Do you love antiques and vintage? Then don't miss our amazing antiques and vintage fare. This coming Saturday and Sunday at the Deathling Showground near Maidstone. With over 400 inside and outside sellers, there'll be thousands of antique and vintage treasures for you to explore. From furniture to jewelry to home and garden vintage, there's so much for you to browse and buy. There's free parking, refreshments and children enter for free. Dogs are welcome too. For more details, visit lovefares.com. Kent Online News News You Can Trust This is the Kent Online Podcast. Kate Faulkner Hello, happy Friday. Hope you're OK. Thank you for downloading today's podcast on Friday, April 19th. Coming up today, we've got a story about a Kent landlord who's banned vaping at his pub and some inspirational stories of people ready to take on this weekend's London Marathon. But first, taking a look at our top story and there are tributes today for a midway man who died just hours after a severe asthma attack. 37-year-old Luke Foster is being remembered as a genuine and caring man. Let's talk to Lauren. She's got the details about his death for the Kent Online Podcast. Lauren, what do we know about Luke's passing? Well, Luke was fined unresponsive by his partner Ellie Tribe on the 11th of March. She phoned paramedics who put him on a nebulizer to sterilize his breathing, but sadly, he passed away the next day. He was an asthma sufferer and also had severe hay fever. It's thought he may have been battling a chest infection in the days leading up to his death, although the coroner is still investigating the exact circumstances. And Luke's also been diagnosed with anxiety, depression and attention deficit disorder in his 20s. Is that right? Yes, Luke's sister, Lisa Forbes, said in recent years, Luke was in a much better place and enjoying holidays and his life with Ellie, but he struggled with his focus and mental health growing up. So to honor his memory, the family have set up a fundraiser to collect donations towards the sitting-born-based men talk health charity. Luke's mom Tina says, "Hopefully with awareness of this charity, more men will seek and find the help to talk they desperately need, and that it will be some comfort to the family to know that his legacy could potentially help change lots of lives for the better." Thanks, Lauren. Luke's being remembered as a gym lover who had a great sense of humor and someone who was incredibly intelligent. Kent Online News A man who assaulted medical staff and threw hot coffee in a police officer's face in Maidstone has been jailed, 55-year-old Darren Turpin, who has no fixed address, injured an employee at Brewer Street, Dr. Surgery on the 8th of April, and then threw food and drinks while in police custody. He pleaded guilty to assault and criminal damage, he's been jailed for 42 weeks. Two men who tried to smuggle asylum seekers from Kent into France, in the back of a lorry, have been jailed. National Crime Agency officers watched the pair as they transferred the group from a higher van into the trailer last August, before searching the vehicle at a service's name Maidstone. The 47 and 54-year-olds from London and Italy were sentenced to 22 and 32 months. A witness to a woman who launched a knife attack on her former partner has been sent to prison for more than two years. Kelly Duncan and three men carried out the assault in March 2021, which also saw the victim hit with a metal pole, the 55-year-old from Olympia Way, has been locked up for 25 months. Police have been seen in Folkston as part of a drugs operation. Officers were in Cambridge Gardens yesterday afternoon to arrest suspected drug dealers. There were also concerns one of them had a weapon to men and a woman remaining custody while inquiries continue. Head to Kent online to see pictures of four men police are hunting after a robbery at a curries in Aylesford. They believe to have entered the store at the South Aylesford retail park on April 10, threatening an employee and stealing laptops worth £30,000. Anyone in the area at the time is being urged to check dashcam footage. As suspects been charged, after two homes were broken in two in Dartford. Electrical items were stolen from a property on Hall Road shortly after a building on Joyce Green Lane was also targeted, a 37-year-old man from Eerith has appeared in court. A Tundbridge Wells man who reportedly found a bag full of passports, iPads and a watch and car keys has been charged with theft. It fell from a moving vehicle on London Road in the town back in February, but when the owner went to retrieve it, the bag had gone, a 35-year-old has due before magistrates in seven oaks next month. Kent Online News A deal woman has been telling the Kent Online podcast about the moment she says she was almost killed in a hit and run. I was sitting in my car and I'd put my seatbelt on. I put my bag over to one side, my phone was in my bag, so I didn't have it at hand. I put my seatbelt on and put my car in the ignition and then I lent my arm over to pull my car door in. And just as I was doing this, this car flew down the road super fast and weaving and it almost felt like it was deliberately targeted my door. I was so shocked. It took me a while just to get