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00:33Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight live here on KMTV. I'm Laila Mohamed with your top stories on Thursday the
00:3922nd of October. Hinging on a repair. A genuine man left feeling vulnerable after a front door smashed during welfare
00:47check. Anxiety is sky high. That's the only way you can put it because you never know who's going to
00:53walk in. Anyone can push that door and that'd be it.
00:55Presenting the first poppies. We remember the fallen as Kent Poppy Appeal is launched in Maidstone.
01:01There aren't many other activities that remind people of the dedication and the salvation that these people gave in the
01:10First World War, the Second World War.
01:12And monster takeover. One area in the county sees a giant monster invasion this half term.
01:19It's been something that we've wanted to bring to the town centre for a long time to benefit the businesses
01:23by day and also twilight and nighttime economy. We hope that it's also fitting for all ages as well.
01:39Our top story tonight. A man from Gillingham says he's been left without a front door for more than two
01:44weeks after emergency services broke it down during a welfare check.
01:48Ricky Bonner's relative called them after being unable to reach him by phone.
01:52Ricky, who was at the gym, had no signal at the time. He says his housing association has still not
01:58replaced the damaged door, leaving him worried about the security of his home.
02:02Our reporter Maisie Walker has the story.
02:05I can't sleep properly now, how I used to. I wake up thinking people are coming in, even though they're
02:10not.
02:11Ricky Bonner from Gillingham was left shocked when he returned home to find his front door broken in by emergency
02:17services.
02:18A relative had called them after being unable to reach him. Ricky, who was epilepsy, had no signal at the
02:25time.
02:25But more than two weeks on, Ricky says his housing association, Pinnacle Group, still hasn't replaced it.
02:32This is what's left of Ricky's door after it was cut down by emergency services.
02:37He's now relying on a plank of wood and a padlock to keep his home secure.
02:41Ricky says he has called the housing association several times a day since it happened,
02:46but claims he's yet to receive a response.
02:49With his front door still unrepaired, he's been left feeling anxious and vulnerable in his own home,
02:55with no clear idea when the damage will be fixed.
02:59So I've had to put my own lock in because I've been on at these to come and sort it
03:04out with no response.
03:05Keep saying they get back to me in 24 hours. They're not getting back to me in 24 hours.
03:10So I've had to go out of my way and buy a padlock just so I can go out.
03:13Otherwise I feel like a prisoner in my own home.
03:15I must have called them. I called them maybe three hours.
03:19So I don't give them a rest, but I get the same response.
03:23And that's just going round in circles.
03:26Anxiety is sky high. That's the only way you can put it.
03:29Because you never know who's going to walk in. Anyone can push that door and that'd be it.
03:33In response to these claims, a Pinnacle spokesperson said,
03:37Following the emergency service's attendance, we acted immediately to arrange a temporary repair and secure the property.
03:44Unfortunately, the permanent replacement has been subject to manufacturing delays,
03:48which have extended the timescales beyond what we would ordinarily expect.
03:53With every day that passes without repair, Ricky's anxiety continues to grow
03:59and his hopes of feeling safe behind a closed door remains hanging on its hinges.
04:04Maisie Walker for KMTV, Gillingham.
04:08Kent police have been cracking down on organised immigration crime,
04:12with 22 arrests made over a fortnight.
04:15Between the 21st of September and the 5th of October, 2026,
04:19officers from the force's tactical operations targeted rail and road networks,
04:24while local community officers visited multiple high street businesses to ensure owners were complying with the law.
04:30Chloe Brewster joined me from outside Medway police station to tell me more.
04:34So Chloe, what kind of response have we seen from Kent police regarding these immigration guns?
04:41OK, so Nayla, there's been a series of arrests over the last two weeks that Kent police have done.
04:4622 arrests, in fact.
04:48I'm stood outside the Medway office for Kent police,
04:50and they've been working with the wider force to crack down on crime that's happening on rail and road networks
04:57and trying to disrupt and deter gangs that seek to avoid detection by moving people across regional borders.
05:04We can actually see some shocking footage now from one of the arrests at the Dartford crossing.
05:08It represented a come-together of the Kent police, the Met police and Essex
05:13to stop vehicles at the Dartford crossing that are perhaps involved in illegal activities.
05:17This arrest took place on September 23rd, with six men arrested.
