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Catch up with all the latest news across Kent with Meghan Shaw.
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00:30Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:33I'm Megan Shaw and here are your top stories on Wednesday the 8th of July.
00:38Out of the blue, Kent County Council leader revealed she had no idea Nigel Farage would resign as an MP.
00:46I think it's a typical ballsy move by one of the ballsyest politicians we've ever seen.
00:52Amber Heatwave warning, charity urges for amputee awareness during hotter weather.
00:58You can get that little bit hotter because your natural sweating is not having anywhere to go.
01:04Making a racket. Staple Earth's Care Room celebrates Wynn Wooden Championships in style.
01:11Yeah, great to see my dad here. My dad's a resident so it's great to come down and support the
01:15care home.
01:16And what a fantastic occasion.
01:27But first, our top story tonight.
01:30Kent County Council leader Lyndon Kim-Karren has admitted she had no idea that Nigel Farage was planning to resign
01:36as an MP for Clacton-on-Sea.
01:38Yesterday's announcement saw the reform leader quit his plans, sorry, reveal his plans to quit to trigger a by-election
01:45that he would then run for in a bid to garner support from his constituents as he undergoes parliamentary investigation
01:52over his finances.
01:53I spoke to Lyndon to find out more.
01:55I think it's a typical ballsy move by one of the ballsyest politicians we've ever seen.
02:01Certainly the ballsyest politician of my generation.
02:03Bold words from the bold Kent County Council leader who, despite running one of reform's first councils and England's largest,
02:13she admitted she had no idea the leader was set to resign as an MP.
02:17That's the wonderful thing about being a reformer.
02:19Every day is a school day and every day there's a possibility for a different way of doing democracy and
02:28I think that's what we've seen today.
02:29So no, I didn't have any idea what Nigel was going to announce at 2pm this afternoon, but as soon
02:34as he said it, I could see exactly why he'd chosen to do it the way he's done it.
02:38In a live stream on X, the leader of Reform UK quit his job as an MP in his Clacton
02:44-on-Sea constituency, triggering a by-election that every major party has declared they won't be putting a candidate forward.
02:53But this by-election, which Farage has billed as being the people versus the establishment, might not be the only
02:59one in the Essex town.
03:02Facing scrutiny over his finances, the parliamentary standards can impose a long suspension as punishment, which could trigger another by
03:10-election.
03:11Well, I'm just going to repeat what Nigel said in his announcement. He's done nothing wrong. He's broken no laws.
03:18He's used no public money.
03:20So really, I think what we're seeing here is a witch hunt by an establishment that is absolutely terrified of
03:28the rise of reform.
03:30Over a year ago now, Farage and his candidates in Kent managed to paint County Hall turquoise. So what do
03:37residents in Maidstone think?
03:41He's done it at his own risk. He obviously perhaps didn't think about it hard enough, but I think he'll
03:48get through.
03:49No, resign and don't come back.
03:51If there are questions to be answered, then maybe he should just answer those questions because he's already been elected.
04:00I was hoping to say something positive about him, but the only thing I can really say to you is
04:04that Count Bimface has got my vote.
04:06Megan Shaw, for Kame TV, in Maidstone.
04:11A man in his 40s has been arrested in Ashford as part of an investigation into people smuggling.
04:18The National Crime Agency took a man into custody yesterday following officers seeing migrants near HGVs at an industrial estate
04:25in August last year.
04:27NCA Senior Investigating Officer Lara Cozier said this arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into a large-scale criminal
04:35network suspected of smuggling migrants.
04:37The man has been taken into custody, where he will be questioned by NCA officers.
04:43A man from Woodham, who was arrested while hiding in a fridge, has been put in prison.
04:53Dean Ford was arrested back in December after subjecting a woman to more than six months of mental and physical
04:59abuse.
05:00His victim reported how he would control almost every aspect of her life through fear and violence.
05:06He was later charged with actual bodily harm, criminal damage, threats to kill, common assault, controlling and coercive behaviour and
05:13possession of a Class A drug.
05:15He was sentenced last Tuesday, for which he will serve three years.
