Catch up with all the latest news across your county with Abby Hook.
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00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kentonite live on KMTV.
00:29I'm Abbey Hook, here are your top stories on Monday the 23rd of September.
00:34The last of them, will a ban really see zombie knives off Kent's streets forever?
00:40When I was in gangs carrying a knife, I don't think this law would have acted as a deterrent.
00:49You can park there sir, Canterbury Council's left with a huge bill as barely anyone's using
00:55the park and ride.
00:57It's adding to congestion because we're basically putting one bus for each car journey we're
01:01saving.
01:02A bus takes up three times the road space of a car.
01:09A walk with purpose, special needs charity strolls through Maidstone's moat park.
01:14It's important for the people with learning needs who live within the services to have
01:19an opportunity to get together and give something back to society.
01:27First tonight, Kent Police is on a mission to ban a dangerous weapon used by gangs in
01:37the county.
01:38From midnight it will be illegal to own or manufacture a zombie knife across the UK.
01:43The type of blade's been used in countless deaths and woundings.
01:48Top officers have told KMTV they will prosecute anyone who has one of these knives as they
01:52begin a clamp down on their use.
01:55Oliver Leader de Sacks has more on this story.
01:57The sort of weapon no one should own and from tomorrow, the kind that could land you behind
02:03bars.
02:04After today, if you're found to own a zombie style knife or machete, you could be charged
02:10with possession of a dangerous weapon.
02:14But what is a zombie style knife?
02:17Well under new guidelines coming into force, any sharpened blades longer than eight inches
02:22with a serrated cutting edge, holes in the blade, spikes or two sharp points will be
02:29made illegal.
02:30Well, for everyone out there that's got one of these, you know, maybe even in an ornamental
02:36fashion, really important you understand the danger of these.
02:40So we're encouraging people to bring them into a police station.
02:44You play a key part in keeping Kent safe, for protecting people from knife-enabled crime.
02:51And what we're asking you to do is bring those in so they can be destroyed appropriately.
02:56A full list of locations for surrendering weapons can be found on the Kent Police website,
03:02but include Gravesend, Tunbridge, Sittingbourne and Folkestone.
03:07Not everyone thinks the measures will be effective, however.
03:11Up the road in Dartford, Lennox Rogers, who runs an anti-knife crime charity, says the
03:17new ban won't work.
03:19For myself, when I was in gangs carrying a knife, I don't think this law would have acted
03:28as a deterrent.
03:30Certainly not for myself and for some of the young people I deal with, it's not a deterrent.
03:37I think at the moment they don't think that the knife crime laws and sentencing is tough
03:46enough.
03:48They would still rather carry a weapon, like a knife, to protect themselves.
03:54But with laws in the works to ban ninja swords, as well as a review commissioned into how
03:59knives are being sold online, there are clear steps being taken by the government to tackle
04:05knife crime.
04:07The real question then is whether these steps will go far enough for people here in Kent.
04:13Oliver Leader, The Sacks, for KMTV in Dartford.
04:18Oliver there with our special report on the banning of zombie knives.
04:22To talk about this in more detail, I spoke to Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew
04:26Scott earlier and asked why it's only just come into force now.
04:30Over the last month, the government's been running an amnesty for these weapons to give
04:35people the opportunity to surrender them in advance.
04:39So I think that was the right thing to do because it meant that individuals were able
04:43to surrender them, but also a number of manufacturers and retailers took part in that surrender
04:48as well.
04:49Have you given people enough time to hand in weapons until midnight tonight?
04:54Have people been given enough notice?
04:55Do they know that this ban is coming into force?
04:59I think so because there's been a number of announcements about it.
05:03I think that the attention that yourselves and others have given to this ban means that
05:08there's been ample opportunity for individuals to surrender the weapons and claim compensation
05:13where they might be entitled to do so.
05:16And importantly, some of the big retailers of these weapons have been surrendering them
05:20as well, which will reduce the supply.
05:22So I think it's all a step in the right direction, but that's not going to stop our proactive
05:26stop and search and knife crime detection.
05:29You mentioned retailers and supply there.
05:31A huge part of the problem with zombie knives is how they're obtained online and on social
05:35media sites as well.
