KentOnline

A woman who told police she was too drunk to remember stabbing a teenager in Whitstable, has been sent to prison.

Abbie Lucas, 30, told officers she'd drunk several bottles of wine on the day of the attack in August last year.

Also in today's podcast, it's thought more than 23 million car journeys will be made today as we head away for Christmas.

Operation Brock is in force on the M20 to manage cars and lorries heading to Eurotunnel and the port of Dover on what is being dubbed frantic Friday.

Hear from AA patrol of the year Chris Wood, and Dover District Council leader Kevin Mills.

There is also some good news for drivers, Kent is getting £54 million from the government to help fix potholes.

Funding for the county is higher than any other part of the south east.

We've got further reaction now to yesterday's top story on the podcast about our water bills going up.

Southern Water customers will see the biggest rise of 53% over the next five years - hear from East Thanet MP Polly Billington.

A Kent animal welfare charity is urging us to think twice about bringing home a rescue cat for Christmas.

Battersea, which has a branch in Brands Hatch, are currently looking for around 200 forever homes for cats but say the festive season isn't always the best time to rehouse them.

For the final time this year, Sam Lawrie has a roundup of everything going on in Kent this weekend.

And in sport, Gillingham are in action tonight.

It's their final game before Christmas and they welcome Cheltenham Town to Priestfield in league two.

Southern Water customers in Kent are going to see a 53% rise in bills over the next five years.

It's the biggest increase announced by the regulator today.

Elsewhere in the county, Thames Water have been allowed to put bills up by 35%, South East Water will get a 24% hike and for Affinity, it's 26%. We've been getting reaction from a campaigner at SOS Whitstable.

Also in today's podcast, a Kent farmer's died after choking on food while out for a meal.

David Deme, who used to run Chegworth Valley near Harrietsham, passed away after being rushed to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford earlier this month. The 77-year-old's family have paid tribute.

A Medway GP has been telling us why he's against the idea of charging people a small fee to see a doctor.

It's been suggested as a way to reduce the number of time wasters, and unnecessary appointments that are made each day. Hear from Dr Julian Spinks.

A charity that supports young asylum seekers in Kent is hoping to collect second hand bikes to help give them more freedom.

Kent Refugee Action Network in Canterbury has distributed 50 to young people so far but has a huge waiting list.

And, we've got more on a goat that escaped from a nature reserve near Rochester three months ago.

MacGyver has suddenly returned - something that's been described as a 'Christmas miracle' by wardens - hear from one of them.

Residents in Deal say an influx in people from London is good for the area, after it was described as Hackney-on-Sea.

It was suggested in a recent article by the Financial Times, which says "foodies and families" from the capital have sparked a transformation of the town.

A person has been treated by paramedics following a fire at a bungalow in Whitstable.

Pictures show huge flames and smoke coming from the property, with five fire engines and a height vehicle called to the scene.

A Margate man has admitted murdering an artist who went missing while out walking her dog.

Claire Knights disappeared from Minnis Bay in Birchington in August last year, and the 54-year-old's body was later found in a ditch.

Figures show one in eight people in Kent and Medway do not have a dentist - which is the highest rate across the South East of England.

One dentist, who has 1,000 people on his waiting list, has been telling us what he thinks is causing the issue.

We have been hearing how the spread of seasonal flu is putting extra pressure on the NHS in Kent.

There has been a 350% increase in the number of cases so far this year and more people are being admitted to hospital.

And as we get closer to Christmas, a Medway woman has been telling us about the work that goes into her festive window display.

For nearly 30 years, the King family household have been painting decorations on the front of their house at Beaulieu Rise in Rochester.

A former Kent porn star who was twice told by a judge to clean up her act - has cried in court after being sent to prison.

Roma Lawson sobbed in the dock at Canterbury Crown Court after being told her 'time has run out'.

Also in today's podcast, there are calls for more patrols at a layby near Sittingbourne, after a sex toy was found strapped to a tree.

It's thought the area near woodland on the A249 has become a dogging hotspot.

A Margate man has admitted murdering an artist who went missing while out walking her dog.

Claire Knights disappeared from Minnis Bay in Birchington in August last year and the 54-year-old's body was later found in a ditch.