my seatbelt off so I could jump out the car. I thought they would stop. I didn't think for one second that they would drive off. I mean, they were driving off weaving, almost hit a few cars further up down King's Down Road and I was really shocked. I am annoyed. More than annoyed, I'm really, really, really upset about it in the sense that there's no third party, so that hikes up my insurance. I have to pay the excess. It's like how am I supposed, and I can't, and my car is waiting for parts to be fixed. So I don't have a courtesy car because I don't have the other person's details. I mean, obviously I've got friends that can help me get for me to be, but who wants to just rely on people to do that? You want your freedom. I just think it's really horrible that somebody can actually cause harm to somebody like that. I mean, the door, I have my hand on the door when he hit the door and he didn't stop. I say he, it could have been a she. I didn't know what the driver looked like. It was a dark blue or black estate car that drove off super fast-headed towards deal. I was, I mean, I was faced in this direction obviously as deal of deal because my, that's how I hit my car door on my driver's side. And just really disappointed that somebody could do something like that, really. That's Zha Zha Daniel. She's undergoing chemotherapy and was on her way to hospital for a scan when the crash happening, Kingsdown Road earlier this month, can police say they are investigating, they're looking for witnesses or anyone with dash cam footage. The O2 Academy in Brixton is set to reopen for the first time since a security guard from Gravesend was killed in a crush. 23 year old Gabby Hutchinson was one of two people killed when fans without tickets tried to force their way into a show. The venues had to meet more than 70 conditions. It'll host a gig tonight featuring a number of top tribute acts. Thousands of senior staff at Kent County Council are earning more than 100,000 pounds a year. That's according to new research. The Town Hall Rich List has been compiled by the Taxpayers Alliance. It shows the former chief executive of the authority was paid almost 220,000 pounds over the 2022 to 23 financial year. A Kent landlord has banned vaping in his pub because he doesn't want customers to be put off their Sunday lunches. Science have been put up at the three horse shoes in Hearn Hill between Babisham and Canterbury warning people that using the devices indoors is no longer permitted. According to the owner Maurice O'Flinn punters are happy with the move. He stole the Kent online podcast. He'd become sick of the smell and couldn't see why only cigarette smokers should be forced outside. A smoking ban in pubs, clubs, restaurants and other venues came into effect on July 1st, 2007. But despite the recent emergence of vapes as a substitute for cigarettes, legislation has yet to be drafted which would see it treated in the same way. So it's up to landlords to decide whether they ban it or not. And online news. The family of an elderly man from Swanley are calling for a parking fine to be overturned after he forgot to display his blue badge. Michael Bibbe was given a ticket after leaving his vehicle in a disabled bay at Blue Water during a visit with his daughter. The pair admitted not showing the badge but have appealed the fine. Charlotte Tiller has been telling the podcast what happened. So we parked in a disabled bay and unfortunately we did forget to put the blue badge out. My dad had got the badge out but he accidentally put it into the glove compartment. And then when we come back to the car there was a parking ticket on there for £95. But we could have parked anywhere because there was loads of spaces available, obviously we parked in a disabled bay because my dad requires a wheelchair to get into the centre. So we chose to park there and I just feel it's unfair that people can park in Blue Water for free but if you're a disabled or a blue badge user you have to prove that you're allowed to park in the bay that you're provided. So you don't have to prove anything to park in a parent and child's base but if you're disabled you have to prove that you've got a right to park there and no one else does which are just things really unfair. I think that there should be an allowance so that if you can prove retrospectively that you have got a blue badge and you're not a repeat offender and it was a first-time offense and you should be allowed to appeal it and actually have the fine quashed because I just think £95 for someone to not display their blue badge seems to be a lot of money. A spokesperson for parking control management said our aim is to ensure those who need accessible bays are able to park, displaying a valid blue badge at the time of parking is an important part of allowing us to protect those bays against misuse, sadly accepting retrospective evidence of blue badges is difficult owing to widespread fraudulent use. It is important that those with accessibility issues help protect parking bays they need by displaying a valid blue badge at the time of parking. Now a very controversial Spanish style plaza blocking off a stretch of Kent Sea front to traffic is said to be axed just months after being brought