Farmer took his own life


AMUCH-respected Kent farmer and auctioneer took his own life rather than become a burden to his family and friends. Michael Foster, 73, whose fa-


ther Dick formed the firm which became Lambert & Foster, shot himself in the head after writing a note for his friends, a Maid- stone inquest heard. Although Mr Foster suffered a massive stroke in 1996, he fought his way back to health andwas still an active farmer at Court Lodge Farm, Boxley, where he was the third genera- tion tenant. A bachelor, he had awide cir-


cle of friends and travelled a lot, the inquest heard. Mr Foster was diagnosedwith prostate cancer in January 2011 and a few months later was pre- scribed sleeping tablets and anti-depressants. Friends and employees de-


Jubilee week


at Boxley AFLOWER festival and a Cock- ney evening are among the ac- tivities planned by the Friends of Boxley Church to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. The flower festival will run


from Friday to Tuesday, June 1 to 5, except Saturday, June 2.Open- ing times are from 10.30am to 4.30pm except on Sunday, June 3, when it will start at 11.30am. Jazz band Dr Jazz, will enter-


tain from 7.30-10.30pm on Sat- urday, June 2. Tickets are £8 from Gill Munson on 01622 630231, and Maureen Parkes on 01622 677704. The Diamond Jubilee Stakes –


a horse-racing event organised by the Boxley Society, takes place at The Stables, The Kings Arms, from 3.30pm onMonday, June 4, followed by a barbecue. On Thursday, June 7, there’s Cockney entertainment at Box- ley Church Hall from 7.30- 10pm. Bring your own drinks. Tickets are £5 from Jackie Saun- ders on 01622 677121. Boxley Church garden party


is at Parsonage Farm from 2- 5pm on Saturday, June 9, and Celebration Praise will take place in Boxley Church on Sun- day, June 10 at 4pm


Obscure flats plan A PLAN to replace four flats with seven one-bedroom apart- ments at 56 Boxley Road, Maid- stone, has been accepted, on condition that some of the win- dows are obscure glazed with restrictive openings to preserve the privacy of neighbours.


Messy church FAMILIES are invited to come along and enjoy ‘Messy Church’ at the Salvation Army, Union Street, from 4pm on Thursday, June 14, from 4pm. The session costs just £3 per family. Call 01622 681808.


scribed Mr Foster as a very pri- vate man who did not discuss personal or health issues. Just five


days before his death, he had hosted a dinner party for eight, said neigh- bour James Daly. “He was in great spirits and we had a very pleasant evening,” Mr Daly told the in- quest. Jason Randall saw Mr Foster


the afternoon before he died.He said: “He was his usual self.” But the next morning, the farmhand found Mr Foster’s body outside his greenhouse, a shotgun at his side. Mr Randall tried to revive him, but to no avail, and para-


medics pronounced him dead shortly afterwards. Detectives found a detailed


note in the kitchen, with mes- sages for friends and family, contact numbers and instruc- tions for the farm. Mr Foster’s sister Mrs Anne Strang said: “He was loved by many, but he was in ill health and becoming depressed, find- ing life increasingly difficult.” She added: “It was unlike him


to be depressed. He took the only course of action he could think of to save the rest of the family any more trouble. He never wanted to be a burden.” During his lifetime, Mr Foster


was a keen sportsman, playing golf and cricket, squash and other sports. He was frequently to be found acting as auctioneer at racecourses across the South East and he had close ties with the Kent County Show.


Farewell to long serving pair GULLANDS Solicitors held a spring drinks reception for guests, including members of the Kent property community, at MaidstoneMuseum There was a special oppor-


tunity to view the recently- opened museum extension, with its new galleries and fa- mous Japanese art collection. Theoccasionmarkedthe re- tirement ofStephenTomlinson and Nicholas Long from Gul- lands’ residential conveyanc- ing team, having beenwith the firm for 49 and 44 years respectively. Chairman BlairGulland thanked them for their long and distinguished


Chairman Blair Gulland (left) with Nicholas Long (centre) and Stephen Tomlinson


service to the Maidstone lawfirm. He said: “Much talk was about the optimism that the business com-


munity in the town is well placed to continue to grow and develop, de- spite the current economic challenges. Itwas also an opportunity to bid a fond farewell to Stephen and Nicholas and celebrate the skills being brought to our conveyancing services by their successors.”


