Sittingbourne

Kent Fire and Rescue Service have been called to a large fire involving around 100sq metres of grass and undergrowth in the Gas Road area.

It is believed that three fire engines have been sent to the scene and firefighters are using hose reel jets to tackle the blaze.

There is a large plume of smoke in the area and residents are being advised to close all their windows and doors to prevent the smoke from entering their properties as a precaution.

A Sittingbourne burglar has been jailed for more than two years.

At around 10.30pm on 24th October 2016, a couple in their 70s discovered their home in Portland Avenue, Sittingbourne had been burgled.

Stolen items included a wallet with cash, and several pieces of antique jewellery.

An investigation by Kent Police revealed Christopher Swanson as the burglar and he was seen on CCTV climbing through a bedroom window of the property.

The Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne (HRGS) announced that Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Paul Auston has agreed to become the new Honorary President of HRGS, taking over from Bill Croydon CBE, who has stepped down for family reasons.

Kent Police are appealing for information after a dog and her litter of puppies were reported stolen during a burglary last week.

It was reported that between 2.45pm and 3.30pm on last Thursday (4th May) a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and her four puppies were stolen from a house in Oak Road, Murston.
The puppies are reported to be about two weeks old, three are brown and one is black.

Members of an organised crime group, which ran a large conspiracy to cultivate cannabis, have been convicted at the Old Bailey.

The group were identified as producing industrial amounts of cannabis, which was estimated to have had a yearly yield of over £25 million, at numerous locations across Kent and Norfolk between 2013 and 2015. It is believed that this is the biggest conspiracy to cultivate cannabis which has been uncovered in the UK.

An 18-year-old man is to appear in court following an assault in Sittingbourne.

The charge relates to an incident on Saturday 4th February on Sittingbourne High Street in which a 20-year-old man was reported to have been assaulted after leaving a nightclub.

Troy Reeve, of Whiting Crescent in Faversham was charged on Thursday 23rd March with one count of causing grievous bodily harm and one count of possession of an offensive weapon (a lock knife) in a public place.

He has been released on bail to appear at Maidstone Magistrates' Court on Friday 19th May.

Sittingbourne-based Chalkwell have announced that fares for bus travellers of all ages within Swale are to be slashed by up to a third.

At the same time, the local operator will be launching two additional buses which have been refurbished at a total cost of over £50k.

Kent Police officers are investigating a fire at an industrial unit in Sittingbourne overnight and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Kent Police received a report at 12.24am this morning (Thursday 16th March) that a car had been in collision with an industrial unit in Castle Road, Sittingbourne. The unit is currently used as the Rumble Boxing Academy.

Officers attended the scene where a car was found to be alight and crashed in to the unoccupied premises.

Sittingbourne's new Carnival Court for 2017 was selected on Saturday (11th March) evening at the Woodcoombe Sports and Social Club in Murston.

The evening started with private interviews of the four applicants with the judges, followed by the contestants then speaking publically on stage to the audience, which consisted of their families, friends and visiting carnival courts from around Kent.

After the 2016 Court said their goodbyes the new court was announced:- 

Yesterday (Tuesday 28th February) 37-year-old George Bignall, of Middletune Avenue in Sittingbourne, was sentenced to a total of two years and eight months for a distraction burglary, theft and affray.