A teenager's been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two people were injured at a temple in Gravesend...
Emergency crews were called to the Gurdwara just after 8pm last night - the air ambulance was also seen to land within the grounds off Saddington Street.
Four people have died after their boat capsized in the English Channel as they attempted to cross to Kent.
The French Coast Guard says 63 people were rescued off the coast of Boulogne. We've been getting reaction from Samphire Project the works with refugees in Dover.
A couple have told the podcast their damp, cold and mouldy flat in Maidstone is making their health conditions even worse.
Mandy Croucher and her wife Donna have lived in the property in Willington Street since December 2022.
Investigation are underway into claims a reptile and amphibian market is going to be held in Kent this weekend.
The markets see snakes, lizards and frogs sold in plastic tubs and containers - with no regard for their welfare or environmental needs.
The boss of a Kent pub chain says England's success at the Euros has been a real boost for the hospitality industry.
Gareth Southgate's side will play Spain in the final in Germany on Sunday night.
Artefacts dating back to the Neolithic or Bronze Age have been discovered near Faversham.
Archaeologists have been carrying out a dig on a burial mound at Stringmans Farm on the Lees Court Estate.
Ahead of their first pre-season friendly - Gillingham's Jonny Williams has told us training is going well.
They reported for duty at the start of the month and have six weeks before the opening game of the season.
New news. You can trust. This is the Kent online podcast. Nicola Everett. Hello. Hope you're OK. We got to the end of the week. It is Friday. Thank you ever so much for downloading today's podcast on the jute lie, the 12th. And our top story today is that a teenager has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two people were injured at a temple in Gravesend. Emergency crews were called to the Goodwara just after eight last night. The air ambulance was also seen to land within the grounds off Saddington Street. Well, our reporter Keeley Greenwood was at the scene yesterday evening. The cordon has been placed across the road on the way into the Trinity road where Guru Nanak Temple is and the Sports Center. There are police cars with flashing lights as far as the eye can see. There are two police mind in the tape. One I saw one just went under the cordon and got in a police car and drove it round to the other entrance to the temple, which has been gated off and shut, where it's normally open to allow cars into the car park. There's a lot of sort of frenzy. It feels like something serious has happened and people are feeling a little bit anxious. A runner just came up and sort of stood by the cordon looking a bit worried. A 17 year old boy was detained and police have confirmed they're not looking for anyone else. We're told the people that were hurt didn't suffer life threatening injuries and are being treated locally. Well, a spokesman for the temple has told Kent online a disturbance broke out in one of the Darber halls within the temple. They confirmed the person was spotted by security teams who immediately called police. New MP Lauren Sullivan has also issued a statement. She says she's shocked and saddened by the incident and goes on to say that her thoughts are with those hurt, their family and the community. She's thanked the emergency services for their swift response. Kent online news for people have died after their boat capsized in the English Channel as they attempted to cross to Kent. The French Coast Guard say 63 people were rescued off the coast of Boulogne. Four ships and one helicopter were involved in the operation. Charlotte Sausider is from Samfire Project that works with refugees in Dover. I know they've got a lot of plans with smashing the gangs and so forth. But to be honest, the only real way to make a massive difference to the boat crossings is to introduce safe and legal routes for people seeking asylum. It's, I'm glad you mentioned, you know, Ovet Cooper talking about setting up the border security command. We only heard a couple of days ago that this is going to be set up as a matter of urgency. Do you think it's going to have any impact on the number of crossings that we see? It may have an impact on the safety of the crossings. I'm not sure how much impact it'll actually have on the number of crossings. Because like I say, well, people want to cross while there are no safe and legal routes, people will still be trying to come through any means. This week, Labour launched a border security command designed to crack down on people smuggling gangs. Now it comes as a new home secretary is going to be invited to Kent as figures show a sharp rise in the number of lone child asylum seekers arriving here. Council leader Roger Gough wants to vet Cooper to know about the pressure it's putting on the local authority. The county took him more than 1100 youngsters in the first six months of this year. That's up from 624 over the same period in 2023. Three teenagers are being questioned by police following the death of a man at an allotment in Tumbridge Wells. Officers were called the site off Southwood Road following reports of intruders. A man in his 70s was treated for a suspected medical episode but died at the scene. A group of robbers who targeted eight people in the space of just two hours in Snodland and Rochester have been