KentOnline

It is feared a new sports centre in Medway will not be financially viable because of the cost of swimming sessions.

It is £45 for a family ticket to Cozenton Park in Rainham, which opened in July after a £22 million rebuild of the former Splashes centre.

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a man who went missing from Tunbridge Wells.

54-year-old Wayne Woodgate disappeared from the Goods Station Road area last Thursday, and his family have now paid tribute.

A Kent MP is supporting a bid by a youth group to buy the building they are based in, after the council confirmed it'll be put up for sale.

KCC needs to save £118 million this year and decided not to renew contracts for youth services.

The Kingsferry Bridge to Sheppey is going to be closed from tonight for the next eight days so work can be finished.

Teams of specialists have been replacing the steel ropes used to raise and lower the structure.

There are plans to bring more actors, directors and playwrights to Kent by creating a hub for the performing arts in Margate.

Work is already underway to renovate and reopen the Theatre Royal and there are exciting proposals for a building over the road.

Our What's On editor Sam Lawrie has been taking a look at all the activities going on in Kent over the next few days.

With Halloween next week and many schools on half-term, it is set to be a busy time for families.

And in football, it is a trip to Swindon Town for Gillingham in league two this weekend.

Mark Bonner's side have slipped to 11th in the table after a poor run of five defeats.

Tomorrow's opposition are third from bottom.

People with boats at a marina on Sheppey have been told they need to find somewhere else to dock, as the site is set to become a new housing development.

Land at Queenborough Creek has been leased out for years - but that lease will come to an end next March. We've been speaking to the marina manager and a man who runs his business from the site.

Also in today's podcast, a murder investigation's been launched following the disappearance of a man from Tunbridge Wells.

54-year-old Wayne Woodgate was reported missing a week ago.

Charities are again calling for safe and legal routes for asylum seekers after three people died in the Channel.

The boat they were on, which was heading to Kent, capsized off the coast not far from Calais yesterday morning. We've got reaction from East Thanet MP Polly Billington.

It's been confirmed today that single use vapes will be banned by next summer.

New laws are being set out in Parliament, meaning they'll no longer be able to be sold or supplied in England from the 1st of June. Medway GP Dr Julian Spinks has been speaking to the podcast.

There's a warning about animals being disturbed at nature reserves in Kent during half-term and ahead of Halloween.

Kent Wildlife Trust say cows have been chased by teenagers and broken glass has been left behind from illegal parties.

Meantime, two lions hand reared at an animal park in Kent are starting a new life in South Africa.

Zemo and Zala were kept alive by Howletts owner Damian Aspinall and his daughter Freya after their mum died last year.

And in sport, former England wicket keeper Geraint Jones is returning to Kent as an assistant coach for the women's team.

He'll support James Hockley who takes on the head coach position next season. Hear from Lucy Arman who takes on the role of the county's very first head of women's cricket.

Residents in a block of flats in Sheerness have been told to pay £14,000 within 30 days for new fire regulations - or they could be evicted.

An external staircase needs to be built at Portland House on the High Street to comply with rules introduced after the Grenfell Tower fire. We've been speaking to one resident who says she hasn't slept since receiving a letter about it.

Also in today's podcast, French authorities say two people have died after a boat carrying asylum seekers sank in the Channel.

Around 50 people are thought to have fallen into the water just after 8am today.

The government's launched an independent review into the water industry to address concerns about bills and sewage.

One of the options being considered is abolishing regulator Ofwat.

It comes just a day after it was revealed water companies in Kent want to increase bills by even more than first planned. We've been getting reaction from Catherine Chapman who's part of campaign group SOS Whitstable.

A road in Folkestone is going to stay closed until next August following two landslides.

The Road of Remembrance,  which connects the seafront and town centre, has been shut since January and investigation work is ongoing.

In showbiz, Tom Grennan has been on our sister radio station kmfm chatting about his new song.

'Higher' is his latest single - released from his upcoming fourth album, which at the moment has no title.

And in sport,  it's gone from bad to worse for Gillingham as they've suffered another league two defeat.

They were beaten 2-0 by Newport County at Priestfield last night - their fifth loss in a row. Hear the thoughts of Gillingham manager Mark Bonner.

A group of neighbours have criticised a housing association after being told to remove garden furniture used as a 'wellbeing hub'.

