bring a new motorsports events centre to a race track where Formula One royalty trained have been given the green light. Bosses at Buckmore Park Kart Circuit announced last Tuesday that plans for the 20,000 sq ft building, to be called The...
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E-bike menace
A gang of yobs on e-bikes has been terrorising park users. The boys, thought to be in their late teens, have been seen tearing along footpaths and pavements in Maidstone. There have been multiple reports of anti-social behaviour, particularly in Mote...
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Housing estates’ £20m cash boost
Two housing estates could share a windfall of up to £20 million after their surprise inclusion in a huge government investment programme. Park Wood and Senacre in Maidstone have been earmarked to become “trailblazer neighbourhoods”. Most of the other...
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Families ‘left with nothing’
A community is ral- lying around after families were left with nothing following a huge fire that tore through their homes. At its height, crews in nine fire engines were tackling the blaze in the terraced properties in Douglas Road, Lenham, on Sunday...
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Tenants’ parking fine fury
Pensioners say they have been left “very distressed” after receiving £100 fines for parking outside their own homes. At least eight residents living in Golding Homes’ sheltered accommodation in Shepway have had tickets in recent weeks. It comes after...
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‘She was the reason for so many smiles’
Tributes have been paid to an admin worker who was found dead in her home, one month after undergoing weight-loss surgery. Julie Foulds was described as “the funniest best friend with the biggest heart”. During the last few years the 44-year-old, who...
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Match abandoned over Palestine flags
A women’s cup final was abandoned at Maidstone’s Gallagher Stadium after management allegedly objected to Palestine flags in the crowd. Clapton CFC and Dulwich Hamlet Reserves were just 20 minutes into the London and South East Regional Women’s...
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GROT SHOP
Sainsbury’s in Romney Place, Maidstone, had its score downgraded from a five to a two following a visit from the borough council’s Environmental Health team. The officer found there were “a number of cleaning issues identified and cleaning procedures...
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Garden Furniture Event
home. At the moment, bedbound nan lives in the sitting room, and the two daughters share a room – but the council says this can’t be done if they’re to help the family find a place. Ms Darbey said: “I can’t find any five bed houses that have come up to...
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‘Seismic change’
Nearly 30 years of Conservative rule at Kent County Council (KCC) ended in dramatic style as Reform UK romped to victory. The party took 57 of the 81 seats on the authority in the local elections last week. The result marks the end of an era for Kent...
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TAXING ISSUE
Two retired couples have locked horns with a government agency after they found they are paying more council tax than their neighbours who live in the same-sized homes. Ron and Eileen Fowler and Brian and Pat Sayers are residents at the Empress...
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Emergency roadworks chaos for drivers
Loose Road in Maidstone was shut in both directions from Maidstone Fire Station to the Swan Inn at 8am on Friday (April 18) so utility firm SGN could dig up the carriageway. Cripple Street and Boughton Lane were also closed at their junctions with...
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Shutter row could close takeaway
following a recent council inspection where four of the six food stalls were given the low rating. During the visit by the health and safety team, inspectors identified four issues at his stalls, three of which have already been addressed. The...
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‘Blot on the landscape’
Farmers have upset their neighbours after revealing plans to put up polytunnels over large areas to grow more strawberries. Charlton Farms has submitted two planning applications for 55 acres of open farmland along Greensand Ridge off Rectory Road...
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Carer stole pills from dying gran
A carer who “shamefully” stole prescription painkillers from a woman dying of cancer has been spared jail. Lauren Browning’s thieving was described as being “as low as it gets” by the victim’s daughter, who raised the alarm in October 2023 when she...
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MPs join Blue Badge battle
The KM has launched a campaign to ensure seriously ill people get fair treatment when applying for a Blue Badge. It comes after many readers with cancer and other life-altering conditions shared how they have been denied a permit under the current...
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PARKING MAD
Drivers have been left scratching their heads and out of pocket after being caught out by parking rules. In West Malling, Taryn and Carl Terlecki were slapped with a £70 fine despite paying £290 to renew their permit. They say the council’s “archaic”...
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Farm’s plea for fly-tipper to stop
A family farm attraction has been left counting the cost of rubbish being repeatedly dumped on its doorstep. Kent Life in Lock Lane, Maidstone has pleaded for the offender to stop, after being forced to fork out hundreds of pounds to dispose of the...
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Call to rethink ‘unfair’ system for disabled blue badge applications
A cancer patient who had to have a toe removed says the blue badge system is letting people down. Finance worker Sandy Burr was diagnosed with skin cancer in October. When she found out her toe was being amputated she applied for a blue badge in...
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Mum’s gone to MICELAND
A frozen food superstore has been forced to shut due to a mouse infestation. Maidstone council issued Iceland with an emergency prohibition notice following an unannounced visit by hygiene inspectors last week. It followed a complaint from a member...
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Traffic wardens ‘need protection at schools’
Tonbridge and Malling council has brought in the rule after “previous violence” at the gates. The disturbing revelation came after Daniel Doyle, the father of two children at The Discovery School in Kings Hill, asked why new yellow lines and zig-zag...