05:22An amber and yellow heat alert has been put in place yet again for Kent, as it's warned it will
05:27be the longest-lasting heatwaves since 1976.
05:31The UK Health Security Agency issued more warnings of heatwaves across the country today, with fears of temperatures peaking by
05:39Friday.
05:39Kent is one of the areas likely to see the worst of it, with temperatures reaching almost 34 or 35
05:45degrees Celsius, while this heatwave could be one of the longest-lasting that we have ever seen.
05:55Now, it's going to be another week of scorching temperatures in the county, and a Maidstone charity is urging residents
06:02to be aware of amputees who suffer acutely in heatwaves, as I've been finding out.
06:07With another amber heat warning upon us here in Kent, you might be turning on your fan, getting your freezer
06:14stocked with ice cream and even looking forward to sunbathing in your garden.
06:18But for roughly 70,000 amputees across the country, heatwaves, which are becoming more frequent in the UK thanks to
06:27climate change, are less about enjoyment and more about endurance.
06:32Summer can be a tough time of the year for those with a limb difference, as the body has a
06:37reduced surface area to evaporate sweat off, which cools the body down.
06:42And this isn't the only challenge.
06:44An amputee, because you're covered in a silicon covering, I mean, this is a slightly different one that's meant to
06:52be sort of helping in the heat.
06:55I'm not sure anything can be that brilliant, but yeah, I suffer with it a bit, but you just have
07:02another glass of water and get on.
07:03But yes, you're absolutely right, you do get that little bit hotter, because your natural sweating is not having anywhere
07:10to go, so you do get a bit hotter.
07:12I think over time, your body adapts and just doesn't sweat in the places where sweat does no good.
07:18Disability Assist is a maidstone-based charity that helps those across the county live independently with their disabilities.
07:26They're urging residents to look out for each other.
07:29It does actually take an awful lot of effort to be using a prosthetic.
07:36It may be about balance, it might be about coordination.
07:40When you're trying to focus on all of those things at the same time as doing sort of the day
07:46-to-day tasks that so many people take for granted, it can just be really exhausting.
07:52And in this hot weather, it, yeah, it all just piles up, doesn't it?
07:56And you really need to take extra care of yourself, and I think it's worth communicating with your employer if
08:05you're working or the people around you to make sure that they are aware and make adaptations or adjustments to
08:14what you do to make sure that you get the support that you need during this time.
08:19It's set to be one of the longest heatwaves since the 1970s, and as Kent often faces the worst of
08:25hotter temperatures, charities like Disability Assist prove all the more important for those that need them.
08:32Megan Shaw for Kame TV.
08:36And I'm now joined by our resident GP, Dr. Julian Spink.
08:41So, Julian, we hear all the time that, especially during heatwaves, it's children and elderly that are the most vulnerable.
08:47But, I mean, off the back of that, we've also heard that it can also, you know, really affect people
08:51with a disability more so than people who might be able-bodied.
08:55So how can, I suppose, people that, you know, might have those extra vulnerabilities keep themselves safe in the heat?
09:00Well, as you saw, there are problems with things like prostheses, because it's basically a plastic tube that you're putting
09:07your arm or your leg into, and the air can't circulate around.
09:12So, you know, in the hot weather, I like to wear shorts, not when I'm in a studio, and the
09:18air actually goes around and dries the sweat up.
09:21So they sweat inside there.
09:22That means they then slip inside and the skin can get sore.
09:27Sore skin and wet skin gets infected, and that can cause a major problem.
09:32On top of that, you've got things like people who are using wheelchairs.
09:35The wheels that they push off, it's a metal ring, and if you're sweaty, you're slipping, and that's a problem.
09:41And things like crutches and other things you use to walk with tend to have slippy plastic handles, which are
09:46fine in the winter, but in the summer can be a problem.
09:48So they need to be checking to make sure to try and stay dry, be a little bit careful with
09:54antiperspirants, because it can irritate the skin, and just checking regularly to make sure that their skin isn't getting sore.