05:38Will the ban have any effect on how they're actually obtained?
05:41Will it address that huge issue that is how people are getting hold of them?
05:45Well, I think there's definitely a role to play going forward between the police and
05:50trading standards and other organisations to make sure that we're keeping on top of
05:54that.
05:55Of course, there's always a risk with any ban that people will still be able to get
05:59hold of things like this, but it's about being proactive.
06:02So policing in conjunction with trading standards and others will be really critical to tackling
06:08any retailers who think they can get away with selling these online, even after the
06:11ban's in place.
06:12So there's nothing within this specific legislation that will stop the sale of them online?
06:18Well, the fact is you can stop the sale of them online in this country, but you might
06:23see retailers from abroad, for example, being offered them or people selling them individual
06:28to individual.
06:29What's important is that the ban's in place, the police have got powers they need to stop
06:34and search individuals.
06:35Now, Matthew, while I've got you here, there's something I wanted to ask you about shoplifting
06:39figures.
06:40Now, they're the highest in Kent in seven years.
06:42Why is that?
06:44I think there's more shoplifting being reported.
06:46The Association of Convenience Stores report always tells us that only a fraction of shoplifting
06:52is ever being reported, and the increased confidence I think that retailers have to
06:57report is positive, but we know what's driving it.
07:00It remains fuelled by drugs and drug habits, organised crime, and also opportunists.
07:06So our proactive strategy is seeing more of these apprentices being solved and also more
07:11people being brought to justice.
07:13We'll carry on taking that fight to those people who are repeatedly targeting our vendors.
07:19Have you been paying enough attention to this issue in Kent?
07:22Of course, there are plenty of things to tackle as police and crime commissioner.
07:25We understand that.
07:26We're talking to you today about zombie knives, but in particular, shoplifting, if it is the
07:30highest in seven years, have the police been dedicating enough of their time and resource
07:35and money into this issue?
07:37Well, absolutely, because if people have more confidence to report an offence which isn't
07:42being reported, well, of course, the numbers are going to go up.
07:45Matthew Scott there talking to me earlier.
07:47Now, almost 400 people have lost their jobs in Kent after two businesses went into administration.
07:54Folkestone Fixings Limited, a tools and hardware retailer based in Folkestone, Ashford and
07:59Lims now closed with 147 workers made redundant.
08:03Customers have been told that any existing orders are unlikely to be completed.
08:08Meanwhile, it's been confirmed that 240 employees at the Whitstable branch of ISG have also
08:14lost their jobs.
08:15The UK operations of the international construction giant collapsed into administration on Friday
08:21with a total of 2,200 workers across the country made redundant with immediate effect.
08:28Now, Canterbury City Council has admitted a park and ride service is losing £30,000
08:34a month and creating more pollution than it prevents.
08:37The Sturry route was mothballed a few years ago, but was controversially reintroduced
08:42a few months ago.
08:43The council leaders have now been accused of throwing money in the bin as many of the
08:47services actually run empty.
08:49Local democracy reporter Gabriel Morris took the bus into the city to find out why there's
08:53so few people using it.
08:58Canterbury's Sturry park and ride is a service aimed at keeping cars out of the city centre.
09:04On average, the total number of passengers a day would fill just one of these buses.
09:09And when Canterbury City Council lay on a service every 10 minutes, well, the buses
09:14are often running empty.
09:17The service costs £4 for the whole day, roughly the equivalent of parking for an hour in one
09:23of the council's central car parks.
09:25So why are visitors to the city not using the park and ride?
09:30If you're not coming for very long, you might as well be here and pay the £4 here.
09:34I'm always on time for things, I don't want to wait around, so it's easier just to drive
09:38in, find a car, pick a spot and then drive out.
09:43I don't deal with waiting for a bus or anything like that.
09:46The council says the number of people using the bus is slowly increasing and at a council
09:51meeting they said they intend to reduce the number of parking spaces within the town,
09:56aiming to push park and ride usage.
09:59So what do current passengers think?
10:01Superb, very good value for money, spared us having to try and find parking actually
10:06in the city centre, which was where we wanted to go to have a look around the city, so yeah,
10:12couldn't fault it.
