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Catch up on all the latest news from across the county with Chloe Brewster.
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00:28Hello and welcome to
00:29Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:32I'm Chloe Brewster and here are your top stories
00:33on Monday the 21st of September.
00:36Stop the sewage lays down residents
00:39stage large protest against water quality
00:42with even celebrities making a splash.
00:45We regularly swim in the beach just down here
00:49and we are tired of washing out the poo
00:52of our swimming costumes.
00:53School shambles.
00:55Parents outrage as children miss out on spots
00:58at local schools.
01:00What does one do?
01:01You know, I'm two miles from all of the local schools.
01:05I need one of these local schools for my daughter.
01:07Steps ahead.
01:08Charity hosts walk to support seriously ill people
01:12in Gravesend.
01:13They come out and they support us
01:15at what is an incredible walk
01:17through the heart of Gravesend.
01:28First tonight, lays down on sea residents were kicking up a stink
01:32with their sewage-themed protests,
01:34trying to catch the attention of southern water
01:36for repeated sewage leaks into the sea along Kent's coastline.
01:40Environmental campaigners weren't the only ones present yesterday,
01:44with TV star Danny Dyer and singer Becky Hill also making waves.
01:49Our local democracy reporter Megan Shaw was there to find out all about it.
01:53We're not back in the 1400s or 1500s.
01:572026, and we want clean water!
02:00One of many angry protesters and lays down on sea,
02:04calling for sewage to stop being pumped into the ocean.
02:08Organised by Whistable SOS,
02:10a campaign group advocating for cleaner seas,
02:12it featured an all-star cast.
02:15From activists like Julie Morne,
02:17whose daughter died after contracting E. coli on a beach in 1999.
02:21This is a public health crisis.
02:26To TV star Danny Dyer.
02:28You know, I just want to add my voice to it,
02:30as does my Danny,
02:31just to try and make a little bit of noise.
02:34And singer Becky Hill.
02:36So I'd like to say thank you for coming down
02:37and for raising your voices for such an important cause
02:40that affects each and every one of us.
02:42All with one shared mission.
02:45So today is again about gathering,
02:48getting our voices heard against the water companies
02:53to make the government take notice
02:55to ask for the whole water system
03:00to be brought back under our control
03:03and not to be run for profit.
03:05It was only in July that Southern Water was fined
03:07more than £7 million.
03:09for reported sewage pollution incidents
03:12on the Kent coast between 2019 and 2021.
03:16Yet protesters on the Isle of Sheppard
03:18want more than just fines.
03:19Many of them forced to give up swimming.
03:21They want the promise of cleaner seas.
03:24We regularly swim in the beach just down here
03:28and we are tired of washing out the poo
03:31of our swimming costumes.
03:32We have literally swum.
03:34We swam to Channel in the summer
03:37and we did lots of training
03:38and I can tell you
03:40front crawl head in
03:41I have literally swum through raw sewage.
03:43I used to go swimming in the water
03:45in the early mornings
03:46but since they started dumping sewage in it
03:49it's just become disgusting
03:50and it's not good.
03:52Me and my sister used to swim every single day
03:54and you could actually see the rocks on the seabed
03:57and see your ankles and your feet
03:59it's lovely.
04:00Now I need to let my grandkids go paddle.
04:02The only water they go in
04:03is on the paddle
04:04and pull all my balcony from the children.
04:06I won't let them hear it.
04:07I used to be an avid swimmer in the sea
04:10but I'm not going in there no more
04:12because it's filthy
04:12and disgusting with sewage.
04:14I put people up coming here
04:16and it's a shame
04:17because we were seaside in the sea.
04:19Now I've got to have a look at overseas
04:22wonderful view
04:23but I won't go on the beach anyway.
04:26Inlays down on sea
04:27Southern Water confirmed
04:28that there haven't been
04:29any storm overflow releases this year
04:31and that the water quality
04:33is currently listed as good
04:35as well as having pledged
04:36not to pay any dividends
04:38until 2030 at the earliest.
04:41Southern Water's Director
04:42for Environment and Innovation said
04:44we're committed to reducing storm overflows
04:46and are doing this through
04:48a 10-year Clean Rivers and Seas Plan
04:50worth $1.5 billion
04:52which is already starting to make a difference.
