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 Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:28I'm Oliver, leader of the Sacks and here are your top stories on Thursday 17th April.
00:35The flat from hell, woman arrested on suspicion of child neglect near Fabersham, amplifying
00:41unheard voices, new Dover art installation to tackle veteran homelessness and taxi,
00:48take a look inside the life of Kent's cab drivers.
00:51Well first tonight, disturbing images shared with KMTV and Kent Online showed a shocking
00:59state of a flat near Fabersham after a woman was arrested on suspicion of child neglect.
01:06Neighbours living next to the flat are now calling for an urgent clean-up, after some
01:10described the smell being so bad they thought someone had died.
01:14Bartholomew Hall has all the details and a warning.
01:17The report you're about to see includes some images some viewers may find upsetting.
01:23It's the flat from hell.
01:26That's what neighbours are calling this property near Fabersham after a woman was arrested on
01:31suspicion of child neglect.
01:33From soiled mattresses to what appears to be human faeces smeared on its walls, these disturbing
01:39images shared with KMTV have revealed an insight into what was going on inside the flat.
01:45Those who live nearby say they're fearing for their health, describing the smell as so
01:50bad that they first thought someone had died.
01:54The images show a shocking amount of grime and litter, with one appearing to show a child's
02:00doll laying beside empty snack wrappers and a broken bed frame.
02:04On the 5th of January, officers were called to the address after concern was raised for
02:09the occupants, but when they arrived, the flat was empty.
02:13Later that same day, a 26-year-old woman was arrested outside the county on suspicion of
02:18child neglect and animal cruelty.
02:21She was later released on bail.
02:23Horrified neighbours, who didn't want to share their real names, are now calling on the building's
02:27housing association to carry out an urgent clean-up.
02:32It's horrible. I can't even put it into words.
02:34The smell was so bad that we thought someone had died up there.
02:38That's why we called the police.
02:40We are all incredibly upset that we had to deal with this.
02:42I smelt it every day. It makes me feel sick.
02:45The fact that children are living there is horrific.
02:48The flies are absolutely everywhere. It's unbearable.
02:51A spokesperson for Mears Living told us it's aware of the issues and is continuing
02:56to work with those involved to reach a resolution as soon as possible.
03:01But with the flat remaining unsecured this week and an infestation issue growing,
03:06the nearby residents who spoke to us say the flat is becoming harder to live near every day.
03:12Bartholomew Hall for KMTV.
03:14Now, during World War II, acoustic mirrors line Dover's coast to detect the sound of enemy aircraft flying towards you.
03:22Now, the Royal British Legion Industries have launched the installation of one of these acoustic
03:26which you can see right beside me right now in the seaside town to raise money and awareness for veteran homelessness.
03:33Veteran McDermott, Finn McDermott, went down to Dover to find out more.
03:37The port of Dover sees ships coming into its waters every day.
03:41But now it has a new arrival that it hasn't had built on its seafront for nearly a century.
03:46An acoustic sound mirror.
03:48But this one is designed to make people more aware of the struggles of veterans rather than the sounds of planes.
03:54Back in World War II, these sound mirrors would have lined the south coast,
03:58all to detect the noise of incoming enemy aircraft.
04:00But this one takes on a different meaning.
04:02It's all to raise awareness and amplify the voices of veterans who need support the most.
04:07It was commissioned by the Royal British Legion Industries
04:10and launched on the anniversary of both Victory in Europe Day and the invention of radar.
04:15So we've been working on it for several months.
04:17Obviously, VE Day 80 is coming up as a really important time.
04:21Potentially the last time we'll have a major anniversary with people that were still in combat and serving during World War II.
04:29So we've been working on it for quite a long time.
04:31As I say, Martin's worked with us before and he's come to us with this idea and we've worked to develop it together.
04:37The RBLI also say that in the last 12 months alone,
04:40they've seen a 45% increase in requests and referrals for emergency veteran accommodation.
04:45Former chief of the general staff and RBLI patron, Lord Dannet CBE,
04:50thinks the timing of the launch is vital because of the increase of referrals,
04:53but also with the state of current global affairs.
04:56And he isn't the only one.
04:57We've got to bear in mind this year it's all the more important with that current threat from Russia on Ukraine.
05:04I've just come back from Tallinn, where, of course, they're also on the front line of that threat.
05:08So it's so important people remember the importance of this.
05:13But also we reward and look after veterans who need us and donate to the RBLI and other charities
05:21to ensure that veterans are treated with dignity and listened to,
05:25which I think this is quite important being a radar, which, of course, assists with listening.