10:01So it's not just that they're more vulnerable to hot weather, it's kind of the effects that that hot weather
10:06can cause?
10:07Absolutely, yes.
10:08I mean, on top of that, yes, if they have other health problems, they're going to have a greater risk.
10:13Their mobility is reduced, so even simple things like going out to the fridge to get a cold drink may
10:17be more of a problem for them.
10:19Thanks, Julie.
10:20And we're going to have a little bit of a pivot now.
10:22So East Kent Hospitals has become the first hospital in the country to use AI to diagnose infections.
10:28It's called Memori.
10:30I mean, a lot of people are maybe quite wary of AI in health care.
10:34We've got people using computers and such behind us.
10:36So what was your take on that?
10:38What do you think of it?
10:39I think it's a very useful thing.
10:40They're obviously trying it out, but what it's doing is taking information they've already got from when they've taken a
10:47history from a patient and they've done blood tests and blood pressures and so on.
10:51And the AI can bring all that information together and use it to predict, number one, whether someone is at
10:56greater risk of infection or maybe they're in the early stages.
10:59And with some infections such as sepsis, minutes can make a difference.
11:03So identifying that a little bit earlier does make a difference.
11:06How can we be kind of certain that these technologies are safe when, of course, as you mentioned, people's lives
11:13are at stake?
11:14I think they're adding in.
11:15They're not replacing the human element of it because the doctors and the other clinicians will be looking at the
11:20results anyway.
11:22But when you've got a large number of results coming in, sometimes seeing the wood for the trees is tricky.
11:26And the thing AI is very good at is spotting these anomalies and then asking you to act on them.
11:33Thank you so much for joining us as always, Dr. Julian Speaks.
11:38Now we're coming up to a break, but don't go anywhere.
11:41We've got plenty more as Wimbledon's taking London by storm.
11:45We went to a care home to see how Kent residents are enjoying it too.
11:50All that and more after the break.
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19:55as well as good company and themed activities.
19:58I spoke with Alina, who helped to spearhead this event.
20:01This is our fifth anniversary.
20:03Everything started back in 2022 and it's a special event very close to our heart.
20:11We wanted to offer our residents and their loved ones an experience
20:16as close as possible to the original event.
20:21This is an opportunity for our residents and their families
20:24to build beautiful relationships with other people from the local community
20:29and residents and staff and family members of our sister homes.
20:34Events like these highlight the importance of community and togetherness,
20:38especially for more vulnerable groups such as the elderly.
20:40And the support it provides for not only residents but also loved ones.
20:44It's really important. We're really sociable animals
20:47and it's good for companionship, it's good for people to get together.
20:53We've got four homes here together now and for residents to see each other,
20:58it's really, really nice.
21:00I think it's a really great day. It's a nice thing to do.
21:04It gets all the residents outdoors. Everyone's having a great time.
21:08The sun's shining, we've got tennis over there.
21:10Couldn't be much better than that, could it really?
21:12It's lovely, very nice. It's nice to see my husband outside for once.
21:17It's a fantastic day, you know, beautiful weather. Everyone's having a great time,
21:22barbecue, food, really great day.
21:24Whether they're here for the gameplay or the strawberries and cream,
21:26I asked everyone about their favourite part of the celebration.
21:29Yeah, great to see my dad here. My dad's a resident,
21:32so it's great to come down and support the care home.
21:35And what a fantastic occasion.
21:37The food.
21:40Just looking forward to strawberries and cream.
21:42So my favourite part of the day, obviously apart from dressing up as John McEnroe and looking this
21:48magnificent, is the community. We've got multi generations of people. We have professional
21:54tennis players over there. So for me, it's that sense of an opportunity for us all to get together
21:58and not be working and have a really good time together.
22:01Well, it was certainly an ace of a day for residents here at Abbotsley.
22:04Chloe Smith for KMTV in Staplehurst.
22:08And now let's take a, sorry, now let's look at the weather.
22:16Tonight, it's going to be warm. Highs of 24 in Dartford, lows of 18 by the coast there in Dover.