sent to prison. They were armed with a metal pole and wrenches when they threatened their victim and stole cash and phones in January. The men who are all from Medway have been locked up for a total of 15 years. Now a couple have told the podcast their damp, cold and multi flat in Maidstone is making their health conditions even worse. Mandy Croucher and her wife Donna have lived in the property in Willington Street since December 2022. But pictures at Kent Online show Black Mold they've also complained of drafty windows and evidence of asbestos. Well Mandy says it's having a huge impact. The situation is impacting my health and it's also impacting my wife's health as well because I have got a lot of health conditions with really bad asthma, fibro-minalgea. My mobility is really bad. I also have a lot of mental health problems. My wife has also got type 2 diabetics. She feels very drained the same as myself and we're very very tired. It's getting us both down, very very upset and very depressed. We just don't want to love you anymore. We really want to get moved. Yeah well it's ruined a lot of our possessions. We've had to flow out clothes and furniture because of damping mold. It's also ruined our carpets and we've had a sweet, a three piece sweet and that all destroyed because of the damp and there's a musty smell in the property when it gets really hot and when the sun's out and it's just really horrible really and we just feel that they don't want to help. Now the property is owned by Golden Homes who say they're spending £2.9 million this year on a programme to replace windows and doors. They go on to say we're making good progress and keeping our customers updated about what we're doing and when. Kent Online reports. Police have been called to a fight in a pub in Sittingborne that broke out during the infant game on Wednesday night. It's said to have happened after a pint was thrown as Ollie Watkins scored the winner in their Euro 2024 semi final. Police have told us they were called to reports of an assault and investigations are continuing. A police officer has reportedly been punched in the face and another bitten on the hand as they arrested a suspect in Horcast. They've been called to reports of a disturbance in the village last Thursday night. A 21 year old is doing court accused of assaulting an emergency worker. Investigations are underway into claims that a reptile and amphibian market is going to be held in Kent this weekend. Now the markets see snakes, lizards and frogs sold in plastic tubs and containers with no regard for their welfare or environmental needs. Kate has been speaking to Elaine Toland from the Animal Protection Agency. We have a long running campaign against reptile and amphibian markets where we see sensitive wild animals, lizards, frogs, snakes, treated very much as inanimate objects. They really are the most abhorrent conditions that we see at these events. Animals are displayed and sold in small plastic takeaway containers with no space to move, stretch, no food, water, nowhere to hide. And these animals also need very finely controlled conditions such as temperature, humidity, light. None of these needs are met at these events. Are they illegal, these events? Yes, these events were outlawed in 1983 via an amendment to the Pet Animals Act. It is shocking that we're still seeing this activity of wild animals being sold over market stalls in the UK in the 21st century, but thankfully it is illegal and we just need local councils to robustly enforce the legislation and to bring more prosecutions. Who is organising them? Do you find that there are criminal gangs of people pushing these animals on the black market almost? Well, this particular event is being organised by the reptile and amphibian, sorry, amphibian and reptile club, which is effectively a group of animal dealers that have got together to organise these events. And the events will be described or should I say misdescribed to venues as breeders' meetings or shows or exhibitions when in fact they're none of those things. We and Ashford Council have evidence that they are planning to stage a market at which commercial dealers will sell animals illegally. So we're asking if anyone has information regarding where this event could be taking place on Saturday, we would ask them to urgently get in touch with us here at the Animal Protection Agency or contact Ashford Borough Council. Is there a risk to the public with these sorts of events? Yes, there is. So there's a low risk of reptile related salmonellosis in particular. So these are salmonella infections that you can get from just being in areas where reptiles are. And so this is a particular concern to venues where food is consumed or vulnerable groups such as the elderly or children attend because we have to then look at post event contamination of the venues. So it is quite a serious concern and it's something that potential venues should be aware of. And particularly, as you said, if it was scheduled to be held at a school before a provision was withdrawn, that's particularly dangerous for the children. It is a concern where children are concerned, but particularly smaller children, children under five should not have any contact, direct or indirect contact with reptiles. As you heard there, anyone with information is being urged to contact Ashford Borough Council. A man from Whitsable, who booked an £8,000 holiday, says she's been left frustrated after being denied a passport by officials who claim she's not