05:30For the installation, the RBLI commissioned the same artist that designed their Tommy logo.
05:34Well, I've always loved the acoustic mirrors that you can almost see either side of us here,
05:39two or three miles away from where we are now.
05:41These beautiful, steadfast, sentinel structures made of concrete.
05:46They weren't built as artworks, but to me they look like artworks.
05:50And I wanted to draw together the Tommy and the idea of listening,
05:55the amplification of ancient voices, you know, learning from the echoes of history.
06:00And by bringing a piece of Dover's past back into the present,
06:05Martin and the RBLI hope the structure will raise money and awareness
06:08that allows them to continue to house veterans and their families.
06:12Finn McDermid for Kame TV in Dover.
06:15Now ahead of Easter weekend, you might be able to look out for a film to pick out
06:19and enjoy with the family over the coming days.
06:22What better place to start looking than the Kent Film Club,
06:25a show all about what people in the county are watching.
06:28We are actually joined by the show's presenter, Chris Deesey,
06:32on the morning show earlier today.
06:34We did a little quiz about the places in Kent
06:36that are part of the cinematic history of the county.
06:40First of all, try and figure out where you are.
06:42They're all Kent locations and then work out a film that's related to it.
06:46OK, well, I would imagine that this is similar to where we are now.
06:49I see, oh, the A282.
06:51So I'm guessing that this is...
06:52Look a bit higher.
06:53A bit higher.
06:54Into the distance.
06:55Just look up a bit.
06:56No, too high.
06:57Too high.
06:58Just look in the distance and higher.
07:00What can you figure out?
07:01That's where we are now, isn't it?
07:02No.
07:05The Towers.
07:06Is that a bridge, maybe?
07:07Oh.
07:09Some sort of crossing?
07:10The Darkford Crossing.
07:11Yeah.
07:11Yes.
07:12Yes.
07:12That is the Darkford Crossing.
07:13I was driving near there just a few moments ago.
07:17Yes.
07:17So can you think of any films that have used the Darkford Crossing?
07:20I know one of the Fast and the Furious films, I think.
07:23Oh, OK.
07:23Apparently.
07:24I could have just made that up, by the way.
07:25It sounds improbable, but I'm sure there was an action film used.
07:30Some sort of action sequence.
07:32Something magical.
07:33Harry Potter.
07:34One of the Harry Potter films used that.
07:35Yes, Harry Potter.
07:36So it was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, which is a 2010 movie.
07:40The Darkford Crossing.
07:41We do have a picture we might be able to get up off the scene.
07:44It was used in a chase scene where Harry, Ron and Hermione are pursued by Death Eaters.
07:49And there was some great behind-the-scenes shots.
07:51If we can get that up.
07:52This is the sort of behind-the-scenes shots where you've got Hagrid on his famous motorcycle
07:55going the wrong way through the Darkford Crossing there.
07:57Yeah, that wasn't my experience an hour ago.
07:59I can confirm that.
08:00I hope you paid this toll as well.
08:01Indeed.
08:02But I've just Googled it.
08:03From a very brief look, some scenes from Fast and Furious were filmed in Darkford.
08:08Oh, wow.
08:09So there you go.
08:10I'm glad, yeah.
08:12So obviously when we have...
08:13Ronnie is our amazing producer, and I read out all the trivia for the question.
08:18And sometimes I'm genuinely surprised as I'm reading it.
08:21I thought, was that film...
08:21I think once I thought...
08:23Because I know Lord of the Rings was made in Australia,
08:25but I think I was probably conflating mentally Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings.
08:29And therefore the idea that Lord of the Rings was filmed somewhere near Darkford on the crossing
08:33I may not ever guess anyone is Googling that now.
08:36But Fast and Furious was indeed filmed just very nearby.
08:40Fantastic.
08:40I'll have to go back and watch those ones again.
08:42Second location is up on your screen now.
08:44Oh, no.
08:44This is Empire of Light, Dreamland in Margate.
08:48Yes.
08:48And I think not that many...
08:50Well, probably about 15, 20 years ago now,
08:52there was a cinema literally in here in Dreamland.
08:55And I saw...
08:56I remember seeing Bewitched with Nicole Kidman and Michael Caine in there.
08:59And a heist film with Christopher Plummer, Jodie Foster.
09:01And who would have thought that then, what, 15 years later...
09:05Clive Owen, I think, was in that one as well.
09:06And about 15 years later,
09:07this would actually be the location for that Oscar-nominated Roger Deakin Best Cinematography picture
09:12that was made by Sam Mendes.