04:56Southern Water say
04:57they're working to reduce the harm
04:59they've caused to seas and rivers
05:01but until campaigners like Whitstable SOS
05:04can feel that difference
05:05they've pledged to keep on causing a stink.
05:09Megan Shaw, Inlays Down on Sea.
05:13A major fire broke out
05:15at the Grand Burstyn Hotel in Folkestone this weekend
05:18resulting in hundreds of people being evacuated.
05:21Police are now treating the blaze as suspicious
05:24and concerns over the building's structural safety
05:27have led to further evaluations.
05:29Sephora and Momat joined me in the studio earlier
05:32to tell us more.
05:34So many of our audience members might have seen over the weekend
05:37this huge fire in Folkestone
05:39what can you tell us about what actually happened?
05:41So yeah, as you mentioned
05:43this fire broke out
05:44at the Grand Burstyn Hotel
05:45located in Folkestone
05:47it started around 1am
05:49on Saturday the 19th of September
05:51and there isn't actually a known cause as of yet
05:54but what we do know
05:55is that the fire was said to have started in the basement
05:58and obviously the police had said
06:00that it was a suspicious kind of fire
06:02but now there's been a serious kind of development
06:04now we know that there were two arrests made yesterday
06:07of a 38 year old man and a 21 year old woman
06:11they have since been released though
06:12so yeah
06:14And it must have been a scary experience
06:16this is what many residents call home for themselves in Folkestone
06:20what were their reactions like at the time?
06:23Yeah, so obviously it must be really traumatic for the people
06:25at the time there was 280 people
06:28that were initially removed from the
06:30evacuated from the hotel
06:31obviously that was a lot
06:34they were moved out into a welfare centre in Cheriton
06:38this was at the Freehill Sports Park
06:42so that was a temporary kind of accommodation for these people
06:44and the community was obviously brought together
06:46there were obviously Morrisons
06:49and also the Salvation Army were also helping
06:51but yeah, the council
06:55Folkestone and Hive District Council
06:56were obviously tasked with looking after these people
06:59and bringing them into a safe place to stay
07:01then further on in the day
07:03there was another 90 people
07:04that were also evacuated
07:06this was from a neighbouring community
07:09they were living at the pavilion court
07:12and this is what one of the residents had to say
07:14about the whole process
07:16So, yeah, it was just a big mad rush
07:19having to come here with hardly any clothes
07:22cream from my bad skin
07:24and stuff like that
07:26it was just one big rush
07:27because we thought the building was going to collapse
07:29like the twin tower
07:31Right, so this was obviously proportionary steps made
07:34obviously there was kind of concerns
07:36that the building had been weakened due to the fire
07:39so that's why people had to move out of their homes
07:41And just quickly
07:42could you give me an update as to where we are now?
07:45So obviously, as I mentioned
07:47there were people that have been arrested
07:49but since released
07:50but obviously there's more steps
07:52that need to be taken to move forward
07:54here's what the councillor for Cheriton
07:57Mike Blakemore had said
08:01The next stage really will be
08:02for our building control team
08:04to assess the building
08:05and see whether there is in fact a risk to it
08:09and we'll be working
08:10our housing team will be working
08:11with the residents
08:13from here to see when they can move back in again
08:16I can imagine, as we mentioned
08:17it would have been scary
08:18and lots of us have seen those videos
08:19on social media over the weekend
08:21so we'll definitely be following this
08:23as we get more updates
08:24Thank you so much, Sephora
08:27Thousands of peoples across Kent
08:28have now gone back to school
08:30but for some pupils and parents
08:32from Maidstone's rural areas
08:34it's not the day they might have hoped for
08:36that's because children from villages
08:38in Beerstead and Autumn
08:39are missing out on places
08:41at the nearest secondary schools
08:42and their parents say
08:44something needs to change
08:46Sophie Denny reports
08:47There's a hidden valley of villages in Kent
08:51where children are consistently missing out
08:54on places at their local secondary schools
08:57Friends Louise and Tanya
08:59were devastated
09:00when neither of their children
09:01got a place at any of their nearest schools
09:04instead being sent
09:06to the opposite side of Maidstone
09:08To receive that email
09:09and not have been given any of the choices
09:11was heartbreaking
09:12and the worst part I think
09:14was picking up my daughter
09:16from the playground
09:17and everyone's coming out
09:19oh what did I get
09:19what did I get
09:20and I was stood there thinking
09:21how am I going to tell her
09:22that she's not got any of these schools
09:24where all her friends are going
09:25When I said it
09:26he just looked like
09:27what school is that
09:29and I couldn't even tell him
09:31because I'd had like 30 minutes
09:33or an hour
09:34I didn't have time to look it up
09:36and he burst into tears
09:37Parents of Year 6 students
09:39must submit a list of four
09:46schools they'd like their children to attend
09:48but both Louise and Tanya
09:50were told their chosen schools
09:52were oversubscribed
09:53and because of how far away they live
09:55they couldn't be offered a place
09:57For families that are in a situation
09:59where their nearest school
10:00offers places out to children
10:02not as far as these homes
10:04what does one do?
