Phone the studio: 01795 858 037 
Email the studio: studio@sfmradio.com 
Text the studio: 078 600 2 03 03
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
At the Swale Borough Council Planning Committee last night (Thursday 28th April) permanent planning consent was given to Kent Speedway at Central Park Stadium, meaning that the sport can now carry on indefinitely at the Stadium. *** UPDATES TO FOLLOW ***
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
A man has been detained in hospital indefinitely after admitting the manslaughter of his own grandmother while visiting her in Sittingbourne.
Stuart Lay, aged 44, of Homewood Avenue, had been charged with the murder of 85-year-old Jean Robertson, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday (Monday 25th April). His plea was accepted and he was sentenced the same day. He has been detained indefinitely under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act. This means he will now be kept in a secure hospital.
On Thursday 19 November 2015 Lay visited his grandmother, who he referred to as ‘nan', at her home in Rectory Road to ask if he could store some of his belongings in her shed. However, when he entered the property his behaviour immediately changed and he became aggressive. He grabbed hold of a fold-up stool and struck his victim several times, causing her to fall to the ground.
Lay was interrupted when someone knocked at the front door; they had become concerned after hearing loud noises coming from the property. Lay answered the door and went back to his victim, who was lying helplessly on the floor. He continued to assault her before he called the ambulance service.
Lay stayed at the scene until the police arrived and he was arrested. In interview he admitted that he started to attack his nan after she had opened the door and turned to walk back into the house. She died en route to hospital having suffered multiple injuries.
Detective Inspector Ivan Beasley, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, told SFM News: "This was an unprovoked incident where a 44-year-old man overpowered his 85-year-old victim, causing fatal injuries. What may have started as a routine visit to his grandmother, ended in her death when Lay's behaviour changed. This is a tragic loss for a family and Lay is now in a secure unit where the public can be protected and he can receive the medical treatment he needs."
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
Sittingbourne fire crews have issued a safety warning following a flat fire this morning (Friday 15th April) believed to have been started by a cigarette.
Firefighters from Sittingbourne and Faversham were called to the blaze at a first floor flat in Hawthorn Road, just after 9am. Crews were alerted to the fire after a neighbour heard the alarms sounding, saw smoke and dialled 999. The first crew arrived at the property within two and a half minutes of receiving the emergency call to find all but one of the nine flats in the building had been evacuated.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus (BA) went into the building, while other crew members pitched a 10m ladder to the second floor flat and Sittingbourne Watch Manager, Neil Ryder, climbed up to speak to a woman trapped in her home due to the heavy smoked-logging in the communal stairway.
Neil told SFM News: "I asked her to stay away from the front door, to close the door of the room she was in and put something along the bottom of it to stop smoke getting in such as clothes, cushions or bedding. Also to open and stay by the window to allow fresh air in and that as soon as the fire was dealt with we would come and get her."
Meanwhile, the BA team extinguished the fire using a high pressure hose reel, then cleared smoke and fumes from the property with a positive pressure ventilation fan. The woman, thought to be in her 30's was then brought to safety.
The fire is believed to have been caused after the occupant of the first floor flat fell asleep while smoking. The fire caused damage to a sofa and surrounding items as well as severe smoke damage.
Neil added: "Fortunately the man woke when he did as the smoke alarm in his flat wasn't working. The alarms in the rest of the property all sounded giving other occupants the early warning needed. However, this fire highlights the serious consequences of not extinguishing cigarettes properly. People need to be aware of the risks of smoking in the home and how easily this leads to fires. If you choose to smoke indoors, please make sure cigarettes are stubbed out properly and that you have a working smoke alarm."
Fire crews will be visiting neighbouring properties today to provide free home safety advice but if you or someone you know would benefit from free fire safety advice or a home safety visit from Kent Fire and Rescue Service, email: enquiries@kent.fire-uk.org or you can call 01622 692 121.
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
Local officers, investigating allegations of a laser light being shone at commercial aircraft flying over the Isle of Sheppey, have charged a man.
Adrian John Carpenter, aged 45, of Halfway Road in Minster-on-Sea, was charged with four counts of endangering an aircraft. The charges are in connection with incidents reported to have happened earlier this year on Saturday 30th January.
Mr Carpenter was bailed to attend Maidstone Magistrates' Court on Friday 20th May.
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
A security guard from Sittingbourne has won more than £12,000 in the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance's lottery.
