KentOnline

There’s been another fatality on Kent’s roads – a motorcyclist has died following a crash involving three vehicles on the M25 near Sevenoaks.

Emergency crews were called to the clockwise carriageway just before 12.30pm yesterday where a man in his 40's was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Also in today’s podcast, a coroner has found a Tunbridge Wells man who was in financial difficulty murdered his wife before killing himself. 

Their bodies were found at their home in February – it’s thought he’d strangled, stabbed and hit his victim with a hammer before taking his own life. 

You can also hear from a Maidstone man who’s told the KentOnline Podcast raw sewage spills across his drive every time there’s heavy rain. 

He says he’s been complaining to the water company since 2019 but so far nothing has been done. 

Two more pubs in Kent are set to close as bosses warn it’s no longer financially viable to keep them going. 

The venues are in the same street in the same village near Faversham and are expected to shut by the end of the year. 

And it’s going to be a cracking fixture in league two this weekend as top of the table Barrow make their way to Priestfield. 

They’re managed by Stephen Clemence who Gillingham sacked in the summer – you can hear from current boss Mark Bonner ahead of the game. 

Investigations are now underway after a driver was killed in a serious crash which closed a busy route in both directions.

The black vehicle was travelling on the coastbound carriageway of the A2 in the early ours of this morning when it collided with a central barrier and a bridge parapet. 

Also in today’s podcast, a police sergeant who stripped naked and masturbated near a play park in Chatham has been sacked.

The 51-year-old admitted taking pictures of himself performing the indecent act after he “crawled” into a wooded area.

A violent thug who punched his mum and ex-girlfriend has admitted his behaviour was “disgraceful”.

The unemployed 24-year-old was drunk at the time of the attack in Dover and when he woke up in a police cell claimed he could not remember what he had done.

A Dartford man who thought he just need a bit of a rest has had his arms and legs amputated and part of his nose has been eaten away after he developed sepsis.

The father of three took a few days off work and could never could have imagined that four months later he would have lost all his limbs and be waiting for surgery to rebuild his face.

And you can hear from residents who have welcomed the proposed overhaul of a leisure centre – but say while upgrades are needed it will be a shame to see the loss of the “fun bits”.

The renovation of Tides Leisure Centre in Deal comes with lots of new inclusions, but would also mean the loss of the existing wave pool, flume, smaller slides and sauna room.

Angry parents living close by to a new school in Ebbsfleet have slammed the admissions policy – and say they were sold a dream they just haven’t got. 

They launched a petition which forced the school to change its criteria and increase its intake after it was revealed that if it was oversubscribed, other pupils would get priority over those who live nearby.

Also in today’s podcast, a Herne Bay mum says she’s horrified after a child found a small blade in chips bought on a Kent pier. 

He’d bought the portion to share with his friends and was lucky it was spotted before someone bit into it. 

There are calls for bosses in Tonbridge and Malling to put an end to parking restrictions which are threatening the survival of a popular farmers’ market. 

Critics say the four hour limit is putting unwelcome pressure on traders and at this rate they’ll have no market left. 

You can also find out which KFC outlet in Kent has been ranked as one of the country’s worst when it comes to hygiene. 

The Colonel has responded to the claims – saying they have high standards and since the result have been working hard to get things back up to scratch. 

And the KentOnline Podcast has been speaking to the owners of a new family entertainment centre that’s opened in Sittingbourne. 

The £20,000 refurb to the old Snooker and Sports bar now includes an 18-hole neon crazy golf course, pool room and darts facilities. 

A courier who ran over and killed a pensioner after failing to stop at a Give Way junction in Canterbury has been spared jail.

The Middlesex woman struck Reverend Iain Taylor with her van as he crossed Station Road West while on his way to a retreat for respite from caring for his dementia-stricken wife.

Also today, you can hear from a former gang member who has told the KentOnline Podcast a ban on zombie knives has come in too late. 