10:06You know I'm two miles
10:08from all of the local schools
10:09I need one of these local schools
10:11for my daughter
10:12Data showing the school allocation distances
10:14on offer holder day
10:16from the last five years
10:17shows these villages
10:19are consistently missing out on places
10:21Kent County Council says
10:2396% of pupils were offered
10:25one of their chosen schools this year
10:27and in a statement
10:29they said that they understand
10:30that receiving an unexpected school offer
10:33can be upsetting
10:34but they added that
10:36they don't have the power
10:37to centralise admissions policies
10:39and are working with schools
10:40to meet demand
10:41in the Maidstone area
10:42While the mothers understand
10:44that there's no overnight fix
10:46they're now campaigning
10:47for a guaranteed local school
10:49for every child
10:50Louise and Tanya
10:51say they want
10:52an independent assessor
10:54to come and review
10:55the current school allocation system
10:58so that no children
10:59living in villages
11:00like Bearstead
11:01have to miss out
11:02I just don't want people to suffer
11:04like we have
11:05and every time I spoke to someone
11:07down the road
11:08they went
11:08oh yeah I had the same problem
11:09it was a nightmare
11:10I'm just like
11:11why is nothing changing?
11:13Both appealed to all their chosen schools
11:15but didn't win any of them
11:17Tanya's daughter
11:18was eventually offered a place
11:19at the Lennam School
11:20while Louise decided
11:22to look into private schools
11:23because of the stress
11:24and anxiety
11:25the situation was causing
11:27and as we approach
11:28the next round
11:29of school applications
11:30the friends say
11:32they don't want
11:32any other families
11:34to be left without a seat
11:35in the classroom
11:36Sophie Denny
11:37for KMTV
11:38in Bearstead
11:40And as always
11:41if you or someone you know
11:42has been impacted
11:43by one of the stories
11:44that we mention on our show
11:45please get in touch
11:46you can get in touch
11:47by emailing us
11:47at kmtvkent
11:49at kmtv.co.uk
11:51We'll bring you more
11:52after this short break
12:21We'll be right back
12:51We'll be right back
13:21We'll be right back
13:31Thank you
14:07Thank you
14:33Thank you
15:19Hello and welcome back
15:20to Kent Tonight Live
15:21here on KMTV
15:23A Whitstable man
15:24who was previously
15:25targeted by addicts
15:26for his insulin needles
15:27has avoided prison
15:28after police found
15:29two tasers in his home
15:31Before the trial
15:33at Canterbury Crown Court
15:34Guy Griggs
15:35pleaded guilty
15:35to possessing a weapon
15:36for the discharge
15:37of an electrical
15:38incapacitation device
15:39Judge Vivian Waters
15:41acknowledged Griggs'
15:42difficult background
15:43but expressed concerns
15:44that he had possessed
15:45weapons ready to use
15:47He was given an 18-month
15:48He was given an 18-month
15:49community order
15:49with 20 days of
15:50rehabilitation activities
15:52but he was prohibited
15:53from owning or storing
15:54weapons
15:54and required to pay
15:56£500 in prosecution costs
16:00Two rail whales
16:01that recently surfaced
16:02on the Kent coast
16:03have died amid attempts
16:05to redirect their pod
16:06to the North Sea
16:07A pod of 25
16:09long-finned pilot whales
16:10were spotted near
16:11Gravesend and Whitstable
16:12last week
16:12prompting a major
16:13rescue operation
16:14lasting 60 hours
16:16and covering 20 miles
16:17as the whales were guided
16:18towards the outer limits
16:20of the estuary
16:20During the operation
16:22two whales showed
16:23signs of illness
16:23and separated from the pod
16:25with rescuers finding them
16:26washed up in Essex
16:28over the weekend
16:29Rescuers say they hope
16:30the rest of the pod
16:31made it to the North Sea
16:34A man from Dartford
16:35who got six penalty points
16:37on his licence
16:38for an offence
16:38he says he didn't commit
16:40says he wants compensation
16:42Ngwen was in France
16:43at the time
16:44when the offence
16:44took place
16:45but was still
16:46given the points
16:47in what he says
16:48is a case
16:48of mistaken identity
16:50and Ngung joins me
16:51now in the studio
16:52thank you so much
16:53for joining us
16:54could you tell us
16:55a little bit more
16:56about what actually
16:57did the DVLA
16:58think you had done?
