Four editions delivered to over 88,000 homes every month downsmail.co.uk MaidstoneMaidstone SouthSouth EditionEdition Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper FREE Maidstone Town | Maidstone East | Maidstone South | Malling August 2016 No. 232 News Flood defence blow Truck cab to pulpit A LORRY driver is soon to take over as the new, full-time vicar for Yalding, Laddingford leaves villages at risk and Collier Street. 3 Grafty plan approval THE plug has been pulled on two flood defence schemes proposed to LUXURY homes are to be built on protect the people of Yalding, Collier Street and Hunton. the site of the former Grafty garden centre. 12 As revealed in the Downs Mail last the EA says the FSAs on the Beult The EA’s feasibility study indi- month, the Environment Agency’s and Teise are unlikely to offer “sig- cated that a significant number of modelling for three schemes, at a nificant benefit”. properties in Tonbridge and Hilden- Horse cons are jailed total cost of £35m, fell well short of It has now recommended that the borough would be protected by THREE fraudsters who sold sick locals’ expectations. most beneficial approach for homes Leigh Barrier improvements and horses for profit have Kent County Council (KCC) will in and around Yalding would be bids for funding were to be pro- been jailed. 14 put in £2.5m to the project, instead of through Property Level Resilience gressed accordingly. its promised £17.5m. (PLR) applied to individual proper- The EA said 32 properties would MP Helen Grant said: “I was ties with an EA consultation shortly. have been protected on the Beult at a Sorry to Headcorn hugely disappointed to learn that Under an existing DEFRA scheme cost of £9m, and 96 properties on the PARISH council said sorry for re- this approach has been shown to fall PLR grants of £5,500 are available to Teise at a cost of £7m. moving the village’s seriously short of expectation.” certain properties. These could fund The Government will provide hanging baskets. 14 The EA originally said a combina- flood barriers for homes, air- £11m towards Leigh Barrier im- tion of three flood storage areas brick/vent covers and non-return provements, with a further £2.5m (FSAs) would be the best approach. valves which can be fitted to drains from KCC and £0.5m from Ton- Ramblin’ Man uproar But detailed computer modelling to prevent floodwater backing up. bridge & Malling council, together MUSIC festival organisers faced work indicates that Leigh Barrier im- Several homeowners in Yalding with private sector contributions. a chorus of complaint provements will have very limited have taken advantage of the scheme, The scheme is also reliant on a bid about excessive noise. 22 benefit for the residents of Yalding, but were relying on the flood de- to the South East Local Enterprise Laddingford and Collier Street while fence project for further protection. Partnership (LEP) for £4.5million. Kent show success MORE than 80,000 visitors Dates are all adding up flocked to the county NEW mum Sara Mollison reckons the addition to her fam- show at Detling. 28 ily is already living by numbers. There has been a series of “spooky” coincidences where Obituaries 30 many female relations have birth months which corre- spond to the birth date. Comment 32-33 For instance, baby Alexa Mollison, who was born at Pembury Hospital, Tunbridge Wells, two weeks late, ar- rived in the world on June 6 (6/6). Perhaps there is nothing Crime Reports 33 unusual there – but Sara was born on October 10 (10/10) – as was her mother, Mary Hillgrove. GOLF clubs were stolen from a And there are more besides. house in Boughton Monchelsea. Sara, who is on maternity leave from her job as a maths teacher at Valley Park School, in Maidstone, said: “She kept us waiting, but it turns out she wanted to impress her mathematical mama and be like all the other ladies in the family.” Sara is pictured holding baby Alexa, with mother-in-law Jackie and sister-in-law Sarah. See the full story on page 6. Bank ram raid Market successes RAM raiders attacked the NatWest THE new Farmers’ Market has bank in Staplehurst, ripping out proved to be a success with much of the front of the building to dozens of stallholders taking part get at the cash machines. in Jubilee Square. For more, see YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT These were then loaded onto the Maidstone Council-sponsored 01622 690290 [email protected] another vehicle and taken 12-page Borough Update inside. 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent away. 16 Maidstone Let Age UK Maidstone 01622 Please see more help you with of our services all your needs 753618 on pages 9 & 16 2 Maidstone South August 2016 downsmail.co.uk News Power lines hit ALMOST 200 homes were left with- Former trucker Paul out power after a lorry overturned and hit power lines in Marden. Police and two fire engines at- tended the scene in Maidstone Road on July 22. There were no reported is villages’ new vicar injuries. Part of the carriageway, which LORRY-driving reverend Paul Kish Gary Collville, who has held the fort links Marden with Milebush, was is looking forward to his new full- since Rev Paul Filmer took retire- damaged and police had to direct time job as the vicar of Yalding, ment in 2014, following a long ill- traffic around the affected area. Laddingford and Collier Street. ness. The road was closed between Bat- The father of four moves into the He will lead his last service at tle Lane and Underlyn Lane for sev- parish with wife Anna at the end of Yalding church on August 1 at eral hours while emergency repairs August, setting up home at Yalding 9.30am and at Collier Street at 11am took place. Vicarage. It follows a period of 15 and on August 28 he will take his years as a self-supporting, unpaid final service at Laddingford at 11am minister, helping parishes without a and Yalding at 1pm. Music awards vicar. The parish magazine thanked Rev KENT’S “biggest little music festi- He will be familiar to congrega- Collville for his time serving the val” has been nominated for two tions at Boxley and Detling and also parish, adding: “The Bishop ‘sent’ major music industry awards. at Sutton Valence School, where he Gary to us during a time of great The Vicar’s Picnic – named after its has also been a teacher, chaplain and need for our Benefice and he has origins in Vicarage Road, Yalding – head of department. guided and helped so many during has been nominated as the best small Rev Kish says he is now looking The Reverend Paul Kish this time. festival in the Outdoor Event forward to putting down roots, al- sity and another who attends Invicta “I know Gary has enjoyed his time Awards and for the best new festival though he admits working has kept Grammar School. His son Charlie, with us, albeit a testing time as any in the Best UK Festivals awards. him in the “real world”. the youngest, is at Oakwood Park Interregnum is, and we wish him the The two-day event on the Lees, “Under my cassock I’ve still got school in Maidstone. very best of luck and many prayers had more than 1,000 people dancing the soul of a lorry driver,” he laughs. Rev Kish takes his first service at for his next journey.” to headliners Reef on the final night. Rev Kish was born in Ilkley, York- Yalding (9.30am) and Collier Street Rev Collville thanked the congre- shire, and trained as a priest in 1996. (11am) on September 25, while de- gation for the friendship and hospi- He moved to his wife’s native Kent, tails of the venue for his institution tality he has enjoyed, adding: “Be Delays on M20 and the family currently lives in on September 21 have still to be an- assured, I will be praying for you all A VINTAGE military vehicle which Goudhurst. nounced. in the new future you will have flipped on the London-bound M20 He has two daughters at univer- He takes up the role from Rev shortly, with a new vicar in tow.” caused delays of about 90 minutes. The accident happened between Read the latest editons of the Downs Mail FREE online at www.downsmail.co.uk Hollingbourne and Ashford. There were no injuries. www.castle-cleaning.co.uk specialists in carpet & Ns Flooring upholstery cleaning Exceeding expectations, but never your budget! 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