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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Finn Macdiarmid.
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00:28Transcription by CastingWords
00:30Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:34I'm Finn McDermott and here are your top stories on Wednesday, the 2nd of September.
00:39Wildlife at risk than it locals oppose construction of an energy station on the Minster marshes.
00:44When you're building on farmland and what is probably a nature reserve of one sort or another, it can never
00:51be good.
00:52It's all about money, it's never about anything else.
00:54Not Out of the Woods, Oak and Wood Campaign Group continues to fight to save ancient woodland.
01:01I believe that the plan is not legally sound because it breaks the national planning policy framework.
01:09And buzzing for Benidorm, Kent family, to drive bee-themed car to the holiday spot or to raise money for
01:16a child with rare leukaemia.
01:18It melts the heartstrings and everyone we spoke to and everyone who's donated already has just sort of said, you
01:23know, let's try and get Hudson the treatment he really needs.
01:35First tonight, Thanet locals say plans to build an energy converter station on the Minster marshes will seriously endanger its
01:42protected wildlife.
01:43Local MP Sir Roger Gale and campaign group Save Minster marshes are opposing the National Grid's Sea Link plan that
01:50would create an undersea electricity link between Kent and Sussex.
01:53A decision on those plans is set to come in October.
01:56But for now, our reporter Sophie Denny has the story.
02:00Home to rare farmland birds, protected wildlife and now potentially a national energy converter station.
02:09Construction on Minster marshes is part of the National Grid's Sea Link plan to create an undersea electricity link between
02:16Kent and Suffolk.
02:18John Rothman, who lives next to the marshes, isn't happy about the proposals.
02:23Like any development of that sort, when you're building on farmland and what is probably a nature reserve of one
02:31sort or another, it can never be good.
02:33It's all about money, it's never about anything else.
02:36So, right behind me here on Minster marshes, you can see the proposed site for the converter station and what
02:43seems to be two bridges being built, one on each side of the site connecting it to the surrounding marshes.
02:49The proposed location sits within 20 metres of a site of special scientific interest, a status given to areas valuable
02:57for their wildlife, plants or the make-up of the land.
03:01And local campaign group Save Minster marshes are particularly concerned about the impact on the wildlife.
03:07It's the most environmentally damaging site out of any of them.
03:12You know, there's just hundreds and hundreds of different species of birds.
03:15There's lots of Schedule 1 birds like long-eared owls and marsh harriers.
03:21I mean, water voles, beavers, you name it.
03:25Fears about what the current work at the site could mean have even reached Parliament.
03:30Could I direct his attention to the predatory activities of another private company, National Grid, who are seeking to pre
03:40-empt the construction of a station on the Minster marshes?
03:48The National Grid say they are developing the Sea Link proposals responsibly, accounting for the local environment and community feedback.
03:55In a statement, they said the current work near Minster is limited to archaeological excavation and other early investigative activity,
04:04which is approved by the local authority.
04:06They added that any permanent infrastructure would still need development consent from the Secretary of State.
04:12The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero will announce her decision at the end of October.
04:18And in a statement, her department said that they are reversing decades of underinvestments to upgrade the grid,
04:24building an energy system that can bring down bills for good.
04:28They added that all projects are subject to a rigorous planning process in which the views and interests of the
04:34local community are considered.
04:36Residents and MPs have just under eight weeks before they find out about the future of Thanet's Minster marshes.
04:43Sophie Denny for KMTV in Thanet.
04:47A person has been taken to hospital after suffering burns from a fire that broke out in a back garden
04:52in Margate this morning.
04:53The incident happened at a shed in a house in Brook Avenue.
04:59Huge flames, as you can see here.
05:00Those could be seen from several miles away and spread of fencing and some neighbouring homes.
05:05Firefighters sent three fire engines and used hose reel jets and main jets to tackle the fire.
05:10Paramedics were called to the scene where four people were checked over for burns, one being hospitalised as a precaution
05:16for minor burns.
05:17A fire service spokesperson said the cause of the fire isn't yet known.
05:21A warning, this next story contains descriptions of animal abuse and may be unsuitable for younger viewers.
05:28New statistics show that animal beatings in the county have increased by 52%, putting Kent in the top ten worst
05:35counties for the rise in this specific issue.
