Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Oliver Leader de Saxe
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kentonite Live here on KMTV.
00:29I'm Oliver Leader-The-Sax and here are your top stories on Tuesday the 1st of April.
00:35Causing a stink, sewage flooding fears as more houses set for Tenham.
00:41Ending re-offending, Kent murderer calls for more support for ex-criminals.
00:47And too cool to close, find out how a Thanet ice cream store has stayed open for decades.
00:54Now residents of Frognall Lane in Tenham have reportedly been hit with severe sewage leaks,
00:59flooding their roads and even covering their front doors in their homes.
01:05Southern Water themselves say that the current system could only support 50 additional houses.
01:10So with 300 home development on the cards, locals worry for the health of their village.
01:15Phil McDermott has more.
01:17Residents have described it as raw sewage spewing out of their driveways,
01:22reaching as far as their front door.
01:24Ever since 2023, locals living here on Frognall Lane in Tenham have had their roads, showers and toilets
01:30subjected to floods of waste that bubble up from manhole covers
01:34and can reach from house number 39 all the way down to the end of the road.
01:38And with almost 300 more homes on the way as part of the Heisted Park development,
01:43people aren't sure the system will be able to cope.
01:46The smell and sheer amount of it has a disastrous effect on the area,
01:50with one discharge lasting for three days,
01:52and it particularly affects the population of elderly and vulnerable people who live there.
01:57Now this is probably the worst area on Frognall Lane when it comes to these sewage discharges,
02:01and that's all because these houses here are for people with mobility issues.
02:05So all the bathrooms are on the ground floor.
02:07So when the sewage is pumped up out of the drains,
02:10it can come through their toilets and their showers, completely ruining their homes.
02:14Southern Water on the other hand say only 50 more homes could be added to the system
02:18without causing significant damage.
02:20They stated that a recent survey of our sewer network
02:23between Tenham and Sittingbourne Wastewater Treatment Works highlighted the need for upgrades,
02:27due to the risk of blockages from in-growing tree roots
02:30and the build-up of unflushables like wet wipes, fat, oil and grease.
02:34The water company added that they do plan on upgrading the system between now and 2030,
02:38but for residents who have to live with the frequent overflows,
02:41they tell me that they are left with very little hope
02:44that their roads, driveways and front doors will remain free of sewage.
02:48Finn McDermid for KMTV in Tenham.
02:51Now a man who killed his father in a drunken argument at 18 years old in 2003
02:58has spoken out for the first time, sharing his story and message with Kent Online
03:03in an exclusive interview.
03:06He hopes by doing this he can bring awareness to those that are released from prison
03:09and end up re-offending just to find shelter and food.
03:14Our reporter Kristin Hawthorne joined me earlier with all the details.
03:18Because Luke, he is a murderer.
03:20What led him to his situation, given the crime that he did was quite significant?
03:26It is. I mean, it's quite a long story really,
03:28but it all started when he was 12 years old and he was abandoned by his mother.
03:32His father was an alcoholic and he was leaving him in the house alone.
03:37By the time he was 18, the court determined him to be a heavy drinker.
03:42And the point that led up to it was they were in the house
03:46and they were with other older alcoholics, you know, self-proclaimed alcoholics.
03:51And during an argument, his father was making fun of him and everything.
03:53He stabbed him four times fatally, which led to this moment.
03:59He says that he doesn't quite remember what happened.
04:01And he sort of blacked out.
04:04And the next thing he remembered properly is that the police being there.
04:07But he actually thought he was at the police station for being drunk and disorderly.
04:11To then later find out what had happened.
04:14What more can you tell us about Luke O'Neill?
04:18He was put in prison slightly less time than usual
04:22just because of his circumstances leading up to that point.
04:25And he himself said that some of the biggest struggles himself
04:29and other ex-offenders face when they're released from prison
04:31is finding somewhere to live and getting a job.
04:34He himself has been out of job, out of a job for about four months now.
04:38And he's just I mean, he has struggles getting accommodation.
04:41He's been sleeping at his friend's houses on the sofa and stuff.
04:44So he's really just trying to make more awareness and bring a light
04:48to the struggles that prisoners face after coming out of prison.
04:51So there is no support for people in terms of when you're, you know,
04:56yeah, it's about the strength up there if you haven't got that strength,
05:00because there is people that are just kicked out into the streets.
