Author: Benjamin

Additional reporting by Sofia Akin.A pensioner worries his crumbling garden wall may collapse onto a child – but says he cannot afford the £20,000 repair bill insurers initially promised to pay.William Dordoy says Tesco Bank agreed to cover the cost of fixing the issue after a large crack appeared in the brick boundary outside his Herne Bay home following a rough storm.But the insurer has since u-turned on its pledge, claiming the damage is not weather-related and instead due to “wear and tear”.Mr Dordoy, whose home in Spenser Road is close to two primary schools and a nursery, now fears…

Maria, 19, went missing on April 28. Police say it is believed that she may have travelled to London or Kent and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. She is known to have links with Lambeth and Dartford, according to Birmingham Police on X. Anyone with information should contact police on 999 quoting the reference 446897. A statement by Birmingham Police on X said: “#MISSING | Have you seen Maria? The 19-year-old is missing from #Birmingham and we’re concerned for her welfare. “She was last seen yesterday afternoon (28 April) and she may have travelled to #London or #Kent. “Maria has links to…

TfL buses align with the Mayor’s Transport Strategy aiming for 80 per cent of journeys via foot, bike, or public transport by 2041. There is currently a bus fleet of around 9,300 buses which follow across 675 different routes. The latest timetable changes are in place to help “match demand, deliver value for money and allow TfL to invest in outer London”. The following timetable changes will take place from Saturday, May 4: The temporary timetable will be removed from route 14 with the service returning to run every 10 minutes during the daytime on Monday to Saturdays and every…

Mike Nolan – one of the original members of chart-toppers Bucks Fizz – has announced he is quitting.Three of the original members of the group – Cheryl Baker, Jay Aston and Mike Nolan – have been performing as The Fizz since 2011.Mike Nolan has been part of Bucks Fizz/The Fizz for 43 yearsIt followed a bust-up with former original member Bobby G over the use of the band’s original name.But now Mike – who for many years has lived in Broadstairs and regularly appeared in panto in Folkestone – has confirmed he is to leave The Fizz. It brings the…

On Wednesday, April 24, officers targeted the three shops across Dartford and Gravesend and recovered £4,000 in cash, more than 1,200 vapes and over 94,000 cigarettes. Officers also seized 20kg of shisha and 46 pouches of tobacco. Two of the shops had false walls which hid away from products whilst the third had stored items in wheelie bins in an outside garden. Two people were also dealt with for immigration offences. Police also worked with Gravesham Council, Kent Trading Standards, HMRC and the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team during the operation. Inspector Lee Cheesman said: “These results show just how…

Southern Gas Networks will be completing gas main connection works on Monday, May 20, 2024, across seven streets in Bromley. During this time, there will be restrictions on traffic and there is no specified finish date. The roads affected are: 1. Homestead Road, Chelsfield 2. Melvin Road, Penge 3. Oxenden Wood Road, Chelsfield 4. Spring Gardens, Chelsfield 5. The Meadows, Chelsfield 6. The Meadway, Chelsfield 7. The Woodlands, Chelsfield Until the construction work is done, no one can park their vehicle on the streets listed in the Notice or nearby streets that might be affected. If you break this rule,…

A sit-in by pro-Palestine protestors has taken place at the Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate.The protest saw local group Thanet4Palestine gather on the steps of the gallery in an hour-long protest on Saturday – as well as criticising the Turner for not marking drawing attention to the conflict.Protestors marched through Margate before gathering at the Turner Contemporary on Saturday. Picture: Thanet4PalestineAt the same time, other members of the group held a parade through Margate, with protesters reciting the names of children who have been killed in Gaza and holding up photos of some who have died.Amber Trentham of Thanet4Palestine…

The Dartford Crossing was used in 2010 in the last instalment in the magical series – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. In a thrilling scene, young Hogwarts wizard Harry Potter, played by Daniel Radcliffe, and Hagrid, played by the late Robbie Coltrane, are chased through the Dartford Crossing tunnel, weaving between traffic on a flying sidecar. Filming reportedly occurred during overnight maintenance closures, seamlessly avoiding traffic disruptions. The Dartford Crossing, linking Dartford in Kent and Thurrock in Essex, is a vital road crossing over the River Thames which carries more than 50 million vehicles each year. In…

With just five of 14 constituencies declared, London’s Labour incumbent Mr Khan was leading with over 427,000 votes, with Ms Hall just over 234,000. The total turnout in the election is 2,495,621, with fewer than half of the results yet to be declared. Mr Khan needs to win a simple majority of ballots cast, as the rules for the mayoral race were changed to a first-past-the-post voting system ahead of the latest election. Labour leader Sir Keir gave his backing to Mr Khan, telling reporters: “He has got two terms of delivery behind him and I am confident that he has got…

A new £450,000 Co-op has opened its doors to customers for the first time.The shop is the first Co-op for New Romney and indeed the whole of Romney Marsh.The new Co-op in Littleton Road, New Romney, opened yesterday. Pictures: Matt BristowIt has launched in Littleton Road following a lengthy construction process.It has taken over a brownfield site previously described as an “eyesore” and provided jobs for 16 people.The shop features an in-store bakery, a Costa Coffee Express machine and a free cash machine.Store manager Gordon Hebdon said the team is enjoying settling into the new location. “We have had a…