Fiesta time as Louise is crowned rally queen


MAIDSTONE’s Louise Cook has been crowned British Rally Ladies Champion – in her first season of trying! Her triumph followed amaz-


ing twists and turns of for- tune before and during the last round that also saw the 24-year- old claim second place in the Fiesta Sport Trophy Champi- onship. “You could not have predicted


it at all. It was a great end to the season,” enthused Louise, whose boyfriend, Stefan Davis, of Rochester Road, Aylesford, is co-driver. Things began to go Louise’s


last round, this month’s Isle of Man rally, was being axed. That meant Yorkshire was the final round, which worked to Louise’s advantage under end- of-season drop-scores rules. But it also caused a lot of ten-


way the day before what should have been the penultimate rally in York- shire. Itwas announced that the scheduled


Rally champion Louise Cook


sion. “As soon as I got the email I spent an hour with a spread- sheet working out every possi- bility. I realised if Iwon the rally outright I could not finish any higher than fourth in the Fiesta Sport Trophy, the same as if I just got the car to the finish. But I would fall further down with- out the finish.” In the event, the unexpected happened. Her two closest ri-


vals, the 2010 Finnish champion Jussi Kumpumaki and ex-karting championNick


Cristofara failed to make it to the finish. With three stages still to complete Louise


knew she had to get her Fiesta across the line to seal second place. “The pressure was now really on. One of


the stages had a surface like themoon. Iwas cringing at every bump and pothole.” Louisemade it – and being second in the


Fiesta championship actually satisfied her more than being the overall ladies cham- pion. “It’s the most competitive one-make series in the UK. To do that was ‘like wow’. It felt like a big achievement in itself. “But to be a champion in your debut sea-


son is a pretty cool thing too.” Louise’s next ambition is to join


the World Rally Championship Academy for under-25s next year. It will cost £150,000 to take part – but it’s all part of her determined drive to be world champion one day.


Politicians round on development at J8 THERE is a unified political groundswell against proposed new development on M20 junction 8, according to KCC member Cllr Jenny Whittle. Maidstone Council’s draft Core Strategy, which has been out for consultation, recommends the


area to accommodate around 11 hectares of employment land. But Cllr Whittle says local county and borough councillors, as well as MP Hugh Robertson, are vehemently against the idea. She said: “I want to protect the area from creeping development and increased traffic problems in nearby villages like Leeds, Broomfield and Ulcombe. Eleven hectares could easily turn into much more. If J8 is developed, the possibility of getting the KIG land [north of Bearsted] earmarked as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will be weak- ened.”


MYSTERY surrounds the sudden closure of the well-used hand car wash in Ashford Road, just to the west of J8. Cllr Whittle said it was a hot topic at Thurnham Parish Council.


Golding gets green


light in Ringlestone GOLDING Homes’ application to build 20 three-bedroom ter- raced houses to replace Finch Court in Dickens Road, Ringle- stone, Maidstone, was passed unanimously by the planning committee. Finch Court was a block of 37


flats that was demolished, alongside other properties in Calder Road. Five new properties are to be erected along the Calder Road frontage,with the remaining 15 located internally within the application site. Of the 20 houses, eight are for affordable housing.


Quiz night AN interactive quiz night will raise funds for YMCA and chYps, which is part of Ellenor Lions Hospice. The event will take place at Maidstone YMCA, off West- wood Road, on Friday, Novem- ber 18. Entry is £5 per person. Info: 01622 749404 or Lynda. dale@maidstoneymca.org.uk


THE Mote Cricket Club hon- oured its captain TomHarvey at the annual dinnerwith an award for being top run scorer (856) and fourth top wicket taker (28) in the Premier Division of the highly-competitive Kent League. Tom (pictured) received the


award from club member Matt Coles, who established himself as a fast bowler/batsman in the Kent County Championship side by the end of the season. DespiteTom’s success the team


6 Town Slow crawl at high-speed depot


A RARE fungus-eating yellow slug with lilac tentacles has been discovered on Maidstone Council-owned land in Old Chatham Road, Sandling. The discovery was made


by local wildlife expert Eric Philp, the former curator of natural history atMaidstone Museum, at a former Chan- nel Tunnel Rail Link con- struction depot. The species, Malacolimax tenellus, categorised as a Species of Conservation Concern, has not been recorded at its former haunts in the Home Counties and New Forest since the 1930s. Cllr Tony Harwood said: “This latest discovery, on a site which


has already yielded records for a range of uncommon flora and fauna, adds urgency to ongoingmoves to incorporate at least part of the former CTRL construction depot into the adjacent Boxley Warren Local Nature Reserve.”


KCC officer denies £2m fraud


A KENT County Council officer responsible for arranging energy contracts has denied fraud charges involving more than £2m. Ross Knowles (42), of Larking Drive, Allington, was head of en-


ergy procurement at KCC when he is alleged to have committed two offences of fraud by abuse of position and one of transferring crim- inal property between August 12, 2008, and January 6 this year. Judge Philip Statman set the trial at Maidstone Crown Court for March 19 next year. Knowles’s unconditional bail was continued.


the tops


ended an ‘unlucky’ season next to bot- tom and were rele- gated. But the four team captains all


spoke enthusiastically of the emergence from the colts of tal- ented young players and confi- dence the top team would soon bounce back.


Tom’s There was praise too for dedi-


cated fourth team captain Dave Damenwhosaid he was handing over after seven years leading a side with many young players. There were 37 different players last season with nine new colts. Mote cricketer Matt Coles


(21), who plays for Kent, has been included in the latest Eng- lish Performance Programme. Matt, a fast bowler and hard-hit- ting middle order batsman, was named in the 13-man squad.


Visit Downs Mail’s website — downsmail.co.uk


Club trees request THE Stone Street Club wants to cut back trees overhanging the car park boundary at 2 Lower Stone Street, Maidstone. Club secretary Mike Loft


wrote in a planning document for conservation area consent: “The trees…overhang the car park [and] results in them ex- uding sap onto cars parked there. Our wish is to have the branches trimmed back to the boundary to alleviate the prob- lem.”


Maidstone Council will de- cide on the application.


Tree halts extension THE presence of a protected beech tree has prevented a two-storey extension and new garage in Ferndown, Queens Avenue,Maidstone, from going ahead.


Maidstone Council’s plan-


ning department said the proposed garage would com- promise the longevity and health of the tree as it would have been sitedwithin the root protection area. The refusal notice stated, however, that the scheme was likely to get the go-ahead if the garage were placed further down the garden.


Fence movement


‘unacceptable’ JASON Avards was forbidden from relocating a garden fence in Melrose Close, Loose. Maidstone Council felt the


fence’s height and positioning would “unacceptably enclose the existing open area of land, resulting in the loss of previ- ously approved soft landscap- ing“.


Grammar results IN last month’s Downs Mail, we incorrectly stated that 11 students at Maidstone Gram- mar School for Boys had gained five or more A* grades in their GCSEs. The figure was, in fact, much higher with 99 students gain- ing five or more A*s or As.


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