KentOnline

Dog walkers have been wrongly accused of flouting new restrictions and threatened with fines near Whitstable.

Officials have been approaching pet owners along Tankerton slopes and insisting the area is covered by a new Public Spaces Protection Order, which bans owners from letting dogs off their leads.

Aldo in today’s episode, election candidates have been taking part in a hustings in Canterbury as they try to build support from voters.

Representatives from most of the major parties took part, but Labour's Rosie Duffield was not there.

A bird of prey centre has launched an urgent fundraiser for a new roof after being told the current one is beyond repair.

The site in Eynsford has also become a wildlife sanctuary, taking in other animals including meerkats.

It is hoped a theatre programme for asylum seekers in Canterbury will help give refugees more optimism for their future.

Workshops have been running at the Uni of Kent for the last 20 weeks to give groups living at Napier Barracks in Folkestone the chance to socialise and express themselves.

It comes as we mark World Refugee Day.

A microbar near Hythe has been given permission to keep its outdoor seating area.

Bosses at Unit 1 near the Royal Military Canal had to put in retrospective planning permission after it was set up during Covid.

And, England are in action again at the Euros today - but what are the rules if you want to watch it at work?.

Gareth Southgate's side kick off their second group game against Denmark at 5pm when some might still be in the office.

An inquest has heard a popular workman described by loved ones as “the greatest partner and father” died after falling down a manhole in a tragic accident.

The specialist labourer from Deal fell into the opening after being distracted by a passing road-sweeping vehicle while working at a new housing estate.

Also in today’s podcast, we bring you an update after arsonists decimated a Forest School created for children in Sevenoaks. 

The vandals destroyed hours of work by dedicated volunteers from the Kent Wildlife Trust at Sevenoaks Nature Reserve, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. 

You can hear from developers after plans were revealed to transform an historic creek into flats and townhouses alongside a cafe, shop and workshops.

It’s an attempt to reconnect Siittingbourne town centre with its “lost waterside”.

The future of a block of public toilets in one area of Kent is up for debate after claims it costs “up to £60 per use”.

The facilities in Meopham, opposite the cricket green, shut at the start of April due to financial reasons.

And you can hear about a hidden estate in an abandoned Kent village that’s just gone on the market for millions of pounds.

The gothic mansion is kitted out with plenty of luxuries including a cinema, tennis courts and even a zip wire. 

An Ashford dad who hit rock bottom after divorce and redundancy says he was drinking two bottles of vodka a day before he was saved by a Kent charity. 

He’s turned his life around and is preparing to open his own gym in Dover to help others through their struggles. 

Also in today’s podcast, residents in Gravesend are furious after they were “kept in the dark” over plans to house unaccompanied asylum seeking children in their street.

Dozens of protestors gathered outside the building yesterday – they say they fear for their safety. 

A father with multiple sclerosis says he is missing his daughter growing up after being placed in a care home 30 miles away from his family.

The 61-year-old asked for help with his living arrangements after his condition, which affects the brain and nerves, left him crawling around his home on his hands and knees.

Campaigners have hit out at plans to build more homes next to a former colliery where developers have already got permission for 165.

Some argue people in the area already have six-week waits for doctor appointments, and claim the area will be unable to cope with more development.

And a Netflix star has launched a third bid to extend his family home in Kent.

It comes as the first two attempts at getting the plans through Canterbury City Council were rejected. 

Seven people have been arrested after protestors stormed a Kent factory that's used to make equipment for the Israeli military.

Video at KentOnline shows people from Palestine Action breaking into the Instro Precision site in Sandwich and smashing computers and machinery.

Also in today's podcast, as we mark Refugee Week, a woman who came to Kent from Eritrea is urging politicians not to treat asylum seekers as criminals.

Rishan Tsegay was just 17 when she made the dangerous journey through Sudan, Libya and mainland Europe.

KentOnline's been told a service designed to ease pressure on GPs is leaving pharmacists at breaking point.

It launched in January and means people suffering from seven common illnesses can get treatment at a pharmacy. Hear from Amish Patel who owns Hodgson Pharmacy in Longfield.

A former Gurkha soldier from Canterbury who lost both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan has been given an MBE in the King's birthday honours.

Hari Budha Magar became the first double above-the-knee amputee to climb mount Everest.

In sport, England have won their first group game at Euro 2024 - and the man in charge of the Kent FA hopes they'll go on to inspire the next generation.

Jude Bellingham scored the only goal of the game against Serbia last night. Hear from Kent FA chief executive Darryl Haden.

Upset residents say they were horrified after watching a group of boys “torture” and kill birds with catapults.

The teenagers also allegedly kicked and threw a duck against a wall by the River Medway near Fremlin Walk in Maidstone. 

Also in today's podcast, you can hear from a first-time voter who says politicians should be consulting young people more about their election policies.

The 18-year-old from Canterbury says it's been a tough few years for people his age, but is encouraging more people his age to have their say. 

Angry residents are planning to boycott a garden waste collection service after councillors increased fees by an "extortionate" amount. 

Bosses in Ashford have  hiked the cost of its annual brown bin service by 33%  - frustrating residents who say their waste is no longer being collected on time.

Official plans have been launched for a 1,800-home village between Faversham and Canterbury 

Winterbourne Fields would see almost 220 acres of “poor-quality” farmland transformed into a village - developers are hoping to break ground next year.

And, with the Euros kicking off tonight local pub bosses are hopeful live sport will turn the tide on what's been a dreary start to the year. 

The hospitality industry in Kent is still finding its feet after the pandemic - and has struggled through a long winter. 