10:13And a lot cheaper than we would have had to pay in the city centre.
10:16You get a nice big bus that can seat, I don't know, 40 or 50 people, you get it for yourself.
10:21So it's a good value for money.
10:24The story park and ride had been mothballed by the previous Tory administration back in
10:282022.
10:30That was because of low usage.
10:32But the Labour and Lib Dem administration made it one of their flagship priorities to
10:36reopen the site.
10:38But there are now calls for it to be reviewed.
10:41It's increasing emissions, we know by about 150 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year running
10:47those buses.
10:48It's just insane.
10:49It's adding to congestion because we're basically putting one bus for each car journey we're
10:54saving.
10:55A bus takes up three times the road space of a car.
10:58The council say they're happy with the number of people using the Starry service so far.
11:03But figures suggest that it's losing little less than £30,000 a month.
11:08So as we can encourage more people to use it, then actually the financial aspects of
11:13it will improve, but also the environmental aspect will improve as well.
11:17So if you look at parking as a whole, park and ride is a huge part, a very important
11:21part of our district wide parking strategy and parking as a whole funds it.
11:26It's not coming directly out of your council tax.
11:29The council will have the opportunity to negotiate a contract next year.
11:33Gabriel Morris in Canterbury.
11:38Time for a quick break.
11:39We'll be back in just a few minutes time where we'll be discussing new data that shows one
11:44in three adults across the UK aren't attending eye tests.
11:48We'll find out why in a few moments time.
11:50See you then.
14:44Hello and welcome back to Kensington.
15:14And tonight live on KMTV.
15:17Now we need to do better.
15:19That's the message from Canterbury's MP Rosie Duffield on the controversy surrounding her
15:23party leader and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
15:26The PM along with his deputy, Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have been criticised
15:31for taking thousands of pounds worth of gifts and donations such as designer clothes, concert
15:36tickets and accommodation.
15:37The Prime Minister says they've done nothing wrong.
15:40Rosie Duffield replied on X to fellow Labour MP Rachel Maskell who said she was sickened
15:45by the news after pensioners had their winter fuel payments removed.
15:49Duffield said, ditto, we need to do better.
15:52But what do you think?
15:53Do you think the Prime Minister and his senior colleagues were wrong to take fashionable
15:57threads and tickets to Premier League footy?
16:00We asked shoppers in Rochester.
16:02Someone who gets a salary of £167,000 to accept gifts like that because he wants to
16:09go and see Arsenal.
16:10I'm an Arsenal fan and I don't go and see them every week.
16:15And if I want to go, I have to pay for it.
16:19It's not right.
16:20It's a bit of a joke really.
16:21But there we are.
16:22It's hypocritical, isn't it?
16:23I just think it's so two-faced.
16:27They say that to us as voters hoping to get our vote and then we find out they've done
16:33the exact opposite themselves.
16:35So no, I don't think it's right at all.
16:37I haven't really got an opinion on it.
16:39I guess perks of the job.
16:43Some divided opinions there.
16:45Now to sport.
16:46It was an interesting weekend for any fan with Gillingham top of the table and Canterbury
16:49Rugby Club unbeaten in the first few fixtures.
16:52Here's Finn McDermott with the sport.
17:02Well first in the sports news, it was a great weekend for fans of Canterbury Rugby Club
17:07who are now three wins in three games after their clash with Worthing.
17:11The side are now joint top of the National League Two East table after beating their
17:16opponents 49-21, scoring their first try in only the third minute thanks to Harvey Furneaux.
17:22This comes after impressive wins against Colchester and Sevenoaks but Canterbury face their most
17:26difficult challenge yet, heading to Guernsey on Saturday to face off against another unbeaten
17:31side.
17:32Next, the Cebuto World Cup kicked off in Tunbridge Wells this weekend where the tabletop finger
17:37flicking game was invented in 1961.
17:41Representatives from England, Brazil, Japan and of course the reigning champions Italy
17:45made the trip to the Royal Victoria Shopping Centre in Tunbridge Wells.
17:49A total of 15 nations attended and it marks 12 years since the event was last held in
17:54the UK when Manchester hosted the Cup.
