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Catch up with all your latest news from across the county with Finn Macdiarmid.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:27I'm Finn McDermott and here are your top stories on Thursday the 9th of October.
00:32Falsely accused, local ice cream vendor defends innocence after Facebook witch hunt.
00:36I've not been going out, you know, to where I normally go and, you know, I don't feel
00:45comfortable.
00:46Saddle up, new hoist at Dartford horse riding centre giving disabled children a chance to
00:51ride.
00:52I can do to this day, I can do on a horse, I can be normal on a horse and ride with people
01:00that don't have a disability and just still fit in.
01:04And an unforgettable recovery.
01:06Canterbury's Bokey the Bear marks one year since life-saving surgery.
01:09This is a year on since he had pioneering brain surgery to treat his hydrocephalus and he
01:15was the first brown bear to ever be diagnosed with hydrocephalus and he was the first brown
01:19bear to ever have brain surgery.
01:30But in our top story this evening, an ice cream van driver has faced death threats and even, sorry,
01:37and after being falsely accused of an incident involving a child in a cemetery.
01:43Raja Khan, who owns the Drifters Whippy, said he's been left fearing for his life after suffering
01:48online abuse over the matter.
01:50We spoke with Raja earlier who talked about the effect this has had on him and his business.
01:55I've not been going out, you know, to where I normally go and, you know, I don't feel comfortable,
02:08you know, and until the police have arrested the instigators and they've released an official
02:18statement so that the public know the truth and so I'm not going out to work, I'm not earning no pennies.
02:31Sorry about that. Viewers appear to have misplaced my script, but ignoring that for the moment,
02:35our reporter Alfie Rojo joins me in the studio. So Alfie, how did this horrible misunderstanding come about?
02:41Well, Finn, the story starts on Monday, September 29th, when a secondary school-aged girl was walking her dog
02:47through Tunbridge Cemetery, at which point she noticed three men running towards her,
02:51and reportedly one of them grabbed her arm, and so she ran towards the nearest exit.
02:56Now, at the time, this is important, one of Raja's ice cream vans driven by his brother was parked nearby
03:01and selling ice cream. Now, Kent Online has confirmed with the authorities that the ice cream van was in no way linked
03:07to the incident at hand. However, despite this, schools in the facility were saying that the incident
03:13was involving a girl and an ice cream van. Rumours quickly spread online, linking Raja's business to the incident.
03:20I see, and I'm aware there's been a bit of an online reaction. Can you tell us a bit about that?
03:24Yeah, the response online has been pretty brutal, to be honest. Raja's faced a torrent of abuse and threats,
03:29including someone threatening, quote, to set his van on fire with him inside.
03:34Now, while Mr Khan stated he doesn't, you know, believe there is too much vindictive intent
03:39behind the vast majority of people within the area, as you can see from this post here,
03:43where we blocked out the quite offensive language being used,
03:46it's clearly been some vindictive writing about him and his business.
03:49And as is often the case, online hate has spilled into real life, as Raja spoke with us earlier about.
03:55Evening Crawley yesterday, one of us parked up, had an idiot come to me on his bike,
04:04and he says, what are you doing here? You come to kidnap another child?
04:08Honest. And it was horrible. And I said to him, look, see, because there's not a lot you can do, you know,
04:18and I had firm words with him. I said, go ring the police, just clear off.
04:25But they were just right there in your face. You had people in the estate taking pictures yesterday.
04:31It's happening every day, and I just came home.
04:35Well, thank you for bringing us the news on this story, Alfie.
04:39Next, a 16-year-old boy has been arrested following multiple cars being set alight in Margate and Broadstairs.
04:46The video you can see here was taken in the early hours of Wednesday morning
04:50and shows a car engulfed in flames in Cliftonville, just hours before another suspected arson attack in the same district.
04:57Police confirmed they were called to four separate incidents, and each fire was extinguished by firefighters.
05:03There are no reports of injuries, and the police have said these incidents are being treated as suspicious by investigators,
05:08and an arson investigation has also been launched.
05:11The teenager was arrested Wednesday night and remains in custody while inquiries continue.
05:16They add that anyone with any more information is being asked to contact Kent police.
05:21In some other news, millions of households across Kent will have to pay higher water bills.
05:26This is after the UK's competition body agreed to let southern and southeast water increase charges.
05:32The companies had asked for permission to raise bills by more than the amount previously agreed by the regulator Offwatt,
05:38arguing more was needed to deliver better infrastructure.
05:42A panel appointed by the Competition and Market Authority has now said southern can raise their bills by 3%
05:47and southeast can raise theirs by 4%.
05:50The companies both said they are currently evaluating the outcome and will respond to the CMA by November 6th.
05:56A new hoist at the Arrow Riding Centre in Dartford is being celebrated for making horse riding therapy more accessible than ever before.
06:04The equipment allows young people with additional needs, even those who can't stand unaided, to mount the centre's mechanical horse.
06:11Those at the centre say riding provides physical and emotional support to the young people,
06:15and the hoist now means the experience can be safe for all, as I've been finding out.
06:21This is Kiana. She's 17 years old and in 2020 she became paralysed from the neck down,
06:27lost all of her eyesight and was told she would never walk again.
06:31But now at the Arrow Riding Centre in Dartford, not only can she walk, she can also trot, canter and gallop as well.