in. The pedestrianized square in central parade in Hern Bay has drawn a lot of criticism since being installed earlier this year and now its days are numbered as a working group set up amid the backlash says it will recommend to Kent's transport chief the scheme should be scrapped while no decision has yet been made. The man who will decide the plaza's fate, Kent County Council cabinet member for Transport Neil Baker says it is as good as a done deal. It comes just over a month after the council chief said the scheme which was unveiled in January was still betting in and not yet realized its full potential. Supporters had said it could unlock the town's potential but support has been in short supply with many critics speaking out against the plans. Hundreds of people flocked to the public meetings in January to offer opinions on the plaza with one such discussion having to be suspended after too many people turned up. Work on £9 million Supermarket on Sheppy is nearing completion but its opening date has been delayed. Plans for an Aldi in Queenborough were given the green light in December 22 and it was meant to open this month. The firm hasn't given a reason for the delays but says a new opening date will be revealed soon. The visitors centre in Rochester will close for the final time today. Council bosses have made the decision in a bid to balance their budget for the next year. Explain Watermans from Rochester City Centre Forum and runs walking tours in the town. I can't stand it in one way because Medway Council like an awful lot of local authorities is strapped for cash. They admit that there's 17 million in debt this year that's going to be 30 to 35 million next year so they've got to cut where they can and not affect essential services and they do have a quite expensive lease on that building which you can understand them wanting to get out of and understand they can't get out of that until sometime next year so it's basically the staff are going now on Friday and then the lease they've got to carry on paying that so they don't incur a penalty until next year but it's the fact that actually they've completely shut down the tourism function. Now, bear in mind that only just over a year ago they came out with a new tourism strategy which they pumped loads and loads of money into and it was all to develop and get more people coming to Medway not just Rochester and that is now, as far as we can see, all going to come to a stop and any borough in the country so less or greater extent depends on tourism. It brings in extra spending because you survive on locals but you make a profit on visitors to an area and that's true anywhere. So in a place which is so tourism oriented, particularly Rochester, we've got Castle Cathedral, the Dickens links, the Christmas thing, this is basically where Dickens fell in love with Christmas right on this ice street when he was a boy. All of that, if you don't promote it, people are going to go somewhere else, it's as simple as that and that will have a direct effect on football and that affects businesses and businesses, pay business rates. So what are you then going to do when you've then cut out businesses that were one of your sources of income, it just to not replace it with something to me just doesn't make sense. Patrick Fish runs a shop on the high street. It's disappointing for sure, I think the key of a good tourist town is that it has a visit information centre, we are heavily reliant on tourists. So it is disappointing for sure but completely understandable given the situation with the council I think. It would be really good if they could find somewhere perhaps that they would own themselves and create a visit to hub. I think there's a justification that tourists now use a different way of accessing local information that doesn't rely on a physical building but I think something to cement the town together and like a focal point would be really helpful. There's been some really good initiatives in other towns, things like a map of local businesses by maybe a local artist is really nice, I've seen a few times or kind of periodical magazine that can be picked up just for kind of the high street would be really good. Yeah, I'm always up for kind of initiatives that help or support local businesses. The Huguenau Museum which is in the same building on the high street will stay open but the summer Dickens Festival in the town has also been axed. Kent Online News. Hundreds of people from Kent will be heading to the capital this weekend to take part in one of the world's most famous road races, the London Marathon. We've been hearing from two of those people taking part to find out what inspired them to take on the 26 mile challenge, 20-year-old Jack Brown from Maidstone was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was only 16. He wanted to run not just to raise money but also awareness of the teenage cancer trust. I think that's one of the massive goals of this, it's not just about the money, it's also about raising the profile of teenage cancer trust in the world they do and hopefully as well if any young people are going through treatment now, if they're able to see this and see that there is that light at the end of the tunnel and you