We're being reassured care will be available at A&E departments in Kent, following figures that show some hospitals are struggling to cope.

In yesterday's podcast we told you how there's been a 33% increase in attendance at the East Kent Hospitals Trust since 2019.

More than 1,000 patients were left waiting more than 12 hours last month.

More than 100 people have been arrested as police crack down on suspected drink and drug drivers over Christmas.

A campaign is running throughout the month in a bid to reduce the number of people killed or serious injured in crashes at this time of year.

Authority bosses in Kent say people must be at the heart of any changes that comes as part of reform to local government.

The deputy Prime Minister has outlined plans for devolution - which would lead to fewer authorities and an elected mayor for the county.

Thanks to your incredible generosity 16,200 toys have delivered to children across Kent.

Donations were made to our sister radio station kmfm's Give a Gift campaign.

They have been handed out to young people in hospital, care or difficult circumstances this festive season.

There are fears some hospital in Kent aren’t coping with the rise in A&E admissions, with an increase in patients forced to endure 12-hour ‘trolley waits’.

You can hear from the daughter of an 89-year-old woman who has dementia and terminal lung cancer, who’s been in a bed in a corridor for two days while she waits for a space on a ward. 

Also in today’s podcast, a Kent homelessness charity has raised concerns about families being evicted from rented properties just before Christmas. 

Figures show a rise in possession orders being issued across the county. 

Kent’s most pricey parking capital is on course to make a bumper profit after levels “exceeded expectations” in the first six months of the financial year.

With fees and an all time high in Canterbury, bosses are on track to make more than £200,000 pounds above than the £11 million they’d predicted. 

Plans to relocate a Kent rugby club to make way for hundreds of new homes have been met with huge opposition.

Developers haven’t even submitted the full application for the land in Tunbridge Wells, but a petition against it has already reached 1,000 signatures. 

And in football, you can hear from the Gillingham boss who’s described Saturday’s win as a dream result after beating in-form MK Dons.

Mark Bonner say he was feeling “exhausted” after the 1 – nil victory away from home. 

Ten years since the death of a Greenhithe man who fell into open water after night out in Maidstone, his family have issued a warning. 

The disappearance of Pat Lamb in December 2014 sparked a massive search – you can hear from his sister Zoe who says we all need to look after each other if we’re out celebrating this Christmas. 

Also in today’s podcast, a Kent council has been accused of "laughing" at drivers after dozens became stuck in mounting queues in a packed car park.

Frustrated motorists claim they were left waiting for more than an hour in Canterbury because of problems with the ANPR system. 

We’ll bring you the details of a huge blaze near Dover, that’s thought to be a number of Christmas trees going up in a raging fire. 

Firefighters spent an hour tackling the flames. 

Christmas festivities are set to return to Rochester after Storm Darragh forced the cancellation of events last week. 

Traders say they missed out of thousands of pounds, but are hoping to see the crowds come back this weekend. 

And in football, the Gillingham boss says there is a lot to admire about MK Dons, but he’ll be hoping to end their winning streak tomorrow. 

You can hear from Mark Bonner who’s hoping to build on last weekend’s win over Salford City. 

An eight-month-old girl has been airlifted to hospital in a serious condition after being attacked by an XL Bully. 

Two people have been arrested after the dog, which has been described as “normally a very friendly dog”, bit the infant at a home in Hawkinge. 

Also in today’s podcast, a thug convicted of murdering his disabled girlfriend after he viciously punched, kicked and stamped on her has been jailed for life.

You can hear the moment Huseyin Kalyoncu, a driver at an Edenbridge takeaway, was arrested following the savage attack. 

The owner of Kent’s worst-rated hotel has admitted it is “rundown” - after a homeless guest said he would “rather sleep on the street” than stay another night.

Pictures and videos sent to KentOnline show blood-splattered walls, dirty carpets, stained bed sheets and plug sockets next to a sink at the Windsor Hotel in Folkestone.

You can hear from former JLS star JB Gill about the struggles farmers are facing, following a go slow protest in Westminster. 

Hundreds of tractors flooded the capital and clogged up the roads over planned changes to inheritance tax. 