06:37Riding a horse is my whole life basically. It helps me physically and mentally and it's really good for my rehabilitation.
06:49At one point I was paralysed from the neck down and wasn't meant to walk again and horses have completely changed that.
06:56And things I still can't do to this day, I can do on a horse, I can be normal on a horse and ride with people that don't have a disability and just still fit in.
07:10She says it's become like a second home to her and that's in part thanks to the kind of horses they keep at the centre.
07:16Now this here is Mia. Now Mia's got a very even temperament which is very good for young disabled children who might want to ride her.
07:23But for those children who aren't able to weight bear, which means to hold their own weight with their own strength,
07:28their mechanical horse, Jeremy, is able to provide that instead.
07:32And this new hoist means they can get those children who aren't able to weight bear onto Jeremy
07:36to get a simulated experience of what it might be like to ride a horse like Mia.
07:41Jeremy is named after the leader of Dartford Council, Jeremy Kite, and provides an experience like riding a real horse.
07:47It requires pressure from the rider on parts like the stirrups in order to steer,
07:51and the simulator can be a fun and effective method of physical therapy for those with additional needs.
07:57When I watched what happened here I became totally hooked.
08:01And for me it's like watching magic.
08:04When you see the riders start, we start from 17 months of age with our physiotherapist who works with them.
08:12We then, when they can't actually sit up, we then work when they actually have spinal control,
08:20we move them onto another horse that's got a bit more movement in it.
08:24Some of these riders that started like that, they now compete at national level.
08:29So it is absolutely wonderful to watch.
08:34The centre is part of the Riding for the Disabled Association charity and the CEO came down to open their new hoist.
08:41Personally I've been involved with horses all of my life and I suppose therefore it's not difficult to convince me
08:46of the huge therapeutic power that horses have.
08:49Of course actually our real job is to convince lots of other people and I think you've been here this morning
08:54and seeing the impact that horses have on everyday people's lives.
08:59And we work with more than 39,000 people across the UK every year in RDA
09:03through amazing local groups like this one we're at today.
09:06And that's the thing that transforms people's lives.
09:09The new hoist means that for young people who can't support their weight, they can be equestrians with ease.
09:14Finn McDermid for KMTV in Dartford.
09:17Next, this is a story that you might think would be more in 1925 rather than 2025.
09:26A World War II Spitfire forced to make an emergency landing in Hythe
09:30after its engine failed due to a piece of outdated equipment.
09:33These are the findings of an investigation into the incident that happened in May.
09:37Kristen Hawthorne joins me and has some more details.
09:40Kristen, you know I love a bit of history.
09:42We've had Kent Chronicles.
09:43Tell me, what can you tell me about the story?
09:45What updates can you bring us?
09:46So the update is the World War II plane came down in a field on Lower Wall Road.
09:51This is what we know so far.
09:52West High, so that happened in May, which triggered an air accident investigation branch investigation.
09:59That lasted for five months until today basically.
10:02So today investigators have revealed that degraded parts prompted fuel to spray into a section of the engine bay mid-flight,
10:11forcing him to take emergency action.
10:13When we get our pictures coming up here in a second, we'll be able to show you that.
10:17Yes, so that's it there.
10:18So that is the fuel pressure switch and degraded gas gasket from the crashed Spitfire.
10:23Very interesting.
10:24And then there's other pictures that are following.
10:26Wow, this is fascinating.
10:27I mean, I remember when this all came out and it was sort of the big news of the day.
10:30Tell us what actually happened on that day. Talk us through the day as it happened.
10:36So the pilot that was flying the plane, he had a passenger with him on a fly-a-spit-fire experience from Biggin Hill.
10:44He firstly checked the engine levels, which appeared normal.
10:47But within five seconds of taking off, the engine rapidly lost power.
10:51So they didn't seem to be that high up, which was maybe one of the reasons why it was safe.
10:56Smoke was then seen coming from the plane as the engine began to backfire and lose power.
11:01The pilot smelled fuel and suspected a fuel problem before selecting a nearby field for a forced landing.
11:08He kept control of the aircraft, made a smooth touch down and both he and the passenger escaped without serious injury.
11:14The Spitfire did, however, suffer damage to its underside and propeller.
11:18Right, fascinating.
11:19Well, we haven't got much time left.
11:21I could talk about Spitfires for ages.
11:23We'll be back soon.
11:24We will be back soon.
11:25But for now, that is all the time we have on for this part of the show.
11:30But coming up after the break, Kristen Hawthorne will be bringing us all the latest sport from across the county,
11:37hopefully with a bit better diction than me.
11:39And we'll be taking a look at the one-year anniversary of Boki the Bear's pioneering surgery.
11:43All that and more after this very short break.
11:46See you in just a few minutes.
12:00Bye, you.
12:01.
15:00Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
15:18But before I can tell you all the news, it's time to catch up on the latest sports headlines with Kristen Hawthorne.
15:23First in football, Ashford United midfielder Will Dupree is back in action almost a year after discovering he'd been playing with a fractured hip.
15:39Dupree started Ashford's last two games with penalty shootout wins over Favisham and Biggles Wade in the League Cup and FA Trophy as he continues to rebuild his match fitness.
15:50Manager Lord Hulme says the 27-year-old was unknowingly playing through the serious injury last season and has spent months in rehab to make a full recovery.
