KentOnline

A man has been arrested following the death of a seven-year-old boy in a suspected hit and run near Folkestone.

William Brown Junior was knocked down as he went to retrieve a football on Sandgate Esplanade on Wednesday. His dad, William Senior, has paid a heartbreaking tribute.

Also in today's podcast, a 16-year-old girl says she's worried she'll miss out on getting support from youth workers after the council cut funding for youth services.

Jasmine Manning from Swanscombe is home-schooled and has been using services run by Gifted Young Generation, which include performing arts workshops.

The founder of a Kent charity that supports young carers will be representing the county at a carol service at Westminster Abbey.

Jan Hall, from Crossroads, will be joining the Princess of Wales at the Together at Christmas event.

All of the presents you kindly donated to the Give a Gift appeal on our sister radio station kmfm have been delivered to children across Kent.

They're going to young people in hospitals, care or less fortunate situations this Christmas. Hear from some of those who've received presents.

With a roundup of everything going on in Kent this weekend here from What's On's Sam Lawrie.

And in football, Gillingham are making the long trip north to take on Barrow in league two this weekend.

The home side are currently up in the promotion places in third - while the Gills are six points below them in seventh.

The family over a seven year old boy who was killed in a hit and run in Folkestone say he was a "beautiful boy" who believed in forgiveness and love. 

William Brown Jr was knocked down in Sandgate Esplanade and his family are now appealing for the driver responsible to come forward. 

Also in today's podcast, a woman has told how she screamed when she found her “obsessive” ex-boyfriend standing in her bedroom doorway after he crept into her house.

The Ramsgate man had gone to extreme efforts to contact her – using 50 different phone numbers.

Fire chiefs have raised alarms over escape routes from a tower block which has been converted to provide accommodation for 80 homeless families.

Needy people from the London borough of Newham were due to move into Anchorage House in October but inspectors identified a number of issues. 

There are plans to build a house on part of a village pub's car park to help ensure the business’s future. 

There's only two pubs left in Higham but not everyone  is convinced the development is a good idea. 

And a TikTok video from inside an abandoned nightclub in Ashford has gone viral 

A group of urban explorers have taken a deep dive into the building to find out what it looks like now. 

A Kent postman says he used to be proud to wear his Royal Mail uniform but now he feels embarrassed. 

He's written a letter revealing what it's like to really work for the service following a KentOnline report that showed some people in the county are waiting weeks for vital letters. 

Also in today's podcast, the family of a young woman from Herne Bay who took her own life say she still might be alive if more had been done to treat her anxiety and depression. 

She went missing just hours after a phone consultation with her GP where she admitted to having thoughts of self harm. 

A bully who mugged a vulnerable man of his bike will miss the birth of his first child after being sent to prison. 

The Faversham man cried in the courtroom as the verdict was read out - the judge said he'd deliberately picked on a victim who he considered to be an "easy target". 

One of the leaders of a  school trust has defended plans to introduce transgender education into a Kent primary school. 

They're proposing to teach students about things such as gender identity and the term non-binary. 

And, there's backlash over a Christmas display in Dover. 

Residents say they're "insulted" by the reindeers which have been placed around the War Memorial. 

A school in Ashford will become the first in Kent to lock away student mobile phones in pouches. 

The principal of the John Wallis Academy will bring in the the changes next term in the hope of minimising distractions in class and improving behaviour.

Also in today's podcast,  Kent MP's calling on the government to act on recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry  - which concluded 8 months ago. 

Bereaved families are delivering a letter to Downing Street, demanding that victims are given the recommended compensation. 

Sevenoaks council is considering building on the green belt to reach its government-enforced target of building more than 10,000 new homes by 2040.

But the site is also wanted for a 28,000 seater stadium complex. 

A chocolate cafe in Canterbury has been given a two-star health hygiene rating after inspectors discovered staff weren't washing their hands. 

Food was also found to be out of date and being stored incorrectly. 

And in football, you can hear the reaction of the manager of Ramsgate after they were knocked out the FA Cup. 

They were the underdogs going into the clash with League 2 AFC Wimbledon yesterday but still put on a show for the 1400 travelling fans. 

Bosses in Medway have admitted they weren't consulted about families from a London borough moving into a former office block in Chatham.

Around 80 homeless families from Newham are preparing to relocate to Anchorage House which has been converted into apartments. Hear from reporter Nicola Jordan who has been following the story.

Also in today's podcast, there are calls to set up a banking hub in part of Medway as more branches are due to close.

Lloyds and Natwest have announced plans to shut their sites in Strood because more customers are using online services instead. We've been speaking to Labour's parliamentary candidate for the area at the next election.

As world leaders meet for another day of COP28 in Dubai, a Kent action group say their festival is crucial for local eco targets.

Canterbury Climate Action Partnership is bringing organisations across the city together this week. Dr Carl Wright has been telling us more.

People living opposite the site of a planned care home in Faversham are worried the local road network won't be able to cope when it opens.

Developers want to put the facility on land off Love Lane. A couple who live in the area have been expressing their concerns.

We've been for a look around Kent's newest co-working space.

The Dockyard Church in Sheerness has undergone a major multi-million pound renovation after being left in ruin for more than 20 years.

And in sport, we've got lots of reaction to massive FA Cup games involving Kent sides over the weekend.

Hear from the bosses of Gillingham and Maidstone United - plus we speak to the Ramsgate boss ahead of their match tonight.

Holiday makers have been left in shock as Pontins announced their Camber Sands site will be closing with immediate effect.  

Customers have been told some bookings will have to be cancelled and refunded. 

Also in today's podcast, snow has been falling across parts of Kent as the Met Office issues a  yellow weather warning for the county. 

