KentOnline

A dad says he's incredibly frustrated after his son passed the Kent Test but wasn't offered a place at a grammar school...

Josh - who's from Hartley - has spent three years studying for the exam but despite getting a high enough grade there isn't space for him at any of the local selective schools.

Also making news today, residents along a main road in a coastal Kent town have slammed drastic changes to parking restrictions - labeling them "ridiculous"

It now costs as much as 9-pound-60 to use the previously free canalside carpark in West Hythe - double yellows have also been painted on West Hythe Road  

Some living along the main road are paying to have their gardens converted into driveways 

Police have confirmed two young sisters who went missing from Paddock Wood have been found safe and well...

14 year-old Lexie McKenzie and Kadie, who's 12 disappeared from their home yesterday morning.

Residents have been left frustrated after a huge pile of asbestos waste was dumped on a road near Faversham  

It was left in Abbotts Hill more than a week ago and has still not been cleared - there are barriers closing the road but drivers have been moving them to get through  

A motorcyclist sick of dodging potholes in Sittingbourne has taken matters into his own hands...

Ian Magg says he's ordered tarmac and will fill the holes in Cowper Road himself if the local authorities don't do it by this weekend.

And in sport, Tunbridge Wells table tennis star Will Bayley has defended his class 7 title at the Para National Championships in Sheffield...

The 35 year-old is the reigning world champion and appeared on Strictly a few years ago. 

Tributes are being paid to former Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman who has died at the age of 78.

He passed away at a hospice in Tunbridge Wells over the weekend. Lucy has been looking back on his life and  reading some of the many messages posted online.

Also in today's podcast, two teenage girls have been arrested after armed police were called to Maidstone town centre.

There were reports of someone with a weapon in Week Street yesterday afternoon.

A young deaf boy from Kent and his famly, are campaigning for a life-changing therapy to be backed by the government.

Callum Herholdt was born deaf but attends a mainstream school after having access to the auditory verbal therapy which helped him learn to listen and speak.

A new survey's been launched to uncover the scale of online bullying and harassment for children in Kent.

National data shows more than half of youngsters have their own phone by the age of seven - and spend an average of three hours 20 minutes a day using them. We've been speaking to crime commissioner Matthew Scott.

With exam season getting under way, a psychotherapist from Kent has some advice for parents of anxious teens. Hear from Paula Gardner from the Good Therapy Practice in Folkstone and Hythe.

A group set-up to support people fleeing the war in Ukraine has been given a top award.

Medway Help for Ukrainians has organised families to host refugees, put on jobs fairs and run sessions for children to get together. They've been named as the he overall winners of this year's Pride in Medway.

And in sport, it was a great point on the road for Gillingham at the weekend.

They came from 2-1 down at Bradford City to secure a 2-2 draw. Hear from manager Neil Harris and goalscorer Oli Hawkins.

Residents in Ashford are worried local roads will be gridlocked this weekend as part of the M20 is going to be closed.

The official diversion route is 88 miles long, and it's feared drivers won't follow it.

Also in today's episode, a man has been jailed after crashing his car during a police chase after stealing a litter of puppies and their mum in Canterbury.

A woman also suffered life-changing injuries in the head-on collision.

Runners from all over Kent will be taking part in the London Marathon this weekend.

We've spoken to a secondary school teacher from Dartford who's taking on the 26.2 mile challenge to raise money for a charity that helped her dad.

Schoolchildren are involved in parades to mark St George's Day in Gravesend and Dartford.

Celebrations will be held across the county over the weekend, with plenty of other events to keep you busy.

And in football, Gillingham make the long trip north to take on Bradford City tomorrow.

The Gills have already secured league two safety, but the boss says he wants to finish the season strongly.

People living in Aylesham have been telling the KentOnline Podcast how it has become a 'village of strangers' because of all the new build housing there.

Reporter Sam Lennon has been to the former mining village to speak to residents.