05:03And then, you know, people criticize people and say that we'll end up back in prison.
05:07But the thing is, you've got to realize that this man has got no help,
05:12no support, nothing, there's no helping hand whatsoever.
05:15So therefore, there's no roof over his head.
05:17He's freezing cold.
05:18He's probably sleeping outside Tesco's or whatnot.
05:21And then you sit there and criticize him for going back to prison.
05:24So what is Luke calling for?
05:26Because you heard there his concerns about not being able to find accommodation.
05:29What is he calling for?
05:31Well, so firstly, he believes that there should be more funding
05:34put into places like food banks or accommodation for ex-offenders.
05:39But along with that, when he was in prison, he helped as a youth worker
05:43talking to young people who are going down sort of the same path as he was
05:47and involved in knife crime.
05:48So it seems like he's discussing a lot about knife crime.
05:51But all in all, he believes that there should be more funding
05:54put into places like food banks, accommodation and maybe knife crime as well.
05:58You read more about that story on Kent Online.
06:02Now, as April begins, so does the new tax year, with businesses set to face
06:06national insurance contribution rises from today.
06:10And the Federation of Small Businesses are warning the government
06:13must urgently produce a plan to help their members in what is a tricky time.
06:19It comes as minimum wage is also set to rise from this month,
06:23raising fears across the country.
06:25We were joined by Gemma Fairclough-Haynes, an employment law specialist
06:29from the Federation, to find out a little bit more.
06:34Yeah, so it will affect small businesses, they'll be paying perhaps
06:38an additional £600 per year per employee if they've got five or more staff.
06:44So in a time where we're experiencing higher costs across the board,
06:50you know, just as cost of living has gone up, cost of business has gone up,
06:53you know, rent has increased, cost of goods have gone up,
06:56cost of printing has gone up, you name it, we're also experiencing that pinch.
07:00And of course, with minimum wage going up, it can be quite tricky
07:04for those small businesses who've now got this additional cost as well.
07:08And of course, when the government came into power and the Labour Party
07:12in their sort of election manifesto, they said,
07:14well, we're not going to do this, we're not going to do this,
07:17and the Labour Party in their sort of election manifesto,
07:20they said they wouldn't raise taxes for working people.
07:23So they had to sort of find some of their funding from somewhere.
07:26They said that these rises, the, you know, the national insurance
07:32contributions rises is to pay for vital public services.
07:35Do you buy that argument?
07:38I mean, we all know that public services need additional funding,
07:41but I also do want to just make the point that small business owners
07:45are also working people.
07:46And, you know, the majority of small businesses that employ people
07:50employ less than five people or they're micro businesses.
07:54We've got, of course, there are some small businesses that employ
07:56240 members of staff, but the majority of small businesses are your regular
08:01person that you can see walking down the high street, for instance.
08:05So, you know, I think it's a bit unfair to say
08:08they wouldn't raise costs for working people.
08:09We are, we're all working people.
08:12Yeah, and as well as, as you mentioned, yes,
08:15small business owners are working people as long as well as their employees
08:18as well, those facing those heavy prices this month as an employment
08:22law specialist, as you are as well, what sort of rights do they have
08:26when it comes to minimum wage increases and actually asking
08:30for a raise on top of that?
08:32But for employees, I mean, minimum wage is a non-negotiable.
08:36Everybody should be paid minimum wage
08:39and they'll need to be paid immediately.
08:41So you can't say, well, I'll start paying it from December.
08:45It's got to be paid from the moment it comes in.
08:48In terms of asking for a raise,
08:51there's no entitlement to ask for a pay rise.
08:54Some businesses will give a pay rise.
08:56Others won't.
08:57What we're already seeing when we're advising our clients,
09:01who are all businesses, by the way, that they're either not offering
09:04pay rises this year or they're offering less of a pay rise
09:07because they're already having to pay more money out.
09:11Granted, it's not going into the employee's pockets,
09:14but they're already experiencing inflationary costs and additional costs.
09:18So they can't then pass that on to the employee.
09:21And just just back to our main discussion point today,
09:24obviously, with businesses set to face these these increased costs.
09:28And what I know you're sort of representing the Federation
09:31of Small Businesses today as a member of it.