09:15It was a brilliant film as well.
09:17Such a beautiful film as well.
09:19Shot so well, you know, the cinematography there.
09:22But it just made Margate look so beautiful as well,
09:25with those lights that they strung all across the seafront as well.
09:28Such a lovely time in the sort of Kent recent history, I suppose.
09:33OK, let's move on to the next one now.
09:35I'll get it up for you.
09:36Here we go.
09:37See if you can work out where we are from here.
09:40I would say that...
09:42Have a little look around.
09:42That looks to me like Dover Castle.
09:44That looks like Dover Castle to me.
09:46We are up at Dover Castle at the moment.
09:48There's a cinema there very nearby where I visit, so Dover.
09:52Yeah, so we're looking down at the sort of beach in the port there.
09:54Oh, OK.
09:54And just over in the distance there is Dover Castle,
09:57and the sort of main part of it.
09:59So, can you think of any films that were shot here?
10:02In Dover Castle...
10:04There's probably a few, but there's one that I've got written down.
10:07I'll probably be able to tell it the year if you give me a clue.
10:10Into the Woods.
10:12Oh, really?
10:13Yes.
10:13Yes.
10:14Do you know what year that was?
10:14No, 2012 or something like that?
10:1714.
10:1814, very close, yes.
10:20Yeah, that surprised me as well.
10:21I'm a big fan of musical theatre.
10:22They shot this sort of wedding scene.
10:24It makes sense, doesn't it?
10:24I believe this is just before The Giant comes down in the middle of the film.
10:29Yes, Dover's...
10:29I haven't seen this film or heard of it.
10:31Oh, Into the Woods.
10:32Love the Sondheim musical.
10:33Brilliant.
10:34I much prefer the stage version.
10:35You've got some big names in it as well.
10:37Yes.
10:37Back in my theatre days, I was in a production of Into the Woods.
10:41Yes, played the narrator.
10:42It was a great time.
10:43Anyway, away from my musical background, let's go to your final location now.
10:50See if you can guess where this is.
10:51Oh, hang on.
10:52Close to home.
10:53No, hang on just a moment.
10:55This, look, we say close to home.
10:56This is almost like virtually outside the street.
10:58This is Chatham Dockyard.
10:59This is Historic Dockyard, Chatham.
11:01You're absolutely right.
11:01And there's many, many films that you can choose from here.
11:04So what have you got?
11:06Well, I mean, we've got the new Mission Impossible film, The Dead Reckoning, coming out in May.
11:11So that's the one that comes to mind.
11:12That is a good one.
11:13Obviously, there aren't so many.
11:14I picked out Sherlock Holmes, 2009, the Robert Downey Jr. version.
11:19Little picture we've got coming up of them sort of in the Dockyard there.
11:23In one of the hangars or workshops or something?
11:27Yes.
11:27Big, big warehouses, naval rigging.
11:29Great film as well with Robert Downey Jr.
11:31This was sort of just before the Benedict Cumberbatch version.
11:34So I think it does get overshadowed.
11:36But, yeah, still a great one.
11:38Well, you can catch the latest Kent Film Club on our website and later this evening.
11:43We have a short break now.
11:44But afterwards, we'll take a look inside the inside life of Kent's cabbies.
11:49I'll see you in a few minutes' time.
11:50I'll see you in a few minutes' time.
11:59I'll see you in a few minutes' time.
14:50Welcome back to Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
15:16Now, a dramatic video shows a car on fire on the slip road to one of Kent's busiest roundabouts.
15:22The incident happened at about 1pm near the A299 Thanet Way, just outside Favisham.
15:29You can see the car on fire right here.
15:32Kent police said officers attended the scene where they assisted fire crews, while Kent Fire and Rescue have been contacted for further information.
15:39Now, an investigation has been launched after a fire engine, after a fire engine was involved in a crash in Bearstead, after responding to an emergency call.
15:47The vehicle was travelling along the A20 Ashford Road at 10.30am when it hit a car heading the opposite direction.
15:55Having travelling are the blues and twos, meaning it had its siren on and was responding to a serious incident.
16:01Two people in the car were cut out by other firefighters and taken to hospital.
16:06Their injuries aren't believed to be life-threatening.
16:10Now, from brules, drunks and runners to people vomiting in her car and being chased by the police, the job of a cabbie is rarely dull.
16:18And just 12 months into the role, a Kent taxi driver has opened up about perhaps one of the often overlooked jobs in our society.
