Local News

Kent Police's Serious Collision Unit investigators are appealing for witnesses after a motorcyclist died in Sittingbourne last night (Wednesday 12th May).

The fatal road collision happened at around 9.44pm on Swale Way when a Honda CBR1000 motorbike collided with a blue Citroen C4 Picasso.

The driver of the motorbike, a 26-year-old man from Whitstable, was riding along the road when the two vehicles collided near the entrance of Milton Creek fishing lakes and Swale Way. 

Following the incident the motorcyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene and the pillion passenger was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, not believed to be life threatening.

Three men aged 18, 23 and 32 years old and all from Sittingbourne, have each been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

A woman, aged 34, from Sittingbourne, has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the cause of justice. All four people remain in custody while enquiries continue.

Officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit are keen to talk to anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who saw the car in the moments prior to the collision.

In particular, officers would like to talk to anyone who was at the Milton Creek fishing lakes who may have information about the occupants of the car.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dash cam footage which could assist officers with their investigation is asked to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01622 798538.

Footage, photos and CCTV can also be directly submitted online via this link or emailed to sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk quoting ref: CM/DH/042/21.

Conservative candidate, Matthew Scott, has held onto the position of Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent. 

He beat Labour’s Lola Oyewusi and the Liberal Democrat’s Graham Colley, with 56% of the vote. 

This will be Mr Scott’s second term as the PCC for the county, having been elected in 2016.   The results, declared this lunchtime (Monday 10th May) in Dartford were:

Matthew Scott (Conservative): 237,278
Lola Oyewusi (Labour): 103,807
Graham Colley (Lib Dem): 69,464

There were 420,422 votes cast, with 9873 spoilt papers.

Turnout was 31.8%

Mr Scott told SFM News that he reiterated his commitment to making Kent safer and recruiting more police officers.  Since 2016 there are nearly 800 more police officers in the county and he hopes to see the total number rise to 3,970 by March 2022.

The Lower Halstow Yacht Club is remembering a "well-respected member and experienced sailor" who died in a tragic accident after he fell from his boat at the weekend.

In a released statement, following the tragedy in the early hours of Sunday (2nd May) morning, the club said: "We can confirm a club member who had been staying overnight on his boat, which was on its mooring just off the club’s jetty and slipway, fell from his boat on to the soft mud of Halstow Creek. We understand a local resident heard shouting and alerted the police at around 2am. At the time the tide would have been approaching the moored yacht. We understand the police recovered him from the water some time later using a dinghy from the club. Both Sheppey Coastguard and Sheerness lifeboat were tasked at around 3.30am, some one-and-a-half hours after the initial report to the police. The casualty was a well-respected member and experienced sailor and our thoughts go out to his wife and family."

Kent Police confirmed that officers were called just after 2.00am on Sunday (2nd May) morning and that "a man was recovered and taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The man’s next of kin have been informed and a report will now be prepared for the coroner."

It's believed that SECAmb (The South East Coast Ambulance Service) and The KFRS (Kent Fire and Rescue Service) were also asked to attend the scene, to try and save the man.

Following the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh earlier today (Friday 9th April), a Statement has been released by Cllr Paul Stephen, The Mayor of the Borough of Swale.

The Worshipful Mayor said: "It is with enormous sadness that we learned of the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, and I would like to express our sincere condolences on behalf of Swale Borough Council and the people of the Borough of Swale to Her Majesty The Queen, and the entire Royal Family. For so many people here in Swale, across the United Kingdom and around the world, it is impossible to imagine the Royal Family without His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. To us, he has been The Queen’s constant companion since the middle of the last century, but in reality, he was much more than that".

"He was a husband, a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather. Our own sadness at his death is nothing compared to the sense of loss felt by his loved ones. As a mark of respect, flags are being flown at half-mast across all council buildings, and arrangements are being made for people to share their condolence messages to allow them to pay their respects."

Books of Condolence

There is an online book of condolence if you wish to pay your respects, which can be found at www.royal.uk.

Alternatively, you can write to Swale Borough Council with your condolences to: Book of Condolence, Swale Borough Council, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne ME10 3HT.

A book of condolence is being opened at Swale Borough Council's offices at Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne between 10am and 2pm Monday to Friday.

They will close for archiving at 5pm on the day after the funeral.

The condolence books will be archived at the Kent History and Library Centre, once they have closed.

Tributes

Tributes can be laid at:

• War Memorial, Central Avenue Sittingbourne
• War Memorial, Bridge Street, Sheerness
• Under the Guildhall, Market Place, Faversham

Tributes will be removed on the day after the state funeral. Any written cards or messages will be added to the official books of condolence and flowers will be recycled.

Other items, including soft toys, photographs and artificial candles will unfortunately have to be disposed of. If people want to keep them they should collect them by the end of the day of the funeral.

Flag Flying

As a mark of respect, flags are being flown at half-mast across all council buildings during the period of mourning before the state funeral , when they will be returned to full mast for 1 day after the state funeral.

Swale Borough Council flags are located at Swale House, Sheppey Gateway, Queenborough Town Hall, Queenborough Park and on Swale Borough Council's Blue Flag beaches.