09:32And what is it that the group is is doing to support
09:36some of these small businesses at this time?
09:38What's the FSB doing to support small businesses?
09:41Yes, yes. I mean, the FSB, they're always lobbying,
09:47lobbying the government to say we need additional support.
09:50What we really want is for businesses not only to be able to start up,
09:54but to be to be sustainable and to get growth.
09:57And so we're always asking the government for more measures
10:01to improve and support businesses.
10:03Now, today marks 60 years since Kent became smaller.
10:07Bexley and Bromley became part of London 60 years ago today
10:10when part of the capital's suburban sprawl was absorbed into the big smoke.
10:15That's right. It went into London.
10:17But six decades on, do residents still consider themselves Kentish?
10:21We've hit the streets of the historic outer limit of Kent to find out.
10:26Would you say you're part of Kent or London?
10:31I was born in Kent and I'm from Kent, but I know I'm part of London as well.
10:36I think we're part of Kent.
10:38Not to say London is unfriendly, but people around here,
10:41from what I've noticed, are a lot friendlier
10:43compared to when I'm inside London.
10:45And it's not the same vibe.
10:47The Londoner to me is more someone who's closer into London
10:51in the inner boroughs rather than the outer boroughs, yeah.
10:54Because that's literally where I live.
10:56On the map, it's London.
10:58But the postcode does signify Kent.
11:02But I say London.
11:04Both, really. I like Kent and I like London.
11:07Well, I don't go into central London, but I like the outer London area.
11:11But you still say Kent because so much of this area is a Kentish area.
11:15Yeah.
11:17I'm from Kent.
11:19I'm from Kent.
11:21I'm from Kent.
11:24But you still say Kent because so much of this area is a Kent postcode.
11:27Yeah, that's what I thought, yeah.
11:29Because Kent's nicer.
11:31OK.
11:33It's an age-old debate, that one.
11:35But you can let us know what you think by getting in touch on social media.
11:38But for now, we have a short, short break.
11:40We look at a historic Thanet ice cream store,
11:42still going strong after decades after the break.
11:47But for now, stick with us.
11:53We'll be back.
15:12Hello and welcome back to Kent Onite Life, here on KMTV.
15:16A Chinese restaurant in Margate was given a one-star food hygiene rating by inspectors
15:21after they found mice droppings littering the floor.
15:25Pictures taken by Thanet District Council shows the state the restaurant is in.
15:29Pagoda, a local restaurant in Margate, was described as greasy and ordered to carry out
15:34a deep clean.
15:35The council's inspectors visited again on March 20th after their original visit and
15:40found some of the issues had been resolved but still reissued a one-star rating.
15:44The restaurant has been reached for comment.
15:47A man accused of trying to kill a soldier near his army barracks in Gillingham has had
15:51his trial delayed.
15:53Anthony Eason was charged with attempted murder after Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teton was stabbed
15:58several times last year.
16:00Teton was taken to hospital with serious injuries but was discharged four weeks after the incident.
16:05Now Maidstone Crown Court heard that legal proceedings have been delayed because of Eason's
16:10poor mental health and are here to discuss his fitness to plead and a potential trial
16:15date has also been delayed until 6th May.
16:19Next tonight, it's been a tough day for businesses across the county but over in Broadstairs
16:24there's one still going strong after 100 years.
16:29Morelli's Gelato is a family run ice cream parlour that's weathered economic downturns
16:33and sunny spells for the Kent economy.
16:37But how have they done it?
16:38We've sent Jake Dirk-Turner down to find out.
16:41Sand, sea and if you're lucky, a bit of sun.
16:45The only thing left to complete the perfect day at the beach is ice cream.
16:49And where better to get it than one of the most iconic attractions Kent's seaside has
16:53to offer.
16:54We've come to Morelli's Gelato in Broadstairs to find out how a multi-generational family
16:58run business can work.
17:00As a spacious and colourful ice cream parlour on Victoria Parade, Morelli's has been a part
17:04of Broadstairs' seafront for over 100 years.
17:07Originating in 1907, Marino Morelli turned his homemade recipe into a small business
17:12before his son created the original shop here in Kent in 1932.
17:16I went and spoke to some of the business runners of Morelli's and even a young member of the
17:20family itself.
17:21I'm sixth generation, I'm 20 years old.
