KentOnline

Four people have been arrested and a murder investigation is under way after the death of a man in Canterbury.

Police taped off part of the high street after being called late last night where a man in his 20s is understood to have suffered stab wounds. Hear from reporter Liane Castle who's been at the scene.

Also in today's podcast, the owner of a Dartford cafe's told the podcast that nearby roadworks are the reason he's decided to close.

Jason Astell will shut Allison's Pantry for the final time today.

A Dover mum's told the KentOnline Podcast she'd rather go to prison than pay a parking fine.

Laura Franklin had left her vehicle at Harbour House Car Park on the seafront as she was taking her 13-year-old disabled daughter and her friend - who has cystic fibrosis - to the beach. 

We've been speaking to the leader of Medway Council who has defended plans to sell off 30 of their properties.

Gillingham Business Park and Rainham Precinct are among the sites being considered as bosses look to increase revenue.

A brown bear who's undergone life saving brain surgery will continue to be monitored to make sure he's responding to treatment.

Boki is now recovering back at his den at the Wildwood Trust, near Canterbury.

Sport, and it's the end of an era at Gillingham as former owner Paul Scally has been voted off the board.

Hear the moment current owner Brad Galinson made the announcement at a fans forum last night. We've also got analysis from our sports reporter Luke Cawdell and reaction from fans.

You can also hear from goalkeeper Glenn Morris who's been named league two player of the month for September, while manager Mark Bonner looks ahead to this weekend's game against Accrington Stanley at Priestfield.

A furniture store in Canterbury has closed suddenly with some customers claiming they've been left thousands of pounds out of pocket.

Aamad Trading took over the former Wilko building in St George's Street in the city in March.

Also in today's podcast, a Canterbury man living in America has described how they've prepared for Hurricane Milton.

Despite being downgraded to a category 1 storm, it's causing devastation in Florida.

Tents are going to be put up across Kent from today to draw attention to the dead reality of sleeping on the streets.

Porchlight will be bringing the installation to places like Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells - as part of events to mark world homeless day.

Two friends from Kent have launched a children's book to support emotional well-being.

Mindful Bee and Friends is a collection of stories to help parents deal with issues like anxiety and stress. They're releasing it now, as so-called Covid babies start school.

Perrie has been on our sister radio station kmfm chatting about new single You Go Your Way.

And in sport, a meeting tonight could see former Gillingham owner Paul Scally removed as a director of the club.

Current owner Brad Galinson has called for the vote - and shareholders will gather later.

However, Mr Scally is adamant the club has no right to remove him from the board - and he'll fight the decision if it goes that way.

Furious residents are calling on council bosses to scrap “insane” roadworks that are set to shut four town centre streets over the next five months.

More than 800 people have signed a petition describing plans for a bus contraflow system in Dover as "madness".

Also in today’s podcast, an inquest has heard a teenager who died after taking too many painkillers had been prescribed the pills despite two recent overdoses on the same medication. 

She was given a month’s supply to manage back pain by a GP who later admitted he “should have given her less”.

As we mark Baby Loss Awareness Week you can also hear from a mum who lost one of her twin boys due to a rare complication during pregnancy. 

She’s told the KentOnline Podcast of her grief and guilt as she expects another set of twin boys. 

Neighbours are angry about a car park in Ashford that’s been left “smelling like a toilet” due to foul water caused by a blocked drain. 

Those living nearby say they can’t even open any windows because of the overbearing pong.

And we’ll have an update on a brown bear in Kent who is to undergo brain surgery today, in what will be the first operation of its kind in the UK.

Two-year-old Boki, who lives at Wildwood Trust near Canterbury, was diagnosed with fluid on the brain earlier this year and the surgery is his best shot at living a normal life. 

A Deal woman who bravely battled ovarian cancer, has died at the age of just 33. 

Emily Hubble is being remembered throughout the town as "the ultimate girl’s girl, everyone’s bestie, an amazing wife and daughter".

Also in today's podcast, the government has once again delayed a decision on a new £9 billion road tunnel between Kent and Essex.

We'll have to wait until next May to find out whether the Lower Thames Crossing will go ahead. We've got reaction the chief executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.

As fighting continues in the Middle East, we've been speaking to a Kent expert about the situation.