05:22They were on suspicion of drug dealing after a vehicle that travelled from abroad was stopped.
05:27There are also a series of other arrests that they've made related to illegal immigration and crimes surrounding that.
05:33There were five men in Dartford arrested in connection with a burglary.
05:36Another man that was wanted in Romania on an arrest warrant for smuggling offences was also arrested.
05:42There was another man arrested for drug dealing on the M20.
05:45But they've also been looking at businesses, things like vape shops, things like nail salons,
05:50taking a look at whether there are any illegal workers there.
05:53There were a seizure in East Kent, Swale and Aylesford, which led to the seizure of illegal tobacco.
05:59And another focus that they've been doing is on delivery drivers.
06:02So they've been taking a look in Tombridge and Tombridge Wells, as well as Maidstone.
06:07There was one man arrested for drug offences and dangerous driving who was a delivery driver.
06:11There was another man who was arrested in Maidstone for working illegally.
06:16So there's clearly a series of different kinds of actions been taking place over the last two weeks.
06:20And what have Kent police been saying about these arrests and about this crackdown on immigration gangs?
06:27Well, Detective Chief Inspector Zoe Wilkazek said Kent police is determined that organised crime groups seeking to use the county's
06:33travel networks undetected
06:35or establish themselves in our town centre businesses fear the distinct possibility of blue lights appearing in the rear view
06:41mirror
06:41or an early morning knock on their front door.
06:44This enforcement over two weeks has shown the value of targeted stop checks of vehicles
06:48and multi-agency inspections of certain high street businesses.
06:51It's through this robust action that criminals will be deterred or detained
06:56and exploited vulnerable victims safeguarded from harm.
06:59So clearly there's strong action over the last two weeks.
07:01But will we see any more action over the coming days and months?
07:05We'll just have to see about that.
07:07Well, thanks so much for bringing us this report, Chloe.
07:09A Ministry of Defence bomb squad has carried out a controlled detonation on a suspicious package
07:15found at the scene of a house fire in Folkestone.
07:18Residents on Seancliffe Heights estates were evacuated after police attending to reports of a fire
07:24discovered the package last night.
07:26Police and forensic teams remain at the scene while inquiries continue.
07:30In a statement, a spokesperson for the force said officers attended the scene
07:34and during early inquiries into the cause, a suspicious package was located.
07:38A road closure was put in place and nearby residents were evacuated.
07:43More than 22,000 households across Kent and Medway are bracing for horrendous mortgage hikes
07:49over the next six months.
07:51Exclusive analysis of local housing data by Kent Online
07:55found that commuter hubs like Darford and Medway are set to bear the brunt of the crisis.
08:00So I spoke to Kent Online reporter Ellie Hodgson about this data earlier today.
08:04So Ellie, why are mortgage rates hiking?
08:08So there's a few reasons.
08:10One of them is the geopolitical uncertainty that we're seeing.
08:13Obviously, the war in Iran and Palestine and also the war with Ukraine.
08:18So energy prices obviously have gone up.
08:21Inflation is going up.
08:23Prices in general, fuel prices are going up.
08:25And as you can imagine, mortgages and lending in general, the price of doing that's going up.
08:29And that's why we're seeing this hike in mortgage rates at the moment.
08:33Specifically, the reason now is that lots of people are coming off these fixed rate mortgages.
08:38You know, in 2021, when prices were a lot more stable, they'd locked into these five-year fixed rates.
08:44And now they're coming off them.
08:45And that's why people are getting coming out into this lending market where it's so much more expensive.
08:50And through looking at the analysis of the data, which areas are likely to be hit worse?
08:56So what we've seen in the data is it's commuter towns.
09:00So places like Dartford and Medway, which have a lot of people that have moved to the area for transport
09:06links.
09:07And they've often borrowed a lot more money to keep up with the house prices there.
09:10And they're the ones that are really feeling the squeeze here.
09:13I mean, there's around 37,000 mortgage properties in Medway and around, I think, 40% of properties in Dartford
09:20are mortgaged.
09:21So that's a big amount of people in these commuter towns that are having to remortgage and lock into a
09:27new rate, which they're finding really expensive.
09:29And can you just explain a little bit of how much more people are looking to be paying for their
09:34mortgage per month once the rates have hiked?