05:37The RSPCA have found that every summer animal cruelty peaks, but this year is particularly poor, its highest level in
05:44five years.
05:45I spoke with Adam Tarska, he's an animal rescue officer from the RSPCA, about this earlier.
05:51Well, thank you so much for joining us.
05:54First of all, Kent has seen the second highest increase in reported animal beatings nationally since 2021, a 52%
06:01rise in five years.
06:03Now, from your perspective, do we know at this stage what's contributing to that increase?
06:08It's very hard to say what that actual increase is down to, but there are a number of different factors
06:12that I think probably are reasons for it.
06:15So I think the main one is obviously 2021 was straight after lockdown.
06:19So obviously people have a lot more pets since then.
06:21And we're still kind of seeing the after effect of everyone who's got those animals.
06:25Obviously, those animals are now a lot older than they were when they first bought.
06:28So people are seeing a lot more things like behavioural issues, which obviously they don't really know how to control,
06:33but essentially some people.
06:35So that could be a reason why we're seeing more beatings, because people are trying to control those behaviours in
06:40the incorrect methods.
06:42They're not using positive reinforcement techniques and stuff like that.
06:45But it could be a lot more people are working from home now as well, since lockdown.
06:50So there's a lot more people at their houses seeing things going on.
06:54They necessarily wouldn't see if they were working elsewhere.
06:57Now they're at home all day, they're kind of seeing things going on around them.
07:00So I think that's quite a big factor of it.
07:03And in your experience, which animals are more commonly the victims of these attacks?
07:07And as you mentioned there, it sounds like it's more common that it's the owners of the pets rather than
07:12strangers.
07:14Yeah, unfortunately, we are seeing a lot of a big rise in owners causing these issues.
07:19The main sort of animals we generally see in are your cats and dogs, your standard animals.
07:23We see a lot of them, unfortunately, because they're quite a common animal.
07:28But you can see in any animal, really, even small animals.
07:32We get a few reports on small animals.
07:34Again, there's a number of different reasons why it could be.
07:36It could be people have bad mental health and they're taking out their animals.
07:39It could be they're just not coping.
07:44And that's the reason they're trying to take it out on the animals instead, unfortunately.
07:49So there's a number of different reasons it can be.
07:51I see.
07:52And what's currently being done to try and prevent this or really improve some of these numbers we're seeing?
07:58So we work quite close with other organisations like Dogs Trust and they have a behavioural helpline.
08:04We quite often recommend this to individuals when we visit them to try and encourage them to use more positive
08:09training techniques and obviously get the help they need.
08:12As well as obviously if it's their own mental health, it's a struggle.
08:14We try and work with other organisations and local social services and councils and see what they can really do
08:19to try and help support that individual.
08:22And, yeah, it's just trying to support both sides, really.
08:24So we want to do the best for the animal's welfare.
08:27And ultimately, if we're helping improve the owner's welfare or giving them better knowledge and better understanding of that animal,
08:32it all helps in the long run, really, to kind of reduce these issues.
08:36An ancient woodland outside of Maidstone could be at risk of becoming a quarry now that the application has gone
08:42to consultation.
08:42But it is a highly controversial one.
08:45Even though the materials are needed for infrastructure, campaign groups are far from giving up.
08:50Our local democracy reporter Megan Shaw has the story.
08:53I think we've got to fight for this last remaining piece of religion because it's absolutely feminist.
08:58A packed hall on a weekday evening, drawing attendees from all ages with one thing in common.
09:05To save Oak and Wood.
09:09With Kent County Council's plans to quarry on ancient woodland outside of Maidstone squeezed through, it's now up to a
09:17planning inspectorate to decide if the development can commence.
09:21But campaigners aren't willing to go down without a fight.
09:26We're in a consultation phase here, so we've invited as many residents, local residents as possible, to come to this
09:33meeting to learn more about the woodland.
09:35The threat, the existential threat to this woodland, and how that they can help.
09:41It isn't uncommon for planning applications to receive objections, but campaigners at this meeting receive specific legal advice on how
09:49to get a planning inspectorate to listen.
09:52That is why you would make a personal submission.
