Crash victim’s Apathy ‘killing’ village hall


safety message ALARKFIELD man who almost died when his car was crushed in a crash has spoken to other motorists to warn them of the dangers on the roads. Lewis Bryan (24) had to be


cut from his car when it was in collision with another vehicle on Whetsted Road, near Pad- dockWood, in October. He said: “I still can’t remember anything after lunchtime on the day of the crash. My first mem- ory is waking up in hospital with my family atmy bedside.” Two fire engines from Ton- bridge and Paddock Wood, Kent Police, the South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Air Ambulance rushed to the scene. Fire service watch manager


Derek Patey said: “The car was a complete mess. It was a race against time to save Lewis.” While police officers man-


aged the scene, firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to cut the roof off the car, enabling paramedics to get to Lewis. Fire and ambulance crews then worked together to get him out using a spinal long board and neck brace, before he was flown to Kings College Hospital by air ambulance. Miraculously, Lewis had only suffered several broken toes, cuts, bruises and whiplash. He regained consciousness several hours later, but still has no memory of the crash that could so easily have killed him. Lewis added: “I’ve since seen photos of the crash and spoken to the firefighters who cut me free and know how lucky I am to be alive. I am so grateful to the emergency services.” Lewis was reunited with the


team who saved his life in an event at Tonbridge Fire Station, as part of National Road Safety Week.


ures, 195 people under the age of 25 were killed or seriously injured in 2011. Insp Martin Stevens, head of Kent Police’s serious collision investigation unit said: “About six people are killed on Kent’s roads each month with many more seri- ously injured.”


NETTLESTEAD could lose its village hall because of lack of interest from residents. That was the warning of chairman Philippa Nelson-Gra- ciewho said that the hallwas in reasonably good financial health, but the problems of its management, maintenance and improvements placed an intol- erable burden on its committee. She told the parish council


that all the organisations using the hall on a regular basis and most of the people using it for one-off events came from out- side the immediate neighbour- hood.


The management committee


were therefore giving a consid- erable amount of time and effort for the benefit of the wider com- munity in a situation where the residents of Nettlestead ap- peared to show little or no in- terest in their own hall. Mrs Nelson-Gracie told coun- cillors she was calling a public


Buzzing start for U3a


KINGS Hill and District U3A (University of the Third Age) got off to a great start, with around 150 people coming through the door at the in- augural meeting, and about 100 joining up on the day.


Chairman Karen Usher said: “The room was buzzing with activity, and there were so many people who were interested to find out more about U3A and the special interest groups on offer. Over 20 groups are up and running so far. Others are in the pipeline and should start soon.” Subjects on offer range from military history,


wine appreciation and theatre visits to garden- ing, Scrabble and crafts. Monthly meetings will take place at Kings Hill Community Centre at 2pm on the first


Thursday of every month. For more details, go to www.u3asites.org.uk/kingshill, email khad.u3a.membership@gmail.com, or call 01622 201985.


Strawberry project bears fruit AN East Malling research project delivering novel water-saving crop irrigation strategies to the soft fruit industry, has come run- ner-up in the farm and horticulture category at the Environment Agency andWaterwise UKWater Efficiency Awards 2012. East Malling Research (EMR) led the HortLINK-funded project, which involved South East Water, growers, irrigation consultants, retailers and producer organisations. The team developed new irrigation techniques to grow strawber-


ries using less water without reducing yields of quality fruit. Following extensive scientific experiments, water savings of up to


36% were delivered in on-farm trials, yields of fruit were increased by 18% and berry flavour was also improved.


According to Kent Police fig- Home conversion for stable


A FORMER stable in the back garden of a period building in East MallingHigh Street, is to be converted into a “granny annex”. David Bellamy, who lives at number 45, a former bakery which dates back to the 17th century, applied for the change of use of the nearby detached sta-


ble to provide accommodation for his mother. Alterations to the 19th century


listed building include two- storey rear and single-storey side extensions, and new dormer windows. Tonbridge and Malling Council granted plan- ning permission.


ACAMPAIGN totackle the issue of under-age drinking is being trialled in Snodland. The area has the highest num-


These teenagers helped raise awareness of under-age drinking 20 Malling


ber of licensees in Tonbridge and Malling with 19 pubs, clubs and shops registered to sell alcohol. The Kent Community Alcohol Programme (KCAP) aims tomake youngsters aware of the dangers of alcohol, proxy purchasing and the support available, as well as showing retailers the importance of ID checks. The campaign was launched


Thief in court PETER Taylor (20), of Heath- cote Close, Aylesford, was sen- tenced to seven days in prison, suspended for 24 months by Mid KentMagistrates Court. He admitted stealing alcohol


worth £9 from a shop in High Street, Snodland, on October 1, and trespassing on the railway at Maidstone four days later. Taylor was also ordered tohave drug dependency treatment.


Lake scheme DAVID Buckley has applied to establish a third fishing lake at Mousehole Farm, Maidstone Road, Nettlestead. The proposal, to be deter- mined by Maidstone Council, includes the formation of a car parking area; the retention of a timber building for storage, a mobile canteen and sitting area.


Tackling under-age drinking


outside the Co-op food shop in the High Street, with students, all aged 17, from Holmesdale Tech- nology College helping. Passers-bywere asked to guess


howold theywere toshowhowdif- ficult it can be to spotwhen some- one is under 18. The programme involves Ton-


bridge and Malling Council, KCC, Kent Police, the Retail of Alcohol Standards Group and NHS Kent andMedway. If successful in Snod- land it is hoped to extend it to other areas in the borough.


You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk


meeting on November 22 in a bid to recruit more volunteers to help the committeewith a range of tasks. If none were forthcoming, the management committee would consider closing the hall. Parish chairman CllrWarwick


Eden said the council was very sorry but not surprised to hear the hall was being “killed off” by local lack of interest. He though it was sympto-


matic of the general apathy in the village towards community activities and agreed more vol- untary effort was needed to make the hall flourish.


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