Religious group was ‘not to blame’ for daughter’s death


A FATHER linked the death of his daughter at their home to a religious trance that had resulted in her being admitted to hospital in India. Amy Davies (24), from Larkfield Lane, Larkfield, died from plastic bag suffocation 11 months after falling into a coma. But a coroner concluded that the religious


group she had become associated with had nothing to do with her death. Her father, Russell Davies, told an inquest


at Maidstone that although she recovered from the coma, she had not been the same afterwards. The inquest heard that Amy, a web de-


signer and musician, had joined the One- ness University, a religious movement promoting spiritual awareness through trances, and had paid the group £12,000 to travel to India. While there in January 2010, her family received a phone call that she had been in


A FIRE chief has issued an as- surance that response times will not be undermined when his service shares an emergency control room with Kent Police. All 999 calls are to be an- swered at the police control room in Maidstone from next February under plans to create "a more resilient and efficient service". Steve Demetriou, director of operations at Kent Fire and Res- cue Service (KFRS), said it


Pupils return to school in style


CHILDREN atWest Malling CE Primary School started the aca- demic year in style with a new- look uniform. Following the arrival of head teacher DarrenWebb two years ago, the school, in Norman Road, has been working hard to create a fresh direction. Graded as good by Ofsted in


its most recent inspection in 2010, with good capacity to improve further, the school de- cided to smarten up its image by dropping the old, but much- loved, fleeces. They have been replaced


hospital after she went into a trance and briefly fell into a coma. However,Mid Kent andMedway Coroner Patricia Harding said there was nothing to link the group to Amy’s death. In March, 2010, she was admitted to Pri-


ory House, Maidstone, after threatening to throw herself from a bridge over the M20. She was talked down by police. Described by the coroner as a very private person,Amy returned to the family home in September, but did not discuss her problems and spent much of her time on her laptop. She was found dead in her room on De- cember 22 after her mother, Rose, called emergency services when she could not fully open the door. A postmortem showed that Amy died from plastic bag suffocation. She had inhaled helium gas and the inquest heard that she had ordered two helium cylinders online. Her father said: “If she had not got mixed


would not affect the time it takes to respond to emergencies. He said: “As far as the public


are concerned, they will notice no difference to the excellent service we already deliver.” Andy Adams, Kent’s assistant


chief constable, said: “Experi- ence has shown the consider- able benefits that this arrangement will bring to both services, especially during major incidents.” The decision tomerge the two


up with the Oneness University, she would have been okay. We had a phone call from India that she was in hospital in a trance that they couldn’t get her out of and she was in a coma. After that she was hearing voices.” Recording an open verdict, the coroner


Amy Davies


said that although Amy was suffering from depression, she had not talked to anyone about her state of mind and had not left a note. As far as the incident in March was concerned, she was talked down from the bridge and she did not go through with her threat. Of the Oneness University, the coroner


said: “There is nothing I have heard in evi- dence to link that group in any way to her death.”


Merger of 999 control rooms offers ‘benefits’


control rooms follows the scrap- ping of a project to move KFRS to a regional base inHampshire. It is hoped the joint control


room will allow police officers and firefighters to work more closely, by implementing les- sons learnt during the 7/7 ter- rorist attacks in London. KFRS will now have access to


the same communications net- work used by the police, aswell as the countywide CCTV net- work.


Beacons planned


for royal jubilee TONBRIDGE and Malling Council plans to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next year by lighting a beacon. A competition will be run


with local schools and the win- ner will perform the official ceremony as part of a national chain of fire on June 4. The first beacon will be lit by


the Queen. The council is encouraging everyone to join in the celebra- tions, either by attending the lighting of the beacon at Ton- bridge Castle or by holding their own community events. Snodland Town Council


hopes to join in the festivities by lighting an existing beacon at Holly Hill.


Head teacher DarrenWebb with pupils in their new uniforms and the Rev David Green, priest-in-charge


with V-neck sweaters and ties for all pupils other than those in reception class. MrWebb said: “We have a fabulous school and everyone works so hard to ensure that we con- tinue to make great strides forward. We have achieved our best test results for over eight years


Ray looks ahead for the past LOCAL historian Ray Sturgeon, of Bull Lane, Ec- cles, has launched a calendar for 2012 containing some of his extensive collection of old photo- graphs of the area. Ray has teamed up with graphic designer John Devlin for the publication, which is priced at £6 and will raise money for local schools. He has raised funds for charities, including the British Heart Foundation and Kent Air Ambu- lance, from the sale of his books of nostalgic pic- tures and exhibitions.


12 Malling


and there really is a great feel about the place at the moment. “The children are tremendous ambassadors for


the school and their smart appearance is a sym- bol that we take hard work and pride in learning very seriously.”


Speed limit raised A SPEED restriction increase from 30mph to 40mph has been agreed on a stretch of Tower View at Kings Hill. The new limit will apply to the sec-


tion from the A228 to the roundabout with Alexander Grove. A speed indicator device is being placed on the part of Tower View that remains at 30mph, in keeping with all other residential areas of the de- velopment.


Over-60s go free THE Kent Life attraction at San- dling is offering over-60s the chance to bring a friend for free untilOctober 21. As autumn approaches, senior visitors are being urged to enjoy the seasonal benefits, including free entry for one friend when buying a day ticket. Please quote “apples” at the ad- missions desk. Photo ID will be required. Info:www.kentlife.org.uk


Lychgate proposal A RETROSPECTIVE applica- tion has been lodged for the erection of a lychgate at Dolly Bees, Malling Road, Teston.


Thieves target lay-by A LAY-BY on Snodland’s A228 bypass has seen a number of recent thefts. In one incident, the side curtain of a lorry parked in the lay-by was slashed and four new babyseats stolen. Other vehicles were similarly targeted, but nothing was taken. An item of gym equipment was stolen


from another lorry parked in the lay-by and on a further occasion, a lorry driver who had parked his vehicle disturbed two men who were trying to steal his load.


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