Israel's warned people to move away from Lebanon's Mediterranean coast as their military targets Hezbollah positions. Hear from Dr Yaniv Voller, who is a Senior Lecturer in Middle East politics at University of Kent.

There are fears part of Kent could become a 'no-swim zone' after a sports centre closed and concerns were raised about the quality of seawater.

Council bosses say there's a chance four of the six bathing areas in Folkestone and Hythe could be rated 'poor' in 2025. We've got reaction from council leader Jim Martin.

Figures seen by KentOnline show almost 27,000 people in Kent and Medway are waiting to be assessed for autism and ADHD.

Included in that figure is 13,000 children as council bosses admit there's been a 'rapid increase' in demand for services. Lisa Lloyd is a mum from Larkfield who has two autistic children and has written a book about her experience.

And in sport, Gillingham boss Mark Bonner has been nominated for league 2 manager of the month for September.

He already won the August award after a strong start to the season.

More than 10,000 parking fines have been issued at country parks in Kent in the last year, according to figures seen by KentOnline.

The data also reals how thousands of people have appealed the penalty, claiming to have legitimately paid for a ticket.

Reporter Elli Hodgson joins the podcast to explain more.

Also in today's episode, we're  still expecting to hear a decision on whether or not the new road tunnel linking Kent and Essex will finally be built.

The future of the Lower Thames Crossing is being considered by the Labour government and an announcement that was due on Friday was delayed.

It's been confirmed a contraflow that's been causing delays for drivers between Whitstable and Herne Bay will be lifted later this month.

Jet fans that clear fumes or smoke from the Chestfield Tunnel are being repaired - but will eventually need replacing.

Work's been going on since June and it regularly causes traffic on the A299 Thanet Way.

New parking restrictions could come into force of Medway City Estate, in a bid to ease congestions and improve safety.

Single and double yellow lines could be painted around the site in Strood to stop HGVs parking along main routes and effectively turning two lanes into single lane traffic. We've been finding out what local traders think.

A gala in Kent aimed at bringing different cultures together is returning this month for a second year.

It's the brain child of an Ashford mum who wanted to celebrate the county's diversity.

In sport,  the Gillingham manager says his team lacked quality in their match against Crewe Alexandra at the weekend.

The Gills lost 2-0 and dropped to second in the league two table.

It was a mixed weekend for Kent's Invicta Dynamos in ice hockey's south division one - and in motorsport, hear from Kent's Jake Hill after he won the British Touring Car Championship.

The 30-year-old from Tunbridge Wells claimed the trophy after the final race of the season at Brands Hatch yesterday.

A head teacher has defended his school’s haircut policy after a pupil was pulled out of class for having a style deemed “extreme”.

Strood Academy boss Jon Richardson says the ban on skin fades is part of dress code guidelines that bring “equality and focus” to the school.

Also in today’s podcast, you can hear from a Deal man who’s been embroiled in a row with Virgin Media after returning home to find workers digging a huge trench for a broadband cabinet outside his property.

He says he will not give up challenging the communications giant after discovering contractors breaking down the pavement. 

Bosses of Kent’s biggest Pride festival have described their shock as council bosses say next year’s extravaganza cannot be held in the park it calls home.

Canterbury City Council has suspended all events at the Dane John Gardens for 2025 to roll out new improvements paid for through the government’s Levelling Up fund.

Maidstone’s LitFest is back for second year from this weekend – the KentOnline Podcast has spoken to one of the authors about her book. 

West Malling’s Rosie Hewlett explains what a scary thing it is to put a book out into the world. 

And in football we talk to the Gilingham boss ahead of their game away at Crewe Alexandra. 

They’re be looking to bounce back after their unbeaten home streak came to an end during the week. 

A fatal explosion that tragically claimed the life of a mum-of-five is believed to have been triggered by gas in her kitchen

An inquest has opened into the death of Charlane Burvill after she suffered burns to 95% of her body in the blast near Ashford last month. 

Also in today’s podcast, a dad has been jailed after telling police he was only living at a cannabis farm in Medway to “water the plants”.

He was found at the five bedroom property along with more than 1,000 plants. 

In more drug news, a criminal gang responsible for importing class A drugs in shipments of bananas to Sheerness has been jailed for more than 90 years between them.

Incredibly, it comes as a man from Scotland has also been locked up for a similar scheme – you can hear from the judge at his sentencing. 

