downsmail.co.uk


Former councillor’s nal wishes granted


AT THE end, former borough councillor Adrian Brindle had his dying wishes granted. He wanted to get home from hos-


pital to be with his family and enjoy a dram of his favourite Scotch whisky.


Ironically, both he and his wife Anne, herself a Boxley borough and parish councillor, had recently re- covered from nasty bouts of COVID-19, contracted around Christmas time.


They shared the same Maidstone Hospital ward and while Anne came home largely recovered, Adrian’s underlying health prob- lems meant he returned much later for his last hours. Slough-born Mr Brindle, a former


gas board engineer, was 77 when he died in the small hours of February 7.


But not before his family fed him


a couple of heavily diluted drops of his favourite tipple. “There was a great, big smile on


that his suffering is over because he was disabled at the end.” Adrian, the son of Stockport hote- liers, had two separate stints as a Conservative on the borough coun- cil, firstly for the Coxheath ward and then in Shepway south. Anne said: “He was a generous


soul, in as much as he would do anything for anyone if he could. He very much enjoyed the work and the walking around the ward. “He had a good sense of humour.


He was also a good advert for giv- ing up smoking and I used to tell him that he’d make a good poster boy.”


his face,” recalled Anne, “because he knew exactly what it was”. They had been married for 53


years, and Anne had known Adrian since she was 16.


She added: “He would say that people get less for murder! It was a long time – a lifetime. I am relieved


Friend and Boxley councillor Bob Hinder said: “Adrian was good fun. He and a few of us would meet up for a pint and a chinwag. But he was very unwell towards the end, so it was good he was able to get home.” Adrian leaves wife Anne, daugh-


ters Caroline and Suzie and three grandchildren. His funeral is scheduled for later this month.


SKIP HIRE


Commercial & Domestic Recycling Services


p29 Book Online


Order your skip via secure 24hr online book facility


4 yard skip - £180 inc vat 6 yard skip - £222 inc vat 8 yard skip - £246 inc vat


10 yard skip - £300 inc vat 12 yard skip - £360 inc vat 16 yard skip - £420 inc vat


Many more services available See website for details


29


Skip Hire Roll On/Offs Road Permits Arranged Waste Recycling Facility


News Badge honour


SOPHIA Upton (8), who attends St Peter and St Paul’s Primary School in Leybourne, has been awarded a sought-after Blue Peter badge for a poem she wrote about lockdown. Forty years ago, her father Gra-


ham (51) also won a badge for a poster he designed for the Natu- ral History Museum in London.


Lamb news


A SHEEP who survived an attack by crows when she was just a lamb has just had a baby of her own. The new mum, who was named


Veronica, had to have surgery on her mouth after the assault, is now 19 months old and has given birth at a farm in Sutton Valence.


Police charge


RESIDENTS will have to pay 7.4% on the portion of council tax bills which pays for police ser- vices.


Kent Police and Crime Com- missioner Matthew Scott claimed the extra will cover IT costs, new kit and pay rises.


www.gboxkent.com 01233 660 099


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