- 09/07/2025
Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Abby Hook.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:27I'm Abbey Hook, here are your top stories on Wednesday the 9th of July.
00:32Shot by police, 36-year-old plumber wielding a chainsaw and gas mask near Maidstone named.
00:40Cloud Control, more than 22,000 illegal vapes seized by Medway Council.
00:47It's a serious product that requires serious retailers to take serious responsibility.
00:53And a big band on the little stage. The Libertines play to a mini Margate.
01:00The Grace double, yeah, I'm very impressed, you know.
01:04First this evening, a man who was shot by police attempting to carry out an arrest warrant in Hollingbourne near Maidstone has been named.
01:2336-year-old plumber Sean O'Meara is in hospital being treated for life-changing injuries.
01:28He was shot in the stomach after approaching police holding a chainsaw and what was believed to have been an explosive device.
01:37Bartholomew Hall has the update.
01:39It was a calm Monday evening when officers from Kent Police arrived at a property on Ashford Road near Leeds Castle.
01:46They'd been sent to carry out an arrest warrant for 36-year-old Sean O'Meara on suspicion of assault.
01:52But when he refused to leave the property, believed to be his parents' house, officers were told to withdraw and an armed unit went in instead.
02:01According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, body-worn footage shows O'Meara wielding a chainsaw and another object believed to be a handmade firearm or IED, an improvised explosive.
02:12Whilst ignoring orders to put down the chainsaw, officers fired two non-lethal rounds towards him before O'Meara moved towards them and he was then shot with a conventional firearm.
02:24The plumber is believed to have suffered life-changing injuries to his abdomen and is now in an induced coma in King's College Hospital in London.
02:32The road between Chegworth Road and Penfold Hill was closed for most of Tuesday but reopened in the evening.
02:38Apart from a few cars going past, it's extremely quiet. This is one thing you do not expect in this area.
02:45You know, if a person gets a speeding ticket, it's a serious offence where we are here.
02:50But no, nothing at all. Very, very surprised.
02:53Now the IOPC says it's investigating all circumstances, including actions taken by police,
02:59with bosses stressing no police officer is under investigation for either misconduct or criminality.
03:05They are being treated as witnesses.
03:08So, despite investigations continuing, it's back to business as usual for the village of Hollingbourne.
03:14Bartholomew Hall for KMTV.
03:18OK, well, Bartholomew joins me in the studio now.
03:21We've actually had some updates this afternoon.
03:24A new cordon has been put in place.
03:26That's right. We heard in my report there that the Ashford Road A20 had been reopened yesterday evening.
03:33Well, we've been hearing in the last hour from a reporter who works for our sister publication,
03:38Kensal 9, who's been in the area, that a new cordon has been set up.
03:42This is around the area where the pub that had to close has been, the Parkgate Inn had to close.
03:50Well, they've issued a statement today saying that they were going to be open as usual from 3 p.m.
03:55They were inviting customers to come back, saying that they're looking forward to welcoming them from a drink, a bite to eat.
04:00But in the past hour, our reporter arrived there around sort of 20 to 5 this evening,
04:06told us that a new cordon has been set up.
04:09Police on the scene asked her to vacate the area, and when they asked why, they said it's part of their ongoing investigation.
04:16She said that there are four officers on the scene, a police van at the entrance of the pub also.
04:22Now, we don't know for certain that this is linked to the ongoing investigation to this incident that happened on Monday night
04:28where Sean O'Malley was shot by police.
04:32We have reached out to Kent Police for confirmation.
04:34We're yet to get that confirmation.
04:35But, of course, this area, not quite, as I said in my report there, back to its calm, quiet Kent countryside village.
04:44Yeah, and we've actually heard today from some families, Sean O'Mara's half-brother.
04:50He actually spoke to The Telegraph.
04:52That's right.
04:53So, of course, Sean O'Mara is still in hospital at the moment as far as we know
04:57in what is believed to be an induced coma for his potentially life-changing injuries.
05:02His brother has been speaking with The Telegraph.
05:05This is Liam O'Mara, who said that his brother has mental health problems
05:09and that he actually raised questions around the force used by Kent police officers
05:14in trying to disarm him and stop him whilst they were trying to carry out that arrest warrant.
05:21Of course, we know that the IOPC investigation is still ongoing.
05:25They're looking at all factors, making sure that they're looking into the choices made by police officers.
05:29But as we heard in my report there, they're not looking into any sort of criminal issues when it comes to police.
05:35No wrongdoing.
05:37Police officers are simply being treated as witnesses to this incident.
05:40OK, Bartholomew, thank you very much for those details.
05:42And the more we hope to find out, as we say, we have reached out to Kent police
05:46to see what that new cordon has been put in place for.
05:48We'll keep our viewers updated.
05:51Now, next, this evening, a business owner in Canterbury says she's living in fear
05:57after a thief stole packages from her doorstep.
06:01This is the moment a hooded man took valuable items in broad daylight from Lisa Parker's house.
06:06She asked for the parcel to be left in her safe space on the DPD app, but this did not happen.
06:1120 minutes later, the items were stolen.
06:14Lisa said the footage left her stressed and it's a loss for her business too.
06:20The packages contained items of stock, including some tote bags that she sells.
06:25There they are.
06:26Police have said inquiries are ongoing and DPD have been contacted for comment as well.
06:32Now, the Operation Brock Contraflow is set to return to the M20 between Ashford and Maidstone.
06:38Next Wednesday, the motorway will be closed between Ashford and Maidstone,
06:42so the system can be deployed the following day.
06:45Officials have said the decision to put Opbrook back in place
06:50is to keep disruption for Kent residents to a minimum.
06:53Some have previously described the system as a massive inconvenience
06:57and some Kent MPs have questioned if it's necessary to put it in place
07:01during the school summer holidays as well.