09:55Alongside environmental groups warning what the demolition of the woods might mean for the county.
10:01They're a really sort of enigmatic species.
10:03And for future generations.
10:06If you're in a amazing place, you just can't get rid of it.
10:10The council have a duty to ensure Kent has the materials it needs to build houses and infrastructure, and Kentish
10:17ragstone in particular being important in repairing historic buildings like Canterbury Cathedral.
10:23So do campaigners really believe they've got the power to overturn these plans?
10:28Yes, because we've got two clear chances to do that.
10:32One is because the planning inspector will review the plans in depth and be looking at the arguments we're putting
10:40forward.
10:41And we believe that the plan is not legally sound because it breaks the national planning policy framework.
10:49The second hurdle will be a vote at full council in 18 months' time.
10:56Now there already is an existing ragstone quarry in the area operated by Gallagher, and they'd be the contractors should
11:03this expansion go ahead.
11:05That means that where I'm stood right now might one day be the middle of a mining site.
11:11When I contacted Gallagher, they said that they felt that KCC's mineral sites plan is sound, and that they're happy
11:18to go ahead as planned, depending on a successful consultation.
11:22Kent County Council is urging the public to take part in the ongoing consultation, and stress that the Kent mineral
11:29sites plan isn't a planning application, but rather a legal requirement that there's a steady and adequate supply of materials
11:37that the county needs.
11:38But the consultation doesn't close until early October, and for the friends of Oakham Wood Campaign Group, the road ahead
11:46is so long, they could risk losing the wood for the trees.
11:51Megan Shaw, Embalming.
11:54Well, that's all the time we have for now. We'll see you in just a few minutes for the next
11:58part of the show.
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15:18Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
15:22Now a new police and crime plan was released today,
15:25setting out all the priorities for Kent Police and looking at their crime data.
15:28That plan was put together by the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable.
15:32It informs the key objectives for the following policing year.
15:36This year's plan is called Cut Crime, Support Victims, Build Trust.
15:40It was set out in a meeting earlier today.
15:42Our reporter Chloe Brewster was watching that meeting today and is here to tell us a bit more.
15:46So, Chloe, what were some of your takeaways from this meeting?
15:49Yes, as you say, I watched the meeting.
15:51I've also read through the very long police and crime plan here and the online safety paper
15:56that the Police and Crime Commissioner also released.
15:58He outlined to me when I spoke to him after the meeting his priorities.
16:01He said that was violence against women and girls, property crime and rural crime that are all on the decrease.
16:08However, I'm a journalist.
16:10I'm going to be a bit of a cynic and look at some of the data that is in this
16:14plan.
16:15And one of the main things that stuck out to me was antisocial behaviour.
16:18Now, there has been a 25.4% increase from 2025 to 2026 of antisocial behaviour.
16:25That's incidents like nuisance vehicles, youth-related disorder, shoplifting.
16:30Now, there has been a change in recording practices.
16:32That's what the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner said.
16:37However, antisocial behaviour is something that we see all the time on our high streets.
16:41So I asked him, what is he doing now in regards to putting officers out on the streets and dealing
16:46with this?
16:48The important thing is not just the statistics.
16:50It's actually people's experiences behind it.
16:53And where I've been working with Kent Police in recent months is increasing the size of our neighbourhood policing teams
16:59and our beat officers out on the streets to actually go out and deal with those reports.
17:03And what we're seeing is some really good evidence from places like Medway, Folkestone, Canterbury, Sevenoaks,
17:09where teams have been going out on a proactive basis to tackle those causes of antisocial behaviour,
17:14which so impact upon people's lives.
17:16So the statistics are important, but actually the response is probably more important,
17:21because even as numbers fluctuate, we need to give people the assurance that when they ring,
17:25Kent Police will go out and do something.
17:27And we're starting to see that improve as well.
17:29The other thing that really stuck out to me was the number of road deaths,
17:33although seriously injured, on Kent's roads.
17:36From 2025 to 2026, there was a 58.7% increase in the amount of those who died or seriously
17:42injured on Kent's roads.
17:44Now, that is clearly a shocking statistic again.
17:47Now, I asked him what specifically does he think is causing this increase in road deaths.
17:51He said he can't be certain on that.
