Two arrested over Loose bank cash machine theft


POLICE have arrested two men, aged 32 and 49, following the theft of a cash ma- chine in Loose Road, Maidstone, on No- vember 13. An excavator, taken froma nearby build-


ing site, was seen being driven into the wall of the Lloyds TSB bank causing struc- tural damage at 3.38am that morning. The ATMwas quickly loaded onto a


blue pick-up truck style vehicle that made off along Cripple Street towards Farleigh Hill. The excavator was left at the scene. The blue pick-up used in the raid had


been stolen from a property in Wood- church, Ashford, earlier that night and was located by police the following morn- ing in Longend Road, Claygate near Mar- den.


No-one was hurt in the incident. Two men have been arrested on suspi-


cion of theft and have been bailed pend- ing further enquiries until 17 February. Police are still calling for information


about the incident and people are urged to contact Kent Police on 01622 604283 or Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.


It’s a big night for Duke’s Award winners


A COUPLE who had played a major role in helping girls through the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme returned to Maidstone to see the fruits of their labours. Ges and Jane Cocker were at the annual presentation evening to see dozens of teenagers receive their certificates. The Cockers moved to Canterbury last


year but had previously played a big part in the gold and silver awards picked up by Maidstone Grammar School for Girls. The school’s new unit leader is teacher Emma Rein.


Invicta Grammar Schools also has a new


leader, Lisa Clarke. “She has made a mas- sive difference,” said Maidstone’s DofE field officer Elaine Gladwell.Atotal of 43 Invicta pupils received bronze awards. Overall, 12 golds, 37 silvers and 106


bronzes were awarded this year. Maidstone DofE panel chair Dave Morse


was delighted with the commitment shown by all the participants. He said: “It is a real joy to see so many young people achieving at all three levels of the award. Having com- pleted all levels myself and having a daugh- ter who is working towards her gold, I can appreciate how much effort, determination and commitment they have shown.” Kent deputy lieutenant Bill Cockcroft


made the presentations at Maplesden Noakes School. Guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Maidstone, Cllr Eric and Janet Hotson, and John Turner, assistant head of Kent Youth Service (West Kent).


Bronze Maplesden Noakes School Natasha Austen-White, Christopher


Bury, Melody Carpenter, Owen Hamer, Connor Standen, JamesWatson,


Invicta Grammar School Ella Baxter, Emily Buckland, Lucy Car- penter, Emma Carter, Lauren Carter, Megan Carter, Emily Chadwick, Suzanne Chap- man, Lily Chiffey, Fatema Chowdhury, Emily Cooper, Rebecca Cooper, Laura Coveney, Josie Crew, Elise Cunningham, Hannah Darby, Phillipa Dodd, Charlotte


Kent deputy lieutenant Bill Cockcroft with Tara Andrew, left, and Phillippa Wilson, two of the 10 gold award winners from Maidstone Grammar School for Girls. It was the only school to collect awards in all three categories, gold, sil- ver and bronze.


Duggan, Megan Fisher, Jemima Frankel, Ashleigh Gill, Farah Ginai, Anna Had- delsey, Claire Harmer, Jessica Hart, Jessica Humphrey, Abigail Jones, Connie Laidlaw, Jessica Langford, Vanessa Lee, Katharine Li, Christina Mo, Danielle Moore, Hannah Murray, Karishma Nagar, Sarah Newman, Himaya Patel, Rachel Ranaldi, Jessica Rip- pon, Mona Sherchan, Victoria Spinks, StephanieWentzel, ChenxianWu


Maidstone Grammar School Ben Barnes, Tom Cosgrove, James Lock,


Ryan McDonald, James O’Connell, JonathanWarman, MatthewWeaver, NathanWright


Oakwood Park Grammar School Bapanna Bhamidimarri, Thomas Craig,


Sam Gibbons, Ryan Gibson, Joseph Oakley, Alvin Parris, AndrewWatkin, Daniel White


Maidstone Grammar School for Girls Eleonor Arbury, Jessica Bowden, Re-


becca Brenton, Ashleigh Brooks, Summer Connolley, Sophie Farrow, Ellie Fryer,


MAIDSTONE Voluntary Transport is urgently seeking new volunteer drivers to help people the elderly, ill, frail, disabled or housebound. Jobs would include transport to and from hos-


pital, doctors, clinic or other appointments, or just to do their shopping or go to the hair- dressers.