Bosses in Swale have drawn up a "wish list" of leisure facilities they want to revamp as part of efforts to deal with a potential population boom.

The plans are part of their strategy for sites across the borough over the next 14 years as it expects more than 44,000 extra people to move in.

And you can hear from Britain’s Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas who’s been chatting on kmfm’s breakfast show. 

The Gravesend singer talks about her time on the show and recording her new album. 

Angry drivers say they are hundreds of pounds out of pocket after filling up their cars with what is thought to have been contaminated fuel from the same supermarket petrol station.

Some customers have had to pay to have their tanks drained after after buying unleaded at station in Strood last week. 

Also in today’s podcast, a thug who broke a woman's nose and knocked out a tooth after she refused to hand him a can of beer greeted the length of his jail sentence by saying: “Cushty! I’ll take that!”

The 36-year-old Dover man also gave a thumbs-up to his dad and sister, who were sitting in the public gallery 

A house builder is arguing a few metres of kerb laid three years ago is enough to say work has started on a 62-home development in Maidstone - so it doesn’t need planning permission again.

It is more than 11 years since the application was first submitted and a new developer now wants to pick up where the other left off - but without the paperwork. 

An opening date for the highly-anticipated arrival of a new Ivy restaurant in Kent has been confirmed.

The former Burton and Dorothy Perkins building in Canterbury city centre will be transformed into the swanky venue, with work currently underway. 

And you can hear from the Gillingham manager after disappointing night at Priestfield last night. 

Their unbeaten home streak came to and thanks to a one – nil defeat by Grimsby Town. 

An 80-year-old widow has received an apology from a Kent hospital after her foot became infested with maggots during her stay.

She’d made the discovery while being treated for kidney failure and ulcerated feet – but it was left untreated until the following day. 

Also in today’s podcast, a man on trial for the murder of a dad of three outside a village pub has told a jury he had only wanted to "scare off" his alleged victim.

The 34-year-old is accused of grabbing a large knife from the pub kitchen before trying to diffuse the situation. 

There are calls for charges at a newly revamped car park on Sheppey to be slashed - to encourage more people to use it. 

Punters are pleased with the £70k upgrades, but say the the steep hourly rate is putting people off. 

You can also hear from a “slightly mad” man from Sittingbourne who’s gone all out for spooky season and transformed his home into a house of horrors. 

The almost annual attraction, dubbed Finches Rest Cemetery, started as a hobby for the father-of-three but has quickly grown into a well-loved visitor attraction attended by “thousands”.

And could the discovery of a rare fungus block the progress of an 1,800 home development near Canterbury? 

It was once though to be extinct in the UK but has been found in South Blean Woods where plans for a new “village” are well underway. 

A Thanet man who stabbed a bouncer and another man at a bar in Ramsgate pleaded with a judge not to send him to prison.

A court was told the attack happened at Clique Bar in Ramsgate in January this year - leaving one man with multiple wounds.

Also in today's podcast, Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has quit the Labour party.

She's been a critic of Sir Keir Starmer for some time, but it seems the final straw was his acceptance of tens of thousands of pounds worth of free gifts from donors.

Police have been given £15,000 so more officers can patrol Herne Bay as stats show it's the most dangerous part of the district.

Bosses at Canterbury City Council have been told how the town centre and seafront has become a violent crime hotspot. Hear from our local democracy reporter Dan Esson.

A Gravesend mum's described the terrifying moment she was told about her daughter choking on food at nursery.

Three-year-old Bella had been eating some potato - and thankfully back blows by staff managed to dislodge it. Angela Chapman's now decided to raise money to buy the nursery a LifeVac.

A circus performer left paralysed after breaking her back is going to be performing in Kent his week.

Silke Pan fell from a trapeze in 2007 and spent seven months in hospital. She's been telling us about her remarkable return to the Big Top.

A florist who's been trading in Swanley for more than 60 years is closing, as rising costs have made it impossible to continue  

Michelle Avery has worked at Flowerworks since she was 15 and took over the store in 2011 - she's been speaking to reporter Charlotte Phillips.

And in sport, Gillingham are top of league two after another win at the weekend.

They beat fellow promotion hopefuls Barrow 2-0 at Priestfield. We've got reaction from manager Mark Bonner and man of the match Armani Little.