16:25Kent Online reporter Joe Crossy joined us on the Kent Morning Show earlier today, catching up on the life of one of Kent's newest taxi drivers.
16:33Every single story she said was almost a joke. It was brilliant.
16:38She was very funny and had, like I say, absolute treasure troves of, as you said, drunks, brawls that she'd witnessed.
16:46It sounds like the Wild West, really. Sometimes when they're driving around, they have to deal with the public.
16:52So that's why, and especially on a Friday and Saturday night, you get all sorts of people out.
16:56I was going to say, dealing with the public, but the public at their worst, they're intoxicated, right?
17:01It's always a good ride, though, isn't it, when you've got a taxi driver who can tell you a good story, when you can have a good chat with them, especially, as you say, after a night out or something like that.
17:09Let's take a listen to your, let's take a watch of your package now of your, you know, your conversations with her and some of the stories that she shared with you.
17:16Hi, my name's Sharice. I'm a taxi driver with green cabs.
17:20I've been taxiing for about a year now, and I've been taking Kent Online out, sharing some of my stories.
17:28I picked one guy up from a pub near the Stumberland, and he was basically calling all over the place, had his girlfriend with him.
17:38And she was like, look, I'm really, really sorry. He is very drunk, but I promise he won't be sick or anything like that.
17:43We just need to get to the hotel. They were going to the travel lodge. I was like, yeah, okay, I'll take you.
17:49Got him in the car, drove to the travel lodge. He fell asleep in the back of the car, trying to wake him up.
17:56We could not get him out of the car for love, nor money. He just wanted to lay on the seats and fall asleep.
18:02So, she's literally shouting at him to get out of the car.
18:07I just woke up, then decided to be sick in the car.
18:14Then, she's trying to catch it in her hands.
18:19Wiped it down herself and then put her hands on the seat.
18:22Got it all over the seats.
18:23So, eventually, obviously, between the two of us, we had to kind of just sort of push him out of the car, at which point he just fell on the floor.
18:33And that's where he basically stays.
18:36On a slow period at the moment, we're probably averaging about 15 jobs a day.
18:42And I'd say at least 10 of those jobs asked me, have you been busy?
18:48Is that the worst question to ask a taxi driver?
18:54It is, because you hear it so often, but at the same time, it's a conversation breaker.
19:00So, it does start off the conversation.
19:02And even as a cabbie myself, I come into work or I get into another cab and I go, have you been busy?
19:10It's just one of those things, the first thing that pops into your head, ask a cabbie.
19:15Yeah, some incredible stories there.
19:17Yeah, I think she definitely ticks the box of an interesting cab driver.
19:22And was there anything that's kind of surprised you?
19:25I think the fact that how often they have to deal with it, especially on a Friday and Saturday night.
19:30I mean, having someone, and I don't want to upset anybody's breakfast here, but having someone, you know,
19:35fry up in the back of their cab and, you know, having to go off and clean it up before picking up your next passenger is really quite shocking.
19:41Just as a human being, having to do that, as funny as it sounds, it is actually pretty horrible.
19:48But yeah, I mean, that was one of the shocking things.
19:51The shortage of drivers as well is a massive problem for these taxi firms, especially after COVID.
19:58I think there's something you wanted to ask about, wasn't it?
20:01Yeah, is that just people not going into the role because there was such a decline in use during COVID?
20:08Is it just sort of not really picked up?
20:10Yeah, I mean, I think so.
20:11I actually talked to the boss of Green Cabs who took me round.
20:15They're one of the big firms in Symbal and they do about 2,000 jobs every week.
20:19So massive firm.
20:21They have about 30 drivers who take them round on these jobs.
20:24And he said that basically after COVID, there was a massive drop off.
20:28There's a lot of people left to go do more kind of steady work.
20:32So like delivery driving or warehouse driving.
20:35And that just hasn't picked up.
20:37He said they're only just getting back to levels, to that 30 driver level that they were pre-pandemic.
20:43And obviously they've been growing and stuff like that.
20:45So it has been difficult.
20:46One of the main problems is the DBS check.
20:50It takes around about 12 weeks.
20:51So people can be really keen and want to become a taxi driver.
20:54But because of that wait period, they go, hang on, I'll just go get another job in that time period, especially if they need the money or something like that.
21:02So, yeah, it is difficult for them.
21:04But it is coming back up after the pandemic, I think, just about.
21:09Yeah, I worried about the sort of the incentives to become a taxi driver because you think you have to go out on the Friday nights and Saturday nights when you're going to get the most money.