THE latest plan to replace a mo- torcycle track near Collier Street with an eco-home has been re- jected by Maidstone Council. Owner Kevin Still applied to


build a zero-carbon property on the site of a current grasstrack racing circuit in Longend Lane. The council, which refused a similar application in April


Amber Gilbert, Lucy Hagger, Amelia Hen- derson, Nina Hill, Grace Houghton, Poppy Jeffery, Molly Jennings, Hollie Kingsland, Joelle Laming, Charlotte Martin, Hazel Maynard, Sally McConchie, Megan McLoone, Elizabeth Mellor, Helen Oakes, Lucy O’Callaghan, Felicia Oduntan, Megan Payne, Adelle Pilfold, Gemma Rogers, Rebecca Sampson, Sophie Satch- well, Georgina Schulz, Catherine Smeaton, Alice Smith, Hannah Spong, Chloe Stevens, Iona Turner, Francesca Under- down, KirstyWaterman, Anne-Marie Wright


Valley ParkCommunity School Harvey Mason, Samantha Neale, Sophie


Tompsett,


Swadelands School / Lenham Youth Cen- tre


Freddy Denne, Claire Foster, Katrina Phipps, Paige Rye


Silver Maidstone Grammar School for Girls Kerry Alton, Ashleigh Brooks, Sophie Bulimore, Penny Burrows, Alicia Clark, Rebecca Craig, Althea Dove, Rachel Farrer, Megan Grant, Laura Hayton, Claudia Hogan, Grace Houghton, Emily Jordan, Sarah Judd, Georgia Leader, Lucy Mullins, Rebecca Mullins, Emma Owen, Ayesha Parmar, Adelle Pilfold, Stephanie Rout, Nicole Russell, Emily Rutland, Madeleine Ryan, Rebecca Sampson, Yashna Smart, Jessica Stockton, Bethan Sweeting, Natalie Talukder, Chloe Thompson, Marianne Thompson, Bethany Vaughan, Beth Venis, IsabelleWarren, ZoeWarren, EmilyWel- fare, EleanorWright


Gold


Maidstone Grammar School for Girls Tara Andrew, Jessie Derrick, Donna Ha-


green, Stacey Hagreen, Rebecca Jensen, Aseel Karam, Georgia Mannering, Laura Strachan, PhillippaWilson, MeganWon- nacott,


Maidstone Grammar School John Francis, James Mathieson.


Volunteers needed to drive the disabled Geese killed in catapult attacks


Sue Towns Okorodudu, chief executive offi-


cer for the charity, said: “You’ll use your own car to collect the person from their home and take them to their appointment. “If they are likely to be less than an hour,


you’ll wait and take them home, otherwise, you’ll collect them by arrangement.


Eco-home plans refused – again


2009, stated: “The development is not considered to represent an example of an innovative, outstanding or ground-breaking dwelling. Therefore, to permit the development would result in an unjustified, unsustainable and visually harmful form of development that would be detrimental to the countryside.”


“Your expenses are covered


so you won’t be out of pocket from giving your time.” The role would be very flexible as each trip is booked individually. Info: 01622 756662 or email


vo lunteers @ va m- online.org.uk. Maidstone Voluntary Transport is a serv- ice of Voluntary Action Maid- stone.


SIX teenage boys were arrested after six geese were attacked at North Park Farm in Hunton. A chicken and a goose had also been found dead the previous day. Two of the geese were found


dead, three had injuries requiring them to be put down and a fourth was injured but remains alive. Of- ficers carrying out an area search recovered 5 catapults. Three 15-year-old boys and three 16-year-old boys were bailed while police investigate the incident in conjunction with partners at the RSPCA, who have launched a sep- arate investigation of animal cru- elty.


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