British. Gemma Tone's British father and Italian mother were not married when she was born in New York. She's been locked in a battle with the Home Office over her mother's right to be in the UK. After five months, the passport office say the issue has now been resolved. Bosses at the Port of Dover have told the podcast they've got a plan in place to keep traffic flowing during what's expected to be an incredibly busy summer. Even more people are set across the Channel to France as the Olympics take place in Paris. Additional border controls have been installed and there's a new freight permit, so lorries don't queue junk. Ken's online reports. Now the boss of a Kemp pub chain says England's success at the Euros has been a real boost for the hospitality industry. Gareth Southgate's side will play Spain in the final in Germany on Sunday. Well, I've been speaking to Phil Thawley, who's from Thawley Taverns in Thanet. I think it's given us a little bit of a lift that we've desperately needed to be perfectly honest. Certainly, with ourselves, we've got lots of outdoor spaces, we're on beaches, we're on cliff tops, and we've had an absolute dearth of bad weather running through from January, and it's been really challenging. The little bits of good weather we've had, people obviously want to come out and they come out in their drones. And the same with the football. The football was warmed and grown as the tournaments gone on, and I think everybody enjoyed it, and a last minute winner. Wow, just amazing to be honest, just amazing. Seeing the pictures from various venues around the country of all the fans celebrating is absolutely fantastic. I'm sure we'll be wanting to see a lot more of those on Sunday. How are you feeling going into the final? It's going to be a huge day, isn't it? It is going to be a great day. It's really looking forward to it. The staff are all up for it and looking forward to it. As are our customers, we're getting people pre-booking their tables and where they want to sit and where they want to be in their lucky seat because they don't want to be sitting anywhere different than where they were in the semi-final. And so, no, it's great. It's great for the country, great for us, great for our trade. Sunday will be an interesting day because I think people are going to be like a bag of nerves all day. You know, will they want to go out for lunch as normal? Will they not? It's going to be one of those funny days, really. But we're very much looking forward to it. The venues will all be ready. We've got plenty of beer in the sellers ready to look after everybody and we're going to make sure we've got enough staff on and enough of everything so that everybody can have a great time. Yeah, eight o'clock Sunday night kickoff is perhaps, I don't know whether you think that's a good thing or not. Do we build up to it over the whole of the weekend and then that's the last bit. Would you have preferred it to be maybe on the Saturday? Oh, look. It'll be when it will be. It's a bit like whether you can't predict it. I'm sure that the TV stations who pay all the money for the rights, they're the ones who decide when it's going to be. A lot of European football is played in the evening. A lot of European football is play Sunday night. So, I think it's to suit the European market as such. For ourselves, I'm just delighted we're in the finals. But more than anything, I just think it's a bit of feel-good factor that the country needs at the moment. We've all had a torrid time since COVID. And it's really something where the whole nation can unite and really get behind the football team. And yet, look, some of the football in the early stages was a bit difficult. However, at the end of the day, football is like most things. It's a results business. And Gareth Southgate has got us to the final. I'm sure that when he comes out, win, lose or draw, he's going to wind up being Sir Gareth Southgate, having done as long as he has in charge of the national team. And been as successful as he has. And look, all the boys can do is go out on Sunday night and do their very best. And if their best is good enough, then that will be absolutely sensational. I, for one, are very proud of them to have gotten to that situation. I mean, the penalties in the quarter-final were just off the scale. And then for what things to come on last night, not being on the pitch very long. And at that really acute angle, just slide the ball home. Wow, it's amazing. Just amazing. We are heading out to watch the game on Sunday night. We hope you have a fabulous time. We hope football is coming home. And the application for a Gravesend cocktail bar to extend its opening hours has been denied amid an ongoing row with neighbours. The page in Parrick Street wanted to be able to play music and surf alcohol until 4am from Friday to Sunday, 1am during the week. It was not back due to an unresolved noise complaint. Bosses, behind plans to transform at the former Debanhams in Canterbury High Street, say they're committed to the project, despite hitting some obstacles. The £25m project would see the site turned into 12 shops and 74 flats. But it stalled after the financial investment fell through and over concerns about water pollution. The property owner insists they're still on board and very keen to make it happen. Kent Online News East Enders actor and strictly winner Rose Ailing Ellis is set to become the first Deaf Live Sports presenter on British TV. The 29-year-old who grew up in Heith will front