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Rare disease will leave girl, 9, with dementia
Hermione de Nocker from Downswood was diagnosed with Beta Propeller Accumulation Neurodegeneration. It is caused by a buildup of iron in the brain and is understood to affect just 500 people worldwide. As well as causing Hermione to suffer epileptic...
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Overdose prescribed to tot in hospital blunder
A dad is hoping to improve safety at a hospital department after his baby son was prescribed medication “10 times the correct dosage”. Archie Moorcroft, who was just 11 months old at the time, was given antibiotics powerful enough for an 11-stone...
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Up in the air
Plans for a major £250m road upgrade could be disrupted by a butterfly. Kent County Council (KCC) has unveiled a raft of measures to improve the A229 Blue Bell Hill between Maidstone and Chatham – the second worst stretch of A-road in Kent for delays,...
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KILLER BACK BEHIND BARS
A convicted killer is back behind bars after an “ugly” alcohol-fuelled attack outside a town centre pub. Leonard James had been out celebrating his 50th birthday when James Anderson headbutted and repeatedly stamped on his head outside The Market...
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Pair fish out hand grenade
A father and son got more than they bargained for when they dragged up a live hand grenade from the bottom of the River Medway. Chris Homden and his 10-year-old son Leyton were magnet fishing off Aylesford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. The pair put...
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New town council call amid changes
National plans to streamline local government have sparked calls for Maidstone to get a new town council. Labour’s “Devolution Revolution” will likely see Kent’s county and district authorities being merged into much larger unitary bodies, each...
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Biker death crash
A motorcyclist in his 40s has died following a crash by a pub on Christmas Eve. The bike, a white 125cc Honda, hit a lamppost outside The Bull in Barming at around 2.25pm. It had been travelling in the direction of Wateringbury. Police closed a large...
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‘Miracle’ baby needs more help
A determined tot who was not expected to live beyond her first birthday has been described as a “true miracle in every sense” as she prepares to celebrate her second Christmas. Krysia Szadkowski’s parents were advised to consider terminating the...
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RATING SHAME
Takeaways and restaurants in Maidstone have been criticised for “trying to con the public” over their hygiene rating scores. Businesses that serve food are inspected by councils and given between five, the best, and zero stars, depending on the...
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‘Naked Carpenter’ faces life sentence
A man dubbed the ‘Naked Carpenter’ is facing a life sentence after being convicted of the attempted murder of a police officer. Robert Jenner, pictured, launched a vicious attack on PC Sean Quinn after he and a colleague had gone to the 50-yearold’s...
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Homes threat is ‘heartbreaking’
Massive plans for almost 800 homes have provoked fears about flooding, traffic and the loss of green space. Developer Crest Nicholson wants to build the estate, plus a centre with retail, food and drink and healthcare services, on land northwest of...
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Buyer in line for historic sell-off
A buyer has been lined up for one of the county’s most important buildings. A “preferred bidder” who is prepared to purchase the whole of Sessions House – the headquarters of Kent County Council (KCC) in Maidstone – has been chosen. KCC confirmed the...
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‘Death’ duty will ruin rural Kent
Kent farmers marched on Westminster in opposition to the government’s new ‘death’ duty which they claim will destroy family businesses built up over generations. They were among 13,000 people calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to scrap her planned...
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Eyes in the sky
Police drones are being flown near two major roads after yobs reportedly lobbed rocks from a motorway bridge onto the vehicles below. Additional patrols, including unmarked vehicles, are also being deployed after motorists reported being targeted on...
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Where’s the money?
Questions are being asked about what has happened to millions of pounds of funding earmarked for abandoned and delayed road projects in the town. It’s been eight years since a number of measures were first proposed to help ease congestion around...
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Pay up… or jail
Dumped rubbish, cars, caravans and filth – this is how a beauty spot looks after more than a decade of illegal dumping. But now a judge has said enough is enough and farmer Langley Beck, who owns the 36-acre plot at Boxley Woods near Maidstone, has...
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‘SHATTERED’
The family of a 49-year-old who went for a run and never came home say their “world has been shattered” by his death. A search was launched for Jamin Longhurst after he failed to return from his regular Sunday morning jog, something that was described...
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FIGHT IS OVER
Campaigners opposing two huge housing developments have admitted they have lost the battle to stop them going ahead. After years of fighting, the struggle to block 7,000 homes being built in Lenham and Lidsing is over. Separate attempts to get High...
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HMO is blamed for parking woes
Neighbours fear an influx of “comeand-go” tenants from a house in multiple occupation (HMO) has created serious parking problems their street is illequipped to cope with. Residents say the HMO in Becksbourne Close, Maidstone, has led to rowdy parties...
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‘She’ll be missed beyond words’
The bodies of Richard and Suratchanee ‘Lat’ Parks were discovered in the bathroom of their home in Montgomery Road, Tunbridge Wells. Last week an inquest into the tragedy heard Lat, 53, had been strangled, stabbed and hit with a hammer. Blood was...
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