21:18So you kind of got to go, but you're going to perhaps deal with a lot of abuse and things like the potholes and the traffic as well, especially around Medway, across Kent.
21:27It doesn't seem like an attractive job.
21:30Yeah, I mean, there is that part of it, especially traffic in Sittenborn.
21:33People who live in Sittenborn will have to go through it, will know how bad it is.
21:37I live in Sittenborn myself and it is terrible.
21:40Rush hour is awful.
21:43But Sharice was basically saying that, you know, that's the worst part of the job.
21:47The best part of the job is, you know, that human interaction she gets every single day.
21:50Now, don't forget to keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk.
21:59There you'll find all our reports, including this one, about the fight for school places on the Isle of Sheppey.
22:05How do you feel about it all?
22:07I'm pretty upset.
22:10And why is that?
22:14Because I'm just going to be away from all my friends and that.
22:17Right, what homework have we got today?
22:24Finding a secondary school is meant to be a joyous occasion,
22:29so has offered their son a place at a school in Faversham, more than 20 miles away and off the island.
22:37It's just not suitable.
22:39I mean, there's safeguarding concerns straight away there, you know, not only that early in the morning,
22:43but him, like, doing that amount of travelling on his own, letting him be in an unfamiliar town that he's not even familiar with.
22:50It's just a whole shambles, to be fair.
22:54The council will have to take us to court for not sending him,
22:56and then we'll ask the judge if they feel that it's the right place for him to be.
23:01Because at the end of the day, they have to be accountable for doing it.
23:06And we can't send an 11-year-old on journeys like that every day for the next five years.
23:12Now, due to Carl's parents' work commitments, he wouldn't be able to get a private car to Abbey School in Faversham.
23:18KCC have sent parents this journey planner.
23:21Now, if I take it from this bus stop here, it says it would take Carl 7 hours and 42 minutes by walking,
23:29cycling 2 hours, public transport 1 hour and 37 minutes,
23:34and that would involve both trains and buses.
23:38Two new schools replaced the failing Oasis Academy after Ofsted rated it inadequate in 2022.
23:45Since then, more families have chosen to stay on the island rather than send their children to Sittingbourne,
23:50which could be behind the shortage of places.
23:53Last night, some of those affected gathered at a public meeting.
23:57Their frustration was clear.
24:00I will not be sent to her then.
24:01She was born red on this island.
24:04She couldn't go to school on this island.
24:06I could walk to the near family from my house.
24:08They'd take the air to the goats, tell them, literally walk in this room.
24:11And they'd tell him to be up so far away.
24:13We've met him, I don't want to find him as a parent.
24:16Ken County Council says 56 Sheppey families were offered places off the island.
24:21Since 60 more years, seven places have been found.
24:25But around 25 families are still waiting for a place on the island.
24:30And now they want answers.
24:32Yes, I would like to know why those numbers don't quite add up.
24:36And what's really frustrating this evening for a lot of the parents,
24:39they haven't been able to get that information out from Kent County Council.
24:43In a statement, KCC says it will make its next full round of offers on the 24th of April.
24:49Then the school-based appeals process will begin in line with national statutory requirements.
24:55And when it comes to school transport, they say deciding who is eligible is also a statutory process.
25:00And they will apply the legislation in line with every other local authority.
25:04At a meeting, parents signed an open letter demanding answers and accountability.
25:10Many said they may have to quit their jobs to home school if no solution is found.
25:16Gabriel Morris in Warden.
25:20And just before we go, it's time to take a very quick look at the weather.
25:29Tonight is looking partly cloudy.
25:31Temperatures between 7 and 9 degrees.
25:33Low wind speeds of 4 miles per hour.
25:36On the bank holiday Friday, it's looking a bit like a cloudy one.
25:39Some sunshine peaking through 12 degrees up in Medway into the afternoon.
25:45It is heating up, 17 degrees over in Maidstone and Dartford.
25:49And for the rest of the weekend, cloudy and sunny in equal measure,
25:54heating up to 16 degrees by Monday.
25:56A cloudy start to next week.
26:03Well, you've been watching Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
26:09There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
26:12And don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest news across your county
26:16by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk,
26:20as well as liking and following us on social media, including TikTok and Facebook.
26:25If you have a story you think we should be covering, then please do get in touch.
26:30We love to hear whatever you have going on in the county.
26:33We have the Kent Morning Show back next week, and we have Kent Tonight back tomorrow.
26:38So I'll see you very, very soon.
26:40Have a lovely Easter weekend.