17:53But I did discuss with Mr Scott about dangerous driving.
17:57Now, you might be familiar with what happened up north in Middlesbrough
18:00with the two police officers who were killed.
18:03We discussed how social media had a part to play in that case
18:06and whether it's reflected here in Kent.
18:08I pay tribute to those officers who lost their lives in that tragedy.
18:13Police officers do difficult and dangerous things on our behalf every single day.
18:17And this is a tragic reminder of what unfortunately does happen, sometimes tragically.
18:23And we must never forget them.
18:25We must learn from what has happened.
18:28In these circumstances, as I say, I have raised this with the Chief Constable.
18:32He's currently looking at social media and the trends surrounding it.
18:35It is unfortunately something we are seeing more widely with crime generally.
18:39That's why I brought a paper to the Performance and Delivery Board today around online safety.
18:44It was to understand from the Chief Constable what resources are being put in place to tackle these issues
18:48and how they are being dealt with.
18:50What we also need is government to take a really firm stance with the social media companies.
18:54The previous government was very slow to react to issues with regards to social media.
18:59My hope is that the new Prime Minister will be a bit more on the front foot.
19:02Now, the death of a firefighter in Maidstone more than half a century ago
19:06has been remembered with the unveiling of a memorial plaque.
19:09Today marks exactly 56 years since Michael Farrow, who was only 26,
19:14suffered fatal burns when the fire engine he was travelling in crashed in College Road by Maidstone.
19:19The crew were responding to an emergency at the time.
19:21And the ceremony at Maidstone Fire Station today was attended by former retained fireman Tony Bush,
19:26who campaigned for eight years for Kent Fire and Rescue Service
19:29to erect a plaque in memory of his former colleague.
19:33I'll never forget this day, 2nd September 1970.
19:39It really come home to me, accidents.
19:42And I'd just like to think about my ex-colleagues, who are no longer with us,
19:55especially Malcolm Farrow, who died of horrific burns,
20:00who died four days later after the incident.
20:05Now for your health headlines.
20:07A sharp rise has been reported among children and young people going to A&E for mental health crises,
20:13while the vaccine for the flu is set to start ahead of the flu season.
20:18And we hear the story of one woman whose blood cancer was mistaken as menopausal symptoms.
20:23To discuss the health headlines of today, I'm joined by our resident GP, Dr. Julian Spinks.
20:35Thanks so much for joining us.
20:36First of all, there's been a sharp rise in young people,
20:39some as young as six years old, attending A&Es in England.
20:43In mental health crises, a rise of 36% of that for things like self-harm,
20:48eating disorders or anyone in emotional crisis.
20:51Is a lack of wider mental health support to blame?
20:56It's part of the story.
20:57We've had problems with access to support for people with,
21:02children with mental health problems for a very long time.
21:04But it's got significantly worse over the last few years.
21:08It's a combination of services not expanding even just to fit the population.
21:12But also, we have had a steep rise in the number of young people with mental health problems,
21:18particularly following COVID.
21:20I see.
21:21We spoke to people in Rochester High Street for their views about this specific story today.
21:25Let's have a listen.
21:26I think an awful lot of this is just an excuse to put a label on anything and everyone.
21:31Unless they've got letters in front of their name, they don't feel that they're part of the club.
21:36I think it's because they're exposed to too much TV, too much social media.
21:41They do need, is anything or anyone else to be seen?
21:44You know, it's all very well going to school, but the teachers, obviously, are not doctors.
21:50I'm not sure what everyone's reason is to go to A&E for mental health, especially for that young.
21:57But from my research and stuff, I know it all has to do with social media.
22:02So, Julian, is it down to social media?
22:04And in order to prevent the point where people feel they need to go into A&E,
22:08what more mental health services do you think we need?
22:10There's definitely a mix of things going on.
22:13But the fact it shifted so dramatically after COVID does suggest that had an effect.
22:17And I think a generation of children were really upset by that.
22:21They had their routine removed and so on.
22:23But some of these cases are really severe.
22:25And I can really feel for the parents who are having to actually take them to A&E to get
22:30some sort of service.
22:31I see. Well, thank you so much for your time, Doctor.
