KentOnline

Drivers have spoken of their shock after at least 10 vehicles were “shot at” as they travelled along the A2.

Cars, lorries and coaches have all been targeted near Darenth and a Facebook post warning drivers of the danger has now been shared hundreds of times. 

Also in today’s podcast, a drunk man who killed his friend when he smashed his car into a wall had just minutes earlier proclaimed he was a "good driver" and would get his passengers "safely home".

The 27-year-old was almost twice the legal alcohol limit, as well as over the limit for the breakdown product of cannabis, when he tried to drive his friends home from a night out. 

Plans for a massive “new town” have been sent to the government to decide on, amid fears of “destruction of the countryside”.

The 8000 home development near Sittingbourne has been in the works for years – you can hear from one of the campaigners who’s trying to get it stopped. 

Hundreds of millions of pounds is to be spent on the drastic transformation of a Kent waterfront.

The staggering cost of making upgrades to three key areas of Dover’s coastline over the next three decades has been laid out, with new homes and offices planned, as well as improvements to the busy port.

And you can hear from the Gillingham boss ahead of their match against top of the table Port Vale this weekend. 

It comes after chairman Brad Galinson says he has full confidence in the team, despite six losses in a row. 

Reaction's continuing to come in following Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election.

Joe Biden is due to speak later today before meeting Mr Trump for the transition of power - which won't become official until January. We've been asking people in Rochester what they think.

Also on today's podcast, a debate's taking place today after thousands of people signed a petition calling for a Kent family centre to stay open.

The county council is planning to close Seashells in Sheerness and move some of the services it provides, elsewhere. Hear from our local democracy reporter Simon Finlay.

The KentOnline Podcast has been told that male referrals to a Kent domestic abuse charity have increased by 60 percent over the past year.

Ashford's Dads Unlimited say shows like Baby Reindeer and the pressure of the cost of living could be leading more men to seek help. We've been speaking to them on Male Domestic Abuse Awareness Day.

In sport, major plans have been announced to develop a karting circuit in Kent.

Bosses at Buckmore Park near Chatham want to build a facility known as The Paddock. Hear from the track's co-owner Leonora Martell-Surtees, who is also the daughter of racing legend John Surtees.

A dog is set to be put down after biting a woman in a Medway park.

The victim was walking her own dog in Gillingham Park in April 2022 when she went to stroke the American Akita called Boris.

The pet bit her hand, leaving a large wound which needed hospital treatment and took six weeks to heal.

Also in today's podcast, an emergency service instructor from Kent has been telling the podcast how he spent three days digging for survivors after a landslide wiped out a village in Bosnia.

Chris Kendall and his team were there to deliver training when the landslide happened in October.

There's anger at a decision to scrap a degree in English Literature at a university in Kent.

The course will no longer run at Canterbury Christ Church after bosses noticed a 'significant decline' in the number of students choosing it.

Two shoppers who were dressed up for Halloween have been kicked out of Bluewater, for not being "suitably dressed".

Comedy actors Chris Cole and Paul Fox say they were escorted off the premises after turning up dressed as a devil and vampire.

It's emerged that all of the companies wanting to buy a Kent leisure centre plan to re-open it.

Folkestone Sports Centre closed suddenly in the summer after the trust running it said they could no longer afford to. 

And, there are concerns in Medway that an increase in how much companies can charge for bus fares, will put more of us off using them.

The government confirmed in last week's budget the price cap can increase by 50 percent from £2 to £3.

Residents in Whitstable have been left outraged after the county council decided to lock the gates of a playing field which has been earmarked for development. 

Padlocks have appeared on the entrances of the Church Street playing field which has been open to the public for generations. 

Also in today's podcast, as Americans cast their vote in the presidential election - we're being reminded the outcome could have real impacts here in Kent.

Hear from Dr Andrew Wroe who is a senior lecturer in American Politics at the University of Kent.

