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Twitcher spies something odd in the undergrowth


A BIRDWATCHERwas out on a Sunday evening stroll when he spotted something stirring in the undergrowth – but itwas an eyeful he is not likely to forget. He stumbled into a naked jogger


in the middle of the King’s Wood, near Broomfield, wearing only a pair of trainers and a startled ex- pression. The 51-year-old father – who


asked not to be named – said he was a “bit stunned” by the en- counter on June 19 at around 7.45pm. Kent Police say that they have


not received any reports of a nude runner dashing through the ancient woodlands, pictured, once thought to have been a hunting ground for Henry VIII during his visits to Leeds Castle. The witness told Downs Mail: “I


was slightly off the main tracks and on a path created by dog walkers over the years, which runs more or less parallel to a field of rape and looking towards Broomfield church


Cream teas at


Boxley fayre CREAM tea will be on the menu at a summer fayre at the European School of Osteopathy at Boxley House, Boxley on Saturday, July 16, from 11am to 3pm. Activities include face painting,


games and a barbecue and there will be a raffle for prizes including a day out at Leeds Castle, dinner at the Kings Arms, Boxley and a mas- sage at the Fig Tree Spa, Lenham.


Clean-up costs


THE clean-up operation following a gipsy incursion at the White Horse Woods country park, at the top of Detling Hill, cost the county council £11,000. Retiring county councillor Jenny Whittle reported the cost to Thurn- ham Parish Council.


Audi driver ban


ADRIVER stopped with more than twice the legal amount of alcohol in his body has been banned from driving for three years. Ion Vrabic, 30, of Faversham,was sentenced on June 14 by Mid Kent magistrates after he pleaded guilty to drink driving on the A20 in Lenham on January 23. He was stopped in his Audi and


gave a breath test of 81mg of alco- hol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.


4 Maidstone East July 2016


on the left. “The path is narrow and quite


overgrown at this time of year but I saw the face of a man running to- wards me, then he appeared top- less. I suddenly realised he was naked apart from something on his feet, maybe trainers. “At that moment, he saw me, looked absolutely startled and scampered off at speed the way he came. All I could see was his bare bottom disappearing into the un- dergrowth. “There was no one else around


and I guess he was a naked jogger not a ‘dogger’.” The married birdwatcher – who


lives nearby and knows the cop- piced woodland well – described the man as about six feet tall, mid- dle aged, of medium build and with greying hair.


He added: “To be honest, he looked more startled than me. I don’t think he was expecting to come across anyone at that time on a Sunday, but I was a bit stunned, too.” A spokesman for Kent Police said: “We have had no reports of a


man running naked, as you de- scribed. “For clarity, there is no law against being nude in public in the United Kingdom. Simple nudity is not illegal. However, using nudity to ‘harass, alarm or distress’ others is an offence against the Public Order Act of 1986.” The birdwatcher added: “I am


pretty broad-minded and not eas- ily shocked, so I just carried on with my walk and went home to tellmywife and daughter of what I had just seen. “But a woman on her own or a


family with young children might have been upset to see some bloke running through the woods with no clothes on. I have been back since and, thankfully, the only thing I sawwas a fully-clothed rab- bit.”


‘Gentlemen’ set to ride on in


HAIRY bikers could be on their way back to Bearsted in September – but this time with a bit more or- ganisation. The Kent contingent of The Dis- tinguished Gentlemen’s Ride came to the village last year – but with only a few days’ notice, the council was concerned at the possible im- pact on The Green, particularly if the weatherwas to be wet. The riders, many clad in dapper


vintage biking gear, are part of an international event, which sees more than 30,000 riders taking part all over the world, to raise money for prostate cancer research. This year, the bikers have noti-


fied the council they will be in town on Sunday, September 25, at around 2.30pm to 3.00pm. The parish council is keen to sup-


port the event but again has con- cerns regarding the possibility of


damage to The Green. However, with more time to prepare, mem- bers hope to be able to come up with a solution. The Distinguished Gentleman’s


Ridewas founded four years ago in Sydney,Australia. Itwas decided a themed ride would be a great way to combat the often-negative stereotype of men on motorcycles, while connecting niche motorcycle communities together.


MPs vow to support EU decision


LOCAL MPs Helen Grant and Helen Whately have pledged to ac- cept the result of the EU referen- dum for the good of their constituents, the local economy and the nation. Both members were in the Re-


main camp and expressed their sadness at Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision to resign. Mrs Grant,MPfor the Maidstone


and the Weald, said: "I am disap- pointed with the result but what is done is done. We must now work together to preserve the unity of the United Kingdom and protect our economy whilstwe navigate a new course in an uncertain world. "My focus remains squarely


upon serving the people of Maid- stone and the Weald and looking after their best interests. There is


much to do now that the referen- dum is over." Faversham and Mid Kent MP


Mrs Whately said: "When I think about our national character, I think of resourcefulness, pragma- tism, frankness, scepticism, hu- mour and an unwillingness to suffer fools gladly. “We have a robust democracy, a world-renowned legal system and one of the strongest economies in the world. Britain is a good place to be.


DownsMail readers voted:


Leave: 75.89% Remain: 21.99% Unsure: 2.13%


“That said, the British people


have voted for change. “My job now is to ensure we, as country, make the most of this de- cision and seize the opportunity it provides to change things for the better. "I’ve already spoken to some of


the biggest businesses in Faver- sham and mid-Kent about the ref- erendum result. “Given that these businesses pro-


vide somany local jobs, I will do all I can as an MP to deliver that.” Downs Mail readers voted over- whelmingly in favour of leaving the European Union. More than 75 per cent of the hun-


dreds who took part in our survey wanted out of the EU project. Just 21 per centwanted to remain and two per centwere unsure.


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