Sittingbourne

National Highways have today (Tuesday 17th January) given an update on the M2 junction 5 improvement scheme and the eastbound slip roads.

Councillors have agreed the rollout of a low cost, low emission car club to Sittingbourne.

Swale Borough Council will be launching the next local car club to help people access cleaner vehicles, without the expense and hassle of ownership.

Swale BC say "the scheme will be building on the successful trial of the first club set up in Faversham last year. This has been estimated to have saved local drivers almost £24,000, and reduced CO2 emissions by 6.39 tonnes, in the first three months".

Kent Police’s Rural Task Force are investigating the suspected killing of a tawny owl in Upchurch.

The incident is believed to have happened in October 2022 and officers have recently come into possession of images of two men they would like to speak to.

Police Sergeant Darren Walshaw told SFM News: ‘we suspect an owl was killed using catapults and are now issuing photographs of two people who may be able to assist with our enquiries. Anybody who recognises one or both of them is urged to contact our appeal line."

Kent Police are seeking witnesses after 27 sheep were found dead following a dog attack in a field near Sittingbourne.

The ewes, who were all believed to be pregnant, were attacked between Christmas Eve and 1pm on Boxing Day. It happened at a location near Deerton Street, Teynham. It has been reported that barking was heard in the area between 4pm and 5pm on Christmas Day.

A suspect has been charged with murder following the death of a man in Sittingbourne.

Kent Police were called at 1.36am on Wednesday (21st December) after a man had sustained injuries consistent with stab wounds at a property off College Road. Officers and ambulance crews attended and David Perry, aged 40, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Rohan Daniels, aged 18, was arrested and an investigation is being led by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) were sent to the scene of a garage fire on Helen Thompson Close in Iwade, Sittingbourne in the early hours of this morning (Saturday 17th December).

Four fire engines were sent to the scene after the KFRS were called shortly after 4.20am and crews arrived to a fire spreading from a garage to the roof of an adjoining property.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus used main jets, hose reel jets and water from a local hydrant to extinguish the blaze.

No casualties were reported, and the cause has not been confirmed.

Kent Police have confirmed that an attempted murder charge has been authorised against a man from Sittingbourne.

Mathew Breaker, aged 46 and of Swanstree Avenue, appeared before Medway Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Monday 12th December).

He has been charged with attempted murder, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and two counts of possessing a bladed object in a public place.

He was charged after a woman was seriously hurt in Sittingbourne at around 1.30am on Sunday (11th December) morning.

Banking giant Barclays have announced that their Sittingbourne branch is set to close in the New Year.

The branch, at 81 High Street Sittingbourne, will close its counters for the last time at 12 noon on Wednesday 8th March 2023.

Sittingbourne officers have secured an extension of a closure order which prohibits entry to a property associated with persistent anti-social behaviour.

The extension was granted at Maidstone’ Magistrates Court on Thursday (24th November) and concerns a flat in Oak Road, Murston linked to repeated threats and harassment to neighbours. The closure order makes it an offence for anyone to enter the property and had originally lasted from Friday 26th August until Friday 25th November 2022.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers, investigating an incident during which a man spat at a member of rail staff, have released an image in connection with the incident.

At 3.30pm on Friday 30th September, a man climbed over a fence at Sittingbourne railway station onto its platform to avoid the ticket barriers.

Rail staff approached the man and escorted him out of the station. As he passed through the booking hall he turned and spat at one of the staff members before leaving.