15:59Ashford's FA Trophy win saw them come from behind three times before beating Biggles Wade 4-2 on penalties.
16:06Skipper Gary Lockyer scoring twice and again in the shootout.
16:10The Nuts and Bolts now face Bedford away in the first round on the 25th of October before returning to league action against BCD this Saturday at Homelands.
16:19Invicta Dynamos are gearing up for a big weekend doubleheader against Streatham Redhawks in the NIHL South Division 1.
16:27The Moes have made a strong start to their league campaign, collecting five points from their opening two games.
16:34They travel to Streatham on Saturday before hosting the same opponents in Gillingham on Sunday.
16:39Head coach Carl Lennon says the back-to-back fixtures are always dramatic and believes his side can make a real statement if they build on recent performances.
16:47Last weekend's league trip to Solon was postponed due to ice rink issues, while the Moes lost 5-3 to Slough Jets in the Challenge Cup despite leading 3-2 in the final period.
17:00Lennon praised his players' effort and says confidence remains high as they look to turn strong displays into more wins.
17:07And Tunbridge Angels boss Alan Dunn says he's determined to help his young squad reach their full potential as they prepare for a big FA Cup derby this weekend.
17:16The Angels host Chatham Town in the fourth qualifying round on Saturday, fresh from a 2-1 comeback win over Dover in the National League South.
17:25Dunn says he wants his players to believe in themselves and use Tunbridge as a platform to progress in their careers.
17:32Defender Bailey Akehurst impressed against Dover, setting up both goals in front of more than 1,200 fans at Longmead,
17:40and his manager is urging them to stay confident and positive going forward.
17:43The winners on Saturday will move into the first round with Football League sides entering the competition with almost £10,000 of prize money on the line.
17:52And that's all your sport for now.
17:53And don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website, that's kmtv.co.uk.
18:10There you'll find all our reports, including this one, about a colony of Humboldt penguins doing their daily walks at Wingham Wildlife Park.
18:17Fint-tastic.
18:35These Humboldt penguins from Wingham Wildlife Park show off their graceful moves in the water, native to coastal lines of Peru and Chile.
18:43They are strong swimmers, reaching speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, despite their awkward movement on land.
18:52Here, keepers encourage the penguins to display natural behaviours, such as nest building, by offering them a daily walk where participation is entirely up to them.
19:02So I've waddled over to Wingham Wildlife Park to see their penguins in action during their morning exercise.
19:10And let's just say, they're really winging it.
19:13They begin their morning walk with some encouragement, usually in the form of fish.
19:18Then the penguins follow a path around the grassy area near the enclosure, collecting treats as they go.
19:24The morning exercise is really important for them.
19:26It gives them a chance to have a mooch about and go out and about.
19:30So it's good for enrichment for them.
19:33It's something that's completely up to them.
19:34So some days we'll do it and only two or three will want to go out.
19:38Other days we'll have nearly the whole group of 18 come out.
19:42So it's something which they do enjoy doing it.
19:46But yeah, especially around breeding season, they love going out and just picking up leaves and little stones and things to bring back for their nests.
19:54In the wild, Humboldt penguins live on rocky coasts and islands.
19:59They like to make their nests in places with guino because they can dig burrows there.
20:03It might sound gross, but the waste helps them build safe homes.
20:07The real problem is that guino is also a great fertiliser, so people collected a lot of it in the 1800s.
20:14This ruins many penguin nesting spots and disturbed the birds, causing their numbers to drop.
20:19But Wingham Wildlife Park has been successfully breeding Humboldt since 2013, aiding the survival of their species.
20:28So it seems that all it takes to make a penguin happy and healthy is water, food and a daily waddle.
20:34Happy feet indeed.
20:36Maisie Walker for KMTV, Canterbury.
20:38Staying in animal news now, we have a berry good update for you.
20:45The beloved Boki the bear at Herne Bay's Wildwood Trust has been celebrating one year since he underwent life-saving brain surgery.
20:53The brown bear went under the knife to treat a build-up of fluid in his brain that was causing seizures.
20:57Megan Shaw's been to see Boki and his keepers to mark the special anniversary.
21:01It isn't every day you celebrate one year after having brain surgery, and Boki the bear made no bones about commemorating.
21:10It's right here where Boki the bear has lived for almost two years, and thanks to life-saving brain surgery, he has the chance to live many more.
21:18Young Boki, who is almost four years old, was the first European brown bear to undergo brain surgery after frequent seizures revealed he had a condition that filled his brain with spinal fluid.
21:31One year on, he has made a miraculous full recovery, and his keepers are amazed the trailblazing operation went so smoothly.
21:40This is massive for us and for Boki, so this is a year on since he had pioneering brain surgery to treat his hydrocephalus,
21:47and he was the first brown bear to ever be diagnosed with hydrocephalus, and he was the first brown bear to ever have brain surgery.
21:53So to get him recovered from all of that and to go a full year on from that is absolutely amazing, and he's doing so well right now.
22:00So he's happy, he's healthy, he's back to himself, he's climbing trees, he's swimming, he's playing with the other bears, he's digging, he's doing everything he's supposed to be.
22:08And how did he celebrate? With a cake, made of sweet potatoes, seeds, nuts and dog biscuits, which went down a treat.
22:17Boki is preparing to enter torpor, a lighter form of hibernation, for the second time in his short life, and has gained weight in preparation.
