News


Burglar left blood on TV


A BURGLAR who trashed a house in the hunt for jewellery was captured after being identi- fied…by his victim’s TV. Kent Police say forensic oppor-


tunities looked limited after the daylight raid in Lordswood – until the homeowner switched on their TV and saw a spot of blood and three fingerprints on the screen. DNA analysis revealed the


blood belonged to Dale Pearson (24), of no fixed abode, and onDe- cember 3, hewas sentenced to two years in prison at Maidstone Crown Court. The court heard that Pearson


broke into the home in LordswoodAvenue between 8am and 5.30pmonMay 18. The victim returned to find a conservatory window smashed and property “strewn across every room”. Jewellery worth thousands of


pounds, two watches and electri- cal equipment had been stolen. Detective Constable Dan Bister


said: “Pearson caused a significant amount of damage before search- ing every drawer and cupboard.” Pearson pleaded guilty to one count of burglary.


Leeds panto


LEEDSAmateur Dramatic Society (LADS) stages its annual panto, Sleeping Beauty (in the Fifties), in early February. Itwillbeheldat thevillagehallon


February 1 and2.Tickets are £8 and £4 (childrenandconcessions)witha familyticketofadultsandthreechil- drenpricedat £24or twoadults and two children for £22. TicketsareavailableonlineatTick-


etsource. Church help


STFRANCIS’RCChurchis recruit- ing altar servers to assistwith serv- ices and the liturgy.Applicants can be any age or gender. All servers should have made their first Holy Communion.Formore information, email


altarserving@stfrancis- parish.org.uk. Orchid tips


THE Maidstone Horticultural So- ciety will present a talk on Begin- ner Orchids at the town’s Baptist Church hall on February 7. Chris- tine Bartlett’s talk on the care and cultivation of the plants starts at 7.30pm. Admission is £2, free to members.Call 01622 761423.


10 Maidstone East January 2019 MP Helen Grant (pictured in yellow shirt) with campaigners atMarden station


Cash help to improve access to rail stations


CAMPAIGNERS fromacross the re- gion could receive money to make their train station accessible to everyone. Passengers who use Maidstone


West, Headcorn, LenhamandMar- den stations made the case for a share of the Government’s £300m Access for All funding with the sup- port ofMaidstoneMPs. They said lifts, subways and user-


friendly footbridges shouldbeafea- ture of all stations. Southeastern and Railtrack an-


nounced this month that four sta- tions from the Maidstone area are


among the 22 cases being recom- mended to the Department for- Transport for money over the next five years. Campaigners will learn if they


have been successful in getting im- provements in the spring. A spokesman for Southeastern


said they had received 8,000 nomi- nations involving 107 stations. Cases were judged against crite-


ria including local feedback, loca- tion and the availability of alternative step-free options. SpeakingofMarden ParishCoun- cil’s success in getting its case


heard, Maidstone MP Helen Grant said: “This important commuter sta- tion serves half-a-million users a year and demand is growing, but only the London-bound half of the stationcanbe usedbypeopleneed- ing step-free access. “The situation is hugely incon-


venient and inequitable for anyone who struggles with stairs; passen- gerswith luggage,wheelchair users, motherswithprams,andthosewho just need help.” She also backed Maidstone Bor-


ough Council’s funding bid for MaidstoneWest.


downsmail.co.uk


‘No fun for disabled’ at park’s £4.3mplay area


A MAIDSTONE mum has criti- cised the borough council for spending millions on a play area which“doesnot suit severelydis- abled children”. SallyCollett saysMaidstoneBor-


ough Council’s claim its new £4.3mfacility atMote Parkwill be “fully inclusive” is untrue. Sally (42) claims it discriminates


against the severely disabled and violates every child’s right to play. Her son Adam (12) was born


with a brain condition that means he is wheelchair bound, unable to talk and is doubly incontinent. Sally, a board member at Men-


cap Maidstone inMote Park, says she is staggered by the lack of con- sultation thatwent into the plan. The singlemum, fromBlenheim


Close, said: “No one has been con- sulted about how inclusive this play area is going to be.” The concern that the most se-


verely disabled will not be able to use the play area has prompted a


1,500-signature petition, calling for minor modifications to make it fit for all. But, Sally says, in spite of her efforts, no one fromthe council has agreedtomeet or talkwith her. She said: “The council seems in-


tent on continuingwith a plan that continues to exclude by providing the bareminimumto tick a box.” She says apart from the sensory


classes Adam enjoys at Five Acre Wood School,Maidstone offers no space for his recreation, with the only changing facility at Tovil YMCA. She said: “All we are ask- ing for are safety bars, sensorypan- els and changing facilities so that everyone can use the play area.” Sensory leader Katie Bell, who


started the petition, added: “The plan does not cater for children with profound andmultiple learn- ing disabilities and the council is unwilling to make the small changes that could make an enor- mous difference to these individu- als, their families and carers.” But the council’s parksmanager


AndrewWilliams said: “When se- lecting play equipment for a mu- nicipalpark, considerationmust be given to safety,durability andhow suitable it is for high volume and sustained use.” He saidthe authoritywill look at


providing other specialist equip- ment and changing facilities.


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