Also in today's episode, Paul O'Grady's funeral is taking place today in his home village of Aldington near Ashford.

A private service is happening but people have also been encouraged to line the route of the procession to say a final good bye.

The TV star passed away at his home  last month at the age of 67.

An inquest has opened into the deaths of two Kent mums who had caesareans carried out by the same surgeon.

29-year-old Kim Sampson from Whitstable and Samantha Mulcahy from Hawkinge both died of herpes shortly after giving birth in 2018.

The Archbishop of Canterbury insists the King's coronation will be "deeply representative" of the nation.

Justin Welby will lead the service at Westminster Abbey next month.

Maisie Peters has been telling our sister radio station kmfm what it was like to support Ed Sheeran on tour.

She's now doing her own UK tour and says she's excited for the release of her new album in June.

And we've got details of this summer's Pride celebrations in Canterbury.

People living near a crime-hit park in Canterbury have been telling the podcast how they would never move and are determined to change its reputation.

Dane John Gardens has been blighted by crime in recent years but residents say, with the help of the council, they want to improve the area . Reporter James Pallant has been speaking to residents.

Also in today's podcast, figures out today show the cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks are going up faster than at any point in the last 45 years.

And it's not just households struggling with the rising cost of living - we've been hearing how one Medway charity has been affected.

It's emerged a dog that died in a fire at a flat in Sheerness managed to save his owner - but then couldn't escape the flames.

The blaze broke out at a property on the High Street on Monday.

The MP for Canterbury has used Prime Minister's Questions to raise concerns about the safety of women in hospitals.

Hear the exchange between Rosie Duffield and Rishi Sunak.

A Kent film-maker has revealed how the county inspired him to create his new dystopian blockbuster.

Ben Pullen says his movie, Last Sentinel, was inspired by Maunsell Forts, off Herne Bay.

Harry Styles and his Kent writing partner have been nominated for three prestigious awards - find out what they are.

And in sport, it was a very eventful evening at Priestfield as Gillingham secured their future in League Two while opposition Leyton Orient were promoted - plus there was a power cut just to add to the drama.

Hear from Gills manager Neil Harris.

There are calls to restore a war memorial in Ashford - with one military enthusiast calling it "tatty, shabby and unloved".

The British Mark IV Tank sits in St George's Square after being gifted to the town in 1919 when the community raised money to support the war effort. Hear from  John Harris who wants the council to get involved.

Also in today's podcast, a court has heard how a police officer failed to confront a man who was setting a restaurant alight in Margate.

The officer was driving past GB Pizza Co which was destroyed in the blaze last October.

Kent's unemployment rate is continuing to rise with another 320 people claiming out of work benefits in February.

That takes the total to about 37,850.

A dad from Maidstone says he's been left in agony after his hospital appointment was postponed because of junior doctors' strikes.

Michael Howard started suffering from a pain in his hip seven months ago and after several scans he was finally due to be seen last week.

 Our reporter Rhys Griffiths has been investigating the former St Augustines hospital near Canterbury to mark 30 years since it closed.

It opened in 1875 and at one time was known as the East Kent Lunatic Asylum. Hear from a former member of staff who has been sharing their memories.

There are calls for more lights to be switched off across Kent so we can appreciate the night sky.

Visit Kent have done a study to mark Dark Sky Week - and found two thirds of us think more should be done to reduce light pollution and energy use. We've been chatting to their chief executive.

And in sport, hear from the Gillingham manager as they welcome top of the table Leyton Orient to Priestfield tonight.

A win for the visitors will see them promoted while victory for the Gills will secure their future in league two next season.

A group of volunteers on the Isle of Sheppey have vowed to continue helping to control crowds at community events.

Last week it was reported members of the Sheppey Event Marshalling Unit (EMUs) were calling it a day due to a fall in donations and the number of volunteers joining. Lucy has the details.