16:59Thank you Chloe
17:00so it was a big surprise
17:02for me to find out
17:04that I got six points
17:06on my licence
17:06because I didn't reveal
17:09the identity
17:10of the person
17:11committing the offence
17:13which was speeding
17:15in a local road
17:17in Cambridge
17:19now the identity
17:21of the person
17:22obviously it was not me
17:24definitely not me
17:26and definitely not my car
17:28it was a Land Rover
17:29and I was driving
17:31a Renault car
17:32I live in Dartford
17:33they live in Cambridge
17:36they have a different
17:37they have the same surname
17:38same date of birth
17:40but different first name
17:41and obviously
17:42different address
17:43so I can't figure out
17:45why they got that
17:46all mixed up
17:47yeah I can't fathom
17:48how they could possibly
17:49get that confused
17:51I bet
17:51that was kind of
17:52the question
17:53you were asking
17:53the DVLA yourself
17:54yes so I contacted them
17:57on Whatsapp
17:59I spent a long time
18:00chatting with them
18:01on Whatsapp
18:01in the hope
18:02that they would
18:03immediately change
18:05whatever mistake
18:07that they made
18:08but they decided
18:10not to
18:11I did a bit of googling
18:13and I understand
18:14that from
18:15the information
18:16commissioner's office
18:19the guidance
18:20is that
18:20organisations
18:21should
18:23try their best
18:24to correct
18:24any detail
18:26that are not
18:27correct
18:27in their record
18:29with regard
18:29to any person
18:30at all
18:31now I gave them
18:32that chance
18:32they didn't want
18:33to do it
18:34in the end
18:35I think the court
18:37sent them a letter
18:38and they
18:39made the change
18:40but it was too late
18:42because I
18:42renewed my insurance
18:44like more than
18:45a week before that
18:46so I paid
18:47£800
18:48for
18:49what should have been
18:50maybe like
18:51£500
18:52or something
18:52I don't know
18:53because of
18:54the six
18:55additional points
18:57on my licence
18:57I didn't want
18:58to do any such
18:59to get for
19:00any cheaper deal
19:00because nobody
19:01will ever
19:02give me
19:03a better deal
19:04anyway
19:04given the six
19:05points on my licence
19:08and I mean
19:10you did end up
19:10recouping
19:11so they removed
19:12the points
19:12on your licence
19:13but I guess
19:14what you're saying
19:15is you're still
19:15out of pocket
19:16and out of time
19:17I can imagine too
19:18exactly
19:18I spent time
19:20emailing them
19:21sending them
19:23messages
19:23and now I still
19:25need to find out
19:26what exactly
19:26happened
19:28who made that
19:29mistake
19:29whether the court
19:30in Cambridge
19:31that made the
19:32mistake
19:32whether
19:33did the DVNA
19:34and then who's
19:35going to compensate
19:36me for my time
19:37for the money
19:38I paid extra
19:39for my insurance
19:41and for anything
19:42else that I might
19:43have to spend time
19:44on next
19:45so are you working
19:46on something
19:47at the moment
19:47to try and
19:49make that easier
19:50what are you doing
19:50at the moment
19:51now
19:51so I
19:52copied my MP
19:54in there already
19:55the Datford MP
19:56and I will
19:57try to
19:57write to him
19:58officially
19:59so that hopefully
20:01something can be learned
20:02because it doesn't
20:03look very serious
20:04but it is serious
20:04because it was
20:05somebody else's point
20:06so given that
20:07if they already
20:08have six points
20:08on their licence
20:09they shouldn't be
20:09driving right now
20:10because that's
20:1112 points
20:11and so the other
20:12thing is
20:13that the court
20:15even released
20:15their information
20:16to me
20:17which was like
20:18data protection
20:19violation
20:19so now I have
20:20their name