The weapons have been outlawed in a bid to reduce knife crime but there are fears it’s not enough to stop young people carrying them. 

A mum is urging other parents to trust their instincts when it comes to their children’s health after her three-year-old son was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Lauren Russell, who runs a pub near Ashford, says she’s gone through “hell” and feared at one point that she would lose little Harley.

Our reporters have also been out on the streets of Kent to find out what people really think of the rise of self-service checkouts. 

It follows an alleged boycott of one supermarket giant over their use of unmanned tills. 

And the owners of a hotel, pub and restaurant near Cranbrook feel it's “now time to move on” after turning the business around in just a year.

The Royal Oak Hotel in Hawkhurst is booked through until the new year but despite it’s popularity it’s now one on the market. 

It’s been revealed a controversial Park & Ride scheme which reopened under opposition this year is causing more pollution than it prevents and losing almost £30,000 a month.

Council leaders have been accused of throwing money “in the bin” by continuing to run the service on the outskirts of Canterbury.

Also in today’s podcast, a former businessman has appeared in court after preyed on women and children by concealing a secret camera in toilets in Rochester.

He was caught red-handed by one of his victims, he said: “I’ve made a silly mistake. It was just fun."

Figure seen by the KentOnline Podcast show hundreds of parents have repeatedly taken their children out of school for unauthorised holidays. 

It comes as education chiefs prepare to clamp down on those who regularly allow their children to skip school without permission. 

A “military style” operation took place in Canterbury over the weekend as hundreds of punters queued outside a tattoo and piercing shop during their flash sale. 

More than 300 people waited outside Drawn and Quartered in a line that snaked around neighbouring streets to get their £20 tattoo. 

And in football we’ll wrap up the weekend action after Gillingham secured a one – nil win over league leaders Notts County. 

Defender Max Ehmer says they’re keeping their heads in the game ahead of tomorrow nights Carabao Cup clash with Crystal Palace. 

A young woman has spoken of her heartbreak after her brother stabbed their grandmother and her dog to death - before turning the knife on himself.

The mum-of-three, who lives in Tunbridge Wells, says she “can never forgive” her brother but is adamant she will give her nan the send-off she deserves.

Also in today’s podcast, investigations are ongoing after an explosion at a home near Ashford. 

The bungalow in Charing has been completely destroyed and one woman has been taken to hospital – it’s not yet known what caused it. 

One of Bluewater’s three original anchor stores is set to close before Christmas with a high street giant reportedly poised to take over the site.

House of Fraser, which has sat in one of the three corners of the Shopping centre since it opened 25 years ago, is understood to be shutting for good on November 27.

There’s a bit of mystery unravelling at an ancient Kent woodland after the discovery or porcelain dolls left scattered among the trees. 

The dolls, fitted with little hats and tiny shoes, have been spotted by people using the walking tracks but no-one knows how they got there. 

And in sport it’s clash between the top two teams of the league 2 table this weekend when Gillingham travel to take on Notts County. 

The hosts hold the top spot, but Gills boss Mark Bonner is confident they can build on last week’s win. 

Furious residents say the demolition of historic buildings as part of a multimillion-pound film studios project should never have been allowed to happen. 

Contractors have already knocked down a series of lean-to structures connected to abandoned engine sheds in Ashford. 

Also in today’s podcast, new public artwork showing the lifelike figure of a woman submerged in a river has been branded “offensive, creepy and disturbing” – with some calling for it to be removed. 

It follows the installation of the controversial statue in the River Stour in Canterbury by a world-renowned underwater sculptor.

A woman has avoided jail after her dog savagely attacked a dad and left him needing surgery.

She’s admitted being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury after the attacked at Hersden Industrial Park. 

An Ashford woman says lives are being put at risk from dangerous potholes and cracks in the pavement. 

Furious residents have also slammed the authorities for failing to fix a single pothole while two of the worst roads were recently closed for other maintenance. 