17:57And as always for England fans, disappointment followed when a referee decision meant that
18:02Kasper Bennett's game-winning goal did not count and they were knocked out by Italy
18:06who went on to win.
18:08And next, a Margate teenager has become the youngest ever female Panna champion.
18:13Anna Bertova made history last week when she brought home the World Champion trophy after
18:17competing in Copenhagen.
18:19Now Panna is a freestyle street sport and might be familiar to many football fans but
18:23the aim is to pass the ball between an opponent's legs and is named after the Dutch word for
18:28nutmeg.
18:29The 15-year-old belongs to the Yo Street Zone group which runs sessions in Thanet and her
18:33talent on the ball have earned her a victory in Denmark.
18:37But as you know Abby, that's not all the sports news that we're going to cover on Invicta
18:40tonight.
18:41Exactly.
18:42Another episode of Invicta Sport.
18:43It's Monday, our favourite day of the week.
18:44What's coming up?
18:45What have you got on the show, Finn?
18:46Well, it's been a crazy week.
18:48I mean, we've had, we've been speaking to Ashford's own Gary Lockyer who's currently
18:53the top of the table for the Golden Ball Award for his goals he scored in the FA Cup.
18:58He's really impressive.
18:59We talked to him a bit about what it feels like to score those goals, his own playing
19:02style and just the feeling of being right in the middle of a national competition.
19:07We're also talking about, I mean, the unfortunate news about Kent's cricket, the relegation.
19:12We had a chat with Cameron on the sofa about that.
19:16And interestingly, he's talking about Pilates of all things.
19:19There's two new Pilates studios in this new craze that's sort of taking over the country
19:23including Kent.
19:24There's two in Gravesend.
19:25Margot Robbie loves it.
19:26Harry Styles loves it.
19:27Now the people of Gravesend are going to love it too.
19:29We think.
19:30We'll have a look.
19:31Are you Kent's next Harry Styles?
19:32Are you into a bit of Pilates, Finn?
19:33I'm into his music, but I don't know if I'm into Pilates.
19:36OK, we'll leave that as it was then, shall we?
19:39Sure thing.
19:40Alright, Finn, thank you very much.
19:41Lots to come in Invicta Sport this evening.
19:44Invicta Sport after the break, but as it is the first day of autumn, there's a yellow
19:48alert for rain in Kent today.
19:51Expect that some communities may experience floods, possible power cuts and loss of other
19:56services.
19:57Also, delays or cancellations to trains or bus services too, so check before you travel.
20:01But let's take a quick look at the full forecast.
20:10Tonight, highs of 15, lows of 13 across most of Kent and some rain.
20:15Clearer skies by the coast there.
20:16Tomorrow morning, clouds right across the county but staying nice and dry.
20:20Highs of 15, lows of 14.
20:22Some wind too into the afternoon, but a little bit of sunshine over in Margate.
20:27Temperatures reaching 18 in Dartford, looking like it's staying dry.
20:30But here's your outlook for Kent.
20:32The rain returns on Wednesday, right through till Friday.
20:45Now, a charity based in Kent says millions could be at risk of glaucoma as too many people
20:50don't get regular eye tests.
20:52Experts from the UK say many put-off appointments as glasses can be expensive.
20:56But experts say attending a routine check is vital for spotting this condition.
21:00Earlier, I spoke to Robin Asprey from the charity.
21:03Why do you think people aren't getting their eyes tested?
21:07I think there's a whole host of reasons why people don't go and get their eyes tested
21:11routinely.
21:13People are busy.
21:14They have very busy lives.
21:15I think there's often this perception that we should only go to the opticians if we notice
21:20a change to our vision or we suddenly can't read our book or see the screen very well
21:26at work.
21:27And that's what tends to prompt us to go for these eye tests.
21:30But actually, there's so much more than that.
21:33They kind of give a little bit of insight into our general health and also, you know,
21:37really importantly, the health of our eyes.
21:39So some people are worried about cost.
21:41We're in a cost of living crisis.
21:43Glasses can be incredibly expensive.
21:45Eye tests, talking about the cost of living there.
21:48Where can people go to get their eyes tested through the health service, perhaps?