Orbit Housing owns properties in Hopeville Avenue, Broadstairs and says the seating is a trip hazard and a misuse of a communal area. Hear from one of the residents who says gathering with friends is good for their mental health.

Also in today's podcast, staff at a Kent prison have revealed the impact of overcrowding as 1,100 more inmates are released early across England and Wales.

The government has launched a review to look at tougher punishments outside of jail to try and tackle the issue.

The M25 is back open after a huge lorry fire closed part of the motorway in Kent for around 30 hours. One of the tunnels at the Dartford Crossing is also back open after a spillage meant it had to be resurfaced. We've had an explanation from National Highways.

An Ashford man says he's 'sick and tired' of land outside his house being over run with weeds.

Andrew Baynes has lived at the property in Newlands for 24 years and claims the county council won't clear the area - despite regular calls over a number of years. Hear from him and the response from KCC.

A Chatham nurse who was told the pain she was suffering was 'all in her head' has taken to socials to share her struggles with endometriosis.

Nicole Scott was finally told she had the condition after fighting for a year to get answers.

A footballer who was racially abused by a Gillingham fan last season has spoken out about the impact it had.

Omar Bogle was playing for Newport County when someone in the crowd made an offensive gesture towards him. He's part of the EFL's Together Against Racism campaign.

A group of women, including former MP Dame Tracey Crouch, who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for charity have been to Maidstone hospital to see what the money they raised has been spent on.

£150,000 was donated to Breast Cancer Kent for a machine that can do a mammogram on samples in the operating theatre.

And in sport, Gillingham will be hoping to end their losing streak as they host Newport County later.

Four defeats in a row have left the Gills sixth in the league two table.

A Dover landlady who attacked a customer she found sleeping behind the bar has avoided being sent to prison.

Maidstone Crown Court was told how a row had broken out a The Staggered Inn micropub in the High Street in December last year.

Also on today's podcast, it's been a nightmare on the M25 in Kent after a huge lorry fire overnight.

The vehicle caught alight on the clockwise carriageway between Sevenoaks and Godstone.

We're being asked what we think about planned changes to firefighter response time targets in Kent.

At the moment crews aim to get to an emergency within 10 minutes - no matter where it is.

It's feared plans for more beach huts on part of the Kent coast will cause traffic problems in a nearby village.

Bosses in Dover want to add 33 buildings to the 23 already at Kingsdown near Deal at a cost of £130,000.

A former MEP from Kent says he hopes one day there'll be another Brexit vote for the next generation.

Anthony Hook is now leader of the Lib Dems at the county council, and has been speaking on the Kent Politics Podcast.

A former Rochester pupil has returned to the school he went to - as a teacher.

Reo Mardell went to St Peter's Infants for three years from 2006 - and started working there in September after graduating.

Football, and the Gillingham manager says he's confident they can turn things around after four defeats in a row.

They lost 2-1 to Bradford City away from home at the weekend.

It's emerged police have been called to a Medway park more than 60 times in four months to reports of nuisance vehicles - but no bikes have been seized.

New rules have been put in place across the Towns to try and tackle the problem.

Also on the podcast, a former Kent sub-postmaster who was wrongly convicted of stealing during the Horizon IT scandal has had his conviction overturned.

Sunil Patel from Romney Marsh spent nine months in prison and was ordered to pay £48,000 pounds due to faulty accounting software. He's been speaking of his relief and what he wants to happen next.

A documentary sharing the mental health struggles of a Kent artist will be in cinemas this weekend.

Crews spent time following Sam Cox - who's known as Mr Doodle - as he decorated his mansion.

A first of its kind toilet is set to open at Margate railway station.

Southeastern have installed a Changing Places facility which is designed to make rail travel easier and more accessible. 

Ella Henderson's been chatting to our sister radio station kmfm about her new single.

Filthy Rich is her first solo single in more than two years.

Sam Lawrie has a roundup of everything going on in Kent this weekend.

And in sport, Gillingham will be hoping to get their season back on track this weekend.

They travel to take on Bradford City after three straight defeats.

A fed-up pensioner has sued Arriva after he and his wife were left stranded at a freezing cold bus stop in Maidstone. 

The bus they needed turned up on time but sailed right past them – they’re now chasing the company for the cost of their taxi home. 

