KentOnline

A Thanet teenager has revealed how her life was turned upside down after she was secretly filmed in the shower by her bother-in-law.

Andrew Veck, 33, set up his phone to record her in the bathroom - he was later found to also be in possession of indecent images of children.

Also in today's podcast, changes to the government's childcare funding due to come into force next month have been slammed by providers in Kent.

Eligibility for 15 funded hours extends to children as young as nine months old - and that will rise to 30 hours come September. We've been speaking to Charlotte Roles who's the deputy manager at Dimples Day Nursery near Dartford.

A Gravesend mum whose son died from epilepsy has vowed to develop tech in his memory to improve care for other patients.

Leo was diagnosed when he was three, but his seizures became more regular and violent during Covid. His mum Emma O'Brien is hoping to raise £750,000 to help others.

A new banking hub has opened on Sheppey with more planned for other parts of Kent.

There's been a campaign on the island after it lost several high street banks in recent years. Hear from Nick Quin from LINK which decides where hubs should go.

Football, and it was a point for Gillingham in league two at the weekend.

They held leaders Walsall to a goalless draw at Priestfield - hear from man of the match Glenn Morris and manager John Coleman.

A woman in her 20s has been seriously injured in an attack in Broadstairs.

Emergency crews were called to Guy Close in the St Peters part of town last night. Hear from reporter Brad Harper who was also there.

Also in today's podcast, a former SEN headteacher says becoming a foster carer to children with additional needs has revealed how much parents have to fight for support.

Sharon O'Connor used to be in charge at Ripplevale in Deal which was rated outstanding during her time there. She's now helping to launch an app to help other mums and dads.

We're being urged to help wildlife in Kent by taking part in the Great British Spring Clean.

The RSPCA say they were called out 70 times to litter-related incidents in the county last year. We've been speaking to the charity.

A Larkfield man has spoken of his shock after being denied a Blue Badge, despite being diagnosed with leukaemia and needing a stairlift and mobility scooter.

Martin White applied for the parking permit online in November 2023 after his cancer coordinator suggested he get one. He's been speaking to reporter Elli Hodgson.

Football, and Gillingham welcome league two leaders Walsall to Priesfield this weekend.

The Gills will be hoping to maintain their slightly improved form after a win and draw in recent games.

It's feared an unfinished housing estate in Dover could become a ghost town after the developers behind it went bust.

29 properties were being built in Maxton, which is just to the west of the town, by Enzo's Homes. Hear from reporter Louis Walker who has been following the story.

A Kent MP says a new Netflix drama should be used to educate young people.

Adolescence is about a 13-year-old boy who's arrested on suspicion of murdering a girl at his school. Chatham and Aylesford's Tris Osborne was a teacher before being elected last summer and has been speaking to the podcast.

Meantime, the MP for Rochester and Strood has spoken in the commons about continued support for further education.

Lauren Edwards says the Labour government's commitment to technical qualifications is encouraging, but need and demand is outstripping current available funding.

A Kent mum who runs baby sign language classes says it could help tackle issues with speech and language development after the pandemic.

Amy Wilkins had her daughter during lockdown and joined Tiny Talk sessions before going on to run them herself. She's been chatting to the podcast during sign language week.

A Kent gritter named by a listener to our sister radio station kmfm has been officially unveiled.

Katie Charlier from Dover came up with Grittersaurus Rex that won the online vote.

Masked raiders have stolen £100,000 worth of stock from a wholesalers in Medway.

At least eight people are thought to have cut their way into the industrial estate unit in Chatham in the early hours of last Wednesday. Hear from reporter Sean McPolin who has been covering the story.

Also in today's podcast, a woman who was tied up during a violent robbery in Sevenoaks has described it as an "horrific experience".

A man armed with a gun stole nearly £1.5 million worth of jewellery from a property in Parkfield near Wildernesse Golf Club last June.

The work and pensions secretary's confirmed personal independence payments won't be frozen following a backlash from Labour MPs.

Liz Kendall's also announced changes to the eligibility for universal credit from 2028. Hear the response from shadow minister and Faversham MP Helen Whately.