09:37So the data that we've released today shows us around 22,000 people that might need to get a new
09:43mortgage rate.
09:43And it's gone up by around 2%, which was a fixed rate, to around 5% and 6%.
09:48And this costs nearly £250 more a month.
09:52So that's like £3,000 a year.
09:54And the case studies that I've spoken to, some of them are paying around £360 a month.
09:59And another is paying £1,500 more a month.
10:02So there's a big, big difference between these rates.
10:04But it's a lot of money to find every month.
10:06And you've spoken a little bit there about some case studies.
10:09What is the impact that this is having on them?
10:13Well, I spoke to one NHS worker who's got to find £360 a month more than she currently has.
10:19And that's all her disposable income.
10:21And she told me, basically fighting back tears, that it's going to mean no Christmas, no birthdays, no holidays, no
10:28going out for dinner.
10:30So all the things that people do to enjoy their life.
10:33And, you know, you work hard and you save and you save for the reasons to do these things.
10:36But now just to keep a roof over their heads, they're going to have to cut all of these out.
10:40Well, thanks so much for joining us today, Ellie, and telling us a bit about the data.
10:44And with Medway being one of the areas due to be hit with these mortgage hikes, what do residents think
10:50about it?
10:52Currently, mortgage rates are hiking, some up to £1,500 a month.
10:56What do you think about that?
10:59It's incredible.
11:00It makes selling houses very difficult.
11:03I live in a flat and finding anyone that can afford to get a mortgage is a problem.
11:09I think it's mostly down to interest rate increases.
11:12I think we had it easy in COVID time where interest rates were super low.
11:18Honestly, it's doing my family dirty.
11:21Like, my mum, she's having to work two jobs, her own business and another job.
11:26And that's still not even able us to get our food shopping, pay for our gas and electric and all
11:33of that.
11:34And it's just making everyday living just an absolute nightmare.
11:37Yeah.
11:38Like, bring back the 25p friends, I beg.
11:40Yeah, I think it's something that we should be concerned about, yeah.
11:45I wouldn't say necessarily that Kent is the only place that has this problem.
11:50I think probably, you know, many other counties, especially in the southeast.
11:55Now it's time for a quick break.
11:57But don't go anywhere because coming up we have plenty more.
12:00We'll see you very soon.
12:30We'll see you very soon.
13:00We'll see you very soon.
13:31We'll see you very soon.
14:00We'll see you very soon.
14:30We'll see you very soon.
15:00We'll see you very soon.
15:21Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
15:25Now today was the launch of Kent's Poppy Appeal, where volunteers will pop up in high streets and shops selling
15:31poppies for the Royal British Legion.
15:33It forms part of the run-up to Remembrance Day, where we pay respects to soldiers who've lost their lives
15:38for their country.
15:39Chloe Brewster went to the event at Kent County Council, met veterans and brought us this report.
15:44Kent is marching towards Remembrance Day again, and as the tune of the bugle rings out in Sessions' house, for
15:51many, it's a reminder to put on our poppies with pride once again.
15:55Councillors, counsellors, members of the Kent Army Cadet Force and former military men all attended today's launch of the appeal.
16:03My uncle, he was in the Caledonian Regiment, and he landed in Sicily in the Second World War, and he
16:13was parachuting down, and he got shot up about 50 feet from the ground.
16:18There aren't many other activities that remind people of the dedication and the salvation that these people gave in the
16:27First World War, the Second World War, and all the events since then.
16:30So it's the only event that really brings people together to remember.
16:34From veterans to new recruits, young cadets handed over the first set of 2026 poppies, with Kent County Council leader
16:42Lyndon Kemm-Karron and Chairman Jeremy Eustace each receiving one.
16:46For a remembrance celebration in my school, we go in kit, and we do marching in the front of my
16:53school, and it's really good to show my friends, like, this is what it is, and maybe convince them to
16:59join, because it's so good to, like, show your respect.
17:01It is a part of our history, and we've got to keep it alive and make sure we do remember
17:05this, because it is a current part of modern-day life.
17:08I think it was Churchill who said, if you don't remember the past, you're condemned to be limited.
17:12So I think there is a duty of ensuring that people understand what happened, you know, maybe 100 years ago,
17:18you know, 70 years ago, 60 years ago.
17:19But there are conflicts taking place in the very recent past.