There are fears people will miss vital hospital appointments or become isolated due to planned cuts to bus services in Dover.

Timetable changes are due to come into force on November 17th and will see the reduced frequency of some Stagecoach services - while other routes will have a different stopping pattern. We've been getting reaction from passengers.

In politics news, the Sevenoaks MP has criticised a decision by the government to increase university tuition fees in England.

Laura Trott has been speaking on her first day as shadow education secretary.

Meantime, the new Labour MP for Ashford says it was his time working in the NHS that pushed him into politics.

Sojan Joseph was a ward manager at St Martin's Hospital in Canterbury and has been on the latest episode of the Kent Politics Podcast.

There's an urgent call to make our gardens more wildlife-friendly amid concerns for Kent's hedgehogs.

Across the country, numbers have dropped by 75 percent in rural areas since 2000. We've been speaking to a lady who runs a rescue facility near Ashford.

And in sport, former Gillingham player Nicky Southall has left his job as manager of Lordswood.

He's been in the role since last December and was hoping to push the side to promotion.

A driver who woke up after a “terrifying” crash on the A21 with no memory of the accident is appealing for witnesses.

He had a swollen face, was covered in blood and surrounded by broken glass after hitting a central reservation, but has no idea of what caused the crash. 

Also in today’s podcast, a factory worker who sexually assaulted a woman outside a McDonald’s for almost 20 minutes has avoided jail.

The Dover man was on a night out when he took advantage of his victim while she was in a vulnerable state. 

An elderly couple from Gillingham say they were just hours away from paying out £8,650 for plumbing repairs which should have cost a fraction of the amount.

They’d already sent the cheque before being told to cancel it by their daughter-in-law – who gathered quotes which were about 17 times less than the price they’d paid. 

It was a disappointing weekend for three Kent football teams who have all be knocked out of the FA Cup. 

Gillingham, Maidstone United and Tonbridge Angels all suffered defeats in the first round – you can hear from the managers of all three. 

And meet the Kent man who popped out for a loaf of bread and became a millionaire. 

The Canterbury dad-of-four decided to pick up a scratch card while he was at his local shop – and he knows exactly what he’ll do with the winnings. 

A Kent hospital has apologised after a 75-year-old man resorted to sleeping on the floor after a 12-hour wait in A&E.

Martin Wakely was taken to Medway Maritime with breathing difficulties, and his wife has described the state of the NHS as "disgusting".

An elderly vandal has been spotted cutting down hundreds of handmade poppies.

They were part of the Folkestone Poppy Project on the Leas, which sees thousands of crocheted poppies put up on railings every year.

The NSPCC say there were more than 260 cases of online child grooming in Kent in the last 12 months.

The charity's calling for tech companies to be more proactive in protecting young people online.

The founder of a Medway charity says they could have to consider laying off staff, due to measures announced in this week's Budget.

In order to raise £40 billion worth of taxes the employer's contribution to National Insurance has increased, as has the minimum wage.

The man at the council in charge of Kent's roads has blamed lorries and tourist traffic for the number of potholes.

It comes as the AA reports a sharp rise in the number of breakdowns directly caused by road surface issues.

The Edenbridge Bonfire Society's effigy of Ticketmaster will be set alight this weekend.

The company has been chosen for this year's display following criticism over the cost of tickets for the Oasis reunion.

And in football, Gillingham will be hoping to put their poor League Two form behind them in the FA Cup this weekend.

Tonbridge Angels and Maidstone United are also in first round action.

A heartbroken mum has paid tribute to a dad-of-two who was found dead in the River Medway. 

Andrew went missing after his dinghy capsized near Sun Pier in Chatham – he’s being remembered as a generous and loving son.

Also in today’s podcast, it’s been confirmed a motorcyclist has died following on collision on the M25. 

Traffic near the Dartford Crossing was brought to a standstill yesterday afternoon and the road didn’t reopen until nearly midnight. 