And a two-year-old brown bear in Kent is to undergo pioneering brain surgery in a UK first.

Boki, who lives at Wildwood Trust near Canterbury, has been suffering from seizures and recently underwent an MRI scan. 

A boat owner's told the podcast how he was left stranded after vandals stole his generator and damaged the vessel.

Philip Tucker had moored the boat on the River Medway in Maidstone to visit a nearby beer festival.

He's calling for more patrols in the area to improve safety and has been speaking to reporter Elli Hodgson.

Also on today's podcast, figures seen by KentOnline show more than 3,500 children in Kent are living temporary accommodation.

Dartford has the highest rate as one in every 58 youngsters doesn't have a permanent home according to data compiled by Shelter. Hear from Deborah Garvie from the charity.

We've learnt today that Sheppey's going to get a new banking hub after a number of branches there closed.

HSBC, Barclays, Halifax and Natwest have all gone in Sheerness with TSB also due shut. The town wasn't initially recommended for a hub but is among 15 areas to get one.

A Tunbridge Wells mum has told the podcast that new "Teen Accounts" being introduced on Instagram don't do enough to protect children.

The social media platform's confirmed profiles will limit who can contact young people and what content they see. We've also got reaction from a Medway based social media consultant.

The boss of a Dover gym is blaming parking chaos in the town for losing more than a third of his members in just four months.

Darren Fuller owns a facility in Elizabeth Street and says customers have been left with nowhere to leave their cars.

And, on the website today you can see pictures of a stunning property in Tunbridge Wells that's gone on the market.

Dunorlan House has five bedrooms, a leisure complex, cinema room and views over a house.

A pub landlord could be stripped of his licence after a fight broke out in the wake of England’s Euro 2024 final defeat which left one punter with potentially life-changing injuries.

The incident happened in the pub garden in Wainscott, but police say it wasn’t properly reported to them until the next day.

Also in today’s podcast, a former Sturry pig farmer embroiled in a planning war after switching up his business without permission says he will defy council if it tries to shut him down.

His retrospective application has been rejected, but he’s vowed to continue trading even if enforcement action is threatened.

The KentOnline podcast has spoken to a woman who thought she’d be rich six months after opening a sandwich shop in Dartford but is now struggling to survive. 

She's told us the cost of living crisis is still affecting small businesses, with costs doubling and customer numbers falling. 

A garage boss on Sheppey is worried his firm’s reputation has been damaged due to a water leak saga that’s been going on for 19 months.

He says he’s unfairly getting the blame for the issue, which has turned the pavement outside his business into a “dangerous joke”.

And gym bosses in Herne Bay say they’re not feeling the pressure despite plans for a huge luxury health and fitness complex in the town. 

You can hear from some gym owners who say they’re not scared of the proposals for the new David Lloyd Leisure site – as it will attract a completely different clientele. 

A mum-of-two has refused to pay a large restaurant bill because she claimed there was a hair in her meal.

The Maidstone woman has appeared in court for walking out of the Wagamama and leaving the £227 tab behind. 

Also in today’s podcast, you can hear from a Dover refugee charity after the deaths of another eight people who were trying to cross the Channel to Kent. 

More than 1000 people made it to the UK over the weekend – taking the total for the year so far to more than 23,000. 

There’s been an outpouring of sadness in Walmer after a family run, independent garage closed after almost 100 years.

The long-standing boss says it’s upsetting to see it shut, but the lease is up and the landowner wants to move on.

There are fears an HMO at the site of a quirky former cafe in Canterbury could “drag the area down”. 

The plans for the High Street have been labelled “totally unacceptable”. 

And in sport, it’s back to winning ways for Gillingham who beat Tranmere Rovers at Priestfield this weekend. 

The KentOnline Podcast spoke to boss Mark Bonner who says he’s proud of how his squad performed, even when they went down to 10 men.