22:26All signs of a healthy bear.
22:28Boki was taken in by the Wildwood Trust after his family rejected him, but quickly found a home in Kent, with the two other bears that live there, brothers Scruff and Fluff.
22:39Although the surgery itself was novel, treating and caring for sick animals is something the Wildwood Trust is no stranger to.
22:46In fact, the zoo's own vet, Elliot Simpson-Brown, anaestheticised Boki himself.
22:53Animal Behaviour Management Officer Becky is confident about Boki's future.
22:58He is back to his usual self, he's back to being cheeky, active, climbing his trees, doing all the things he did before.
23:05We're still monitoring though, we're not saying, that's it, done, end of.
23:08We're still keeping a close eye on him, but for everything that we were doing for him before, he doesn't need his medication anymore.
23:15So, all things going to plan, there shouldn't need to be any future surgeries, unless there might be a blockage with the shunt or something like that.
23:22We'll keep an eye out and that will happen.
23:23The future might be uncertain for Boki, but for now, he seems more than happy to have his cake and eat it.
23:30Megan Shaw for KMTV in Herne Bay.
23:36Well, Megan joins us now. Tell us a little bit more about that surgery. How is Boki doing?
23:41So, the operation took place in October of last year because he had hydrocephalus and he'd been having seizures because of like a buildup of fluid that put pressure on his brain.
23:50And he'd been struggling with that since around May 2024.
23:53So, the operation itself took five hours. It took place in his enclosure at the Wildwood Trust, which was great.
24:00They didn't need to transport him too far. And he was fitted with a stent. This was to drain the fluid building up there.
24:05And all of that made him the first European brown bear to have an MRI, be diagnosed with hydrocephalus and undergo brain surgery.
24:13I see. And I can't help but notice in these pictures that Boki looks a little lonely.
24:17Is Boki the only bear at Wildwood Trust or does he have some friends?
24:20Luckily, there are two other brown bears at the Wildwood Trust.
24:25So, there are two centres. There's one in Kent and one in Devon.
24:27The one in Kent has three bears. There's also Fluff and Scruff and they're Wildwood's oldest bears.
24:32They came to the UK in 2014 after a disused bear hunting centre in Bulgaria.
24:38So, they travelled quite a long way.
24:39Boki was just 10 months old when he came to the Wildwood Trust as he was rejected by his mother at just 10 weeks old.
24:45And he quickly became a young brother to Scruff and Fluff.
24:48Oh, Scruff and Fluff. I love those names.
24:50Some iconic bears. Winnie the Pooh, Paddington.
24:52And known for being very hospitable. Is Boki ready to have some visitors yet? Can people go and see him?
24:57Absolutely. As you can see in that report there, he loves being on camera. He loves people.
25:01You can visit him and his two brothers at the Wildwood Trust in Hearn.
25:05There's also other species to see there. There's deers, badgers, wolves.
25:08And you can see bears in a few places in Kent, such as Portland Reserve in Hithe and the Wingham Wildlife Park near Canterbury.
25:15Brilliant. Great to hear that Boki's doing well.
25:18I mean, we've been hearing some news all about Boki.
25:20I think it was big news back when he had the original surgery.
25:23Do you know about when that was?
25:25Yes, he had the original surgery October of last year.
25:28So, this is kind of the anniversary of that to celebrate.
25:31I mean, it was the first of its kind.
25:33So, his keepers were unsure how he would fare, what would happen.
25:37But he's doing great. He's back to his old self.
25:39Brilliant. Well, thank you so much for bringing us this news.
25:42And glad to hear that Boki is recovering well.
25:45Now, let's take a quick look at the weather.
25:53Tonight, we'll be feeling a bit of a chill in the county.
25:56Lows of 12 degrees down in Tunbridge Wells.
25:57Highs of 14 in Medway.
26:01Tomorrow morning, it'll stay a cloudy one.
26:0313 and 14 degrees across the board.
26:04Not much change from the night before.
26:06But it will warm up slightly in the evening.
26:09Highs of 17 in Dartford, with elsewhere looking a little colder.
26:12And here is your outlook for the next few days.
26:15And I'm afraid it's all a bit boring.
26:1617 degrees with some sun on Saturday and Sunday.
26:20But grey and overcast on Monday.
26:21Well, that is all the time we have for Kent tonight.
26:33But not too soon.
26:35Because after this short break, we'll be bringing you some more news,
26:39which will be all about an ice cream van that has unfortunately been embroiled in some online controversy,
26:45but not of their own fault.
26:47We can hear that story and more after this break.
26:49See you in a few minutes.
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30:32children a chance to ride.
30:37And an unforgettable journey.
30:39Canterbury's Bokey the Bear marks one year since life-saving surgery.
30:45But first tonight in our top story.
30:47An ice cream van driver has defended his innocence after being falsely accused of a recent incident
30:52involving a child in a Tunbridge Cemetery.
30:55Raja Khan, who owns the business, Drifter's Whippy, said he's been left fearing for his
30:59life after suffering death threats and online abuse over the matter.
31:03We spoke with Raja earlier, who talked about the effect this has had on him and on his business.
31:07I've not been going out, you know, to where I normally go.
31:14And you know, I don't feel comfortable, you know, until the police have arrested the instigators
31:28and they've released an official statement so that the public know the truth.
