Local News

Yet again the Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta is looking to support other local clubs and groups in the work they are doing, in helping others and supporting the local community in the town, for 2015.

The opening date for applications is the 1st April and the closing date for receipt of applications will be 31st May.

All applications will be considered and decisions taken on merit and applications do not exclude groups who have previously been helped in the past.

For further information please see:- www.rotary1120.org/sittingbourneinvicta/community-chest or you can email:- sittingbourneinvictarotary@live.co.uk for an application form.

Kent Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision in Sheerness earlier today (Wednesday 7th January).

A blue Mazda 323F is reported to have collided with two unoccupied parked vehicles and a wall in Queensway at around 8.00am this morning.

The driver of the Mazda, a man in his 50s and from the Sittingbourne area, was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no passengers in the vehicle.

The road was closed until around 12.30pm while officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit carried out investigations at the scene.

Witnesses to the collision, or anyone who saw the vehicle prior to the collision, is asked to contact DC Claire Davey at the Kent Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit by calling 01622 798538 or alternatively they can email: sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk.

The RSPCA is appealing for information after the body of an emaciated springer spaniel was found by the side of a road in Sittingbourne.

The dead dog was discovered wrapped in a blue horse rug inside a blue and grey plastic kennel on School Lane in Iwade on Friday 27th December.

The male tan and white spaniel was found by a passing dog walker tucked behind a pipe by the side of the road. It is not known how long the body had been there, but it is thought he had probably died within the last week. It is thought he was a young adult - five years old or younger.

The incident follows a similar report about a dead border collie found dumped in bushes in the area a couple of months before, again in a very emaciated state.

RSPCA Animal Welfare Officer, Kelly Thatcher, told SFM News: "It wasn't much of a Happy Christmas for this poor dog - who had clearly suffered leading up to his death. I was shocked at how thin he was - completely skin and bones. At first I had hoped he had died a natural death and then been dumped, but seeing how thin he was, and young, I doubt it. It was also such a callous way to dump the poor dog. Over the fence and lying among all manner of rubbish. We urge anyone with any information about this incident to let us know on 0300 123 8018."

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) took part in an exercise on Thursday (11th December) to test firefighters and the mill staff's response to a chemical incident at Kemsley Paper Mill - owned by DS Smith - the second biggest recycled fibre-based operation in Europe.

The staged exercise involved a reversing heavy goods vehicle hitting a member of staff, trapping him beneath the articulated trailer. The drama intensified after a chemical chlorine container dislodged during the collision, allowing the chemicals to leak.

Four fire engines from Sittingbourne, Sheppey, Faversham and Medway, along with KFRS's Incident Support Unit and around 20 firefighters were sent to the plant in Kemsley, Sittingbourne at 10.45am. The decontamination team wore chemical protection suits and used specialist chemical detection equipment to rehearse how they would make the scene safe by decontaminating the area and safely disposing of the spilt chemicals.

The exercise lasted for two hours and saw fire crews using air bags to release the casualty from beneath the trailer. Five other 'mock' casualties were lead or carried to safety suffering from nausea and breathing difficulties.

KFRS Station Manager, Stuart Beadle, who was responsible for the exercise told SFM News: "To make it as realistic as possible, crews and staff were unaware of what they would face, as the exact nature of the incident was only revealed on the day. This meant they had to react as they would to a real-life situation allowing us to test our operational plans and Kemsley Paper Mill to test their emergency and incident control procedures, which included a full site evacuation."

Mr Jonathan Hunt, Site Facilities Engineer at Kemsley Paper Mill, told SFM News: "We have an active firefighting and emergency response team on site and our priorities are to ensure the safety of our staff, contractors and the general public. Our team are well practised in their strategic management of incidents but it's a massive benefit for us to work closely with KFRS sharing knowledge and putting our well-rehearsed emergency procedures into place."

Stuart concluded by saying that the: "KFRS is called to a wide range of incidents - not just house fires and car crashes - and this exercise has given us the opportunity to prepare for a more unusual scenario. Working in partnership with the mill ensures we are able to set effective communication channels to resolve incidents quickly and smoothly should the worst ever happen. We're grateful to Kemsley Paper Mill for facilitating this training event."