Sittingbourne

*** 16:56 UPDATE - THE GIRLS HAVE BEEN LOCATED SAFE AND WELL ***

Kent Police are appealing for information into the whereabouts of two children reported missing from their home in Sittingbourne.

Chelsea Abbott, nine, and Taylor Redding, 10, were reported missing at 12.40pm today (Thursday 31st March) but are believed to have left their house in the Grovehurst Avenue, Kemsley area at about 5am when their parents were asleep.

Officers are growing increasingly concerned for their welfare and are currently searching the local area.

Kent Police Detectives, investigating a report that a car was stolen during a burglary in Sittingbourne, have released an e-fit image of a man they would like to speak to.

It was reported that a white Mercedes Benz E Class was stolen from The Meadows, just off Northwood Drive, between midnight and 6.30am on Tuesday 8th March.

The suspect is described as a white man, aged 18 to 20, approximately 5ft 8in tall, of skinny build and with brown hair - long on top and shorter at the sides. He was wearing a brown/green coloured parker style coat.

The new Sittingbourne Carnival Court was selected on Saturday (5th March) evening at the Woodcombe Sports And Social Club in Murston.

15-year old student Gemma Stokes was selected as Miss Sittingbourne Carnival Queen by a judging panel. The two Princesses on the Court this year will be Rebecca Port and Kendle Hunter. All the girls were crowned by Mayor Of Swale Cllr Anita Walker at a ceremony on the night.

On the Judging Panel were former Miss Sittingbourne 1981, Angela Maybourne, 106.9 SFM's very own Pete Flynn and Swale Borough Council's Regeneration Officer, Jill Read.

Highways England have confirmed that both lanes on the northbound A249 should re-open tomorrow morning (Friday 5th February) following the completion of work to repair damage caused by a burst water main last month.

Sittingbourne fire crews were called to a domestic shed fire in the back garden of a property in William Street earlier today.

Kent Fire And Rescue (KFRS) were called just after 10.30 am this morning (Tuesday 2nd February) and had to access the blaze using a hose from a fire engine in Park Road.

Park Road was closed to vehicles until 11:15am.

It is thought that a faulty tumble dryer, being used in the shed at the time, caused the blaze which also damaged ajoining fence panels.

Highways England (HE) has confirmed that it is hoping to reopen one lane on the northbound A249 later this week, following completion of temporary works.

They have confirmed that it is "currently unsafe to reopen the slip road and inside lane as surveys have not confirmed the stability of the ground underneath the road and the adjacent void in the ground is a potential risk to drivers".

Timeline of work carried out so far

Pictured: Gordon Henderson MP with two Iwade Primary School children, Edward Milham and Connie Gambell.

Local anti-litter charity, Litter Angels, has installed two new litter bins in Iwade - one outside Costcutter on Ferry Road and one in Dunlin Walk, opposite the primary school.

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of theft following a high-speed police chase on the M2 earlier today (Wednesday 6th January).

Kent Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire in a first floor bedroom of a semi-detached property on Purple Emperor Grove in Iwade earlier this afternoon (Friday 1st January).

On arrival fire crews found a bedroom on fire and used breathing apparatus, a hose reel jet, thermal imaging camera and a ventilation fan to tackle the blaze and clear the property of smoke.

The fire was accidental and it's believed it was caused by a cable, similar to a USB cable, that was plugged in to the power where the wire insulation had completely being burnt off.

The family of an 18-year-old woman, who died after collapsing and falling onto the tracks at Sittingbourne railway station on Monday (2nd November) morning, have paid tribute to her.

Sophie Lintott, from Sittingbourne, sadly died of her injuries in hospital yesterday (Tuesday 3rd November) at Kings College Hospital in South East London.