KentOnline

A couple who used their life-savings for a deposit on a new-build house in Herne Bay say it’s turning out to be a ‘disaster’.
Alex and Dorina Marcu moved into the £350,000 property last summer but within a week, had documented dozens of problems. Hear from Alex and we have a statement from the developers.
Also in today’s podcast, a couple have been charged with murder following the death of a child in Gravesend.
The two-year-old girl passed away in hospital in May 2020.
Orlando Bloom’s praised the strength of the Ukrainian people during a visit to the war-torn country.
The Canterbury actor is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has met with President Zelensky.
The owner of a Medway company says he’s no longer going to pitch for business in London, because of the cost of paying the Ultra Low Emission Zone charge.
Lee Murthwaite provides sound equipment for events but has to pay every time he drives into the capital because he has an older vehicle. He’s been speaking to our colleagues from KMTV.
A Medway mum says she hopes to transform a pub into a community hub to tackle loneliness and isolation.
Jane Brownlow is transforming the Princes Park pub in Chatham after managing to raise enough money to buy the lease.
And, Tracey Emin has announced she wants to buy an old bathing house on Margate beach and turn it into a facility for swimmers and surfers.
Hear what she had to say to a crowd that had gathered for the official opening of her new studios in the town.

A Kent grammar school has lost its ‘outstanding’ rating after being inspected by Ofsted for the first time in 15 years.
Rochester Grammar has been downgraded to ‘good’.
It comes as the schools watchdog comes under pressure to put inspections on hold after a head teacher took her own life.
Also in today’s podcast, the government’s controversial new migration policy is being debated by MPs again.
It’s aimed at stopping people crossing the Channel to Kent in small boats by banning them from claiming asylum.
A Gillingham teenager says her life is in limbo after she started suffering seizures.
Shanice Waterman has described what happens while her dad has criticised why it’s taking so long to get a brain scan.
Meantime, a young woman from Canterbury who suffers from a rare disease which leaves her feeling like she’s burning has spoken about how it’s destroyed her life.
Millie Martin’s been diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome which is said to be one of the world’s most painful incurable conditions.
It’s the start of World Autism Acceptance week and an autistic woman from Maidstone is fighting to change the education system.
Hear from Megan Horan who suffered panic attacks, bouts of self harm and anxious meltdowns during her GCSEs.
As campaigning officially gets under way ahead of the local elections in Kent we’ve been speaking to our political editor Paul Francis.
We’ll get to vote on May, 4 and the results will decide who’s in charge of councils across the county.
And in sport, it was an incredibly win for Gillingham at the weekend.
They beat promotion chasing Carlisle United 1-0 at Priestfield. Hear from goal scorer Shaun Williams and manager Neil Harris. 

A Gravesend mum says her son has been mentally scarred after he was threatened with a knife near a youth centre.
18-year-old Oliver, who has additional needs, was going to Northfleet Youth Centre’s accessibility club when a knife was put to his stomach by another teen.
Ella Saward-Hutton has told the podcast how her son feared for his life. We’ve also got a statement from Kent County Council.
Also in today’s episode, a protest has been held outside council offices in Maidstone as a consultation over plan to close children’s centres in Kent comes to an end.
Parents aren’t happy with the proposals which the authority says will save millions of pounds.
Plans to re-open Kent’s Manston Airport as a cargo hub are on hold again.
Our business editor Chris Britcher explains the latest delay to take-off.
A Sittingbourne Morrisons worker is hoping social media will help him to become a singing sensation.
Rhys Davies has only previously sung to colleagues and customers at the store.
And in sport, promotion hopefuls Carlisle United are the visitors to Priestfield this weekend.
Gillingham will be hoping to continue their good home form and we’ve been catching up with strikes Tom Nichols.

