KentOnline

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...