31:36And so I'm not going out to work, I'm not earning no pennies.
31:42Well, our reporter Alfie Rowe joins me in the studio.
31:45Alfie, how did this misunderstanding come about?
31:48Well, it started on September the 29th when a girl of secondary school age was walking her
31:53dog through Tunbridge Cemetery. She reportedly saw three men running towards her from a cemetery entrance
31:59and allegedly one of them grabbed her arm and then she ran to the exit in order to avoid them.
32:04Now, at the time, one of Raja's ice cream vans, driven by his brother, was parked nearby and selling ice cream to customers.
32:11Now, it has been confirmed to the authorities that the ice cream van is in no way linked to what happened in the cemetery at all.
32:17However, in spite of this, local schools initially warned parents of an incident involving a girl and an ice cream van and rumors spread quickly online, catching wildfire.
32:26I see. And tell us a bit about this online reaction. I'm aware there's been a lot of misinformation about it.
32:30Yeah, of course. There's been a rather brutal and vitriolic response by some quarters of the Internet.
32:37Raja's faced a torrent of abuse and threats, including someone threatening to set his van on fire with him inside.
32:43Now, as you can see here, some of the social media posts, we've blurred the comments due to offensive language.
32:49But yeah, these are appearing all over on Facebook targeting the man.
32:53And as is often the case with examples like this, when things happen online, this can be spilled into real life.
33:00And we spoke with Raja about the personal abuse he has received and how it's affected him in his life.
33:05Evening crawly yesterday, one of us parked up, had an idiot come to me on his bike and he says,
33:14what are you doing here? You come to kidnap another child? Honest. And it was horrible.
33:21And I said to him, look, see, because there's not a lot you can do, you know, and I had firm words with him.
33:31I said, go ring the police, just clear off. But they were just right there in your face.
33:36You had people in the estate taking pictures yesterday. It's happening every day. And I just came home.
33:44Some very difficult stuff here. Tell me, have the authorities gotten involved?
33:48Well, yes. On Friday of last week, Raja reported the harassment to the police, saying he was, quote,
33:53extremely scared for himself and his family and their safety. Now, as a precaution,
33:58he stopped taking out his five ice cream vans, which, as we can tell, as you said in the previous
34:03clip, has seriously impacted his business. Now, the Kent police have confirmed they've received
34:08this report of harassment involving abuse and threats, including online activity, which we spoke
34:13about earlier. However, the police investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.
34:18So far. But referring back to the original incident with the girl in the cemetery,
34:23the authorities have issued a public appeal about the inciting incident, and they've asked
34:27for witnesses who may have been in the Tunbridge area at the time. They've also urged residents
34:32who live nearby who might have CCTV footage of the day in question to come forward and present
34:38it to the police. I see. Well, thank you so much for bringing us the latest on this story.
34:42Next, staying in Margate and multiple roads in the town were closed on Wednesday afternoon as a bomb
34:48disposal team were called and homes were evacuated. A teenage boy has been arrested after suspicious
34:55items were found in a flat. People from the evacuated homes were taken to a nearby leisure center and an
35:00explosive ordnance disposal squad was deployed. The team carried out a controlled explosion to make the
35:06items safe. Cordon's have since been removed and residents have been allowed to return to their homes.
35:12In some lighter news now, a new hoist at the Arrow Riding Center in Dartford is being celebrated
35:17for making horse riding therapy more accessible than ever before. The equipment allows young people
35:21with additional needs, even those who can't stand unaided, to mount the center's mechanical horse.
35:27Those at the center say riding provides physical and emotional support to the young people,
35:31and the hoist now means the experience can be safe for all, as I've been finding out.
35:36This is Kiana. She's 17 years old and in 2020 she became paralyzed from the neck down,
35:42lost all of her eyesight and was told she would never walk again. But now at the Arrow Riding Center
35:48in Dartford, not only can she walk, she can also trot, canter and gallop as well.
35:52Riding a horse is my whole life basically. It helps me physically and mentally and it's really good
36:02for my rehabilitation. At one point I was paralyzed from the neck down and wasn't meant to walk again
36:09and horses have completely changed that and things I still can't do to this day I can do on a horse. I
36:17can be normal on a horse and ride with people that don't have a disability and just still fit in.
36:26She says it's become like a second home to her and that's in part thanks to the kind of horses
36:30they keep at the center. Now this here is Mia. Now Mia's got a very even temperament which is very
36:36good for young disabled children who might want to ride her. But for those children who aren't able to
36:40weight bear, which means to hold their own weight with their own strength, their mechanical horse,
36:45Jeremy is able to provide that instead. And this new hoist means they can get those children who
36:50aren't able to weight bear onto Jeremy to get a simulated experience of what it might be like
36:54to ride a horse like Mia. Jeremy is named after the leader of Dartford Council, Jeremy Kite,
37:00and provides an experience like riding a real horse. It requires pressure from the rider on parts like
37:05the stirrups in order to steer and the simulator can be a fun and effective method of physical therapy
37:10for those with additional needs. When I watched what happened here I became totally hooked and for me
37:17it's like watching magic. When you see the riders start, we start from 17 months of age with our
37:24physiotherapist who works with them. We then, when they can't actually sit up, we then work when they
37:32actually have spinal control. We move them onto another horse that's got a bit more movement in it.
