downsmail.co.uk downsmail.co.uk


CCTV call to stop fly-tipping


CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tip- ping on a country road have been made by the local borough coun- cillor.


Soap starRichard at helm as pantomime cast sail in


has been targeted by waste dumpers for years, but in recent months, the problem has become more acute withwaste often strewn across the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort, pictured right, said:


“Every month we are having toi- lets, sinks and construction waste dumped in the village, specifically in Burberry Lane. We are now thinking of installing cameras on private land to oversee the problem area.” A recent event in Burberry Lane


ally like Maidstone – it’s the place that everybody needs to head to in Kent. The people are sowelcoming and friendly. I can’t wait to get started. “Playing in a soap means that


STAPLEHURST vineyard Hush Heath will send its sparkling wine to Canada after landing a deal with one of the world’s largest alcohol buyers. Hush Heath’s Balfour 1503 Clas-


you can always shoot a scene again. Live theatre is obviously dif-


sic Cuvée is the first English sparkling wine selected for the Liquor Contril Board (LCBO) of On- tario’s Vintages Classics Pro-


THE cast of Aladdin sailed into Maidstone aboard the Kentish Lady pleasure cruiser to launch this year’s Hazlitt Theatre panto. In a blaze of colour and flanked


Burberry Lane, near Kingswood,


by the pupils of East Borough Pri- mary School, the players waved to the public as they arrived inMaid- stone town centre. Starring stand-up comic, actor


and singer Richard Blackwood, the Christmas family favourite runs fromDecember 1 -31 at the famous 350-seat venue. Most recently, Richard played


saw a caravan burned out while a car remains on a footpath nearby,


Vincent in EastEnders. He plays the Genie in this year’s


panto, while crowd favourite Eliz- abeth Bright returns for a second year, this time as Princess Jasmine. Richard told Downs Mail: “I re-


more than a year after itwas


dumped and torched. The church car park has also seen illegal dump- ing.


But it is also a problem in many rural areas, including Langley,


ferent, except that with panto, the mess-ups all become part of the fun. It doesn’tmatter somuch. “With panto, the audience is


young, but I loveworkingwith the kids because they are true and the reaction is always genuine. “I am sure that we as a cast will


really gel together because a cast that gets on always transmits that on stage. And I think it’s obvious when it is not happening.” This is the fourth panto for Richard, who recently left the part


gramme. The “significant deal” was announced as Prime Minister Theresa May was in Ottawa for talks with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on how the UK and Canada can further strengthen their ties to build the closest, freest


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of VincentHubbard in EastEnders. KivanDene is playingAbanazar,


Vineyard ‘bubbling’ over deal


trading relationship as the UK leaves the EU. Mrs May said: “It’s great to see


Borough Primary School for allow- ing their pupils to become our sort of mascots for the day. The cast members loved them.”


that English sparkling wine has been making a name for itself, not just in the UK but further afield too. “The news today that Hush


Alessandro Lubrano is Aladdin and Erin Lewis takes on the role of Slave of the Ring. A Hazlitt Theatre spokesman


said: “The boat trip worked really well again this year andwe’remas- sively grateful for the response. “We’re also grateful to the East


Headcorn and Chart Sutton. Last year, Maidstone Borough Council cleared 911 cases of fly-tipping and more than 163 have been recorded since April this year. The ap- proaching darker evenings will prompt a rise in illegal tipping.


Illegal fly-tipping is costing local authorities hun- dreds of thou- sands of pounds, says Cllr Gill Fort


M20 exposure


News News


police probe POLICEare investigating a report of aman exposing himself on top of a van driving on theM20.


Itwas reported on Friday,August


31, a vanwasdriving along theM20, nearWestMalling, with a man in a state of undress on the roof while continuing alongwith their journey. Police are now calling for any


witnesses to assist them with the ongoing investigations. A Kent Police spokesman said:


Across Kent, local authorities are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds clearing up rubbish. According to one report £323,000


was spent dealing with almost 14,000 incidents in 2016-17. This is a sharp increase on the previous 12 months when just over 10,000 in- stances cost £244,000. Cllr Fort welcomed a joint initia-


“Officers are investigating a report of dangerous driving and indecent exposure on theM20. “Itwas reported at 4.50pmon Fri-


dayAugust 31 that a dark coloured VauxhallVivaro vanwas seen driv- ing along the coast bound carriage- way between junctions 4 and 5 near West Malling with a man seen on the roof of the van. “Following enquiries, officers


have made contact with the owner of the vehicle and the man seen on the roof and continue to make en- quiries.” Anyone who may have wit-


nessed the incident or has any footage is asked to call Kent Police on 101


Heath Estate will be supplying to Canadian consumers is hugely wel- come and they will be flying the flag for the high-quality of wine being produced in Britain.” Hush Heath owner Richard Bal-


four-Lynn said: “Hush Heath is a family-owned winery…and we are very excited to see our wines avail- able in the Canadian market." 12807@kent.pnn.police.uk.


quoting YY/031561/18 or


reference email


tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on unlicensed waste carriers. But she believes the high cost to small firms of disposing of construction waste at a transfer station is costing coun- cils dearly. Cllr Fort made her re- marks as one of the borough’s closest transfer stations at North Farm, TunbridgeWells, announced it will be closed for 10weeks.


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