There are warnings for snow and ice as we head into the weekend. 

People in some parts of the county say they're going weeks without any deliveries from Royal Rail. 

It's prompted calls from one Kent MP for urgent action ahead of the busy Christmas period. 

A Strood man says he many be left with no choice but to park illegally after the local authority took away his parking permit because of a "human error".  

Despite paying £35 a year since 2002 for a space, Council say it's no longer an option. 

And in football, the Gillingham boss knows his team will have to step up if they're to cause an upset in the FA Cup this weekend. 

They're in the second round against Charlton Athletic on Saturday afternoon. 

A mum and her former boyfriend have been found guilty of murdering her toddler son at a caravan near Faversham.

Alfie Phillips was found to have 70 injuries including broken bones when he died in Hernhill in November 2020. Police have reacted to the verdict outside court.

Also in today's podcast, the man who founded the Oasis group says the recent strike action by some teachers at a troubled school on Sheppey is heartbreaking.

Staff at the academy sites in Minster and Sheerness have taken to the picket line over safety fears because of student behaviour. We've been speaking to Steve Chalke.

Funding to local youth services is set to be cut - as council bosses have voted in favour of bringing in a one-stop-shop for help and support.

Family Hubs will bring multiple services all under one roof, but they will divert money away from existing groups. 

Elderly people living in a tower block in Herne Bay say they've been left "freezing cold" after waiting six weeks for the heating to be fixed.

Many residents at the St Anne's Court retirement complex have health conditions which can be made worse by the chilly weather.

World leaders are gathering in Dubai for the start of the Cop28 climate conference.

It's been described as a "milestone moment" as we take stock of progress on the Paris Agreement from 2015. We've been catching up with  adventure activist Kate Strong who's been in the county.

And finally, this is one of our more unusual stories - we've been chatting to a man who can often be seen walking down Rochester High Street - with a duck on his shoulder.

58-year-old Mark Colyer and his birds, Dog and Goldie are also regularly spotted in the castle grounds, and even at the pub.

A Kent farmer who lost almost 30 of her sheep after they were mauled by dogs, says the blame should lie with the owners.

Verity Garrett's flock were attacked at Eldridge Farm in Canterbury by an Alsatian and an Akita puppy that were left running loose. Now, a man has appeared in court.

Also in today's podcast, the families of David Fuller's victims are calling for the chief exec of a hospital trust in Kent to resign after an inquiry highlighted 'serious failings'.

The maintenance worker was able to abuse bodies in mortuaries at the Kent and Sussex and Tunbridge Wells hospitals over a 15 year period. Hear from the mum of one of his victims, the trust chief executive and local MP.

It's been revealed talks to try and end strike action by teachers at a school on Sheppey are progressing positively.

Staff at Oasis Academy have walked out for a third day as part of a protest over student behaviour.

Residents of a housing development in Greenhithe say a rise in services charges is "extortionate" as they face ongoing safety and security issues .

Maintenance fees at Ingress Park have jumped by £600 in the last five years and cost apartment owners more than £3,000 a year. Hear from the local councillor and MP.

And in sport, Gillingham have beaten AFC Wimbledon 1-0 in a dramatic game at Priestfield.

The floodlights went out during a power cut in the second half, and play had to be paused for about 20 minutes. We've got reaction to the result from head coach Stephen Clemence.

A rat infestation has been discovered in a hospital kitchen that serves 1,500 meals to patients each day.

Food hygiene inspectors discovered the rodent problem when they visited the kitchen at the William Harvey in Ashford back in October.

Also in today's podcast, the man leading the inquiry into the crimes of David Fuller has said if more checks had been in place at a hospital trust in Kent, he could have been stopped sooner.

Fuller abused bodies in mortuaries at the Kent and Sussex and Tunbridge Wells hospitals over a 15 year period.

His crimes involved around 100 women and girls aged between 9 and 100. Hear from Sir Jonathan Michael who's leading the inquiry.

Staff at a school on Sheppey have gone on strike for a second time over safety fears.

They're calling for changes to the exclusion policy at the Oasis Academy to deal with violence and abuse from pupils.

Bosses in Kent are supporting campaigners to reduce the stigma around domestic abuse.

Kent County Council has joined the End Domestic Abuse initiative which aims to give people the knowledge and tools to reach out for help if they need it. Hear from a survivor who has been sharing her story.

Kent farmers are being urged to remain vigilant for blue tongue virus after five cows in the county were diagnosed with it.

Blue tongue can't be spread to humans and it doesn't effect food safety - but can be fatal to cows and sheep.

In sport, Gillingham will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing defeat over the weekend when they're back in League 2 action tonight.

They lost 3-1 at Tranmere Rovers and tonight, take on AFC Wimbledon under the floodlights at Priestfield.

There's been a mixed response to plans to ban vehicles from another part of Deal high street.

Council bosses want to stop people driving on the section between Union Road and Stanhope Road.

Figures show more than 170,000 children across Kent have not been seen by an NHS dentist in the last year.

Adults are also struggling to get an appointment with 63% going at least two years without seeing a dentist.

A Tunbridge Wells man says he's lucky to be alive, after he developed symptoms to a rare, and often symptomless cancer.  

Lorry driver Alex Watson went to the doctor with severe itching across his body and "something funny" in his urine. 

A group calling for the Kent Test to be scrapped are holding their first meeting to drum up support for their new campaign.

The exam, which used to be known as the 11 plus, decides which children can apply for a place at a grammar school.

Football, and the Gillingham manager says he's "disappointed" with their 3-1 defeat to Tranmere Rovers.

Saturday's opponents are third from bottom in the league 2 table, and the Gills have now slipped to ninth.