Take walk on the wild side at park ASERIES of free events inMaidstone’sMote Park will allow young and old to take a walk on the wild side during June. On June 4, from noon to 4pm, there will be arts and crafts by the


main play area. On June 9, from 10am to 12.30pm, there will be a guided wildflower walk, followed by a heritage trees walk on June 12, from 6.30-8.30pm. On June 23, there is a guidedwalk along the River Len and other waterways within Mote Park, taking in the creatures that live above and below the water. All the activities are free but booking is essential, email moteparkevents@maidstone.gov.uk.


TWO truck drivers have been jailed for smuggling almost six million cigarettes into the country and evadingmore than £1 million in excise duty. Naythen Smith (46), of Man-


gravet Avenue,Maidstone, was sentenced to three years in jail and George Blackburn (47) from Eastchurch, Sheppey, im- prisoned for three years and nine months. Both admitted evading paying excise duty. However, haulage boss Jason Bunce (48), from Broadstairs, andDerek Aston (43), of Church


Lane, Harrietsham, denied the charge and were acquitted. Maidstone Crown Court heard


Smith drove a lorry to Belgium in January 2010, loaded the cig- arettes and drove to an indus- trial estate near Verne. Blackburn took another truck across the Channel and met up with Smith. The pair swapped trailers and Blackburn returned with the illicit cargo. Valerie Charbit, prosecuting,


said border agency officers stopped Blackburn at Dover Docks. His documents said he


Church plea to


fund repairs ALL Saints’ Church in Maid- stone has launched an appeal for funds to finance urgent structural repairs. Wooden struts supporting the


floor at the front of the nave have been replaced, after they had rot- ted away,while the wooden flag- pole also needs replacing. The church wants to replace


it with amaintenance-free pole, made from either fibreglass or galvanised steel, but the work requires a crane to take down the old pole and install the new one.


Part of the parapet on the


north aisle roof is also in a dan- gerous condition and needs to be replaced. The church’s Restoration


Trust is seeking grants for the work, which needs to be car- ried out as a matter of urgency. “The church estimates the


total cost to be over £25,000 so any donations or bright ideas for fundraising will be grate- fully received,” said priest in charge, the Reverend Canon ChristopherMorgan-Jones.


Manslaughter


father jailed A 20-YEAR-OLDMaidstone fa- ther has been found guilty of manslaughter. Caleb White, of Cornwall


Close, Shepway, stabbed Tom Crittenden, 21, in the chest with a knife, in September last year, a jury at Maidstone Crown Court was told. White was jealous when his girlfriend went out with a friend of hers, the court heard. The two girls returned to his


flat with another man and Tom Crittenden, from Marion Cres- cent, then arrived with his friend, Billy Swift. White grabbed a kitchen knife


and stabbed Mr Crittenden in the chest as he walked towards him.


White claimed he stabbed Mr Crittenden by accident. How- ever, the judge said hewas con- cerned about the risk of White offending again, and asked for psychiatric reports in prison. White will be sentenced on


June 15. Truckers jailed for £1million tobacco smuggling


was carrying onions from Poland to Poole, Dorset. Noth- ing out of the ordinary was found in Smith’s lorry, in which Mr Aston was a passen- ger, and he was allowed to go. Blackburn had previously


been jailed for two-and-a-half years for smuggling drugs. He was jailed for seven years in 1996 for drug-dealing and nine years in 2002 for drugs offences. Judge Charles Macdonald QC


said he believed there was an unknown “Mr Big” behind the smuggling operation.


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