Orchard boost COMMUNITY orchards in Yalding and Hunton are among 15 in Kent to reap the rewards of Heritage Lottery funding. The Kent Orchards for Everyone project, in conjunc- tion with the Medway Valley Countryside Partnership and Kent Downs Area of Out- standing Natural Beauty, has been awarded a grant of £220,000 to further its work in inspiring communities. The project aims to support


and inspire villagers to get in- volved with or create a com- munnity orchard in Kent. It is also intended to have pressings and tastings. The project will culminate with the formation of a Kent Or- chard Trust.


Police not to blame for death


A 26-YEAR-old man died when he was thrown from his speeding car, which crashed on a blind bend in Staplehurst as it was pursued by police. Former Oldborough Manor pupil Ben Ashford,


from Pinnock Lane, Staplehurst, had twice the legal amount of alcohol in his blood as he drove home alone at about 2.45am after a night out at a Maid- stone club. An inquest heard thatMr Ashford, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was travelling at about 100mph when he veered off a sharp bend on the A229, just past the Stilebridge pub. He was thrown from the Audi A5, which hit a


tree and a wall before overturning and crushing him. PC Marc Daniel, who had been following in a marked police vehicle, arrived seconds later, and an ambulance was called, but Mr Ashford died at the scene. PC Daniel was driving a Skoda along Loose Road towards the town centre in the early hours of Sat- urday, March 23, and was near the primary school when Mr Ashford’s vehicle came towards him in the 30mph zone.He flashed theAudi as it appeared


BOROUGH councillors stood firm and refused a plan to convert a workshop and office into a home in rural Marden. Andy Larkin’s application for LittleSheephurst


Farm, Sheephurst Lane, also included the dem- olition of an industrial barn. Local ward members Annabelle Blackmore


and Steve McLoughlin backed the scheme, claiming it would be an improvement to a run- down area. However, a similar scheme had been turned


down on appeal in 2007,with the inspector de- ciding the main building was not worthy for re-


to be well over the speed limit, but it accelerated. The officer did a three-point turn and tried to


catch up with the vehicle so that he could speak to the driver, but it sped towards Linton crossroads and appeared to cross a red light. Declan Cheeseman, who was driving from Maid-


stone with two friends, said Mr Ashford overtook his Citroen Saxo on a blind bend near the Stile- bridge pub, followed by the police car. CCTVfootage from StaplehurstTransit, about 500 metres before the crash scene, showed the Audi about nine seconds ahead of the police vehicle. Mid Kent and Medway coroner Patricia Harding


said thatMr Ashford was thrown from the vehicle which then landed on top of him, causing his death by crush asphyxia. Recording a verdict that he died as a result of a


road traffic collision, she said she accepted the pathologist’s findings that alcohol intoxication had contributed to the death. Although the Audiwas being followed by the po-


lice, she said: “I am satisfied the officers’ actions did not cause or contribute to the collision.”


Plan for home on farm refused again


tentionandthat housingwas unsustainableand would harm the appearance of the countryside. Despitepressures on the council to allownew


homes to be built in the borough, the planning committee said the scheme remained a breach of policy and turned it down for the same rea- sons as six years earlier. Cllr Tony Harwood, a member of the commit-


tee, said: “We have to be very, very careful be- cause allowing this would let the genie out of the bottle.” Planning officer Peter Hockney told the com- mittee: “Ifwe allowthis to go ahead as a depar-


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