can still go on to achieve incredible things just because you've had a cancer diagnosis, you shouldn't let affect your ambitions. We've also been speaking to Wayne Smith from Maidstone who's taking part in a slightly different way, although he's able-bodied, he wants to do the marathon in a wheelchair, makes to raise money for Demelza's children's charity after his daughter Esme was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, meaning she's unable to walk without assistance throughout her life. But Wayne says the challenge of doing a marathon in a wheelchair has been harder than he anticipated. Thinking about doing the challenge and everything like that is a lot easier, like say, "Yeah, I'll do that." Like what I said, I'll go for it and I remember the first training session going along the towpath thinking, "What on earth have you let yourself in for a year like?" Now we're here and we're close, so we're very close now, so it's been very difficult, but it's been good. I've now got the knack of it. He also told us why Demelza is so close to his heart. Esme was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at 18 months, which is SMA type 2, and never since like day one, Demelza have been absolutely incredible. They provide, like before you use their service, you don't know too much about what they do, you just think it's Demelza Children's Hospice, but they're so much more, and they've done so much for us. They provide so many events at Easter, Christmas, knowing for all the families, they have so much support for families with children with disabilities that are very sick as well obviously, but they do their events. We've had use of their hydro pool, they've got their physio that they've given to Esme as well, and they do respite as well where we have someone come around once a month and it gives them a little break, but it also allows more time to do some one-to-one stuff with our son Archie, because as you can imagine, living with a child with disabilities, it's 24/7, so it's very challenging, but what they do for us is absolutely brilliant, so this is my way of saying thank you, and giving back and trying to raise as much money as possible. The search is on for four bronze statues that were stolen from a pub landlord's garden in Selinch, the sculptures of a stag, deer, baby, and a solid bronze wishing well, which weighs several tons, or worth £12,000, the owner of Brayborn's Blue Anchor pub say they were taken on the morning of April 4, that we've shared pictures at Kenton Line. Residents who go above and beyond in Medway will be recognised tonight, the 22nd annual Pride in Medway event is taking place in the Glasshouse Theatre at Midcant College in Gillingham, awards will be handed out in categories including young hero, courage and community service. Kenton Line News. And now with a look at what's on across the county this weekend, it's Sam Laurie. When you've got a house full of restless little ones, moody teenagers, and exhausted parents, it can be hard to find something that will keep everyone happy. If you want some ideas on where to take the whole family from toddlers to grandparents this weekend, then you're in luck. It doesn't matter how old you are, who can really resist having a cuddle with adorable newborn lambs. The annual lambing weekend at Haddalo College near Tumbricch returns on Saturday and Sunday with cute baby animals as well as tractor trailer rides, a fairground, food and drink stalls and a birds of prey display. For something that the older members of the family might enjoy, the debt link and teaks and vintage fair is at the Kent Showground near Mainstone this weekend. The fair boasts hundreds of indoor and outdoor stalls, selling retro fashion, vintage gems and second hand treasures, so you never know what you'll find. There will also be music and food vendors for the little ones and they can enjoy a slice of cake and ice cream as you browse the stalls. Now for some fresh air this weekend, the plant fair at Goddard and House and Gardens near Atford takes place on Sunday. There will be local nurseries specialising in a range of topics, from succulents to be friendly flowers and of course plenty of plants for sale. You can also explore Goddard and his beautiful gardens and visit the tea room while you're there. Now when it comes to great shows this weekend, you just can't be Greece. The musical is still showing at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley until Saturday, so you've got one last chance to throw on your pink ladies jacket and hand drive the night away. There are also some fantastic shows coming to Kent next week that you might want to book tickets for. First up is an award-winning musical The Drifters Girl, which opens at the Churchill Theatre from Tuesday. The show is all about the American vocal group The Drifters and how they shot to fame in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. There's also an interactive, family-friendly show worth watching next week, there's a monster in your show based on the best-selling picture book by Matt Fleiss singer Tom Fletcher is perfect for preschoolers and it will be at the Trinity Theatre in Tumbred Wells on Tuesday and Wednesday. And finally, it wouldn't be a what's on