22:23Tomorrow morning, heating up significantly. 26 to 23 all round and clear skies, not a cloud in sight.
22:30Into the afternoon, temperatures peaking 32 there in Mason and Dartford, lows along the coast.
22:36And for your outlook, the rest of the week still very hot. 28 on Friday with some cloud,
22:43but nice clear skies on Saturday and Sunday. Highs of 28 on the weekend.
22:53Now, many paranormal researchers cited the UK as the most haunted country in the world.
22:59And while many would cite the USA with the most UFO sightings, the UK doesn't trail that far behind.
23:05So with all these sightings and accounts, there must be some explanation.
23:09And for author and journalist Neil Nixon, he's made it his job to study the phenomenon.
23:14So I spoke to him earlier.
23:16I've always been obsessed with the paranormal. So I did what most people do if they're obsessed with
23:22the paranormal. I started reading about it. Then I ended up writing about it. Then I ended up
23:27investigating it, including part of a group for quite a while and joining investigative societies
23:34and stuff. And these days I do a lot of live speaking. I'm retired as an academic now. So I
23:39I'm bookable. I can go anywhere and everywhere in terms of doing live talks about the paranormal.
23:44In fact, we're pre-recording this because I've got a busy day today. I'm in Rochester this afternoon
23:50doing that very thing. And of course, in our county, there's quite a few paranormal
23:56sightings or I suppose ghost stories. If someone watched one of your talks or sat at home watching
24:01this and were intrigued, where would you recommend them to go or to start in Kent?
24:05The obvious place is Pluckley because Pluckley does very well out of ghost hunting. Now that's
24:12a mixed blessing. I think some of the residents of Pluckley, when they discover people in their
24:16gardens with a flashlight in the middle of the night, aren't impressed. But the pub's doing quite
24:20well out of it. But certainly if you go there, there's enough local knowledge. So if you went there
24:25hunting for ghosts, there's plenty of things to find out about the claims in the place. Whether you'll
24:29actually see a genuine ghost is a whole other problem. You can't, I mean, in terms of where
24:36would you go? Well, there are ghost tours in Canterbury. You'll get those stories and that's
24:40great tourist experience. The most interesting places sometimes are the places that might give
24:46you an insight.
24:48And speaking of stories, would you be able to share maybe one of yours, one of the most interesting
24:54things you've seen?
24:55In the recent past, after talks, I've turned up one or two eyewitnesses of things that are famous. So,
25:01for example, if you wanted to look into a really interesting, probably paranormal case in Kent,
25:08the 1953 West Mulling incident, which involved the two-man crew of an RAF
25:16plane for 30 seconds, citing something truly exotic in the skies just north of West Mulling.
25:22That is a really interesting case. And it was widely believed that all the eyewitnesses were
25:27dead. But I found a woman who's in her eighties who'd seen it from the school playground.
25:31I mean, that's what she told me. And I put her in touch with a UFO research group over this.
25:37That, I think, is one of the most intriguing cases. There's so much out there to discover. And
25:42the beauty of being involved in paranormal research is that an intelligent amateur can get stuck in
25:48and make a difference. It's still at that level at the moment. So it's unlike, say, brain surgery.
25:54You don't just have a dabble in brain surgery, but you can join a paranormal group. You could get
25:58involved. And probably there's more in it, more fulfilling stuff in it that you might think.
26:04Now, Wallace and Grammy are set to take Leeds Castle by Storm,
26:08as the historic Kent attraction will be taken over by the cheesy duo in the winter.
26:14Their new interactive adventure, a cracking Christmas caper, that is difficult to say,
26:19is set to visitors on an immersive journey through the castle and grounds, fun for all ages.
26:25The beloved duo are promising a Christmas visit with a difference where adventure is never far away,
26:30especially when Wallace is involved in a brilliant conceived contraption is never far behind.
26:36The event opens on Saturday, November the 21st, and runs until Sunday, January the 3rd.
26:43And that's all we've got time for this evening on Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
26:48Check out our socials. And in the meantime, we'll see you later. Good night.
26:52Good night.
27:06Good night.
27:19Good day.
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