A Kent pub chain boss has warned fewer part-time jobs will be available and prices will rise as major tax changes come in next month.

The amount employers have to pay towards national insurance is to increase after being announced in last autumn's budget. We've been speaking to Phil Thorley from Thorley Taverns in Thanet.

Work to clear woodland near Ashford of tonnes of illegally dumped waste is due to get under way next week.

The Environment Agency's confirmed equipment will start to be moved onto Hoads Wood and removing the rubbish will take more than a year. We've got reaction from Sally Smith from Kent Wildlife Trust.

And, Bedgebury Pinetum have announced a program of events to celebrate their 100th anniversary.

Since 1925, the site has grown from a tree collection into an internationally significant conservation centre which welcomes more than half-a-million visitors each year.

A Kent secondary school is considering making all pupils wear trousers, following complaints about girls in short skirts.

The head of The Whitstable School has sent a letter to parents about plans for a gender-neutral uniform.

Alex Holmes states that local residents and businesses have complained about 'inappropriate skirt lengths' particularly when pupils are outside the school grounds.

Also in today's podcast, there are calls for a review of the ban on the use of laughing gas, with one Kent councillor saying it's stopping people seeking medical help.

Using nitrous oxide for its psychoactive effect has been a criminal offence since November 2023.

A video has been released calling for the return of Eurostar services to Kent.

It features local councillors, as well as tourism and business bosses, on why the international link is essential to the local economy. 

A Canterbury woman who had a stoma fitted after being diagnosed with a condition that stopped her going to the toilet properly is hoping to help others.

Around 200,000 people in the UK are living with the bag on the outside of their body which collects waste from the bowels.

More details have emerged about a Roman statue that was discovered near the A2 in Teynham.

The effigy of sea god Triton was found during a dig for a new housing estate at Frognal Lane.

It's hoped the revival of a Kent curling club will introduce new people to the sport across the south east.

Fenton's Rink has undergone a big renovation, and is relaunching as the Tunbridge Wells Curling Club with a big focus on the community.

A court has heard a cocaine addict was so “out of it” on the school run that members of the public took her car keys and walked her children to class.

Other parents became concerned when he stopped her car in the middle of the road – the judge told her it was one of the worst cases of drug driving he’d ever seen. 

Also in today’s podcast, you can hear from a GP after a new study laid bare the extent to which Kent’s youngsters have become addicted to nicotine through vaping.

A survey of 5,493 pupils at 33 schools in the county showed that around 10% are current vapers.

A developer has closed a “godsend” cut-through road after facing delays to complete improvements aimed at keeping pedestrians safe.

The housebuilder says it has come up against factors “outside” of its control in being able to start widening and installing footpaths in Canterbury.

In football, it was third time lucky for Gillingham at Accrington as they finally made a free-kick count to grab a late equaliser.

We spoke to manager John Coleman after Saturday’s match who say his prayers have been answered. 

And an American seafood chain is set to open its first UK location in the county this summer.

It’s known for its fried fish and platters, and has 535 branches in 52 states. 

The ambulance service has apologised after a Canterbury man with a fractured eye socket had to get a taxi to hospital.

Lee Newman had been out clubbing with friends at Club Chemistry and was attacked as he walked home.

Also in today's podcast, a Canterbury woman who killed her husband then hid his body in their garden has been convicted of murder.

A court heard Jeremy Rickards had suffered injuries from weeks of domestic abuse before he was killed last summer. Hear the moment his wife was arrested and from police who's spoken outside court.

Two children's centres in Kent that were facing closure have been saved by a last minute U-turn from the county council.

Seashells in Sheerness and Millmead in Margate were under threat as KCC looked to save money in order to balance their budget.

As part of English Tourism Week, the KentOnline Podcast has been hearing how the sector in Kent is almost back to pre-pandemic levels.

It's an industry that creates nearly 80,000 jobs and generates £4 billion for the local economy. We've been chatting to Jim Dawson from Visit Kent.