round up without mentioning some top tribute lines. This weekend you can catch the last days of disco celebrating 70s dance floor anthems at the Central Theatre in Chateau and the retro rock show blasting classic rock hits at the Cinden Theatre in Tentedan, both on Saturday night. And on Monday and Tuesday you can catch the boot-led Beatles, generating knowledge to be one of the world's best tributes to the Fab Four, at the Marlo Theatre in Canterbury, but you have to be quick as there are only a handful of tickets left. So lots of choices there for all ages and I hope you and your family have a fantastic weekend whatever you get up to. Thanks Sam. Ken's online. Sports. Football now and it's a trip to promoted Mansfield town for drilling in this weekend. The Jills need to win their final two games at the season and hope other results go their way if they're to reach the playoffs. Tomorrow's opposition secured promotion from League Two on Tuesday night. Here's Gillingham defender Ramea Hutton. I just focused on football really. That's what I'm here to do. And that's what I've been wanting to do, that's what we get paid for, so I just want to play football. And the manager said he's been really new about your assist as well, so how long has he been here for? Yeah, good. It was a bit of a relief. But all I can do is create the chances and obviously if I don't do it, people scream at me, if they don't put it in the net, I'll scream at them, but yeah, hopefully there's many more to come. Do you have to work on it with your team as quite a bit and to know what sort of process you're doing? Yeah, you know what, I think it's just getting used to, they get used to how I deliver the balls or when I'm going to deliver the ball. And I have to get used to what runs they're trying to make, so it's just about getting to know each other. And it takes a while to settle in and obviously me coming in and then Josh Andrew is coming in and my assist wasn't even across even, but yeah, we've had a few that hit the post or the bar and stuff, but last season, they all went in, you know what I'm saying? So it kind of evens out over the, I guess, to your career, I imagine. So let's cross it in more, sort of, all suit the ability that you can do with it. Nah, just a little mix up, but yeah, hopefully I can get some more. What are you crossing abilities and stuff like that, is that a natural thing or something with the training grant or anything? Nah, I had to work on it. So when I was at Stevenage, I wasn't, I was in and out the team for other reasons, but I was just outside practicing Duma Extras and like, I think he is, I like to kind of make a point when I'm not in the team and where the pitch was, the manager had to drive past. So I used to stay outside until he went home and then they used to go inside. So he was seeing me every day watching, so. So who's the manager? Alex Revell at that time. Oh, OK. Yeah, so. Well, there's no hard for him, I was about to him before I came here, and last season, if I see him, I was like, I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You know how many opportunities have been out of the team this season, I think, if you haven't had one game, will it improve? Yeah, yeah, obviously I knew I was coming here, so I didn't want to risk it. It just wasn't done yet, but I don't think I missed a minute this season, which is a good achievement, but you've got to stay fit in the same time, so I feel like I've done that very well. Kick off tomorrow, is it three? And briefly, in tennis, Kent's Emma Radikanu says her best tennis is yet to karma. She continued her excellent form by making it through to the quarterfinals of the Stuttgart Open. The former US Open champion will take on World Number One, Ige Schveon Tech this afternoon. She says she's looking forward to another meeting with an opponent she's yet to win against. I must say, I'm not too surprised because I've been working really hard on the training court, and I knew it was just a matter of time, and honestly, I don't think this is my best. I think I still have a long way to go, but I'm just really happy that the rewards are starting to come on the match court, because you know how it is when you're training day and day out, and you feel like the results aren't exactly going your way, but yeah, it's never that far away, I guess, and that's something that I've been learning, just doing the right things every single day, and then, yeah, things happen and you don't even know how or why. I think going through everything I've gone through after the US Open, and then even last year, having eight months out of surgery, it gives you a different appreciation, and there's nothing quite like playing in front of fans, playing in front of everyone out here, and good tennis, and building on match by match. That's all from us today, thanks ever so much for listening, don't forget, you can follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and threads. You can also get the details on the top stories, direct your email each morning via the briefing to sign up, just head to kentonline.co.uk, and while you're there on the website, why not check out the latest review from The Secret Drinker. News you can trust. [MUSIC PLAYING] [BLANK_AUDIO]