Tributes are being paid to the founder of Kent pub chain Thorley Taverns following his death at the age of 87.
Frank Thorley started the business in London before moving to Thanet.
He has been described as a ‘legend’ and our business editor Chris Britcher says he will be greatly missed.
Also in today’s podcast, a video showing a group of young people hurling racist abuse at two girls in the centre of Maidstone, has gone viral.
The sisters – who have Nepalese heritage – were targeted outside Primark on Week Street.
We’ve got reaction from some of Kent’s MPs after Boris Johnson spent three hours defending his actions over lockdown parties in Downing Street.
A committee questioned the former Prime Minister over whether he lied to Parliament about knowing he broke the rules. 
A pop-up cafe and pantry in Tunbridge Wells that’s trying to cut food waste and tackle the cost of living crisis has been given a grant to carry on the work they do.
Charlie’s Angels Kitchens launched in 2021 after managing to raise money via a GoFundMe. The woman who set it up has been speaking to reporter Charlotte Phillips.
And in sport, we have details of Emma Raducanu’s first round game at the Miami Open.

A four-year-old boy has been injured after getting trapped under a supermarket trolley.It happened as he travelled up a travelator with his mum at an Asda store in Sittingbourne. Hear what bosses have had to say.
Also in today’s podcast, A Kent mum is the latest to demand change at the Met Police after a damning report yesterday found the force to be institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic.Mina Smallman lives in Ramsgate and has spoken out after her two daughters were murdered in London in 2020.Pictures of Bibaa and Nicole’s bodies were shared among officers on WhatsApp.Building work has started on a new multi-million pound leisure centre in Medway.The site of the former Splashes in Rainham was demolished last year in prepartion for the new £24 million facility.A charity that works with children who have suffered abuse or trauma are having to open a third branch in the county because of an increase in demand.Dandelion Time already has centres in West Farleigh and Ashford and 50 young people on its waiting list.We’ve been speaking to their CEO.Folkestone has been named the third most popular area in the UK for Londoners buying second homes.Figures show 1 in 20 of the properties bought there in the last year was a second home.And in sport, the Gillingham manager has been speaking following their win against Crewe Alexandra.It finished 2-1 at Priestfield and saw the boss sent to the stands after a third goal for the Gills was disallowed.

The KentOnline Podcast has been told Kent needs millions more pounds to deal with the number of potholes on our roads.
Around 15,000 have been reported across the county since the start of December due to snow at the start of winter – and plenty of heavy rain.
The government announced extra funding in last week’s budget with Kent getting around £6.5 million, but a report today says that is not enough.
We’ve been speaking to the authors of that report, the man in charge of highways at the county council and a Tunbridge Wells resident who says the roads are so bad, it’s affected the value of her house.
Also in today’s episode, a damning report out today into the Met Police has found it’s institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic.
Baroness Louise Casey was asked to carry out a review following the murder of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens from Deal – who, at the time, was a serving officer. We’ve got reaction from Kent’s police and crime commissioner.
Bosses at a swimming school say they’ve been left homeless after the sudden closure of a leisure centre in west Kent.
We told you last week how the site in Edenbridge has shut after the company that runs it went into liquidation – with no plan for the future.
Hear from the chair of the Edenbridge Piranhas.
And in sport, Gillingham will be looking to bounce straight back from the weekend’s defeat as they welcome Crewe Alexandra to Priestfield tonight.
The opposition are just two places and four points above the Gills in the league two table.