37:39Some of these riders that started like that, they now compete at national level.
37:45So it is absolutely wonderful to watch. The centre is part of the Riding for the Disabled
37:52Association charity and the CEO came down to open their new hoist. Personally, I've been involved with
37:57horses all of my life and I suppose therefore it's not difficult to convince me of the huge therapeutic
38:03power that horses have. Of course actually our real job is to convince lots of other people
38:08and I think you've been here this morning and seeing the impact that horses have on on everyday
38:13people's lives. And we work with more than 39,000 people across the UK every year in RDA
38:18through amazing local groups like this one we're at today and that's the thing that transforms people's
38:24lives. The new hoist means that for young people who can't support their weight,
38:27they can be equestrians with ease. Finn McDermid for KMTV in Dartford.
38:35Next, a World War II Spitfire was forced to make an emergency landing in Hyde after its engine failed
38:41due to a piece of outdated equipment. These are the findings of an investigation into the incident
38:45which happened in May. Kristen Hawthorne has more details and joins me now. We spoke a bit about this
38:51in one of the previous parts of the show. You were telling us about how the day unfolded and you
38:56stopped at the point where the plane made its emergency landing. What else can you tell us?
39:00Well, so after he had to make a forced landing, which is what this obviously is,
39:05and he kept control of the air track. Aircraft made a smooth touchdown.
39:09And then there was obviously damage to the plane itself. So an AAIB, that is the Air Accident Investigation
39:17Branch, they found that the fault was caused by a 70-year-old fuel pressure switch that had never been
39:22overhauled. The pilot was praised for his cam handling and decision making, crediting his training,
39:27which was what if, it was called what if training, I believe, for helping him stay focused during the
39:32emergency. The passenger suffered minor bruising, but the pilot was uninjured. And again, the aircraft
39:37sustained damage to his underside and propeller, but that has now been repaired.
39:40I see. And what if the company Flyer Spitfire actually said?
39:44So the Flyer Spitfire, in a statement, they said that accidents, well, they said that we
39:50note the Civil Aviation Authority's publication of safety notice, which provides guidance to
39:56operators and maintenance organisations to help mitigate any future occurrences of this issue.
40:01So they're basically telling people that, you know, if there's another version of this Spitfire,
40:06that you need to check it, that you need to make sure that something like this isn't going to happen
40:09again. Following minor repairs, the aircraft has been safely returned to service. And yeah,
40:15that was a Royal Canadian Air Force plane, which was being used in the Second World War. Remains one
40:21of the only few still flying today. That is fascinating. I'm aware there was a 70-year-old
40:26part that malfunctioned. Tell us a bit about that. Yes. So, I mean, we can see in the pictures really,
40:32and if they come up in just a wee second, we'll see the pictures and it shows, yes, so this is
40:36basically the fuel pressure switch and the degraded gasket from the crashed Spitfire. So, yeah, I mean,
40:43although they did do a check beforehand, within five seconds of taking off, that piece of equipment
40:49obviously failed and we were left with an emergency touchdown. I mean, it's absolutely fascinating.
40:55Kent has such an amazing military history, especially with the RAF, because of its position to
41:01France. I could talk about war history all day and you know and I have. But yeah, very fascinating.
41:07Thank you so much for bringing us this story. And I'm sure if there's any more Spitfire emergency
41:11landings, we'll hear about it and we'll talk about it. Of course. And there is more details on Kent
41:15Online. Brilliant. You can read more about it there, as I will be doing. Right. Well, that's all we have
41:19time for on this part of the show. But coming up after the break, we'll be finding out more about Kent's
41:26first A.I. Festival that's being held in Sittingbourne this weekend. And we'll be having a look at the
41:31one year anniversary of Boki the Bear's pioneering surgery. And we will, of course, be joined by
41:36Kame TV's film expert Chris Deasy. We'll be seeing all that and more after this very short break. See you
41:43in just a few minutes.
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44:56Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight live here on KMTV. Now, Sittingbourne is set to host Kent's
45:19first-ever A.I. Festival. The founder of the event says we should embrace new technology despite the
45:24fear of losing jobs. It comes following the controversy surrounding the latest A.I. actor.
45:30We spoke with Stan Ohikuare earlier about his work and how we can use A.I.
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46:25at Herne Bay's Wildwood Trust has been celebrating one year
46:28since he underwent life-saving brain surgery.
46:32The brown bear went under the knife to treat a build-up of fluid in his brain
46:35that was causing him seizures.
46:38Megan Shaw's been to see Boki the bear and his keepers
46:40to mark the special life-saving anniversary.
46:44It isn't every day you celebrate one year after having brain surgery,
46:49and Boki the bear made no bones about commemorating.
46:52It's right here where Boki the bear has lived for almost two years,
46:56and thanks to life-saving brain surgery, he has the chance to live many more.
47:00Young Boki, who is almost four years old,
47:03was the first European brown bear to undergo brain surgery
47:07after frequent seizures revealed he had a condition
47:10that filled his brain with spinal fluid.
47:13One year on, he has made a miraculous full recovery,
47:17and his keepers are amazed the trailblazing operation went so smoothly.
47:21This is massive for us and for Boki,
47:23so this is a year on since he had pioneering brain surgery
47:27to treat his hydrocephalus,
47:29and he was the first brown bear to ever be diagnosed with hydrocephalus,
47:32and he was the first brown bear to ever have brain surgery.
