News Twice limit


AMOTORIST from Leybourne has been banned from driving for nearly two years after being stopped by police in Maidstone. Malcolm Robinson (56),was sen-


tenced on May 3 at Mid Kent Mag- istrates’ Court after he pleaded guilty to the offence. Robinson, of Redbank, gave a


breath test of 71mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when he was stopped in Ware Street. The legal limit is 35. He was banned from driving for 20 months and ordered to pay a £415 fine, £85 costs and a £42 victim surcharge.


StarWars role


A SNODLAND painter and deco- rator has been seeing stars. Rubbing shoulders with Oscar- winning actors is nothing new to 60-year-old Keith Bowyer from Gassons Road, Snodland, who spent five days as an extra on the set of Star Wars XIII at Pinewood Studios. He said: “It was a great experi-


ence and it pays better than paint- ing and decorating.”


Ex-bra bank


UNLOVEDand unwanted bras can be dropped in to a “pink bra bank” at Kings Hill Dry Cleaners in Lib- erty Square to raise funds for can- cer research.


downsmail.co.uk


Was mystery koi carp dumped in the lake?


FISHY tales come in all types, shapes and sizes, but recent sight- ings of a creature swimming in a lake near west Malling is causing ripples.


According to local dog-owners


and walkers, the normally empty lake at Manor Park Country Park now has at least one colourful resi- dent...and maybe more. Some believe the 30cm mystery


fish may be an abandoned koi carp, while others suggest it could be a golden tench. The person who saw it said: “I


have looked for fish in the lake many times without success. Iwas, therefore, surprised to see what looks like a Koi carp and I assume someone has dumped it there.” Adozen carp – allwell over 30cm


long – were recently fished out of nearby Clare Lake in East Malling as part of a £30,000, four-year proj- ect to upgrade the stretch of water, prompting fears that lakes in the area have become a dumping ground for unwanted fish. West Malling Parish Council chairman Trudy Dean (pictured)


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6 Malling June 2016


warned abandoning non-native fish inUKwaters is not only illegal, but threatens the future of home- grown species by exposing eco-sys- tems to imported diseases. He said: “People say that fish


The lake atManor Park


said: “Sadly, people do put koi carp into local rivers and streams when they get too big. “Unfortunately, they eat every-


thing, including the native fish. I was amazed that we took out so many large carp when we had to ‘de-fish’ Clare Lake. Now, the na- tive trout and oth- ers get a chance.” Andy Cripps, who lives near the


park inWest Malling and manages the aquatic centre at Brookside Gar- den Centre in East Peckham,


only grow to the size of their con- fines, but this is a myth which be- comes apparent to those with koi carp, that will grow to more than a metre in length and weigh in at 60 to 80lbs. “Even our native carp can get up


to 60lbs. We suggest people think clearly about what size of fish will be appropriate when they are thinking about building a pond.” It seems the mystery fish is not


the only tale from the water’s edge inWest Malling - with another vis- itor including a large terrapin, which is said to sit on the old log on the opposite side of the path.


If you have seen the fish and can tell us what it is, email dawn@downsmail.co.uk with the details, along with your other wildlife tales of the unex- pected fromthe area.


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