22:37Now, let's take a look at your weather forecast.
22:47Well, tonight there's a scattering of clouds across the county.
22:50Some clear skies will be peaking through 18 and 19 degrees.
22:53That light cloud sticking around for the morning, 19 and 20,
22:56with some strong winds from the west of the county, 10 miles per hour.
23:00It'll get slightly warmer around 3 p.m.
23:02Some sun getting through those clouds, highs of 25 in North Kent.
23:05Well, there's also some light rain that'll bring us into the weekend.
23:09Saturday will have some sun.
23:10Ironically, Sunday will be without, 22 degrees across the board.
23:24And finally, a fleet of 50 cars will be setting off on a journey from Dover all the way to
23:30Benidorm,
23:30crossing through five different countries, all to raise money for a boy with a rare type of leukemia.
23:36And there's plenty of cars taking part, one of which is an old Land Rover.
23:40It's got quite a few miles on the clock that Steve will be taking on the journey.
23:43And he's done it all up to look like a bumblebee.
23:46I spoke to him earlier about this charity road trip.
23:49We retired this year and we were looking around and we've always fancied doing road trips around Europe and a
23:56bit of driving.
23:56And we saw the British bangers to Benidorm, where 50 vehicles are going to get all dressed up,
24:03drive an old British car that's as unreliable as possible,
24:06and try and get it through five countries all the way through to Benidorm,
24:09going through Italy, Switzerland, France, Andorra, and obviously Spain.
24:14So I looked around, found a cracking old Range Rover that had no surface history,
24:20nearly 300,000 miles on the clock, no MOT.
24:23And, yeah, we finally got it through an MOT.
24:25We've decided on a bee theme.
24:28So we're going to dress the Range Rover up as a great big bumblebee.
24:32And, yeah, we're ready to go and dress it up as a giant bumblebee
24:35and get everyone who's done it. It's a sticker on the vehicle to come with us all the way to
24:39Benidorm if it makes it.
24:41Amazing. I think people at home might be wondering why you've chosen a bee theme for the Range Rover.
24:45Can you shed some light on that?
24:47Yeah, when you look at a Range Rover, it's quite chunky.
24:51It's a big lump. It doesn't go particularly quickly.
24:53And we just thought, well, that suits a giant bee.
24:56The shape of the vehicle lends itself to being dressed up as a bee.
25:01So, yeah, we've got in contact with a local wrap company who have done a really good price on the
25:05wrap.
25:05And I've got someone doing that for me in the middle of September.
25:08Amazing. And on that, tell us a bit about the fundraising side of it.
25:11How much money are you hoping to raise?
25:15We've hoped to raise as much as possible.
25:17We've tried to say we're going to raise £5,000.
25:19It's all towards Huxley, a 10-year-old boy who's got a rare form of leukemia.
25:23But they're going to need to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds.
25:27So our little contribution, hopefully, will put a little dent in it.
25:32And everything we raise is a positive.
25:34We've had donations from everything from £10 already up to £100.
25:38And this is only in the last couple of weeks.
25:40And we've had great response to our Facebook attack, if you like.
25:45We've generated a Facebook page and had over 25,000 hits on it already.
25:49We've raised over £700 as a start.
25:52So I'm confident we'll hit our target and hopefully maybe double it.
25:55Who knows?
25:57And are you confident that the B will make it all the way to Benidorm?
26:00I mean, you've done the work yourself.
26:01Tell me a bit about how you feel about what's underneath the bonnet.
26:05I'm not sure it's going to make it to Dover, let alone Benidorm yet.
26:08But that's half the fun of it.
26:10We've got five days.
26:11Will it make it?
26:12I think it will.
26:14It probably shouldn't.
26:15But, you know, let's hope it does.
26:17It's going to be a journey.
26:21You've been watching Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
26:24As always, there's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
26:28And don't forget, you can keep up to date with the latest news across your county by logging on to
26:32kmtv.co.uk.
26:34You can also keep us on your social timelines by liking our Facebook or following our TikTok.
26:39And if you have a story that you think we should be covering, then please don't hesitate to get in
26:44touch.
26:44But that's all the time we have.
26:46Thank you so much for watching, and we'll see you very soon.
26:48Goodbye.
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