- 3 years ago
Catch up on the latest news from across the county with Abby Hook.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - Good evening and welcome to Kentonite Live on KMTV.
00:25 I'm Abbey Hook, here are your top stories
00:27 on this bank holiday Monday, the 28th of August.
00:31 Murder investigation opened.
00:33 Police call for more information
00:36 as body of a woman found near Birchington Seafront.
00:40 Charges will apply.
00:43 Euler's expansion to Kent border
00:45 could impact more than a million from midnight.
00:48 - Bikes move a lot freer through traffic.
00:50 They don't sit there ticking over, polluting the air.
00:52 They just, they move.
00:53 You know, they should be part of the solution,
00:55 not part of the problem.
00:56 - And the winning streak ends for Gillingham FC
01:00 after a three nil loss to Colchester.
01:03 - We're just self imploded.
01:04 You know, just look at the goals,
01:06 just really poor goals, verdict can see.
01:08 (upbeat music)
01:10 - But first tonight,
01:19 Kent police have begun a murder investigation
01:22 following the discovery of a body in Birchington.
01:25 It comes as police officers have been investigating
01:27 the disappearance of a woman in her 50s.
01:30 Claire Knight on the screen now
01:31 was reported missing from Upstreet last week.
01:35 Formal identification of the body
01:37 has not yet been established.
01:39 Well, with more on this,
01:40 I'm now joined by our reporter Bartholomew Hall.
01:43 Bartholomew, what can you tell us about Claire Knight?
01:45 - Well, what we know at the moment
01:46 is that she went missing on Wednesday, the 23rd of August.
01:49 And following that initial report that she was missing,
01:52 officers were concerned for her welfare.
01:54 Now, today police have released
01:56 what is thought to have been her last route.
01:58 And we can see on the map here that it's understood
02:01 Claire walked from Shewett Lane in St. Nicholas Way.
02:05 This is where her car, a silver Suzuki was found.
02:08 It's thought that she was walking her dog
02:10 to the Minis Bay area of Birchington.
02:12 And that is where there was a last confirmed sighting of her.
02:17 Moving forward to Friday, the 25th of August
02:20 at around 7 p.m., officers were called to Birchington
02:23 when a body of a woman was discovered.
02:25 Now, a post-mortem examination has been concluded
02:29 and Claire's family have been informed of this development,
02:31 but we should say at this stage,
02:33 no formal identification has yet been conducted.
02:37 Taking a step back slightly to Thursday, the 24th of August.
02:41 Now, this is before, key, before the body was discovered.
02:45 Kent police made an arrest.
02:47 This was a man in his 20s from Margate.
02:50 It's all the information we know about him
02:51 because no charge has been made at this point,
02:54 but he was arrested on suspicion of murder.
02:57 He's been detained for assessment by medical professionals.
03:01 What happens with the investigation now?
03:03 Well, as you mentioned at the start,
03:05 Kent police's major crime department
03:06 has now opened a murder investigation
03:09 and we're told that there will be an increased police presence
03:13 in the Birchington and Minis Bay area.
03:15 So, if you are in that part of the county
03:17 and you see an increased amount of police vehicles,
03:20 patrols, and we're told that detectives and specialist officers
03:23 will be conducting searches and further inquiries.
03:26 So, that could be the reason why.
03:29 Now, they're also asking anybody with information,
03:32 further information they can give,
03:34 anything from they might have seen something on the day
03:37 to dash cam footage or CCTV.
03:39 That would be very important and helpful for the inquiries
03:42 that police are searching out for.
03:45 Now, one final note to add is that via the police,
03:48 Claire's family have asked for privacy
03:50 whilst they grieve at this time.
03:52 A very difficult time for the family indeed.
03:54 Thank you for bringing us the details, Bartholomew.
03:56 This time tomorrow, those of you on Kent's roads
04:01 could be charged £12.50 if you're heading for London.
04:04 The much debated and anticipated expansion
04:07 of the ultra-low emission zone to the county's border
04:10 will come into force at midnight tonight,
04:12 so a few hours' time.
04:14 The charge will be applicable to those driving
04:16 in non-compliant vehicles.
04:18 But the road to expansion hasn't been easy.
04:21 It's all part of the London Mayor's plan
04:22 to tackle climate change and reduce toxic air pollution.
04:26 So with EULES just around the corner,
04:29 let's see what it means for some of you in Kent.
04:32 One of the world's largest anti-pollution charging zones,
04:36 72 times bigger than its original size,
04:39 impacting more than a million commuters
04:42 and one of the most politically charged debates,
04:46 the expansion of EULES.
04:48 From midnight on Monday, you could be charged £12.50
04:52 if your vehicle doesn't meet the ultra-low emission zone
04:55 standards when crossing the border.
04:58 Why?
04:58 The mayor says it's to clean up toxic air pollution,
05:01 leading to 4,000 premature deaths each year.
05:05 Air pollution and the climate crisis
05:08 are the most serious public health and environmental
05:11 threats we face.
05:12 But it hasn't come without resistance.
05:15 Nobody wants to see anybody affected by polluted air.
05:19 But I think bikes move a lot freer through traffic.
05:23 They don't sit there ticking over, polluting the air.
05:25 They just move.
05:27 They should be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
05:30 If I go and buy a new van now, it's
05:32 going to cost double the cost of a new van.
05:35 I've been looking.
05:37 And if I want a new van in 2018 or '19,
05:40 you're looking at about 18 grand.
05:42 And at the moment, with everything going up,
05:44 it's just not viable to get that.
05:46 I have to go into the U-Lease just to get to the yard.
05:51 Hence, why I had to change my van.
05:54 I wanted to go away on holiday this year.
05:56 But I can't afford that now.