the coverage of the Paralympics on Channel 4. There's a warning not to get too close to seal pups that have been pictured on a Kent beach. Eleven have been born in the east of the county and images from Sandwich have been shared on socials or Kent Wildlife Trust say they shouldn't be approached or ever picked up and only go on tours to see them with accredited operators. Meantime, we're being encouraged to count butterflies in Kent to help scientists understand just how they're being affected by climate change. The insects are said to be key indicators of the health of the environment, with half of the species in Britain already threatened with extinction. The count starts today and ends on August the 4th. And artifacts dating back to the Neolithic or Bronze Age have been discovered near Favisham. Archaeologists have been carrying out a dig on a burial mound at Stringman's Farm on the Lees Cortis State. They've unearthed items including flintchippings, fragments of rare decorated pottery created three thousand years before the Romans came to Kent and evidence of human prehistoric cremations. Richard Taylor is general manager of the Kent Archaeological Society. We put a trench across the outer ditch around this burial mound and just cutting into it slightly. A lo and behold, what we discovered was a structure which had clearly been built of chalk, a mound, a burial mound and within the ditch fills, just below it, we found evidence of a Neolithic pottery from about three thousand BC and also Neolithic flintwork. So that gives us a date for this mound itself. So it's not a modern thing, it's a very old thing. And what are the next kind of steps? You've done this trench and other plans to go further into the mound or what's the sort of timeline looking at? No, that's as far as we're going to do now. We've found out everything we need to know from this because it's a grave. We don't want to disturb it anymore. So once it's all recorded, then we backfill it and leave it as it was originally. Having taken the evidence that we need from it and do you think that this find will kind of contribute to the wide and knowledge that we have? Do you think this will almost expand on our knowledge of this time? Absolutely. Well, one of the things that this whole community excavation, it's so exciting is because it was never really believed that Neolithic people occupied this part of Kent to any great extent. And what we've done through our excavations over the years, a combination of professional archaeologists and volunteer archaeologists, we've been able to suggest or even show that there is a very large prehistoric community in this area. They're not living here. What they're doing is they're burying their dead here. So clearly, there are people around from that time. And you can watch a report on this story from our colleagues at KMTV by clicking on the article on the website. And now with a look at everything going on in Kent this weekend, here's Sam Laurie. I imagine lots of us already have plans for the weekend, especially on Sunday. I want to say probably around eight o'clock in the evening. But if you're looking for something to do until the big game, I have some ideas for you. First up is a throwback festival with artists from the '90s and '90s, playing some serious tunes from tonight until Sunday. Revival returns to Maidstones Mote Park this weekend, with performances from Peter Andre, Blue, Artful Dodger, Blazing Squad and Five, as well as Raver Tots, an old school party where everyone's welcome, even the kids, and lots of food stalls and bars. Speaking of outdoor concerts, the Leeds Castle concert is back on Saturday, bringing with it a spectacular programme of world-class entertainment. The classical concert boasts orchestras, soloists, tribute acts and western performers, not to mention the fantastic fireworks finale and Spitfire Flyover. And if you're after something a little more low-key than a night at the proms, the ever-popular Kingshill Music Festival is at the Spitfire pub in, you guessed it, Kingshill. Grab yourself a ticket and enjoy a day of local artists and cover-bounds as you chill with the pint in the pub garden. Another place you can catch them great local performers is at Folkestone Live, the town's first Fringe Festival that opens today. The festival lasts all weekend and is a celebration of Kent's most creative residents, from stand-up comedians to sketch groups and storytellers, as well as some performers from further afield. And looking ahead to next week, there's still time to book tickets for 101 Dalmatians, a new family musical that's coming to the Marlow Theatre in Canterbury from Tuesday. It stars step-singer Faye Toza and is based on the classic Disney film that features a great new soundtrack, captivating pop-its and maybe even a poppy or two. Also, even though Pride Month is officially over, that doesn't mean the celebrations have to end. In fact, in Deal, the party is only just getting started. On Saturday, Deal Pride takes to the streets with a lively parade and fun entertainment to help bring together the town's LGBTQ+ community. And finally, if you're not into football and you fancy yourself as more of a tennis fan, there's a Wimbledon fan zone being set up in Calvary Grounds in Tumbriduels on Saturday and Sunday, where you can watch some of the tournament's most exciting games on the big screen. But if you do plan on cheering on the England team on Sunday night, there's a list of Kent's best pubs, clubs and bars showing the Euro 