Nigel Long, who works on the Sittingbourne Retail Park, signed up to the life-saving charity's regular Lottery and Superdraw when a canvasser called at his home last year.
The 61-year-old father-of-three thought nothing more of his £8-a-month subscription until he received a call telling them he had won the top prize in Wednesday's (6th April) draw. He won a grand total of £12,015.54 with random lucky numbers 3, 19, 20 and 28 after joining the lottery last June and is now planning a holiday to Canada to see his brother.
Nigel told SFM News: "I was very shocked to win, I phoned my wife immediately and she couldn't believe it. The most I've won before was about £70 when the National Lottery started. I support the air ambulance because we never know when we may need it in the future. I was at work once when a child got hit by a car on the main road and I helped clear one of the car parks for the helicopter to land."
Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance's Regular Lottery costs just £1 per week and there are 12 winners drawn each week with prizes ranging from £25 to £1,000. For an extra £1 a week, players can join the Superdraw which has a maximum jackpot of £25,000. To join the lottery go to www.kssairambulance.org.uk/lottery or call 01622 833833.
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
A man in his forties collapsed and was resuscitated by staff in the gym at The Swallows Leisure Centre earlier today (Tuesday 5th April).
The Kent Air Ambulance was called shortly after paramedics arrived and landed the Borden Grammar Playing Field opposite.The man was flown to the William Harvey Hospital, in Ashford, shortly after being stabilised onsite at about 10.30am.
Dave Harcourt, Executive Officer of Swale Community Leisure, which manage the lesiure centre, told SFM News: "it was one of our regular members who collapsed whilst using the equipment in the gym. Our staff responded rapidly and began resuscitation, including the use of our on-site defibrillator, whilst waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
A spokesperson for South East Coast Ambulance Service told SFM News: "we wish to express our thanks to staff at the centre, as the man had stopped breathing and CPR was needed and was commenced prior to our arrival. We continued that treatment onsite along with the air ambulance crew".
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
*** 16:56 UPDATE - THE GIRLS HAVE BEEN LOCATED SAFE AND WELL ***
Kent Police are appealing for information into the whereabouts of two children reported missing from their home in Sittingbourne.
Chelsea Abbott, nine, and Taylor Redding, 10, were reported missing at 12.40pm today (Thursday 31st March) but are believed to have left their house in the Grovehurst Avenue, Kemsley area at about 5am when their parents were asleep.
Officers are growing increasingly concerned for their welfare and are currently searching the local area.
Taylor may be wearing pale pink leggings, a grey T-shirt with a gold heart on the front, and a black jacket with pink on the arms and hood.
Chelsea may be wearing black boots with white fur on the top.
Anyone with information is urged to call 101 quoting reference 31-0508.
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
Kent Police Detectives, investigating a report that a car was stolen during a burglary in Sittingbourne, have released an e-fit image of a man they would like to speak to.
It was reported that a white Mercedes Benz E Class was stolen from The Meadows, just off Northwood Drive, between midnight and 6.30am on Tuesday 8th March.
The suspect is described as a white man, aged 18 to 20, approximately 5ft 8in tall, of skinny build and with brown hair - long on top and shorter at the sides. He was wearing a brown/green coloured parker style coat.
Witnesses to the incident, or anyone with any further information, is asked to contact Detective Constable Charlene Smith at Kent Police by calling 01795 419119 or alternatively they can call Kent Crimestoppers free (from any landline) and anonimously on 0800 555 111. quoting crime reference XY/8856/16.
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
Sheppey and Sittingbourne firefighters were called to a fire in the first floor bedroom of a mid-terraced house on Alexandra Road in Sheerness early today (Tuesday22nd March).
A man, a woman and a teenage boy were led to safety by the crews and were treated by paramedics, for the affects of breathing in smoke, at the scene.
All three were taken to hospital by ambulance. Breathing apparatus was used by the firefighters to extinguish the fire, which is being treated as accidental, using a hose reel.
A number of cats and dogs were rescued from the property and crews used a pet oxygen mask to provide oxygen therapy but, sadly, three cats died in the blaze.
Submitted by SFM Newsroom on
Stock Picture
The Kent Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene of a crash involving a car and a lorry on the A249 Maidstone-bound carriageway between Stockbury and Keycol at Danaway. just before 9.00pm last night (Thursday 17th March).
Crews used hydraulic rescue equipment to remove the roof of the car to release one female occupant, so that she could be cared for by the attending ambulance.