21:53Is it always something that you have to put the money up for yourself or are there ways
21:57people can keep healthy without the cost?
22:00Yeah, absolutely.
22:02So lots of people are eligible for free NHS eye health checks just at your local High
22:08Street opticians.
22:09So if you're over the age of 60, you'll get routine eye tests for free anyway.
22:15If you're on certain benefits, if you've got some underlying health conditions, things
22:19like diabetes, if you've got a first degree relative with certain eye conditions, things
22:25like glaucoma, if a parent or sibling has glaucoma, you're eligible for free eye tests
22:31over the age of 40.
22:33And then it's also just really important to remember that if you're using computer screens
22:36and things for your work, then your work may well cover the cost of your eye tests as well.
22:43If you are told that you do need glasses, you can always take your prescription away.
22:47You don't have to sit there in that appointment there and then and pay the prices in the optometrists.
22:55There are other options as well.
22:57And what's Glaucoma UK, the charity you're from, doing to help as well?
23:01What's the message you're trying to spread and actually what are you putting in place
23:05to help people?
23:06Yeah, absolutely.
23:08So we really want to raise awareness of the importance of going to get your eyes tested.
23:14Glaucoma is one of those conditions where in its early stages, it's symptomless.
23:17People wouldn't know that they have it.
23:20And the only way that it can be picked up at its early stages is through our routine
23:24eye tests at your local opticians.
23:27And the thing with glaucoma is once vision has been lost, we can't regain that vision.
23:34It's gone.
23:35So we want everybody to be going out and accessing twice every two years, going and getting their
23:42eyes tested so that those signs are picked up early and they can get into the health
23:47care system if they need to.
23:48And at Glaucoma UK, we have lots of different help and support available.
23:52We can provide all the answers that people need about anything to do with glaucoma.
23:58And finally, this evening, we're finishing the programme tonight with a stroll for a
24:02good cause in Moat Park.
24:03Set up 26 years ago, the symbol charity specialises in supporting those with mental disabilities
24:09in a number of ways, including helping to pay for speech and language therapy and living
24:13independently.
24:14Walkers gathered at the park on Sunday to raise vital cash for the organisation.
24:19Our reporter Henry Luck was there too.
24:28And they're off.
24:29Members of the public have gathered in Maidstone's Moat Park to raise money for the symbol mental
24:35disability charity.
24:37With some even coming as far as Herne Bay, they've come to the symbol stride to celebrate
24:42the charity's 26th anniversary.
24:45Now, participants of today's symbol stride walked down this circuit behind me twice,
24:52which is 2.5 kilometres and around 4000 steps.
24:57The main purpose of the walk is to get people to think about how they can live more sustainable
25:02lives.
25:03So today, symbol held their stride for sustainability sponsored walk, which we are holding in order
25:10to raise money to go towards us being able to run more sustainable projects.
25:16We understand that sometimes sustainability requires a little bit of investment, and that's
25:19something we really want to do to ensure that all of the adults we support are living more
25:24sustainable lives and are supported to think more carefully about the environment that
25:28we live in.
25:29Trekking across Moat Park also taught walkers how to give back to the community and others
25:35who are vulnerable.
25:36Well, it's important for the people with learning needs who live within the services to have
25:42an opportunity to get together and give something back to society.
25:46The sum of money that they'll be raising will go on to support other people, not themselves,
25:50but other people who are vulnerable or face challenges in life, and it's their way of
25:55reaching out and helping others rather than always being on the receiving end of support
25:59and care.
26:00I joined in with the sponsored walk, and I really enjoyed the walk.
26:06Obviously, I think it's a great experience for everyone, and I think everyone's enjoyed
26:11coming down here this afternoon, and it's raised a lot of good causes.
26:17It's really good, and still boring, and then it's a bit fun.
26:23The members of Symbol are proud of everyone who took the event in their stride, as money
26:28from the event will be going towards Symbol's future sustainability projects.
26:34Henry Luck, the KMTV in Maidstone.
26:40That's it from us this evening here on Kent Tonight.
26:42Finn will be here with Invicta Sport in a few minutes' time.
26:45I'll see you soon.
26:46Bye bye.