Sittingbourne

Following government advice to only travel if your journey is essential local bus companies have revised timetables across the network, though key routes will continue to operate to ensure customers can access critical services and key workers are able to travel.

For the vast majority of local services these changes came into effect from yesterday (Monday 30th March) and affect the following routes:- 

ARRIVA

333 - Sittingbourne to Faversham
via Bapchild, Teynham and Ospringe

A burglar, who was caught in the act by a courageous Sittingbourne householder, has been jailed.

At around 4.50am on Tuesday 10th September 2019, a Miller Close resident saw a light was on in the wooden cabin in his back garden. Suspecting there were intruders, he approached the cabin and saw David Bignall inside along with a second man. He attempted to trap them inside by holding the doors closed, but they forced their way out and ran off down an alleyway.

The Selection of the Sittingbourne Carnival Court for 2020 took place on Sunday (8th March) at The Appleyard.

Miss Sittingbourne for 2020 will be Emily Thomas and her two joint Sittingbourne Princesses for 2020 will be Shannon Evans and Nola Hart (all pictured above).

They were very excited to be chosen and look forward to representing their town at events throughout Kent, starting with the Teynham Court Selection this coming Saturday (14th March).

A suspected burglar has been charged following a break-in at a Sittingbourne address.

Jewellery and a quantity of money was reported to have been stolen from a property in Place Lane, Hartlip between 8am and 8.15pm on Friday 13th November 2019.

Charlie Knight, 22, of Goudhurst Road, Gillingham was arrested and charged with one count of burglary on Friday (6th March).

He appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court on Saturday 7th March and will next appear at Maidstone Crown Court at a date to be determined.

Yet another collision has happened involving a lorry and a car on the new section of Dover Street/St Michael's Road near the new Bourne Place development.

This is the second collision in as many weeks and happened at around 7:00pm this evening (Tuesday 25th February).A witness told SFM News that the car had lost it,s bumper in the collision and the lorry appeared to be on the wrong side of the road after following the corner around towards the Lidl store.

Concerns about the safety of the new road layout have been made to Kent Highways and Swale Borough Council.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a vehicle containing two people stranded in flood water on Raspberry Hill Lane in Iwade earlier today.

Two fire engines and a water safety unit were sent to the scene at approximately 13:30hrs and, when crews arrived, one occupant had climbed onto the roof of the vehicle. Firefighters in dry suits entered the water to rescue the two people and lead them to safety, before passing them into the care of South East Coast Ambulance (SECAmb) paramedics. The public are currently being advised to avoid the road due to flooding.

Storm Ciara has caused problems in the Sittingbourne area this morning (Sunday 9th February).

Train services on South Eastern were suspended between Sittingbourne and Faversham earlier due to a tree blocking the line near Teynham (pictured). A seperate incident, with a points failure at Newington, also added to train travellers woes with all London-bound services calling at Newington to allow affected passengers to get off at the station. South Eastern advised people on Twitter: ""we strongly advise you do not travel today."

A Kent Police dog launched into action to detain a man who attempted to make off from officers.

Police Dog Lenny was on patrol with his handler at around 2.35am last Friday (24th January) when the pair spotted a suspicious vehicle on the A2 in Faversham. The officer signalled for the vehicle to stop but it made off before coming to a halt in Murston, Sittingbourne.

The opening of Sittingbourne's new Mill Skatepark, originally penned for October 2019, has been delayed yet again.

The 570-square metre site, at a cost of £240,000, still needs some landscaping and street furniture around the peripherals and SFM News believes that there is also currently a 'dispute' over a strip of land adjacent to the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway lines.

The running of the site will be under the auspices of Brogdale CIC when it opens later this year.