17:25I'm hoping to go into the business once I finish university and overall I kind of want
17:31to follow in my grandfather's footsteps, continue the legacy and yeah.
17:36You don't want to be the generation that fails.
17:40You know, you want to be the generation that puts it into as good a position that you're
17:45able to pass it on strongly into the next generation.
17:49And it's difficult to keep a generational business going because who's going to do it?
17:56Many times, different members of the family, they don't want to do something like this.
18:00They've got a different education, they want to do different things in their life.
18:04So then you need to make sure that you've got management that are committed enough to
18:09the business to take it on and trying to balance what people love about not changing, about
18:16things being like they were and having to make changes that make sure you stay relevant.
18:22I'm very proud of how it's progressed.
18:25Obviously, we kind of keep the same style in the business.
18:31But in terms of the legacy, it's a lot to live up to, but I think it's just wonderful
18:39to kind of be involved in this community as well in Broadstairs.
18:43It's amazing.
18:44I mean, the community is amazing.
18:46Family have always been a part of it.
18:48So from my perspective of the shop in particular in Broadstairs is, you know, this has a real
18:54community feel.
18:55It's been here for, you know, since 1930s.
19:00And it's a place where everybody can come together, bring their children, you know,
19:04and have fun.
19:05And I think what this really does do is bring people together.
19:08And even in today's world, is it brings families who may have spread out across the country
19:12or internationally and brings them all together where they can enjoy what they used to have
19:17in a childhood and can still enjoy very much exactly the same thing in today.
19:22It's kind of been everywhere, but Broadstairs has always been the one standing.
19:27It's always been here 364 days a year.
19:30So yeah, apart from Christmas Day, that's, we've been non-stop for 117 years this business
19:38has been going.
19:39And hopefully it will go on for much longer.
19:41Jake Turner for KMTV.
19:42If you enjoyed that, you can catch up with all of the Made in Kent stories on our website
19:48KMTV.co.uk.
19:49There you'll find all of our reports, including this one about the Ukrainian Lions making
19:56their home here in the county.
19:58It started as a daring rescue for five Ukrainian lions caught in a war zone.
20:06Now a roaring success following a £500,000 fundraising campaign to give these exotic
20:14felines their forever home.
20:17Yeah, so these guys have been here for just over a week and I'm really, really pleased
20:22to see the behaviours that they're showing.
20:24Loads of really relaxed behaviours.
20:26They've all been making themselves at home.
20:28They've all been getting to know each other as well, because even though they're from
20:31the same rescue centre, they never really met.
20:34So they've settled in unbelievably well, surprisingly well, and that just goes to show that they
20:40feel like they're in the right environment now, which is fantastic.
20:43Local and national heroes joined more than 100 people at the Big Cat Sanctuary near Ashford
20:51to unveil the state-of-the-art facility, far away from the conflict engulfing Eastern Europe.
20:58Three, two, one, hooray!
21:03When you look around, I've never seen enclosures like this before.
21:07Considering where some of these cats were in Ukraine and where they are now, you can
21:12see the contentment in their face, you can almost see it on the face.
21:15They're rolling round, they're talking to each other, they're very vocal.
21:20It's such a special place to be, I love this place.
21:22The needs of the rescued lions are complex.
21:26Even before the war with Russia, they were victims of the illegal animal trade, trapped
21:32in concrete enclosures barely big enough to house them.
21:36Some hadn't even touched grass before arriving in Kent.
21:41She's just so curious, this is all brand new to her.
21:44I mean, this is the first time she's been outside and...
21:49For good?
21:50Maybe, I don't know.
21:51Yeah.
21:52Just over my shoulder, you can see one of the five Ukrainian lions that have been rescued,
21:57taking a well-deserved break after a big meal.
22:01His new enclosure designed around his needs and getting all the support that a cat can get.
22:07Each enclosure of the Lion Rescue Centre is specially designed for the individual that's in it.
22:13Rory behind me, for example, has a neurological condition that he's had from a young age.
22:19He's a bit weak on his back end, probably due to not getting the right nutrition growing up.
22:24And so his enclosure has very gentle slopes and mounds, there's no high areas.
22:28And it's a space that's going to allow him to build muscle tone safely.
22:34The pride are clearly making themselves at home.