A carer is being investigated after she was caught on camera apparently spitting on her patient’s doorstep following a row over a damaged wall.

The patient, who lives in Strood, says the incident has left her feeling “disrespected” and as if she was “disgusting”.

Also in today’s podcast, a desperate appeal has been issued to pregnant women in Kent and Medway urging them to come forward for a whooping cough jab following the deaths of eight babies.

You can hear from the Deputy Director of Public Health at Kent County Council who says infants who are too young to get their own vaccinations are at the greatest risk.

A court has heard how a Ramsgate man stole his girlfriend's family heirlooms and cash from her son to fund a gambling addition. 

The victim began noticing jewellery mysteriously disappearing from their home over the course of seven months.

The date for a controversial plaza to be cleared from a town’s seafront has been announced.

The project, which sparked backlash from the community, has seen the creation of a pedestrianised zone - but officials have now confirmed the road will be reopened to traffic. 

And, a former bar in Gravesend is set to reopen as pub again a year after it closed down to be converted into a supermarket. 

Bosses say they've changed their mind, and the town needs its sports bar back. 

Neighbours have spoken of their shock after a woman died in a house fire in Chatham.

Crews were called to Sharon Crescent in Walderslade on Monday evening - a cat also died in the blaze.

Also in the podcast, a Fawkham man is locked in a battle with his local church over the headstone he's chosen for his wife's grave.

Dave Clarke wants a pink-tinted marble headstone for the site in St Mary's Church in Small Grains, which he says matches his wife Janet's personality. Find out what the diocese has said in response.

A Canterbury café boss has published CCTV of an alleged dine and dash which she says has left staff shaken.

Reporter Chantal Weller has been covering this story and joins the episode to explain exactly what happened.

As election campaigning continues, a headteacher from Maidstone is urging the next government to make school budgets one of their top priorities.

Issues that need addressing include a recruitment and retention crisis, levels of special needs provision and mental health support for pupils.

And, a hair salon has reopened in Sheerness a year after it was severely damaged in a fire.

Capelli Salon in the High Street caught alight when an e-scooter in a flat above exploded in April 2023- one person was left injured and his pet dog died in the blaze.

The Kent candidates for the general election have been confirmed.

Nominations had be in by Friday and they've now been checked and verified and published for each constituency.

This time around there are 18 seats up for grabs in the county - hear from our local democracy reporter Dan Esson.

Also in today's podcast, the head teacher of a Kent grammar school has branded Ofsted inspections "tick-box exercises" after it was stripped of its 'outstanding' status.

Folkestone School for Girls has held the top rating for the last 12 years - but has now been downgraded to 'good' by the education watchdog.

The boss of a tourist attraction near Sittingbourne says he's losing tens of thousands of pounds because of water works.

Bill Best has been speaking to reporter Joe Crossley and says people have been put off coming to the Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway because of nearby "road closed" signs.

A gardening group on the Kent coast is stepping up their campaign to tackle food and fuel poverty by creating a community kitchen.

Herne Bay in Bloom are already tending the garden in the memorial park that provides free produce.

And, a Gravesend shop owner's told KentOnline how rising rents and the end of the Tilbury ferry are among the reasons she's closed.

Forget-Me-Not Vintage and Dollshouse on the high street shut for the final time over the weekend - hear from Sarah Cheshire.

People living in a new-build block of flats in Ashford say its “inefficient” green energy system is making their bills much higher than they should be.

Residents say the building is always boiling hot and they would never have moved in had they known how much they would have been forking out for heating - including covering payments missed by their neighbours.

Also in today’s podcast, residents fear their village between Ashford and Canterbury could be turned into a “concrete jungle” after swathes of land were put forward for new homes in the area.

They’ve launched a campaign to save the site from developers over concerns the number of houses in the green belt could double. 

The owner of a popular seafood restaurant in Tunbridge Wells says the property has been up for sale since he bought it 17 years ago.

The town centre venue has been operating since the early 1980s and is listed as the third best place for seafood in the area on TripAdvisor.

You can hear from the Kent Wildlife Trust who are urging election candidates to make climate issues one of their top priorities.

They say things strong stances on protecting nature, tackling water pollution and encouraging sustainable farming are some of the main things voters care about. 

And a Kent couple who posted a clip on social media playfully describing their life after having moved in with family in Herne Bay have gone viral. 

It’s been viewed 14 million views times – striking a chord with the increasing number of twenty-and thirty-somethings ending up back under Mum and Dad’s roof.

A Medway mum says she'll fight to keep her swimming pool after being ordered to remove it from a communal yard outside flats in Chatham.

Chelsea Davidson was contacted by management company MHS Homes last week, and told to get rid of the 12-foot paddling pool in Silverweed Road.

Also in today's podcast, a Gravesend man who set up a funding group after his step-son took his own life says young people don't have enough access to counselling.

Figures from Childline show more than 500 sessions were delivered across the country every day last year.

The Elliott Holmes Memorial Fund has offered free counselling to more than 250 teenagers since starting their work in 2020. Hear from founder Peter Scutts.

Passengers trying to get to France from Dover were facing delays and disruption due to industrial action on the other side of the Channel.

A number of sailings had been suspended or cancelled.

Katie Price, Baga Chipz and the Sad Oompa Loompa are just some of the acts taking to the stage at Canterbury Pride this weekend.

It's the eighth time the event will be held in the City. Hear from one of the organisers.

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

And in sport, the Kent captain says the team has a lot to offer heading into their next T20 match against Somerset tonight.

They've recorded a win and a defeat so far in the competition and this will be their first match of the campaign at Canterbury.