Sittingbourne

There have been long delays on the M2 motorway at Junction 5 (Sittingbourne) this afternoon, after a broken down van caught fire.

Traffic on the London-bound carriageway was held just after the Stockbury roundabout to allow emergency services to get to the scene and deal with the blaze.

The road was closed for around an hour causing long delays. No injuries have been reported.

A Sittingbourne man has been charged with theft after he was arrested by officers following a foot chase.

Shane Baker, 30, of Bluebell Drive in, Sittingbourne, has been charged with two counts of theft after being arrested on Thursday (17th January).

The charges relate to incidents on Monday 7th and Wednesday 16th January at a shop in Sittingbourne where, on both occasions, three bottles of alcohol were reported stolen.

Kent Fire And Rescue Service (KFRS) Firefighters dealt with a fire at a house in Peregrine Drive, Sittingbourne earlier today (Tuesday 15th January).

Fire crews were called at around 10.20am and had to wear breathing apparatus using two hose reel jets, a main jet and water from a local street hydrant to put the fire out.

The fire broke out in the roof space and affected the first floor of the two-storey terraced property.

There were no reported casualties and the cause of the fire is yet to be established.

A £520,000 scheme to replace a three-inch pipeline, in Pond Farm Road and Wises Lane, is set to get underway on Monday 14th January.

The pipe, which has burst 25 times in the last five years and 14 times since 2015, is set to be replaced with a larger pipe which can withstand high water pressures and deliver a more resilient drinking water supply for the future.

Two cousins have received prison sentences following a violent disturbance at a private address near Stockbury earlier this year.

At 6.20am on Saturday 5th May, William Smith, aged 29, and 23-year-old Eli Smith, went to a static caravan in a yard off the A249 occupied by two men and two women who were known to them. They smashed the patio doors and started to cause damage inside the caravan, which was also destroyed by a fire during the incident. William Smith also drove a car into some parked Transit vans owned by the victims.

The most senior bishop in the Church of England, Justin Welby The Archbishop Of Canterbury, made a surprise visit to Demelza Hospice in Bobbing on Friday (21st December).

He was given a tour by the president of Demelza Richard Oldfield and the Chief Executive Ryan Campbell and stopped to speak to children receiving palliative care and their families, as well as various kitchen, grounds and reception volunteers at the hospice.

A charity has had a welcome financial boost following a Kent Police Fun Day earlier in the year here in Sittingbourne.

In September 2018 the Kent Police Recreation Association organised the family fun day which, due to 2018 being the centenary year of World War One, was themed throughout with activities including a trench experience and wartime victory live band. Two veterans from World War Two were also guests of honour at the event.

The Spirit of Sittingbourne, the developer behind the town centre regeneration, will be offering free parking at all car parks in Sittingbourne this coming Saturday (8th December).

Pic: Shabul and Kabul (chef) both owners of Maharani...

Britain's 'korma kings' were crowned on Monday (26th November) evening 'second to naan' with Sittingbourne's very own Maharani Restaurant (in West Street) receiving the highest accolade in the curry industry - the BCA Curry Chef of the Year award for the South East.

Two lucky Sittingbourne residents had a "Super Saturday" (24th November) after their postcode "ME10 1BX" won People's Postcode Lottery's Street Prize.