Also in today's podcast, there's a fresh debate about animal welfare in horse racing after a huge protest at the Grand National.

Nearly 120 people were arrested at Aintree over the weekend - including at least one person from Kent.

We're being urged to be on the look-out out for Asian hornets which have been spotted in Kent for the first time in four years.

They're an invasive species which attack and kill honey bees. We've been speaking to a beekeeper from Dover.

People living near Tenterden Leisure Centre say they're being 'driven crazy' by noise from a heat pump.

It was due to be installed on the side of the building facing football pitches - but residents are angry it's been put right near their homes instead. Hear from some of them and the response from the council.

More details have been released about Paul O'Grady's funeral in Kent this week.

The 67 year-old passed away last month after suffering a cardiac arrest.

And in sport, hear from the Gillingham boss following their 1-1 draw with Stockport County at the weekend.

A Northfleet woman who's been diagnosed with breast cancer for a third time is vowing to keep fighting it.

Her family have set up a fundraising page to pay for a new trial treatment which could give her more time to spend with her baby granddaughter.

Also in today's podcast, it is feared work to improve a busy junction in Maidstone will not solve traffic problems.

The owner of one business says a new one-way system is being set up the wrong way round.

Elsewhere, we have spoken to junior doctors on the picket line as they stage their fourth and final day of strike action.

Labour's Shadow Health Secretary has been in the county to give us his thoughts on the dispute over pay.

An Ashford man is calling for someone to take responsibility after five trolleys were dumped in a river.

They're blocking the East Stour along Ashford Road near the Tesco supermarket in Park Farm.

And, we have the latest from Priestfield as the CEO of Gillingham Football Club Paul Fisher stands down.

You can hear from one of the players ahead of this weekend's league two match against Stockport County.

A man who was caught doing wheel spins in a Tesco car park in Faversham has been given a suspended prison sentence.

A blood test revealed he had illegal levels of alcohol, cocaine and MDMA in his system.

Also in today's podcast, three people have been charged with murder after a man was found dead in Canterbury.

Police have named the victim whose body was found in a car park on Monday afternoon.

Elsewhere, we have been hearing from people in Ramsgate who are feeling unsafe after a number of stabbings.

There have been five knife attacks in and around the seafront area over the past five weeks.

It is feared a rise in diabetes cases in Kent could be partly because of the cost of living crisis.

A charity has been on to talk through the figures and give advice on how you can reduce the risk of getting the disease.

There are plans to make it harder for second home owners to rent out their properties on websites like Airbnb.

It's been pushing up house prices in holiday hotspots like Whitstable and forcing local people out of the area.

And, Conor Maynard has been on our sister radio station kmfm o tell us all about his latest single 'By Your Side'.

As well as being about heartbreak, it's also a message to fans to thank them for supporting him.

A mum-of-four from Faversham has appeared in court after pleading guilty to drug driving.

The 33-year-old smoked cannabis before driving with her baby and seven-year-old child in the car.

Also in today's podcast, we hear from the owners of a warehouse that has been destroyed in a landslide in Swanscombe.

Rubble fell down and buried the workshop when a burst water pipe caused part of the cliff to collapse.

Elsewhere, a teenager has been found guilty of murder after a 20 year-old man was stabbed to death in Tonbridge.

Tom Waugh was killed in a park last August after trying to distract a group of robbers to help his friends escape.

Health bosses are warning of "very fragile" A&E staffing cover as junior doctors continue with a second day of strikes.

Their union is calling for a wage increase to make up for years of real-term cuts.

A Tunbridge Wells mum has been telling us how she struggled to accept being diagnosed with Parkinson's in her forties.

Donna Marshall started experiencing symptoms but put off going for a follow-up check for two years.

And, a social worker from Ramsgate says ditching her job to make money selling intimate videos online has "changed her life".

She is now raking in more than a thousand pounds a week on the internet subscription service OnlyFans.