Village distress over defaced memorial
AN IMMEDIATE clean-up oper- ation swung into action after yobs scrawled racist graffiti on the Jade’s Crossing memorial bridge at Detling. Slogans including “Kill Mus-
lims”, “Keep Britain British” and “EDL” – the initials of the anti-Islamist group, the English Defence League, were scratched into the moss on the panels of the walkways. The bridge was erected in memory of Jade Hobbs (8), who was killed along with her grand- mother as they crossed the busy A249 in 2000. The tragedy led to a successful campaign by Jade’s mother Caroline Hobbs, backed by the Downs Mail, for a permanent footbridge. Detling Parish Council vice- chairman John Clayton said the graffiti was “very distressing” for the villagers. “The inference is extremely bad and reflects
contacted the parish clerk who reported it to Maidstone Coun- cil. The borough immediately sent a team to erase the slogans. As the words had not been daubed in paint, they could be removed relatively quickly. Detective Sgt Paul White, of
The remains of the graffiti on Jade’s Crossing after the worst excesses had been wiped away
badly on the village for all sorts of different reasons. “I think it was an act of op- portunist stupidity but that par- ticular bridge causes strong
A NUMBER of house and garage burglaries took place in the space of a week in the south-east part of urban Maidstone. Most of the garage burglaries were attempts
where the offender was unable to gain entry. Po- lice have warned residents to check the locks on doors and windows. The incidents were: Plains Avenue, Shepway – Three offences, all garage break-ins, either late evening/overnight on February 11 and 13. Surrey Road, Shepway – Garage break-in
feeling within the village be- cause of the two fatalities which occurred.” Mr Clayton said as soon as he was told of the vandalism, he
overnight on February 12 - 13. Finglesham Court, Shepway – Burglary of a house and a shed between February 8 and 10. Chapman Ave, Senacre – Daytime garage break- in on February 7. Highview Close, Maidstone – Daytime house burglary on February 8. Lismore Close, Maidstone – Shed break-in overnight on February 10 and 11. Allnut Mill Close, Tovil – Daytime house bur- glary on February 9.
Kent Police’s Joint Intelligence Unit, said: “Although we take all reports of graffiti of this nature seriously, thankfully we are not aware of such incidents being an ongoing trend and believe this is an isolated occurrence. “Such incidents will be treated as an offence of criminal damage and could result in prosecution of those responsi- ble.”
Dennis Fowle who led the Downs Mail campaign to fund the bridge said: “This is mind- less vandalism deplored by all who fought so hard for this im- portant crossing.”
Residents warned after increase in burglaries Extension refused
A PROPOSED two-storey side extension and single-storey rear extension at a semi-detached home in Allington has been blocked.
Maidstone Council felt the
plan for Ernest Drive would de- stroy the symmetry of the pair of semi-detached bungalows and visually dominate the street scene, proving detrimen- tal to its character.
Visit Downs Mail’s website —
downsmail.co.uk
Town 11
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