Dog owners have made complaints to the National Trust after their pets were banned from a café in Dover.

The policy at the White Cliffs of Dover visitor centre was introduced because customers reported having food stolen and being disrupted by barking.

A Whitstable and Herne Bay version of Monopoly has launched today.

The game features local landmarks including Whitstable Harbour and Herne Bay Pier, as well as Tankerton Slopes and the Oyster Bay Trail.

And in sport,  it's a trip to Accrington Stanley for Gillingham in league two this weekend.

Both sides have had a similar run of form this season with the Gills 19th and the home side two places below.

Car park visits in two Kent coastal towns have dropped by more than 30,000 since “eye-watering” fee hikes were imposed last year. 

New figures reveal a slump across sites in Whitstable and Herne Bay following the decision to increase hourly rates to as much as £3.70 in April.

Also in today’s podcast, a former lifeguard who “violently” shook a toddler he was babysitting and punched his legs and hips has been jailed.

He faced a child cruelty charge after he was seen by his then partner hurting the 18-month-old boy in his own home in Sittingbourne in August 2023. 

A bomb squad has descended on a remote property this morning sparking the closure of a major route.

Police raided a home near Canterbury at about 8am in a bid to smash a suspected drugs syndicate.

A company named one of the best in Britain is set to create more than 150 new jobs if its plans for new facilities are approved.

They want to put a new building at its Swale Way site - which it says will allow it to continue to grow.

And you can hear from staff at the Wildwood Trust near Canterbury who say Boki the bear has emerged from hibernation happy and healthy after last year's brain operation.

He had pioneering surgery in October to remove fluid after suffering from seizures.

The extraordinary life of a secret Kent millionaire has been unearthed following revelations about her amazing generosity which is set to benefit thousands of people across the county.

She lived in a modest 1970s semi-detached home in Whitstable but gifted her considerable wealth to numerous local good causes after she died in 2022 aged 98.

Also in today’s podcast, Kent County Council transport bosses say they shouldn’t be blamed for roadworks across the county because they’re not their fault. 

While there seem to be endless traffic jams and road closures in Kent, the authority’s officials and elected members say they don’t get to choose when or where they go. 

A “filthy” B&M store has been given a zero-star food hygiene rating after inspectors found evidence of rats gnawing on pallets of food.

Officials discovered an “active infestation” at the back of the discount retailer in Canterbury. 

Pictures have revealed the extent of flooding on land where a new luxury leisure centre will be built.

Plans for a David Lloyd club in Ashford were approved in August but concerns have been raised after the pictures show the majority of the site as being underwater and laced in mud. 

And you can hear from a Kent granddad who’s cycling 1000 miles to raise money for charity. 

David’s grandson Henry was diagnosed with meningitis when he was just six months old and Ronald McDonald House stepped in to support the whole family. 

Two teenagers have been convicted for their role in an attack on a 16-year-old boy who suffered life-changing injuries after being chased onto train tracks in Thanet.

Ted Warne-Harvey was electrocuted after falling onto a live rail at Westgate station.

Also on today's podcast, a 12 week inquiry into plans to build thousands of new homes near Sittingbourne gets underway today.

The Highsted Park development is made up of eight-thousand-four-hundred houses, and other infrastructure, as well as a new M2 motorway junction and a Southern Relief Road.

A Folkestone woman who's in remission after having ovarian cancer is going to be walking 100km this month to raise awareness.

Louise Hutchins was diagnosed in 2023 and is now taking on the challenge over four days as part of the Walk in Her Name campaign.

The site of a luxury seafront development in Folkestone has been put up for sale, much to the surprise of the developers.

The Leas Pavilion scheme will include 91 new flats, but it's been hit with delays and construction ground to a halt last year.

People living in Teynham say traffic is clogging up streets and junctions because of new double yellow lines in the town.

Residents in Station Road can no longer park outside their homes - and they're now taking up spaces in neighbouring streets.

And, a two-week old kitten's been rescued after being found at the side of a road in Canterbury.

Comet was severely injured and needed surgery but is now being cared for by the RSPCA.