Drain Cover Theft Has Drivers on Alert

Kent Police have told all drivers and cyclists in Kent to be on alert after close to 200 drain covers have been thieved literally from the streets in the past few weeks.

Local councils have said that they aim to cover up any uncovered manholes within two hours of reported thefts.

Kent County Councillor Bryan Sweetland told the BBC: " These are mindless and irresponsible thefts."

Almost 300 metal thefts are reported to Kent Police every month, which is a 25% rise from last year. These include stolen parts of church roofs, telephone cables, and even a promenade handrail.

Chief Superintendent Steve Corbishley told the BBC: "It's a classic market-driven crime, so as the value of metal goes up, unfortunately so do the offences."

Ian Hetherington of the British Metal Recycling Association said: ""Metals theft is a real problem for the metals industry. To combat this we are working with the Association of Chief Police Officers and industries, including telecommunications, railways, utilities and construction that use products containing valuable metals."

BBC News Kent - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-14442307
Kent Police - www.kent.police.uk/
British Metal Recycling Association - www.recyclemetals.org/

Two Teens Arrested After Suspicious "Riot Incitement"

Two Kent teenagers have been arrested after Kent Police suspected them of using social networking sites to start a riot, mirroring the riots in London that have been ocurring since the beginning of the week.

The arrests were made in Folkestone, where the two suspects, a man and a woman, are being kept in custody and questioned.

The two 18 year olds are not the only people to have been arrested in Kent after the fallout of the riots in the nation's capital, as eleven people were arrested in Medway for causing disturbances.

Cars were damaged and set alight in the towns of Gillingham and Chatham despite a much larger police presence on the streets of Kent's town centres.

Kent Police's Deputy Chief Constable Alan Pughsley told the BBC: "Whilst Kent Police is not expecting further violence, we are actively looking at all forms of intelligence and monitoring the transport and rail network."

The unrest that originally happened in Tottenham in north London has now spread nationwide and police forces all over England will be expecting a busy night.

BBC News Kent - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-14465585
Kent Police - http://www.kent.police.uk/

Blue Flag Blues for Thanet's Beaches

Six Kentish beaches have lost their Blue Flag status in the last year and they are all located on Thanet's coastline.

The Blue Flag is a certification given by the Foundation for Environmental Education to say that a beach or

marina has met its standards for water quality and standards of cleanliness.

The three beaches in Thanet that have kept their Blue Flag status are Botany Bay, Joss Bay, and Westbrook Bay.

Thanet Council has claimed that the "freak weather conditions" are to blame for this years fall from grace for its beaches.

http://www.blueflag.org/

Kent Youth Football Team Released by French Police

French police have released four teenagers from Kent without charge, after they were arrested for involvement in an alleged sexual assault on a cross-channel factory.

Ferry coming into Dover

The four boys from Ashford were accused by a group of French girls on the ferry of sexual harrassment. While the other seven boys were released, the last four were kept in custody by police in Calais. The boys were offered advice from the Foreign Consul.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-13183645

Gillingham Revive Play-Off Hopes

Andy Barcham

Gillingham's 1-0 win over Rotherham United today has pushed the Gills back into League Two's playoff places.

The win was secured by a late strike from Andy Barcham eleven minutes from time, propelling the away side back into seventh place.

Seven changes were made to the Gills after their 4-2 loss to the hands of Barnet on Saturday. Rotherham controlled the first half but without making many chances.

After an onslaught from Rotherham on the Gills goal, the visitors took their chance through Barcham's 79th minute left-footed drive past Cresswell in the Rotherham goal.

With that win Gillingham have leap-frogged Torquay in the table and will be looking forward to their next and last home game of the season against Macclesfield Town on Saturday.

http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/Welcome

Archbishops Asks For Pursuit of Happiness

The Archbishop of Canterbury has made a point in his Easter Sermon to urge corporations to pursue happiness rather than pure capital gains.



Rowan Williams said that corporate prosperity without fulfillment was "an empty thing" and that it was good that people were realising there is "more to life than Gross National Product".

Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams

The Archbishop of Westminster has also said he was praying for those in conflict areas around the world, especially with the recent developments in Libya.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols said "We watch the work of death every day, with the natural disasters of Japan, in the ceaseless work of war in zones of conflict around the world."

Today we pray for peace: for the city of Misrata and for a ceasefire in Libya that new political structures may be put in place; for peace in Afghanistan, in Syria, across the Middle East, in Ivory Coast and in so many other places."

Back at Canterbury Cathedral Dr. Williams said that he welcomed the talk of "happiness" among politicians, and also encouraged days of "shared celebrations" such as the Royal Wedding.

Human Cannon Ball Killed In Stunt Show

Scott May's Daredevil Show

A young man in his twenties has been killed today after having been severely injured while acting as a human cannonball at a stunt show in Detling near Maidstone.

A spokesman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service said the man was air lifted to Maidstone Hospital earlier this afternoon.

The accident occured during Scott May's Daredevil Stunt Show at the Kent County Showground in Detling, which has cancelled its later show today.

The show, which also includes pyrotechnics and motorcycle jumps, has been touring the country every March through September since 1991.

To see Scott's website click HERE

Senegal's Olympic Athletes To Train in Medway

Olympic athletes from the small West African country of Senegal have announced their decision to train in Medway ahead of the much-anticipated London 2012 Olympics.

Priestfield Stadium, home of Gillingham FC

The understanding was reached between the Senegal National Olympic and Sports Committee and the Medway Council and was announced on Easter Sunday.

Five venues in Medway have been approved by London's Olympic Committee as training venues, including Medway Park and Gillingham FC's Priestfield Stadium, which will be used by the Senegalese national football team if they qualify.

Rumours of a possible training match between Gillingham and Senegal were given credence by the Gills chairman Paul Scally.

Lord Coe, chaor of the London 2012 Olympic Committee said of the agreement: "Hopefully this sporting agreement will flourish into a longer-term relationship between Senegal and Medway benefiting both parties in sport."