22:37And with how eager they are to pose for the camera,
22:40no wonder they're set to get the lion's share of public attention
22:44here at the sanctuary for quite some time.
22:48Oliver leaves the sanctuary for KMTV in Smerdon.
22:53So the lions may not necessarily be in their home country,
22:57but it's lovely weather that might make them feel a bit more home at the moment.
23:00So let's find out what it's looking like for the rest of the week.
23:04As you can see, the weather tonight was around eight degrees,
23:06peaking at nine degrees down in Mullgate.
23:09Tomorrow morning, those temperatures rising upwards,
23:1210 degrees over in Dartford, sunshine across the county.
23:15Some high winds, though, to go with it.
23:18And for the afternoon, 15 degrees down in Royal Tunbridge Wells,
23:22those high winds sticking through as well as that sunshine.
23:25Sunshine is staying throughout the week.
23:28Highs of nine degrees.
23:30Sunshine is staying throughout the week.
23:32Highs of 19 on Friday.
23:35Go, go buy some suncream while you still can.
23:45And just before we go,
23:46we've managed to dodge too much April Fool's tomfoolery today here on Kentonites.
23:50But our morning show presenter Bartholomew Hall
23:53wasn't so lucky early today on our breakfast program.
23:57And judging by his reaction in this clip,
23:59I think you prefer to turn the page on this one.
24:02It is, in fact, Edible Book Day.
24:08It's all about getting more young people into reading in a slightly unusual way.
24:12The idea is you can actually eat parts of pages.
24:16So they're actually made out of rice paper.
24:18The gist is to read a page and then eat a page.
24:22More of a morning read than an evening.
24:24You don't want children having sugar before bed.
24:26It's probably not the most conventional or applicable way to get children to read,
24:30but it's making a stand against challenges
24:32many schools and parents face with literacy in the UK.
24:35So yesterday on the morning show, if you joined us,
24:38we were eating edible soap.
24:40It wasn't very nice.
24:40And then I saw this, it's Edible Book Day.
24:42And I thought, let's carry on the trend.
24:44So I've got an edible book delivered to us for you to try.
24:52I didn't know about this.
24:54I just want to make this clear.
24:55You can see the shop.
24:56Right.
24:57I didn't know about this.
24:58This book, you can't eat everything.
25:00I'm sure I could.
25:01But you can eat the book.
25:02Okay, right.
25:03You can try it.
25:03We don't have long.
25:04You're just going to have to take a bite.
25:05This was not...
25:06The idea is you read a page and eat a page.
25:08Okay.
25:09Read a page and eat a page.
25:10Really?
25:11Yeah.
25:11I don't believe you.
25:12We don't have long.
25:13So you've got to go for it.
25:13You can't eat everything.
25:15I feel like I'm being poisoned on TV.
25:17Okay.
25:18And you can...
25:18Right, let's pick a first page.
25:20Can you find a dog on each page?
25:21I don't know if I believe you.
25:23This looks like a normal book.
25:25What is the point?
25:26It's to get more children reading as well.
25:28It doesn't say it.
25:34I don't know if this is...
25:37I don't know if this is true.
25:38It tastes like a normal...
25:40Not that I've eaten a page before.
25:40What does it taste like?
25:41Try another bit.
25:42Do you want to try another page?
25:44Is it not like melting?
25:46No.
25:47Try that one.
25:48Maybe this one's orange flavoured.
25:50I don't know if this is the best...
25:51Maybe don't eat your books.
25:53At home.
25:56No, it just tastes like paper.
25:58What are you making me do?
25:59So just as bad as the edible soap?
26:02Yeah.
26:04Well, you're watching The Morning Show
26:07on Tuesday the 1st of April.
26:09Happy April Fool's Day, Bartholomew.
26:12I fully believed it.
26:13I fully believe...
26:14That is awful.
26:16Me and the gallery,
26:16me and the production crew have been planning that.
26:20And he's eaten paper live on TV, everybody.
26:27And no, I'm not going to eat my scripts.
26:30You've been watching Kent Tonight
26:31live here on KMTV.
26:33There's more news for Kent
26:35just throughout the evening.
26:37And tune in for more antics like that
26:39on the Kent Morning Show at 7am.
26:42I'll see you very, very soon.
26:43Good night.