17:22We have veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq who live here in Kent.
17:26There are members of armed forces today deployed somewhere in the world.
17:29You know, that's why it's truly important that we continue to support the Legion, who look after those people as
17:33well.
17:34Please go and buy a poppy. Support the appeal.
17:36Well, under strict instructions, I purchased this year's poppy.
17:41Broadcasters can choose to wear them from the end of October until Remembrance Day, November 11th.
17:46Reps told me the charity had been flooded by volunteers this year, so many that they've had to turn people
17:51away.
17:52Well, I've just bought my poppy, and I've been informed by the people there that the normal way is to
17:56wear it on the left side of your chest.
17:58Poppy pinned on with the leaves pointing to 11.
18:02Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Maidstone.
18:07A man from Maidstone has been imprisoned after conning two women out of more than £40,000 for unnecessary building
18:14work.
18:14Billy Beeney targeted two victims from Gillingham and Sittingbourne and failed to finish their work or left their homes in
18:20a worse condition.
18:22In Gillingham, he originally offered work for a recommendation on his website.
18:25He then claimed he found further issues, which increased until he then quoted £26,000.
18:32The victim contacted Kent Police after finding no records of his company.
18:36After a similar incident in Sittingbourne, Beeney pled guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation and has been
18:42imprisoned for a total of two years and four months.
18:47A convoy of around 20 vehicles is setting off from the county this morning on a humanitarian mission to Ukraine.
18:53Their plan is to take the 600-mile drive to deliver medical aid to the people of Lviv and then
18:59head to Dnipro to support local hospitals.
19:02Steve Eccles Hall is setting off this morning to lead the convoy from Ramsgate.
19:06So, when you see what's happening in the news, when I saw what was happening two years ago, I just
19:11felt the need to do something.
19:13So, I took a casualty evacuation vehicle out and then since then I've been putting medical aid in.
19:20So far, we've probably taken out about £400,000 worth of medical aid, which has been donated from private medical
19:27companies.
19:28Sometimes it's out of date stock that the NHS would destroy because they can't use.
19:33But, yeah, we've gathered all this stuff.
19:36Sometimes it's privately funded.
19:37We've taken out a baby pod.
19:40There's obviously concerns about safety.
19:42My experience so far has been that with the right precautions, we have been okay.
19:48I will leave the convoy group that I'm leading.
19:52Once we get to our major city, Lviv, we drop off the vehicles in the aid and my colleagues will
19:58be working their way back.
20:00I'm actually going to travel about another 800 miles east towards the Nipro and there is a hospital charity there
20:07that I work with.
20:08So, I drive ambulances for them.
20:13Again, there is a risk, but at the same time, I feel reasonably prepared for it and I just feel
20:20it's something that needs to be done.
20:21The animal charity PETA has called for a Kent Wildlife Foundation to retire a Premier League Bold Eagle mascot.
20:29This is Phoenix, who lives at Eagle Heights in Ainsford and is the official matchday mascot for Crystal Palace FC.
20:36PETA have argued that the club and Eagle Heights should protect wildlife by retiring Phoenix and never use live animals
20:42in football stadiums again.
20:44The Wildlife Foundation have defended themselves, saying her appearances are in the fan zone rather than the lounge stadium atmosphere.
20:53The Met Office has issued a new weather warning for wind as the county braces for Storm Austin.
20:59A yellow alert is in place for all of Kent tomorrow from 10am until 9pm.
21:04The forecast is saying inland gales could reach up to 55mph during the day.
21:08We heard from Graham Madge from the Met Office about Storm Austin, the first named storm of the season earlier
21:14today.
21:15The system looks as though it is going to be quite impactful.
21:19The main impact will be down in the far southwest where we have an amber warning.
21:23But for people across Kent, there will be a period tomorrow from midnight through to early evening where there will
21:32be impacts, particularly at the coast.
21:34So we're advising people to be aware if they're visiting the coast or to just be careful of any coastal
21:42hazards, high waves, particularly on seafronts, that sort of thing.
21:46But also to be aware of other impacts in their gardens.
21:51We've actually released a survey data today that shows that around one in eight people are prepared for winter.
21:58So that means that there's a large amount of people that aren't necessarily have the preparations in place.