2024 final on Kent Online, so you can soak up the atmosphere and have a few drinks, even if it's just to calm your selves. So whatever you're up to and wherever you're watching, let's hope this weekend is one to remember. Kent's Online Sports. Football first up and ahead of their first preseason friendly, Gillinghams, Johnny Williams has told us training is going well. They're reported for duty at the start of the month and have six weeks before the opening game of the season. And the midfielder says they're enjoying the build-up. There was a lot of made of the new sort of set-up internally. There was a lot of new players and stuff. I'm not making machines and all sorts of fancy games, but what's it like out there? It's really nice. It's really nice. It's almost like being back in the Premier League. No, it's really good. It's definitely a car above league T-level. And we need to enjoy it, treat it with respect and, you know, look after themselves because it's now all there in terms of nutrition. And it's an important football now. And I'm sure some people still have something to mind about, but it's lovely. We can't complain and we're very lucky to have it, so we enjoy it. You mentioned at the manager how he cares for players and stuff. That's a key part of management isn't it, in bringing out the best of people by doing that? Of course, that's right. In fact, he cares for players. He looks out for them. He's not just about the football for them, is it? No, I think it goes so far in this day. If it was, I think, it's like any job you treat people well and you believe in them, you'll get the best out of them, or you'll have more chance of getting the best out of them. I think that's what the best Monodet managers do. They care about not just the player and what he does on the pitch, but how they are off the pitch and they really buy into it, not just the players, but staff around the place. I think it makes a massive difference in football. We are people at the end of the day, and it's really important that he does care about us and how we are, as well as not just what we do on the pitch and as players. It's fantastic and we're happy to have him, and we're really delighted to have him. Ben has talked about you playing centrally, potentially now, and so when they sign it, two new wingers, that must have been muted to your ears, wasn't it? Yeah, I like playing. I just want to play as much as I can. I've missed a lot of football when I was younger. But yeah, of course, I do think I play my best play for ball when I have pace around me. I can get turned and you see runners in behind your eyes, that movement in behind that pace around you kind of dictates my pass. It makes me pass the ball forward, and we go forward as a team, so that forward movement, rather than me, always being the one that's running onto them passes, hopefully I'll be turned making them passes and I think that's where I play best. So yeah, I know I was happy. If I might have to put him, you never know. The owners here have talked about the kind of football they want to see played and exciting football for the fans to watch. Are you excited about what could happen now for next season? Yeah, I'm really excited. There was times they did clip last year, we just weren't consistent enough and that's why we didn't make the playoffs or the top three. I think consistency would be important this year and it would be important for us to get this place rocking, make this place a tough place to come. It is quite a northern league, but make people, they don't want to come to priesthood, they don't want to travel with them. I was to come here to get quits so far as we want to make it a place where we are hard to beat, but also a place we're excited to watch and people want to come and watch us play on a Saturday or a Tuesday or whatever it is. We want to make fans happy and get them off their seats and vice versa. We'll be needing them when it does get tough and when they do get behind you, it makes a massive difference to us as well. So yeah, we're really looking forward to seeing them again and seeing lots of smiley faces hopefully at a full time. Originals play Millwall at Priestfield tomorrow and finally in cricket. It's another disappointing result for Kent in the T20. They were beaten by 22 runs by Essex yesterday. The loss leaves and bottom of the South group having only one three of their 11 matches. They'll be hoping for an improvement tonight when they take on Sussex in Canterbury. That's all from us for today. Thanks ever so much for listening. Don't forget, you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and threads. You can also get details on the top stories, direct your email each morning via the briefing to sign up to that. Just head to kentonline.co.uk and whilst you're on the site today, don't forget to check out the latest review from our secret drinker and where you can watch the Euro's final between England and Spain at the weekend. Whatever you're doing, have a great few days. We'll be back with the podcast on Monday. It's nearly time for fun at Cossington Park Sports Centre. The family-friendly, inclusive pool and sports centre from Medway, opening on Wednesday the 17th of July with a brand new fun pool, wave machine and flume, four lane swimming pool and splash pool for little ones, multi-purpose dance and fitness studio with children's party area and their state of the art gym. The Countdown is on. Sign up to a membership and find out more at medway.gov.uk/cosingtonpark.