A special needs school may have to fork out “tens of thousands of pounds” after being hit with water supply issues.

South East Water has apologised to the school in Loose after staff said they were having to look for a solution themselves.

A row of shops in a part of Ashford hit by closures could finally be demolished to make room for a 92-bed hotel. 

Plans for the new development were first approved in 2022, but have faced a string of set backs. 

And we’ve got a guide to the spookiest places to be spending Halloween this year. 

You can read through our guide of the some of the best decorated places across the county and even hear from one of our reporters who’s spoken to actors who will spend tonight scaring punters at a Medway attraction. 

A body has been found amid a search for a man missing from Canterbury. 

There was a large emergency service response in the Fordwich area ahead of the discovery yesterday afternoon. 

Also in today’s podcast, the closure of a bridge for repairs is causing major headaches for the thousands of motorists who rely on it each week.

But there may be worse to come for those who regularly use the 600-year-old bridge near Maidstone. 

A university professor has branded campus bosses “ridiculous” after they banned him from bringing his emotional support dog to work.

For almost two years, the trusty German shepherd, Wolf, has been by his side during lectures at the University of Kent in Canterbury but that’s all come to an end. 

It's feared the cost of living could be putting people off adopting a child in Kent.

A campaign's underway as data shows a 22 percent rise in the number of youngsters who haven't been matched with a family – in today’s podcast you can hear from a man who adopted siblings who are now teenagers. 

And it’s finally been revealed who the subject of this year’s effigy at Edenbridge Bonfire will be. 

The 11-metre tall creation will be set alight this weekend alongside the traditional Guy – and this year they’ve gone for something a little bit different. 

The KentOnline Podcast can reveal which secondary schools in Kent are the hardest to get a place at and why. 

It comes as there are concerns about many schools being oversubscribed, with as many as four out of five children being denied their first choice. 

Also in today’s podcast, an inquest into the death of a 93-year-old former GP and his 91-year-old wife at their home in Sandwich has found it was a double tragedy. 

Brian and Dilys Richards were found in July this year – police say there was no evidence a third party was involved and it's not being treated as suspicious.

You can also hear from the boss of one of Kent’s largest employers as they prepare to undergo a huge overhaul. 

The £220 million transformation of BAE Systems in Rochester is one of the largest investments the firm has ever made. 

There’s anger as the return of the beautiful game to a remote village in Medway has been thrown in doubt after vandals took it upon themselves to trash football pitches.

Volunteers have spent more than a year getting the fields on the Isle of Grain ready to welcome new men’s team, but they’ve been forced to play their first game elsewhere. 

And, a film crew working in Kent to shoot a new comedy has been forced to issue an apology to local villagers. 

Production vehicles have been clogging up private roads and car parks in what’s been described as a “miscommunication of the site’s boundaries”. 

A Kent dad is refusing to pay a fine he received after taking both his children on holiday during term time despite being granted permission for just one, saying he’s not going to take one child away and leave the other behind. 

The family chose that time of year because it’s quieter for their autistic son – but their daughter’s school refused. 

Also in today’s podcast, angry homeowners insist rehashed plans for a contentious new development will only worsen their already "infiltrated" village.

The plans for Ashford have been described as “diabolical” and have already raised more than 600 objections. 

A Kent family have described their “noise hell” as the neighbour's children play drums, piano and saxophone “all day, every day”. 

The fed-up family say it’s driving them mad, but the mum next door insists her children need the practise for their GCSEs. 

A cat rescue centre is appealing for help after hitting “an absolute brick wall” with its number of arrivals. 

The centre in Rochester says it’s up to it’s knees with rescues and the situation has just got worse with the arrival of six “Halloween miracles”. 

And in football, you can hear from the Gillingham manager after their disappointing result over the weekend. 

Mark Bonner isn’t accepting a lack of confidence as an excuse for their poor run of form which has seen them go six games without a win.