22:05And that is something that we are urging people as well today to use Storm Austin to actually think about
22:12what they can do to be more weather ready for the winter season ahead.
22:16The indications are that we are expecting a stormier, wetter start to winter than we would normally.
22:24And that's because of the El Nino event that's happening in the Tropical Pacific.
22:28There is a known connection between a strong El Nino event and what's happening in the UK in late autumn
22:36and early winter.
22:37We would certainly urge people to look out for fallen trees or debris.
22:42Look out for perhaps even power cables becoming dislodged and coming down.
22:47That's another potential impact.
22:49And on that note, let's have a look at the weather for the rest of the week.
22:58Well, the rain calmed down today, but it won't be dry for long, with showers hitting most of the county
23:03this evening.
23:03Temperatures of 11 degrees across the northwest.
23:06Tomorrow, there's a yellow weather warning for wind in place as well as rain.
23:09So expect to battle with your umbrellas.
23:11Temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees.
23:13Things will calm down a bit into the afternoon, but the rain will be sticking around with some strong northeasterly
23:18winds across the county.
23:19We do have better weather on the horizon. Temperatures warming up a tad.
23:22Clouds will clear as the weekend continues and the sun back out on Sunday within 11 to 16 degrees.
23:35A town centre will soon be full of giant inflatable monsters designed to increase footfall and fun in the area.
23:42The creatures in Maidstone's Monster Mash were designed by local school children, and some can even be seen in shop
23:48windows.
23:48But for seven-year-old Maya, her design, Kevin the Ice Cream Monster, has been chosen as the official Monster
23:55Mash mascot.
23:56And today, she got to see her creation come to life.
23:59Justine Latter was in Maidstone to see the monsters.
24:02Halloween is just around the corner, and so are the monsters invading Maidstone.
24:08And today, one of the Monster Mash creatures was taking over the town hall.
24:13Monsters have been inflated in various towns and cities around the country over recent years.
24:18We're absolutely delighted to welcome six inflatable monsters in Maidstone's High Street and the town centre area over the next
24:26couple of weeks.
24:27Aside from the giant ones, people in Maidstone will be able to find different monsters inside businesses across the town.
24:35These were designed by local children.
24:37It's been something that we've wanted to bring to the town centre for a long time to benefit the businesses
24:41by day and also twilight and nighttime economy.
24:44We hope that it's also fitting for all ages as well.
24:47There are six big inflatable monsters, just like Kevin behind me, and other monster artworks dotted across Maidstone town centre.
24:55But there's one monster who's particularly special.
24:58For seven-year-old Maidstone, her design, Kevin the Ice Cream Monster, has become the official mascot of the Monster
25:06Mash after being crowned the judge's favourite.
25:09Today, at number two in King Street, she got to help bring her design to life.
25:14My idea for him was, like, at first I was going to do spikes, but then I suddenly started eating
25:22ice cream and then I, like, got the idea of having, like, these drops.
25:28Kevin the Ice Cream Monster is already haunting the Metro Bank, and he's been turned into a crochet monster too.
25:36Have you seen him on the wall?
25:37Yeah.
25:37What do you think about that?
25:39Is it cool to see it?
25:40Yes?
25:41Really big.
25:44And the mayor of Maidstone even made a special appearance to see Meyer's chocolate creation.
25:50We've seen everything from blowtorches to hot plates to make everything come together.
25:56It's quite remarkable to see that, to see the design come together, especially with the airbrushing to give him the
26:02green finish.
26:04It's fascinating to watch.
26:05The Maidstone monsters will be popping up across the town centre from the 26th of October onwards,
26:11just in time for half-term.
26:13Justine Lata for KMTV in Maidstone.
26:18Well, I don't think any of the monsters I've ever drawn will ever be good enough to become the official
26:22mascot,
26:23so well then, Tamaya, for Kevin.
26:24I mean, what a monster.
26:25But in the meantime, you've been watching Kent Tonight live here on KMTV.
26:29There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
26:32Don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest news across your county by logging on to
26:36kmtv.co.uk.
26:38You can also keep us on your social timelines by liking us on Facebook and following us on TikTok and
26:44Instagram.
26:44And if you have a story you think we should be covering, then get in touch.
26:48But in the meantime, that's all the time we have for today, and we'll see you again tomorrow night.
26:52Bye-bye for now.