KentOnline

There have been tributes to a “selfless” and “brave”  Kent Police officer who has died after being involved in a crash while responding to an emergency call. 27-year-old PC Bradley Corke died yesterday after being critically injured in the line of duty after a serious crash in Farningham last week.  Also in today’s podcast, latest figures show there have been no new meningitis cases linked to the...

A huge fire has engulfed several vehicles and industrial buildings after breaking out near Sittingbourne late last night. Fire crews were called to Matts Hill Farm shortly after people reported hearing loud explosions. Also in today’s podcast, the father of an 18-year-old girl who died during the Kent meningitis outbreak has described his family’s devastation as “immeasurable” as they call for urg...

Coming up in today's episode, the KentOnline Podcast has been told a jail in Kent is one of the worst in the country . An inspection of HMP Swaleside on Sheppey, found incidents of violence and drug supply were high. Concerns have also been raised about the risk to the public, with the site failing as a training and rehabilitation facility. But first, there's been another increase in the number of...

The number of cases of meningitis in Kent has risen to 20 . Medics say six are confirmed to be group B meningococcal disease - or MenB. Meantime, a mum has spoken of her shock after her daughter became ill and ended up in hospital. 21-year-old Keeleigh Goodwin lives in a house share in the Wincheap part of Canterbury and started to feel unwell over the weekend. The outbreak is being linked to thre...

The family of a teenager from Faversham who died after contracting meningitis say they're 'beyond devastated'. 18-year-old Juliette Kenney was in the sixth form at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School . A student from the University of Kent has also died, while other young people remain in hospital. The UK health security agency has confirmed Meningitis B is the strain behind the outbreak. Babies have...

Two young people have died following a meningitis outbreak in Canterbury . One was studying at the University of Kent in the city while the other was in the sixth form at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham. Several other young people, who are believed to be Uni students, are understood to be in hospital. Hear from our reporter Max Chesson who has been at the campus. We've also been spea...

Tributes have been paid to a “fiercely loyal” and “always smiling” big sister who died in a crash. Ammber Fenn was driving her car towards Sittingbourne on the A249, near Sheppey Crossing, when it collided with a BMW on January 30. Also in today’s podcast, a leading expert has been asked to help with a project to tackle health inequalities in Kent. The county council say it's one of their top prio...

House-building plans are in jeopardy as South East Water has warned that it has the capacity to supply water to only one third of all the new homes being planned. Bosses in Tonbridge and Malling are in the process of drawing up a new Local Plan which allocates land for more than 19,000 new homes across the borough by 2042 - expanding the borough’s population by over a third. Also in today’s podcas...

Campaigners have branded plans to build 725 homes in their village as “beyond comprehension” , claiming it would double the population. The outline planning application for a mixed-use neighbourhood in Meopham would be 50% affordable and targeted at first-time buyers and downsizers. Also in today’s podcast, a controversial massive housing development backed by Prince William has been given the gre...

New proposals to create two Traveller sites have been submitted just weeks after legal action started because several mobile homes had been stationed without permission. It follows several ongoing planning disputes over the use of the farmland near Gravesend in the past three years.  Also in today’s podcast, dramatic police footage has emerged showing a fleeing thief leaping from a second-floor wi...

A Sittingbourne man’s avoided jail after becoming violent and punching the windscreen of a packed school bus when he was denied entry by the driver.  He was “extremely intoxicated” at the time and demanded to be let on board while the vehicle had been stopped in traffic.  Also in today’s podcast, you can hear from a Kent charity who say they've had a record year for the amount of surplus food they...

A Snodland man has spoken of the moment he suffered a broken arm during a road rage attack in Maidstone. Phil Webster had been approaching a roundabout on the A249 when he says he was cut up by another vehicle. Also in today's podcast, more than 40 people have been arrested as Kent Police crack down on fraud. Officers have been targeting suspected criminals who defraud others through romance scams...

Firefighters have been tackling a blaze in a derelict building next to Ashford College . Huge plumes of smoke were seen coming from Swanton House in Elwick Road yesterday evening. Hear from our reporter Max Chesson who has been to the scene. Also in today's episode,  a document detailing where 23,000 homes could be built in Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay will be debated by councillors for th...

