News RNLI’s dance


THE RNLI Barn Dance takes place on Friday, March 2 at 7.30 pm in Fant Community Hall, Fant Lane, Barming,Maidstone. Music and calling will be done


by the popular John Sweeney. The ticket price of £10 includes


supper but you must bring your own drinks and nibbles. To book tickets andmeals please


contact John Ashbolt 01622 725435 orAlan Cocks 01622 761004.


Driver arrested


A DRIVER has been arrested after a car stolen from Maidstone crashed into a police vehicle. The Ford Mondeo failed to stop


when officers tried to halt it on De- cember 18. But it was in collision with a po-


lice BMWon the A228 after which the driverwas arrested.


Park proms dip


COUNCIL chiefs are expecting a dip in attendance at the 2018 Proms in the Park after agreeing to intro- duce an admission fee The Whatman Park classical


event has been free in the past but Maidstone BoroughCouncil claims it can no longer cover the running costs. Ticketswill cost up to £7with children allowed in free.


downsmail.co.uk


Acorn bounty ensures a healthy oak population


KENTISH oak trees enjoyed a spectacular acorn harvest in 2017 – helping to ensure its future as one of the county’s enduring symbols of strength and vitality. Oaks enjoyed a particularly plen-


tiful ‘mast’ year - when the tree fruits excessively to ensure it cannot fail to procreate - but last autumn’s crop was bigger than many ob- servers have ever seen. Tree surgeon and naturalist Theo


McCausland, who lives near Lang- ley, said in some woodlands the acorns lay like carpets up to three inches deep. Father of two Mr McCausland,


picturedright, took four 85 litre bar- rowloads of seeds away froma tree in his own garden in an effort to ger- minate and replant seedlings else- where. He added: “Thiswas a kind of mast year many people haven’t seen before, suchwas the sheer vol- ume of acorns. “A mast year is when the tree


stores up water and nutrients and releases a huge number of acorns so that once you take into account birds such as jays, squirrels, mice and the like, there are enough to


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22 Malling January 2018


Join us for a beautiful run through the country roads around Linton, Boughton Monchelsea and the surrounding villages.


with a run for all abilities. All runners will receive a medal at the finish line.


Register now Visit: www.hokh.org/events Tel: 01622 790195 Email: fundraising@hokh.co.uk


Heart of Kent Hospice @Heartofkenthosp


germinate and guarantee the tree will reproduce. But this year was something else. I’ve heard many people talk about it.” Mr McCaus-


land said there is no other in- d i g e n o u s species of British tree which sup- ports asmany forms ofwildlife.He added: “The oak is an iconic and ter- ribly important tree and the mast


Sunday 18 March 2018 Starting & finishing at Cornwallis Academy


HALF MARATHON, 10K AND 5K FUN RUN


years, which happen every four or five years, are an insurance policy.” But, according to the Woodland


Trust, the bounty can come at a price - Lyme disease.A spokesman said: “It is thought that inmast years incidences of Lyme disease across theUK could increase. The increase in foraging materials for small mammals such as mice causes booms in their populations. Mice carry this tick-spread disease so the more that survive the winter the more theywill infect the following- spring.”


RCN No. 298164


MAIDSTONE ROAD RUN


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