Sittingbourne

Swale Detectives have charged two men in connection with alleged distraction burglaries in the local area.

Police made two separate arrests after receiving reports that people had tricked their way into homes to steal items. The first arrest was made after officers responded to an incident in Foxley Road, Sittingbourne at around 2.35pm, on Friday 23rd October. Joseph Smith, aged 34, of Lucks Lane, Chart Sutton, was charged with two counts of burglary and an attempted burglary with intent to steal.

Southeastern services into Victoria and St Pancras from Sittingbourne station were hit by major delays during this morning's rush hour, after an incident at the station just after 8.00am.

A member of the 2nd Sittingbourne Guides is celebrating after receiving the highest accolade for Guides - the Baden-Powell Challenge Award.

Jade Dowsett, from Sittingbourne, chose to complete a range of exciting activities to achieve the award, including playing life-size Monopoly around Canterbury while away on her adventure weekend and Co-ordinating and presenting a fashion show with her fellow Guides.

Local Taekwondo competitor Will Tumber has come back from the British Taekwondo National Championships with a gold medal.

The Championships were held at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester on Saturday (12th September) and showcased the development of cadet and junior athletes and their progression as members of the national squad.

14-year-old Will is a Brorden Grammar student and was a previous recipient of a grant from the Swale Youth Development Fund and is a member of the GB Taekwondo Cadet Team.

Police have launched an appeal for witnesses after a 51 year old Sittingbourne motorcyclist died on the A2 London Road in Bapchild on Sunday (6th September).

Kent Police told SFM News that a blue and silver Suzuki motorbike was travelling along the A2 in the direction of Teynham when it was involved in a collision with a silver Volkswagen Jetta at the junction with Hempstead Lane just after 10am. Emergency services, including Kent Air Ambulance attended but the biker died at the scene.

Sittingbourne's newly cleaned War Memorial has finally been unveiled from it's scaffolding shroud.

Co-operative Funeralcare donated their local Monumental Mason, Steve Stechfield (pictured above,) to do the clean on behalf of Swale Borough Council at no cost.

Nuala O'Donoghue (also pictured above), the Community Liaison Organiser at the Co-operative Funeralcare, told SFM News that the "Co-operative Funeralcare increased the number of Masons working on the project to three which meant that the clean was completed in just four days".

Last week, between Monday 3rd and Sunday 9th of August, a newly installed Defibrillator was stolen from a Kent Fire and Rescue vehicle at the Sittingbourne Fire Station on St Michaels Road.

Anyone with any information that could help investigators is asked to please contact Kent police on telephone number 101 and quote the Crime Number: XY/027675/15 or alternatively they can call Kent Crimestoppers free (from any landline) and anonimously on 0800 555 111.

Sittingbourne Fire crews are at the scene of a fire involving approximately 30 tonnes of baled hay this afternoon.

Three fire engines and a bulk water carrier have been sent to deal with the fire along with an all terrain vehicle (ATV). The ATV is an eight wheeled vehicle which can get firefighters and equipment to remote areas that would be difficult for a fire engine to reach.

Local traffic is not be affected by the incident.

The speed limit on the Sheppey Crossing was lowered from 70mph to 50mph from 10.00am this morning (Wednesday 22nd July).

The "emergency" speed cut follows a pre-inquest review in to the deaths of Deborah Roberts and her 8-year-old son Marshall on the crossing last July.

Mid Kent and Medway Coroner, Patricia Harding wrote to Highways England urging them to take immediate action.

Picture Courtesy of Andy Hudson - Sittingbourne.me.

Organisers of Tunstall Primary School's Summer Fete were left shocked and distressed after stock and prizes for their event were stolen in a burglary.

It is thought that thieves broke-in to the school's storeroom on Thursday (2nd July) evening and stole soft drinks, alcohol and many of the raffle prizes, most of which had been donated and gifted by parents over the previous year.