downsmail.co.uk


The mystery message writers are revealed


THE MYSTERY behind a series of anonymous notes left around Bearsted and Detling has been solved.


Best friends Charlotte Starling


(23) and Dana Martin (24) hung up laminated cards with positive mes- sages on bridges and fences to lift the mood of people in lockdown. Each card is handwritten and signed with hearts and graphics. Following a Downs Mail appeal to find the mystery messengers, the former St Simon Stock students came forward.


Hospitality graduate Charlotte, of Horseshoe Close, Grove Green, said losing three family members in under two weeks prompted her to put her energy into something more positive. She added: “We never expected


it to blow up the way it did. We just wanted to make people smile as this lockdown is especially hard. “The comments we have re- ceived online and in the street have


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been lovely, it’s nice to think you’ve made someone’s day.” The pair distribute about 20 notes around town and local vil- lages monthly.


Mum of two Dana, of King Fisher Road, Larkfield, was in- spired to spread the messages after seeing them pop up on Instagram. She said: “I suffer from anxiety so I make sure to always put the Samaritans number at the bottom


of all my cards and tie them to bridges around the Malling area. “We are just trying cheer up the neighbourhood and it feels so good to help. You never know what someone is going through.” Photographs of the kind-hearted notes started getting attention on social media last month, with many residents saying they find them “very sweet” and “inspir- ing”.


COVID-19 - SAFEGUARDING CUSTOMERS & COLLEAGUES


News Two arrests of


drug suspects A SUSPECTED drug dealer has been arrested after cannabis and cocaine were found inside a drinks flask in Maidstone. Officers were on patrol in Sur- rey Road, Shepway, where they stopped a Honda Civic at about 1pm on February 19. A quantity of cash was seized


and the driver, a 41-year-old-man from Maidstone, was arrested. Officers searched an address in


Penenden Heath, where they seized a further quantity of sus- pected cocaine, cash and some electronic scales. A 41-year-old local woman was arrested and taken into custody. Both suspects were later re-


leased pending further investiga- tion.


Caravan plan


A RETROSPECTIVE planning ap- plication has been made to Maid- stone Borough Council for a travellers’ caravan site with 10 pitches, 13 mobile homes and six utility buildings on land rear of The Meadows, Lenham Road, Headcorn.


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