47:35So to get him recovered from all of that
47:37and to go a full year on from that is absolutely amazing,
47:40and he's doing so well right now.
47:42He's happy, he's healthy, he's back to himself,
47:45he's climbing trees, he's swimming, he's playing with the other bears,
47:48he's digging, he's doing everything he's supposed to be.
47:50And how did he celebrate?
47:52With a cake, made of sweet potatoes, seeds, nuts and dog biscuits,
47:57which went down a treat.
47:59Boki is preparing to enter Torpo, a lighter form of hibernation,
48:04for the second time in his short life,
48:06and has gained weight in preparation.
48:08All signs of a healthy bear.
48:10Boki was taken in by the Wildwood Trust after his family rejected him,
48:15but quickly found a home in Kent with the two other bears that live there,
48:19brothers Scruff and Fluff.
48:21Although the surgery itself was novel,
48:24treating and caring for sick animals is something the Wildwood Trust is no stranger to.
48:29In fact, the zoo's own vet, Elliot Simpson-Brown,
48:32anaestheticised Boki himself.
48:35Animal Behaviour Management Officer Becky is confident about Boki's future.
48:40He is back to his usual self.
48:42He's back to being cheeky, active, climbing his trees,
48:45doing all the things he did before.
48:47We're still monitoring, though.
48:48We're not saying, that's it, done, end of.
48:50We're still keeping a close eye on him,
48:52but for everything that we were doing for him before,
48:55he doesn't need his medication anymore.
48:57So, all things going to plan,
48:58there shouldn't need to be any future surgeries,
49:00unless there might be a blockage with the shunt or something like that.
49:04We'll keep an eye out and that will happen.
49:05The future might be uncertain for Boki,
49:08but for now, he seems more than happy to have his cake and eat it.
49:13Megan Shaw for KMTV in Herne Bay.
49:18Well, hopefully Boki the Bear can enjoy his anniversary cake in some nice weather.
49:23Let's see how it will be shaping up for him and for us.
49:32Tonight, we'll be feeling a bit of a chill in the county.
49:34Chilos of 12 degrees down in Tunbridge Wells.
49:36Highs of 14 in Medway.
49:38Then into tomorrow morning, it'll stay a cloudy one.
49:4013 and 14 degrees across the board.
49:42Not much change from the night before.
49:44But it will warm up slightly in the evening.
49:46Highs of 17 in Dartford,
49:48with elsewhere looking a little bit colder
49:49and probably feeling a little bit colder too with those wind speeds.
49:52And here's your outlook for the next few days.
49:55And I'm afraid it's all a bit boring.
49:5617 degrees with some sun peering over the clouds on Saturday.
50:00And Sunday, grey and overcast on Monday.
50:04And finally, as the London Film Festival gets underway,
50:12Kent Film Club's Chris Deesey has popped in
50:14to talk about what new releases Kent cinema-goers can get excited about.
50:18Thank you so much for joining me, Chris.
50:19It's a pleasure, Finn.
50:20As always.
50:21I suppose my first question is, what's our number one?
50:24What's got top billing at that festival?
50:26Well, I mean, that's a really good question
50:28because it's the films that are showing at the London Film Festival
50:30that will often give us a barometer
50:33of what will happen maybe at the Oscars.
50:35I mean, I went to Sundance earlier in the year.
50:37And often it's a good six months or 12 months
50:39before those films that do well on the festival circuit
50:42translate into the big screen multiplex performances.
50:47But, you know, just looking through some of the films,
50:49you know, from a range of genres,
50:51really exciting because in previous years,
50:54filmmakers like Martin Scorsese have been present at the festival,
50:57doing their retrospectives, doing interviews.
51:00So it's a good way of getting filmmakers,
51:02both veteran and people with new projects,
51:06new experimental initiatives out there,
51:08so we can all join in and decide
51:11whether that's what we want to watch going forward.
51:12I see.
51:13I'm not too familiar with the London Film Festival.
51:15And it's funny you mentioned Scorsese there.
51:17I'm aware he's brought up the fact of he thinks
51:19Marvel films are a bit of roller coasters.
51:21Is this something where a Marvel film could win
51:23or is this a bit more like the Oscars would be?
51:25Yeah, it's definitely more independent.
51:27So the sort of films that would do well here
51:30are those that are not necessarily the big budget.
51:32I mean, you can get those screenings,
51:34but the films tend to be more,
51:36less, shall we say, Hollywood-tinged.
51:39So you're unlikely to see a big Marvel blockbuster
51:42at a film festival, certainly in the UK.
51:46But the thing is, the audiences are always packed.
51:49So when you go to one of these screenings,
51:52more people will watch the sort of films
51:53that are out at a film festival
51:55than would be the case when those films
51:58make it into the multiplexes.
52:00So in a way, it's a case of getting them out there
52:03to an audience who are more prepared to take a risk
52:06than would be the case normally when they say,
52:09oh, it's not my kind of genre.
52:10I see.
52:11I understand that.
52:11I visited the Venice Film Festival once
52:13and it was very much, I saw a very unknown film
52:15that I ended up having a great time with.
52:17I couldn't tell you the name, but a very good film.
52:19Now, lots of A-listers, lots of celebrities heading to London.
