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Trees may be felled STAPLEHURST Parish Council has submitted a proposal to fell two field maple trees at All Saint’s Church in the High Street. The council says that one of


the trees, which is located in the conservation area, is too close to residential properties. Were it to be felled, the neigh- bouring tree would then have low amenity value and should also be cut down, according to the council. The planning application, which includes reducing the height of another field maple tree by 30% and crown lifting various trees to 2-2.5m for mower access, will be deter- mined byMaidstone Council.


New head for prep school


MALCOLM Gough has been appointed the new head of Sutton Valence Preparatory School. Mr Gough (46), who takes up


his appointment from September, is currently head of teaching and learning at The Schools at Somer- hill, Tonbridge. Born in Zimbabwe, he attended Graham College, Grahamstown, studied law and history at Rhodes University and completed his masters in international marine law at the University of Cape


Town. Mr Gough (pictured) came to England as a gap year student in 1989. He remained here and completed his PGCE five years later.


Mistaken identity assault man jailed A MAN who forced his way into an innocent man’s home and as- saulted him in a case of mistaken identity has been jailed for 16 months. Carl John Porter (26), of Marden Road, Staplehurst, was sen- tenced before Maidstone Crown Court on February 8 for causing grievous bodily harm in April last year. Porter went to a house in Hayle Road, Maidstone, and assaulted


a 23 year-old man who answered the door,mistaking him for some- one else. The victim managed to note the registration number of Porter’s


car, which was later stopped and he was arrested. He was charged with causing grievous bodily harm. Investigating officer Detective Constable Samuel Trevena, from


Kent Police, said: “Thiswas a frightening incident for a completely innocent man and I welcome the court passing a custodial sen- tence.


“Whilst Porter didn’t cause any permanent physical damage to


the victim, the mental effects were much more long-lasting as he was left so scared by the assault that he moved house.”


An independent schools inspector for the past


10 years, Mr Gough is married to Sophie, with two young children. He enjoys watching and playing sport, as well as


scuba diving, reading, enjoying wildlife and the outdoors and playing the guitar. Mr Gough said: “From the moment I walked through the doors of Sutton Valence Prep, I was struck by the warm and strong sense of commu- nity. Thiswill be a wonderful environment for our two children to be part of and as a family we greatly look forward to a long and happy associa- tion with Sutton Valence.”


THIS pan- tomimemust have been one of the last of the season but it was worth waiting for. It may be a strange word to use but it was an innocent show – old-fashioned with no below the belt innuendoes. One unique and enjoyable quality was the unaccompa- nied part-singing group that provided lots of the music. Sadly, no musical director is named in the programme. The costumes and the scenery painting combined to provide almost an old master effect, visually excellent. Jessica Leaper’s Cinderella


was sweetly put upon by the outrageous ugly sisters of Rookledge andMcCarthy.


JOHN


MUNSON SHOW TIME


CINDERELLA Marden Theatre Group


Their mother, Diana Dixon’s Griselda, hardly set them a good example. Tom Foxford’s But- tons had such a lovely smile.


Why Cinderella didn’t snap


him up we will never know. It could have been the gor- geous but non-thigh slapping prince of Jemima Frankel. Beth Foxford’s Whimsey,


Geoff Burr’s Baron and Gra- ham Tippen’s King Victor the Vacant also made consider- able contributions to a charming evening. There was a great chorus of articulate and musical vil- lagers. Director Ian Newton and his smooth running back- stage team fully deserve our congratulations.


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