05:59 Well-received or not, the expansion is set.
06:01 The countdown is on.
06:03 And those traveling into London with non-compliant vehicles
06:06 will have to pay £12.50.
06:08 Despite the complexities of the expansion,
06:11 most agree that pollution is a problem.
06:14 But the disagreement remains on the solution.
06:18 Abbey Hook for KMTV.
06:23 And we'll have more coverage of the expansion of U-Lease at 5.30
06:27 tomorrow on Kent Tonight.
06:28 And you can check online to find if your vehicle is compliant
06:31 and what the expansion will mean for you
06:33 as well if you're in the county in particular.
06:36 Now, on more traffic news, a major Kent road
06:38 is due to close for four months whilst work
06:40 takes place on a multi-million pound roundabout revamp.
06:44 The Grovehurst roundabout slip road off the A249 at Sittingbourne
06:48 will be off-limits whilst improvements are carried out
06:51 at the junction.
06:52 It also means that overnight, parts of the A249 Sheppey
06:55 bound will be closed.
06:57 The £32 million scheme will use the existing bridge
07:01 but aims to replace the dumbbell design
07:03 with a new one-way system which will incorporate a second bridge.
07:07 Between Monday 4th September and Wednesday 6th,
07:10 the A249 will be closed with diversions in place
07:13 via Grovehurst Road.
07:16 Meanwhile, Cats Protection has issued a warning
07:18 following multiple cats found to have been attacked
07:21 and one killed in North Kent.
07:23 Over the weekend, one cat was found mutilated in Swanley
07:28 whilst others have been found over the Kent border
07:31 described to have been discovered dead and laid out.
07:34 The feline rescue charity says the incidents
07:36 have been reported to the police and is now
07:38 urging cat owners to keep their pets inside at night.
07:42 Limmat Police says it's unable to provide any further information
07:45 about the bodies of the cats but did explain that scavenging
07:49 by wildlife has previously been linked as the cause of such reports
07:53 like these.
07:55 Now, a senior police officer says crime and disorder
07:57 is decreasing in Sittingbourne.
07:59 It comes as the Home Secretary, Suella Brotherman,
08:02 has today told the police they must follow all reasonable leads
08:05 and lines of inquiry to catch offenders.
08:08 New guidance on investigating low-level crimes
08:11 is to be issued to all local forces, including Kent Police.
08:14 Well, Chief Superintendent, Sean White, visited Sittingbourne last week
08:18 following months of residents and businesses reporting problems,
08:22 describing the area as unsafe and intimidating.
08:26 Things are getting better.
08:27 Since May this year, we've seen constant reductions in ASB and crime.
08:32 If you look at crime, and totally for my division on the whole,
08:35 we're seeing really good reductions,
08:37 and that's because of our Neighbourhood Policing Plan,
08:39 which is a core of what we do in Kent Police.
08:42 It's about having the right cops in the right location,
08:45 doing the right thing.
08:46 And as I've said to you previously, if you're committing a crime in Kent,
08:50 we will track you down wherever you are in the UK,
08:53 but we're also there to support vulnerable victims.
08:57 Communities are the centre of everything we do,
09:00 and we want to make sure Kent is one of the safest counties in the UK.
09:05 To sport, and it was a reality check for the Gilles
09:09 as they suffered their first League Two defeat of the season
09:12 against Colchester on Saturday, following four straight wins.
09:16 Manager Neil Harris says his side just wasn't good enough on the day.
09:20 We're just self imploded.
09:21 Just look at the goals, just really poor goals to concede,
09:25 which hasn't been us in the first four weeks of the season.
09:31 So I'm not going to be moaning the lads too much.
09:33 They've been brilliant as a group,
09:35 been brilliant as a group, and today we just, we weren't good enough.
09:40 Harris has also commented on a car crash,
09:44 which involved several of his players during last week.
09:47 The Gilles boss claimed the problem was with the car rather than the driver,
09:51 and that he's spoken to neighbours.
09:53 Kent Police reported that there were no injuries.
09:57 Next up for the Gilles is an away League Cup clash
10:00 with the Premier League side, Luton Town on Tuesday.
10:03 Next in sport, and Kent, Jake Hill took home two podiums
10:07 at this weekend's British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park.
10:12 It means Jake Hill remains in contention for this year's title,
10:15 after Routine-based Napa Racing UK's driver Ash Sutton
10:19 narrowly extended his advantage after winning by a seven-second margin in race one.
10:26 Now it's time for us to take a very quick look at the weather.
10:34 It's fairly mild tonight in comparison to previous days,
10:39 lows of 12, highs of 15.
10:41 Tomorrow morning warming up just slightly,
10:43 highs of 17 across most of Kent, a mix of sun and cloud.
10:47 By the afternoon warming up to 21, but the sun going away in most of Kent,
10:51 some sunshine in Folkestone.
10:53 And Wednesday's looking much the same, Thursday and Friday looking pretty wet,
10:57 and cloudy Friday, thunderstorms in Chatham.
11:03 Well, that's it from us this evening on KMTV for this Bank Holiday Monday.
11:08 In the meantime, you can check out our special programmes
11:10 by visiting our website, kmtv.co.uk.
11:14 There you'll see the likes of Kent on Climate, the Kent Politics Show,
11:16 Made in Kent, and of course Invicta Sport, which we are missing out on today,
11:20 but they'll be back again on Friday.
11:22 Bartholomew Hall will be here with more sporting news.
11:25 Thanks for watching.
11:27 [Music]
11:29 [Music]
11:32 But that's all from me and the team this evening.
11:34 Enjoy the rest of your Bank Holiday, and I'll see you again tomorrow.
11:37 Bye-bye.
11:38 [Music]
11:40 [Music]
11:50 [Music]