20:22their date of birth
20:24their address
20:25and all details
20:26about them
20:26that I shouldn't
20:27have known at all
20:28well thank you
20:28so much for joining us
20:29but we do have
20:30to give a statement
20:30of what the DVLA said
20:32they said
20:33in response to
20:34Mr Nguyen's situation
20:35a sex person
20:36from the DVLA
20:37said mistakes
20:38like this are rare
20:39and we have written
20:40to Mr Nguyen
20:40to apologise
20:41we have taken
20:42the accuracy
20:42of our driver
20:43records very seriously
20:44and took immediate
20:45steps to update
20:46the record
20:46once the issue
20:47came to light
20:52now we have plenty
20:53more stories
20:54you can watch
20:54on kmtv.co.uk
20:56there you can catch up
20:57on any that you've missed
20:58including this one
20:59about a barber
20:59in Beerstead
21:00which is raising
21:01awareness of men's
21:02mental health
21:03the key point
21:04of being a barber
21:05is understanding
21:06different sorts
21:07of psychological
21:08profile
21:09that distinguish people
21:10around three quarters
21:11of people
21:11who die by suicide
21:13are men
21:13and this has been
21:14a fairly consistent
21:15pattern for the last
21:16three decades
21:17but one barber shop
21:19in Beerstead
21:19is hoping to make a
21:21difference
21:21one trim
21:22at a time
21:23so for some people
21:24sitting in this chair
21:25it's about a lot more
21:26than just getting their
21:27hair cut
21:28for some people
21:29it's the only opportunity
21:30they have to get things
21:31off their chest
21:32and to talk to people
21:33the hairy bear
21:34has become a strong
21:35advocate for men's
21:36mental health
21:37and mates
21:37zone
21:38with huge support
21:39from the local
21:40community
21:40they say barbers
21:42can often be a lifeline
21:43giving men a safe space
21:45to open up
21:46about their struggles
21:47I had a client
21:48they came a few months ago
21:51telling me that
21:52in one month
21:53he lost
21:53he lost
21:55their girlfriend
21:56he lost the job
21:57and he was
21:59without money
22:00living in a car
22:02couldn't afford
22:03even
22:03to pay the rent
22:06and he was
22:06hoping and looking
22:07for a job
22:09and obviously
22:10I try my best
22:11to give him
22:12a boost of energy
22:12saying that
22:13it's very important
22:14to never give up
22:16and believe in yourself
22:17and trust in your skills
22:20a lot of people
22:22are living on their own
22:24either widowed
22:25singled
22:26or just
22:27you know
22:28timed by themselves
22:30so this is their
22:32only time
22:32to communicate
22:34with people
22:34gives them a purpose
22:35to go out
22:36and a reason
22:38and to make them feel
22:39good about themselves
22:40when you're having
22:41your hair done
22:41being shaved or cut
22:43you're relaxed
22:44and you're naturally
22:45talking to the
22:46person that's doing it
22:48and as I said
22:49if you keep
22:49returning to the same one
22:51as time goes on
22:52your relationship
22:53gets stronger
22:54the bond
22:54a simple conversation
22:56can be the first step
22:58towards opening up
22:59and sometimes
23:00having someone
23:01willing to listen
23:02can make all the difference
23:03Maisie Walker
23:04for KMTV
23:05Beersted
23:07and now let's
23:08take a look
23:09at the weather
23:15Tonight we've got
23:16clear skies
23:16across the board
23:17loads of 14
23:18in Ashford
23:19with highs of 19
23:20in Medway
23:20and in Maidstone
23:21going into tomorrow
23:22similar temperatures
23:23there
23:23highs of 21
23:24in Margate
23:25and Dartford
23:25will see some sun
23:26but it's looking
23:27partly cloudy
23:28elsewhere
23:28getting warmer
23:29into the afternoon
23:30low 20s
23:31across the board
