News


Mike devoted to saving abandoned terrapins


LEGIONS of abandoned pet tur- tles are living in our lakes and rivers where they become prone to disease and starvation and are a threat to wildlife. Bought as children’s pets while brightly-coloured babies no bigger than a 50p coin, they grow to din- ner-plate size and are dumped by owners who mistakenly think it is kind to release them into the wild. Hundreds have ended up being


cared for at the Turtle Sanctuary at Staplehurst, which was set up by Mike Butcher in his back garden. Mike, pictured, now has 1,000 terrapins, or freshwater turtles, in tanks and ponds behind his home in Green Hill and hopes to raise money to set up a charity so that he can rescue even more. The 37-year-old has been fasci-


nated with terrapins since child- hood when he was a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He began taking them in six years ago when he became concerned about people dumping them. Mike , who is looking for crowd- funding, said: “I got the first one


from someone on Facebook who was giving it away. I found they were being abandoned worldwide. I took in more and I started build- ing ponds. There are three large ponds and tanks in the garden and tanks in every room. “My dream is to build a big sanc-


tuary, butwe need more donations. To register as a charity we need £5,000 a year and we are lucky to get £40.” Mike’s mum Denise (62) helps to


care for the turtles, which arrive from throughout Kent and the rest


Pair convicted of roof repair scam


TWO men who preyed on a dis- abled pensioner to steal his bank cards and cash while he was in- specting their roof repairs have been sentenced. Kalup Chapman (26) was jailed for a year after tricking his way into the elderly man’s home by claiming his roof needed re- pairing. The man –


who was in his 80s – had paid


an initial £120 after being told by Chapman (above) and his accom- plice Samuel King that a fasciawas damaged at his Wolfe Road home. The court heard that as part of the distraction burglary on January 19, 2015, one of the pair asked the man to go outside and check the work. But when he did so, both men dis- appeared along with their van. The resident then found that money and bank cards had been taken. However, 20 minutes after a de- scription of the suspects and their vehiclewas circulated, an officer re-


32 Maidstone June 2017


ported a van at a service station in Linton Road, Coxheath and Chap- man and Kingwere arrested.About £1,000 was found hidden under a mat in the driver’s footwell. Both men were at Maidstone Crown Court for sentencing , where Chapman, formerly of Sitting- bourne, was jailed after admitting the burglary. King (26), formerly of Teynham, received a three-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, in connection with burglary and handling stolen goods. He had de- nied the charges butwas sentenced following a trial. Detective Sergeant Suzanne Bas-


ford said: “Chapman and King picked on their victim because they knew he was vulnerable. Thank- fully, some quick thinking by an of- ficer led to their arrests less than an hour after the crime had happened. “Sadly, criminals sometimes tar-


get the more vulnerable members of our communities. Their crimes can have a devastating impact on the victims. However, by working together we can and do stop them, so please keep your eyes peeled and report any suspicious behaviour.”


of the UK. She said: “I feel sorry for them but I wish we had more room.” Mike said: “People hand them in because they can’t look after them and fishermen find them in lakes and rivers. I have just got one from Bluewater – someone found it walking on the side of the road. A lot are dumped in Mote Park. “People think terrapins are lovely presents for children. But they grow to about 40cm and can live for 30 years. Some people get rid of them because they have got too big or because they think they smell.” Dumped in the wild, the crea-


tures can become diseased, blind and deformed through poor diet and conditions, and can strip awa- terway of fish, newts and frogs, and even young waterfowl. Mike said: “I don’t re-home


them. I justwant to look after them. We run a sanctuary.We take them them in and keep them until they die of old age.We only ask for a do- nation.” To make a donation go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfund- ing/denise-butcher


downsmail.co.uk Butchers shuts


THEshop that has housed Lenham’s independent butcher for 60 years has closed. Guy Lister had run the family business, GB Lister, for the past 11 years and said personal reasons were behind his decision to shut the store on The Square. Lenham Parish Council clerk


Margo McFarlane said the business would be greatly missed but added the Co-op was not neceassarily to blame. She said: “This is a pattern being repeated in rural communi- ties. Locals need to spend money in these outlets if we are to retain the diversity of outlets in this isolated area.”


Church trail


THE hidden history of Maidstone’s Parish Church is set to become bet- ter known through a Heritage Trail. The Grade 1 listed church, in Mill


Street, boasts a fascinating history – as a collegiate church, built byArch- bishopWilliam Courtenay in 1395. In 1549 the college was dissolved and the church became the Parish Church of Maidstone, serving time as a garrison church for the Royal West Kent Regiment.On Saturday, June 10, a summer lunch is being held from 12.30-1pm at 12 Corn- flower Close, Weavering to raise funds. Tickets are £20. To book, call Mary Shaw on 01622 631368.


Liam’s recycling prize


LIAMWoodcock (10) has turned his love of art and the environment into a winning design to encourage residents to recycle our food waste. His artwork will play a major part in a promotional campaign on the side


of Arriva buses across the borough, following a “significant decline in the number of residents placing their food bin out eachweek for collection”, according to Maidstone Council. Aswell as supporting


the drive to keep households converting their left-overs into compost, Liam, from Staplehurst Primary School, bagged himself an iPad Mini 2 and £1,000 for his classmates. Head Cathy Farthing


said: “The childrenwere all very excited about the competition and thiswas reflected in the wonderful entries.” More than 1,500


youngsters from15 primary schools entered the competition, with Rebecca Judd, of St John’s Primary School, Grove Green, taking second place. The council’s recycling team has been busy battling to keep the public


recycling their foodwaste through competitions and school visits and at supermarkets, where they have been giving away kitchen caddys. Education officer Nicola Toulson said: “Aswell as launching this competition,we visited schools with a theatre show called At Homewith the Caddys, that played to over 3,000 people on the two-week tour. The response to the campaign has been brilliant andwe are thrilled with the winning design.” Liam is pictured with actor Ant Payne, who plays Captain Caddy in the council's 50-minute promotional show.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48