Also in today’s podcast, the family of a dad-of-five who passed away suddenly just before his 40th birthday say they’re struggling with heartache. 

Lewis Leggatt was found in his Maidstone home earlier this month but his cause of death still hasn’t been determined. 

Kmfm has led the tributes to Liam Payne in Kent after the news of his shock death at the age of 31. 

On today’s podcast you can hear from Liam himself – he was on kmfm’s breakfast show in 2018 after he’d become a dad. 

Campaigners opposed to two huge housing developments have admitted they have lost the battle to stop 7,000 homes being built in the Kent countryside. 

The KentOnline Podcast has spoken to the newly-installed Green Party leader of Maidstone council who opposed to the plans for Lenham and Lidsing but says he is now resigned to “making the best of it”.

And rangers have been left stunned after the sudden arrival of two bison calves in Kent. 

The newborns are part of the herd near Canterbury, as part of a project which has seen them roam freely in England for the first time in more than 1,000 years.

A man in his 20's has been killed after his Smart car collided with two other vehicles on the M20. 

Ambulance crews were called to the scene of the crash near junction one this morning but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Also in today’s podcast, a dad has pulled his autistic son out of a secondary school in Canterbury which he claims is “obsessed” with dishing out detentions.

He says his child has ADHD and his mental health has declined rapidly since starting this September.

As assisted dying is put back before parliament, the KentOnline Podcast has been speaking to a man who’s terminally ill father took his own life, rather than live with the pain. 

Gravesend man Norman Ward died in 2021 after living with prostate cancer for 15 years – his family say he wanted the suffering to stop, but was left with no other option. 

You can hear from a furious man who says he was wrongly hounded by bailiffs for hundreds of pounds over a Medway parking fine he had no knowledge of.

The dad-of-three says he’s been left “angry and upset” and more than £400 out of pocket by the ordeal which followed a family visit to Rochester. 

And the man behind the multi-billion pound London Resort Project, dubbed the “Dartford Disneyland” says the long-running saga has destroyed his life. 

The businessman has exclusively told the KentOnline Podcast it has ruined his reputation and left him bankrupt. 

An independent inquiry set up to examine the crimes of Kent killer David Fuller has made a urgent calls for regulation of the funeral sector.

Fuller was able to abuse bodies in hospital mortuaries while he was employed as a maintenance worker – you can hear from the mother of one of his victims.

Also in today’s podcast, bosses of a Chinese restaurant in Folkestone have been told to clean up their act – after inspectors found mouldy chopping boards and flies in egg fried rice.

They’ve been handed a one-star hygiene rating after council officers also discovered evidence of people smoking and card games in a food preparation area.

Developers have been warned they’ll commit "environmental vandalism" by felling trees to make space for a wetland on a new housing estate by concerned councillors.

It’s after planning permission has been granted for the first 144 properties on the former Ashford International Truckstop site on Waterbrook Park.

You can also hear from the boss of an award-winning Indian restaurant in Rainham that’s taken over the pub next door.

From working part-time as a waiter to help pay his student tuition fees, to becoming the boss of his own restaurant - Saif Islam is nothing short of inspirational.

And the fixtures have been released for the first round of the FA Cup.

While Gillingham face Blackpool and Maidstone United have been drawn away against Altrincham or Solihull Moors – we’ll talk to Tonbridge Angels boss Jay Saunders about their match against Harborough Town.t Harborough Town. 

Two men have been charged with murder after a man was stabbed to death in Canterbury city centre. 

Emergency services were called to the high street but the victim died at the scene – the two suspects are due in court today. 

Also in today’s podcast, there are fears some people living in a Kent village are missing out on medical services after a GP surgery closed more than two years ago. 

It means more than 7,000 residents are already having to travel to neighbouring areas for an appointment with hundreds more homes planned for the area in the coming years. 

A community say they’re “living in fear” after an escaped dog mauled a Chihuahua to death in the street. 

The Staffordshire bull terrier had escaped from a nearby yard and had no lead or collar. 

An abandoned research centre will go up for auction this month. 

The site in Sittingbourne includes laboratories and workshops and is expected to fetch more than three-quarters of a million pounds. 

And in football news you can hear from the Gillingham boss and defender Max Ehmer after their loss to Accrington Stanley over the weekend. 

Mark Bonner was left disappointed by the performance and says his team were too easy to create chances against.