The company behind plans for a huge theme park in north Kent has called in financial administrators.
It’s 11 years since the idea of the London Resort development on the Swanscombe Peninsula was first suggested.
Now, London Resort Company Holdings have revealed they’ve appointed administrators after getting into £100 million of debt.
We’ve been getting reaction from BugLife which opposes the plan.
Also in today’s podcast, the home secretary has been visiting Rwanda to see where asylum seekers who cross the Channel to Kent in small boats could be sent.
Suella Braverman says she’s keen to push ahead with the plans despite objections from charities and human rights organisations.
More animals have been released into the wild near Canterbury as part of a plan to boost biodiversity.
Hear how cattle, ponies and pigs are now part of the Wilder Blean project.
A Sevenoaks man living with the same rare form of dementia as actor Bruce Willis says he intends to live life to the full.
Eamonn Dobbyn was diagnosed with FTD dementia four years ago and since then has been unable to work, lost the ability to read and write and has seen his mobility decrease.
He’s been telling reporter Keely Greenwood all about it.
There’s been more speculation over the weekend as to whether Bansky has been back in Kent.
He posted a video from an open mic session in Margate on his Instagram.
And, it was a defeat for Gillingham on Saturday.
We’ve got reaction from manager Neil Harris after they lost 2-0 to Walsall.

A £1.2 million play area in Dartford has been vandalised during its opening weekend.
Buccaneer Bay is within in Central Park in the town. Graffiti has been sprayed on a lighthouse which is one of the main attractions.
Also in today’s podcast, there’s been a march through Dover today marking a year since P&O ferries sacked 800 staff.
The workers were let go without notice and later replaced with cheaper agency staff.
At the time, the company said it was vital to save the business.
We’ve been speaking to a former member of staff about his life now.
Staff at a care home in Dartford are celebrating after receiving their third ‘outstanding’ rating in a row – something that’s incredibly rare.
Eglantine Villa in Horton Kirby has been recognised by inspectors for their highly personalised support. Hear from the manager there.
Our features writer Sam Lawrie takes a look at what’s going on in Kent this weekend.
And in sport, hear from Gillingham defender Conor Masterson and manager Neil Harris as they travel to take on Walsall this weekend.
The Gills are currently nine points clear of the League Two drop zone.

A leading Banksy expert hopes to restore a piece of the mystery artists’ work which was destroyed when a farmhouse in Herne Bay was demolished.
‘Morning Is Broken’ appeared on the building and was confirmed as genuine by the artist via his Instagram page.
But within hours, the 500-year-old property had been demolished.
Also in today’s podcast, we’ve got reaction to yesterday’s Budget.
The Chancellor announced plans for more free childcare for youngsters from 9-months old until they start school in a bid to try and get more people back into work.
But there would be a relaxation of staff to children ratios in nurseries. Lewis Steeper’s baby son Oliver died in a chocking incident at a nursery and is campaigning against it.
We’ve also spoken to bosses at Thanet Thorley Taverns as it was revealed duty on draught drinks in pubs will be up to 11p lower than in supermarkets.
And the founder of Fair Fuel UK has reacted to news fuel duty will be frozen for another year.
Find out why there are warnings about building on a plot of land between Ashford and Canterbury.
And, a painting by famous artist David Hockney has been rediscovered in Kent.
It featured on an episode of Antiques Roadshow in Faversham – we reveal how much it’s worth.

Dozens of tyres have been found dumped on the driveway of a couple’s home near Canterbury.
Hugh Cunningham and his wife Diane discovered the flytipped waste after a night out.
Hear from the couple who say they now face a large bill to get it cleared away.
Also in today’s podcast, there are calls for more CCTV and better lighting in parts of Gillingham after a spate of attacks.
In the past six days, a teenager’s been stabbed and a man hit with a brick in the town centre – while two people have been threatened, beaten and robbed on the Great Lines.
Councillor Naushabah Khan has been speaking to our reporter Vanessa Harris.
Some teachers in Kent are back out on strike on what’s being called a National Day of Action.
They’re among several groups who’re staging industrial action on the day of the Budget.
We’ve been speaking to John Still who is a secondary school teacher in England – you can also hear from the schools minister.
A Brexit-themed Banksy in Dover that was mysteriously whitewashed over could be recreated.
A mural featuring the EU flag was painted over in 2019 and there are now plans to demolish the entire building.
And, find out which stars are going to be performing in Kent this summer.
The two-day Revival in the Park festival is happening in Maidstone in July.