News Candles lit in


Julia memory CANDLES were lit on doorsteps across Kent in memory of PCSO Julia James.


Mrs James (53) was found dead next to Akholt Wood, near her home in Snowdown, on April 27, sparking a murder investigation. A man (21) was later charged. Mrs James' daughter, Bethan Coles, invited people to light can- dles at 7pm on May 4. Mrs Coles wrote: "People have asked about holding a vigil for Mum, but any gathering would need to be policed ... We would prefer police resources to be con- centrating on the investigation.” Callum Wheeler, of Aylesham, has been remanded in custody after being charged of Mrs James’ murder on May 10.


Open gardens WEST Malling’s ‘Early Summer


Gardens’ event goes on June 6. The open day will run from


noon to 5pm. Tickets, which must be pre-booked cost £8 per person and children go free. Go to ngs.org.uk/view-garden/23136.


downsmail.co.uk


Retailer apologises for a breach of lorry laws


SUPERMARKET giant Sains- bury's has apologised for allow- ing one of its HGVs to illegally drive through a village with a lorry ban.


The retail chain blamed a "third


party employee" for ignoring a weight restriction on the B2163 from Leeds to Langley, near Maid- stone on April 23. Local people blame Kent Police for failing to enforce the lorry ban in their communities.


A Sainsbury’s spokesman said:


“We regularly collect from farms and deliver to our stores in the area and our drivers are trained to en- sure they follow the correct routes. “We have investigated the report


we received and identified the cor- rect route was not followed by a third party employee. “We are in contact with them to ensure this does not happen again and we’re sorry for any inconve- nience this may have caused.”


For a bigger catch in


On the day the offence was com- mitted, a Downs Mail reader was driving towards the A20 on the B2163 through Leeds when the truck, like the one in this stock pic- ture, came the other way. The Sainsbury's lorry caused


cars to back up in both directions at around 8.05am.


The issue of illegal lorries in the village is long-running, with resi-


dents claiming police do little to enforce the ban. The driver said: "It's typical – these drivers just ig- nore the signs banning lorries and use the village as a shortcut. They don't care about the sharp bends and speed past the school. "This one was probably on his


way to the new supermarket at Sta- plehurst and couldn't be bothered going the long way round. It's not what you'd expect from Sains- bury's.


"Still, what do you expect? Kent Police do nothing and the super- market drivers know they will get away with it."


Volunteers of LorryWatch and SpeedWatch in Collier Street high- lighted a similar problem where the weight restriction is routinely broken by articulated lorries. A spokesman said: "We have tried countless times to engage with Kent Police but nothing ever gets done."


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Talk to one of our advisors today and discover how you can land a bigger catch of customers.


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