52:23Can people from Kent go on and mingle with the stars?
52:26Yeah, you can get tickets.
52:27I mean, I haven't in the last few years
52:31gone to the London Festival.
52:32I think it's almost like in every year,
52:34you know, going to all of these,
52:35it can be a bit overwhelming.
52:36Sometimes the same films appear in more than one festival.
52:39But yes is the answer, mainly at the BFI.
52:42But a few other screenings, some of the Curzon cinemas,
52:44even the Prince Charles cinema,
52:45will be showing some of the films that are part of the film festival.
52:49So it's really a case of cinema in London coming together
52:53and saying, you know, for a week or so,
52:55we'll have a different, you know,
52:56BFI is good at showing retrospectives as well as new films.
52:59But for a couple of weeks, all the films here are brand new,
53:02the first time they've ever been screened anywhere.
53:04So there's a real buzz.
53:06If you're into movies, this is the place to go.
53:08That's amazing.
53:10Now, obviously, we always talk about film,
53:12but I want to take it a little bit to some music now,
53:15because the box office has been dominated
53:18by last weekend's theatrical three-day-only launch
53:22of Taylor Swift's new album.
53:23Is this something you've ever heard of or seen before?
53:25Yeah, I mean, well, in a way we have.
53:27We've had film, you know, think of people before like Mariah Carey.
53:31Glitter is a good example, back in the early 2000s.
53:34So it's not unknown for big movie stars to have almost,
53:39you know, the Talking Heads, I suppose, was another example,
53:41almost the film, which is a showcase for a particular performer in action.
53:48So it has happened before.
53:50But, I mean, the box office is going wild,
53:52because this is when people are going to the cinema
53:54not to watch a feature film, not to watch a Marvel blockbuster,
53:57but to watch their favourite singer.
53:59Very interesting.
53:59And you mentioned blockbuster there.
54:01Do you think any of these will be breaking the bank?
54:03Do you think any of these could really be getting into those higher bands
54:07of earning a lot of money at the box office?
54:09Yeah, it shows, it's all the different innovations.
54:11Like, you can go to the cinema to watch opera.
54:14You know, it's the way that some cinemas will, you know,
54:16have live feeds from the National Film Theatre, for example.
54:19So it's a clever technique in the same way that, for example,
54:23I think on election night some of the cinemas were showing,
54:25you know, if you wanted to, or the Eurovision Song Contest.
54:28There is a way, it's saying that this is a space that can be used
54:31for people not just to sit and watch a feature film
54:34that's two hours in length.
54:35So it's that sense of bringing people together.
54:37It's like a rock concert. Can I admit, I've seen Cliff Richard
54:40at the cinema, for example.
54:42And often, you know, I'm sitting there and it's a live show
54:45and people are clapping along.
54:47But because you're in the audience, people are like,
54:48oh, we don't clap in the cinema.
54:50So it's that strange thing that you're acting by cinema rules
54:53with your popcorn, but you're watching a live music concert
54:55but staying in your seats.
54:57Wow, that is amazing.
54:58There's also some rumours that Taylor might be starring
55:01in the reboot of the 90s classic The Bodyguard.
55:04Let's play a little game right now.
55:06Who do you think would be great casting next to Taylor Swift
55:09as The Bodyguard?
55:10So in the Kevin Costner role?
55:11Yes.
55:12Oh, do you know someone like, do you know, I'm thinking like
55:15Josh Hartnett, you know, it'd be somebody who in the 90s
55:19was an up-and-coming artist but now kind of has that legendary
55:24sort of feel.
55:24Like the actor from The Hitman, for example, as well.
55:26I think that, you know, I mean, Kevin Costner could reprise that role.
55:30I think it's unlikely that he will.
55:31It'll go to somebody from the next generation.
55:33I see.
55:33I mean, we've seen this occasionally with music stars breaking into acting.
55:36We saw Harry Styles.
55:37I believe he was in Don't Worry Darling.
55:39Yes, he was.
55:39The Marvel film Eternals.
55:41I think there's a real untapped market here.
55:43Let's see if we can get anything else.
55:44I mean, back to the future.
55:45Let's think of some music names.
55:47Who could play Marty McFly, maybe?
55:50I'm trying to think now.
55:51I haven't got anyone.
55:52Have you got anyone?
55:52Well, no, but I'm thinking that it's on stage at the moment in London.
55:56So you really could see that happen, that transition.
55:59And it's not difficult.
55:59Think of all the actors, like Saturday Night Live, all those great comedians who made the
56:03transition from comedy into, you know, onto the big screen.
56:07Absolutely.
56:08And share the stage.
56:09Oh, I'd love to see Jim Carrey as Doc in Back to the Future.
56:12I think that would be perfect.
56:13You heard it here first.
56:15You beat me to it.
56:16Brilliant.
56:16Well, thank you so much for joining us, Chris.
56:18And I'm sure we'll come up with some more reboots the next time you're on the sofa.
56:21Well, you've been watching Kent Tonight live here on KMTV.
56:26There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
56:29And don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest news across your county
56:32by logging on to kmtv.co.uk.
56:36You can keep us on your social timelines as well with our Facebook and TikTok.
56:39But that is all the time we have.
56:41Thank you so much for watching.
56:42And I'll see you another time.
56:44Good night.
56:44Good night.
57:14Good night.
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