And plans to create a youth mayor in Medway have been slammed as “madness”. 

It’s been suggested it could cost more than 30-thousand pounds per year, but council say it would encourage primary school children to engage with politics. 

Some Maidstone businesses have been accused of "trying to con the public" for displaying the wrong food hygiene rating, or none at all.

An investigation's found nine out of ten restaurants and takeaways with low scores in the town were misleading customers about their rating.

A man who attacked a Kent Police officer with a pair of scissors has been found guilty of attempted murder.

The PC suffered more than 20 injuries, mostly to the face and neck, when it happened in June last year. Hear the moment shortly before the attack happened when police tried to arrest Robert Jenner, 50, at his flat in Albion Place .

We've got reaction after Thames Water blamed wet weather over the spring and summer for a rise in sewage leaks.

More than 350 category one spills were reported for the latest timeframe, that's a rise of 40%. Hear from a clean water campaigner from SOS Whitstable.

 Its been confirmed extra events will be happening in Rochester this weekend, after the Dickensian Christmas festival had to be cancelled.

The council called it off ahead of Storm Darragh battering the county.

Some Dickens characters will be there this weekend, an artisan and farmers market will take place in the Blue Boar car park - there'll be street performers too.

A Kent animal park's raised enough money to build a new enclosure for lions rescued from war-torn Ukraine.

The five lions were rescued from the country and will eventually be moved to the Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden.

And, charities have been telling us what it means to receive some of the thousands of toys you donated to the Give a Gift appeal on our sister radio station kmfm.

The team are out and about this week delivering presents to organisations supporting young people.

There are calls for more to be done to revive Ramsgate town centre as figure show 1 in 4 shops there is empty.

MP Polly Billington has been meeting with an action group set up to tackle the problem, and backed new powers enabling the council to bring sites back into use.

Hear from reporter Max Chesson who's been investigating the issue.

Also in today's podcast, the UK's signed a joint-action plan with Germany aimed at stopping people-smuggling gangs and dangerous small boat crossings to Kent.

Berlin's pledged to tighten its laws to make it easier to prosecute those facilitating illegal crossings to Britain.

One of Kent's water companies has reported a 40% increase in pollution incidents in the first half of this year.

Thames Water reported over 350 category one sewage spills in the six months to the end of September.

There's been an increase the number of reports of pet neglect in Kent.

RSPCA figures show there were nearly 1,500 cases from January to September this year - that's the fifth highest in the country.

Nationally there's been a 25% increase. Hear from the charity as to why they think it's happening.

Social care providers in Kent say they are on the brink of collapse following measures announced in the autumn budget.

It's been described as a triple whammy - with an increase in national insurance contribution, plus a lowering of the threshold, as well as a hike in minimum wage. We've been speaking to the Kent Autistic Trust.

Figures seen by the KentOnline Podcast show a significant discrepancy in the number of e-scooters being seized in different parts of Kent.

400 of the vehicles have been confiscated by police in the county since the start of January 2022. We've been getting reaction from police and crime commissioner Matthew Scott.

And in sport, Kent Cricket have named Adam Hollioake as the new head coach of the men's team.

The former Surrey captain and England player has signed a contract until the end of the 2027 season.

A police control room manager who sent unarmed officers to a Dartford home hours before a woman was shot, has been cleared of gross misconduct.

A neighbour had told 999 call handlers the victim's boyfriend had arrived with a handgun.

The police watchdog launched an investigation into Inspector Thomas McCall following the murder suicide.

Also in today's podcast, The owner of an animal sanctuary near Sittingbourne says she may be forced to leave Kent.

Amey James founded Happy Pants Ranch but has been given nine months to get off her current site in Newington after losing an appeal over planning.

A fake customer has managed to scam a Chatham vet out of thousands of pounds, by using their card machine.

A man in a tracksuit and crocs walked into the Clover Street Veterinary Clinic.

A social club in Herne Bay has won its bid to open later at night, despite concerns over loud noise.

The facility on Clarence Road can now welcome guests until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

And in sport, it was a win for Gillingham at the weekend.

They beat Salford City 1-0 at Priestfield which means they have moved up to 10th in league two.