23:31reaching a high
23:32of 24 in Dartford
23:33cooling down
23:34in the south
23:35and for your outlook
23:36the high temperatures
23:37will continue
23:37into Wednesday
23:38slightly dropping
23:39on Thursday
23:39but returning
23:40with some sun
23:41on Friday
23:41to take us
23:42into the weekend
23:51Residents of Gravesend
23:53joined Eleanor
23:53for its annual
23:54Twilight Walk
23:55to raise awareness
23:56for the charity
23:57Eleanor supports
23:58those living
23:58with serious illnesses
23:59and this event
24:00allows residents
24:01and families
24:02of ill people
24:03to meet
24:04This Twilight Walk
24:05was the biggest
24:05in the charity's history
24:06and the money raised
24:07will go towards
24:08helping the nurses there
24:09Our community reporter
24:11Henry Luck
24:11has more
24:16The Twilight Walk
24:18is Eleanor's
24:20biggest event
24:21of the year
24:22where partners
24:23and the community
24:25turn up
24:26to paint the streets
24:28orange
24:28This year
24:29around 15,000
24:31people took part
24:33and walked around
24:348km
24:35across Gravesend
24:37to raise money
24:38for the charity
24:39which supports
24:41people
24:41with serious illnesses
24:43So we also want
24:44to thank the volunteers
24:45for coming out
24:46tonight
24:47and helping us
24:48with this event
24:49It really enables us
24:50to man the roads
24:52and do all the
24:53remarkable things
24:54throughout the
24:54Twilight Walk
24:55So we're enormously
24:57grateful to all
24:58of the volunteers
24:58for their support
24:59and time
25:00on this special night
25:01Well it's pouring it
25:02down here
25:03in Gravesend
25:04tonight
25:04but it certainly
25:05hasn't stopped
25:06all these people
25:07from turning up
25:08and supporting
25:10Eleanor
25:10in his charity
25:12Twilight Walk
25:13For many people
25:14here
25:15this event
25:16has a deep
25:17personal connection
25:18because of
25:20friends and family
25:21The hospice
25:22looked after my mum
25:23back in 2004
25:24and we couldn't
25:26have got through
25:27that
25:27we couldn't have
25:28got through it
25:28without them
25:29so yeah
25:30absolutely
25:31phenomenal
25:32so we go and
25:33visit all the
25:33staff, patients
25:34and their families
25:35So sadly
25:36I lost my brother
25:37to prostate cancer
25:40a month before
25:41I was elected
25:41however
25:42I continue
25:45doing what I need
25:46to do in the
25:46community
25:47and realising
25:50how supportive
25:53the Eleanor model
25:55is
25:55KMFN's presenter
25:57Numi
25:57has even taken
25:58part this year
25:59despite the fact
26:01that she broke
26:02her ankle
26:02in three different
26:04places
26:04just five months
26:06ago
26:06Yeah I'm a little
26:08bit nervous
26:08this will be the
26:09furthest that I've
26:09walked since April
26:11and breaking my
26:12ankle
26:12but I've been
26:13working really
26:13hard on my physio
26:14and getting ready
26:16for today
26:16so I'm just
26:17going to give it
26:18my absolute best
26:18and see how we do
26:19Money raised
26:20from the event
26:21will be going
26:22towards paying
26:23the nurses
26:23of Eleanor
26:24as well as
26:26all the care
26:26and support
26:27the charity
26:28provides
26:29meaning the mood
26:30here
26:30certainly
26:31wasn't blue
26:32Henry Luck
26:34for KMTV
26:36in Gravesend
26:38Well you've been
26:38watching Kent
26:39tonight live
26:39on KMTV
26:40there's more news
26:42made just for Kent
26:43throughout the evening
26:44don't forget
26:45you can always
26:45keep up to date
26:46with the latest news
26:47from across your county
26:47by logging on
26:48to our website
26:48see you soon
26:49goodbye
27:00you
27:01you
27:05you
27:07you
27:09you
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