It's been confirmed work to fix a stretch of the Thanet Way will start this summer. The A299 between the Dargate Services and Roman Galley pub has been reduced to 50 miles per hour since last September after bumps appeared in the surface. The county council say repairs will be carried out over six weeks from June 1st. Also in today's podcast, police have released footage of the moment they found a...

A Kent dad who lives in Abu Dhabi has told the podcast about the moment he was alerted to potential missile strikes. Justin Cooke received a message on his phone shortly before seeing puffs of smoke in the sky as the missiles were intercepted. The retaliatory strikes on Saturday followed an attack by America and Israel on Iran which killed the country's leader. Also in today's episode, the head of...

Traders in Sheerness High Street say they're fighting a losing battle to keep their shopping promenade alive after the closure of several small businesses. Black Cat hardware closed on Valentine's Day with the owner telling customers it was no longer feasible to keep it open due to a drop in footfall. It follows other independents who have shut in recent months and our reporter has been getting re...

Friends and family have paid tribute to a popular restaurant manager – saying the “inspiring” young woman died “far too young”.  Charlotte Redsell was a much-loved and well respected boss at Fish 55 in Rochester but the community was rocked by her death last October at the age of just 26.  Also in today’s podcast, a killer captured on CCTV shouting "I've got a nice surprise for you" as he swung a...

One of Kent’s most popular visitor attractions has been revived , with its new bosses promising a spectacular, immersive experience. It follows a million-pound makeover of The Canterbury Tales - which tells Geoffrey Chaucer's much-loved stories of a medieval cast of pilgrims on their journey from London to Canterbury Cathedral. Also in today’s podcast, we’ve spoken to a Kent homelessness charity a...

A grandmother of 12 has been left heartbroken after a council confirmed she cannot return to her home of more than 25 years following a devastating fire. The blaze ripped through her three-bedroom house in South Ashford last month and she was initially told she would be able to return once repairs to the council-owned property had been completed. Also in today’s podcast, the KentOnline Podcast has...

Swimmers say they are anxious about going in the sea at Hythe because of the amount of sewage being discharged into the water. The group regularly travel from Ashford to swim at sunrise, but say they've seen an increasing number of floating objects. Hear from one of the group, and we've had a response from Southern Water. Also in today's podcast, a Kent campaigner's told us she has some concerns o...

Plans have been put in to add another shop to the retail park in Sittingbourne. The owners want to convert an area of land that's currently used for parking between Carpet Right and Dunelm at the site in Mill Way. Hear from reporter Alex Langridge who has been covering the story. Also on today's episode, a Sheppey woman who lost her dad to cancer is calling on peers not to stand in the way of the...

A school in Chatham has been placed in special measures by inspectors who found staff physically intervened with pupils. Ofsted found safeguarding measures at Wayfield Primary were not being met , and demanded urgent improvements be implemented. School bosses and the trust running it, say they take the report very seriously and have already been implementing a robust programme of improvement. Also...

A good Samaritan has told of the terrifying moment boiling sugar water was poured over her as she lay in bed. What started as a decent deed from the Whitstable mum ended with a horror attack, which also saw her hit around the head with a hammer. Also in today’s podcast, the Folkestone son of a woman who was arrested with her partner in Iran on charges of espionage has confirmed they’ve been jailed...

One of the county’s biggest classical concerts is ending after more than 40 years. It’s been announced the annual Leeds Castle Classical Concert, which has been running since 1978, will no longer continue after this year.  Also in today’s podcast, youths on e-bikes and e-scooters gathering in the car park of a leisure centre at night have been accused of intimidating residents. Community leaders n...

A misconduct panel has heard a teacher touched pupils’ legs and encouraged them to recite sexually suggestive song lyrics.  He was investigated for serious professional misconduct following complaints about his behaviour during one-to-one sessions and small group training exercises. Also in today’s podcast, a  detective leading an investigation into the death of a man killed near a Kent beach says...