Cricket pals’ cycle trip for Kevin


TEAMMATES of an Addington cricketer who lost his 10-year battle against cancer have launched a charity fundraising appeal in his honour. Kevin Smither (51), who died at his


Kings Hill home on July 17, was an open- ing bowler for Addington Village Cricket Club, where he had played since child- hood.


About 300 people attended his funeral at


St Mary’s Church, West Malling. Rather than flowers, Kevin asked for donations to be made to the Smashing it for Smithers charity bike ride which raised £11,500. The money will go to support the Kent Oncology Department at Maidstone Hospi- talwhich provided care for Kevin and sup- port for his wife, Claire, and their family.


Debts led son to take his own life


FINANCIAL worries caused a Mereworth man to take his own life, aMaidstone inquest heard.


Jonathan Dicker (30) wrote


seven notes and had dinner with his mother and stepfa- ther on January 14 this year, before returning to his home in Butchers Lane, where his mother found him hanging a short time later. Jane Lunnon told Mid Kent


andMedway coroner Patricia Harding that she suspected something was wrong when her son’s partingwords were: “I love you mum. Take care and be happy.” She walked the short dis-


tance to his house, but was already too late. Mr Dicker was hanging from the loft hatch in the bathroom. A post mortem examina-


tion revealed Mr Dicker had been drinking – but was only marginally over the drink- driving limit – and there was no evidence of drugs in his system. Mrs Lunnon told the in-


quest she was aware her son owed “a lot” of money – more than they could afford to help him with. However, she had drawn £1,000 out of the bank and given it to him so he could pay his rent. Although Mr Dicker had


taken an overdose of tablets around six years ago, follow- ing the break-up of a relation- ship, he had promised he would never do anything like that again, she said. The inquest heard Mr Dicker had been depressed following the break-up of an- other relationship, shortly be- fore Christmas. He also seemed tired, claiming he was not sleeping very well. The coroner said: “I amsat-


isfied from the totality of the evidence that Mr Dicker took his own life.”


28 Malling Cricketers Neil Scott (left) and Paul Cook


Two team-mates, Neil Scott of Priory Grove, Ditton, and Paul Cook, from Orp- ington, set off from Worcester Cricket Ground on a cycle tour calling at nine


county cricket venues, including Edgebas- ton, Derby, Trent Bridge and Lord’s. The money they raised will go towards the ap- peal’s target of £15,000. Kevin’s four children, Madeleine (22),


Harry (20), Oliver (14) and Ireland (13) joined them for the last 10 miles, finishing at Addington with a celebration event. Neil, captain of Addington Cricket Club,


said: “The charity bike ride has been born from a true legend, in celebration of an in- spirational cricketer, sportsman and great friend. Kevin continues to inspire me and all those who knew him, with his unre- lenting positivity during the trials of ter- minal cancer.” To donate money to the fund, go to www.justgiving.com/neilscott200


New games room gets the go-ahead


A DETACHED games room and corridor link at a home close to historic Clare House in East Malling have received planning approval. East Malling Conservation Group had urged re-


fusal of the scheme at 9 ClareWood Drive, a small cul-de-sac within the Clare Park and Backlands Conservation Area. The development of 12 houses was subject to a section 106 agreement in the 1990s, enabling the restoration of Clare House. The design and materials of the properties were closely researched with English Heritage to place them in context with the grade 1 listed building. The conservation group considered the “angu-


lar style of the extension would detract from the Georgian concept of the house” and that the pro- posal failed to meet the criteria of the original


MAIDSTONE and The Weald Conservative Association looks certain to move its offices out of town and merge administration with the Conservatives’ West Kent Group currently covering Tonbridge and Malling, Chatham and Aylesford and TunbridgeWells. Membership losses have led to declining income, which, says chairman Cllr John Wilson, means “the association cannot continue in its present form”. The association moved from


Rock House in Terrace Road, Maidstone, several years ago to a house in Albion Place, Maid-


POLICE issued this E-fit image after a man flashed at a woman jogger in Addington. The 42-year-old was exercis-


ing along the A20 London Road, when the incident happened. She told police she had noticed a man standing at the bus stop near the junction for Trot- tiscliffe Road, and as she passed the bus stop, the man sat down and pulled down thewaistband of his trousers and exposed himself to her. The woman continued to run, keeping a safe distance from him, and saw him walking away down Trottiscliffe Road, towards Addington village. She was not harmed, but re- ported thematter to Kent Police


concept of the development. However, Tonbridge and Malling Council said


that the extension would be largely screened from the listed building by a boundary wall and trees and was unlikely to compromise the original de- sign of number 9, or the cul-de-sac, or cause vi- sual harm to the setting of Clare House.


Tree halts bungalow GRAHAM Pick’s application to erect a detached chalet bungalow in Teston has been refused. Maidstone Council felt that his proposal in gar-


den land at Dolly Bees, Malling Road, could have put pressure on the eventual occupier to fell a nearby lime tree. The decision notice said the tree is likely to double in size and makes a “substan- tial visual contribution” to the local area.


Town Tories facing merger Tower a finalist


stone. This will be sold to re-fi- nance the association, ahead of borough elections next June and the next general election. The association, with branches throughout the con- stituency, is the political and fi- nancial powerhouse behind its MP (Helen Grant), and its KCC and Maidstone Council mem- bers. A key role is fundraising. The association is talking with Andrew Kennedy, agent for the West Kent Group, and CllrWil- son said: “They are happy we should join and share costs while retaining our operational independence.”


and helped to complete the E-fit pictured below. PC Philippa


Wratten said: “The man did not attempt to touch or speak to the victim, who has dealt with the or- deal well. Exposure is


still a serious crime, however, especially as we can’t be sure what a man who is alleged to have done this might do in the future. “We are asking people, partic-


ularly those in the Addington and Mallings areas, to take a good look at the E-fit the victim


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


THE restoration of grade I listed Hadlow Tower is among 17 her- itage rescues in the finals of the English Heritage Angel awards in London on October 21. It is one of four projects com- peting in the best craftmanship category. The tower fell into disrepair


in the 1980s. Save Hadlow Tower Action Group, the Vivat Trust and Tonbridge and Malling Council worked to- gether to restore it, providing holiday accommodation, and it opened to the public this year. The public can vote for their favourite project at www.eng- lish-heritage.org.uk.


Runner reports bus stop flasher


hasprovideduswithtosee if they recognise the man. He has been described as a thin, tanned white male, about 45 years old, and 5ft 10ins tall with short mousey-brown coloured hair. We believe he could be local to the area. “We are told he had deep wrinkles on his face and a bump on one side of his face, possibly the left side, and no visible tattoos. He was wearing a black T-shirt, black elasticated cropped trousers and white trainers.” Anyone able to identify the


man pictured is asked to call Kent Police on 01732 529911 quoting YY/13125/13, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


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