07:03Now, more than 22,000 illegal vapes have been seized in Medway
07:09since the government ban came into force on the 1st of June.
07:12Councils, police and trading standards officers have been cracking down
07:16on shops still selling the now-banned products.
07:19The new law aims at tackling underage sales
07:21and the environmental impact of single-use vapes,
07:25as Kristen Hawthorne reports.
07:2722,332.
07:30That's how many illegal vapes were seized from shops in Medway
07:33since the nationwide disposable vape ban, which started on June 1st.
07:38This was done to mainly tackle underage sales
07:40and to help reduce the negative environmental impacts.
07:43While the council have seized hundreds of thousands of vapes
07:46from the streets of Medway,
07:48has the public opinion changed towards vaping?
07:50I think it's ridiculous, truthfully.
07:53They've banned the one-use vapes,
07:58which I think is absolutely ridiculous.
08:01If you want to go out and buy one vape alone,
08:07just for that night,
08:09then it should be allowed.
08:10It's better for the environment,
08:11but my attitude towards it hasn't really changed.
08:14Vapes are still just as successful.
08:16I suppose that children might have started vaping this
08:18because most of the shops that now sell refillable ones
08:21do ask for ID.
08:23Well, I don't really know much about vapes.
08:24All I know is that vapes can be quite addictive,
08:27so if it helps reduce that, then it's a good thing.
08:30Yeah, I used to use disposables religiously
08:33and now I've got a refillable one
08:34and I would say it's better, to be fair.
08:39I would say it's more cost-effective, yeah.
08:41I spoke to Alex Patterson from Medway Council
08:43to find out how they felt about the number of vapes seized.
08:47I think you always hope for the best
08:48but fear the worst when there's a change like this that comes in.
08:53Certainly, I don't think retailers could claim
08:55not to have been aware of the changes.
08:57This has been telegraphed really well
08:59in terms of the legislation
09:01and the new rules coming into force.
09:05So I think it's absolutely reasonable
09:08to challenge those retailers who have ignored that change.
09:12If that happens, then there is the opportunity
09:14to issue them with a fixed penalty notice
09:17but also to seize that illegal stock
09:20and I think it's really important that we do that.
09:22The whole point of a change in the rules
09:25is that it should have consequences
09:27and I want to see these single-use disposable vapes
09:31off our streets.
09:32As it's just been more than a month
09:33since the disposable vape ban has come into place,
09:36it's clear that these are still early days
09:38for its regulation.
09:40This means that we may soon see changes
09:42like a cost increase,
09:44making the future of vaping a little cloudy.
09:46Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV, Rochester.
09:50Well, Kristen joins me now
09:52on some shocking figures there, 22,000 and more.
09:56But remind us what exactly,
09:58what vapes are exactly illegal?
10:00So the ones that are illegal
10:02are the ones that don't have a refillable cartridge,
10:06they aren't rechargeable
10:07and they do not have a changeable coil
10:09which is the heating element in it.
10:11So all of the vapes that were found in these shops
10:13that didn't have those qualities to them,
10:16they were seized.
10:17Okay, and what about the cost as well?
10:19People are speaking about whether it's cheaper
10:21to get hold of different products now
10:23or where the market sort of lies.
10:25Certainly, and this is something
10:26that I spoke to Alex Patterson about just yesterday.
10:28I think the cost of vaping
10:33is certainly something
10:34that the national government needs to keep an eye on
10:37because it's clear that the use of tax and duty
10:43on cigarettes over a matter of decades
10:47has reduced their use to a pretty minimal level
10:51when you compare us to other parts of the world.
10:53That clearly makes a difference.
10:55Pricing clearly makes a difference.
10:57And just remind us some of the consequences
11:01of actually still having disposable vapes
11:04up on your shelves and up for sale.
11:06So currently the consequences are fixed penalty notices
11:11which I believe start at $200
11:12and if you don't pay that it goes up.
11:15Seizures like we've discussed,
11:16possible prosecution
11:18and a review of premise licences.
11:21But as there's currently no figures to suggest
11:24how this is helping or making things worse,
11:29it will be something that we'll have to keep updated on.
11:32Yeah, and see if actually it's having the desired effect
11:34which is to stop them being used by children in particular as well.
11:39All right, Kristen, thank you very much for those details.
11:42Time for a very quick break,
11:44but coming up we're going to hear more
11:46from our Kent Chronicles producer, Finn McDermid,
11:49with all the latest history stories from across the county.
11:52See you then.
11:52We'll see you then.
17:24don't I? She would like the kids to be able to wear PE kits just like another school in Whitstable
17:29when the temperature gets hot. She says it's an affordable way, you don't have to fork out extra
17:33money for some school shorts and she's actually seen, she started a petition after she picked up
17:38her son and we were actually speaking to her to hear a bit about the reaction to the petition she
17:44set up. I had quite a few parents, all very positive, all say thanking me for starting the
17:50petition and they all fully agree and support the reasoning for starting it because their
17:55children have been ill also and when I say when I went to go and get my son from school
18:01on that Tuesday there's so many children in the reception waiting to go home all suffering
18:08the same thing, hence the reason for starting it. Okay what have the school said? So the school
18:14have said that the children have to take their blazers into school but there's no expectation
18:19for them to wear them. Herne Bay High have also said that there are welfare in place and that
18:26the reason that the air conditioning only covers 25% of the building is because they're unable
18:32to cover the foresight due to cost and environmental impact. Okay, all right, Italy, thank you very
18:38much. A conversation gets lots of families and parents divided as well, thank you. More on that
18:45story over on the front page of Kent Online. But now it's time to get to the heart of the
18:50matter as the Libertines take centre stage at Margate Station. The band have been reimagined
18:56in miniature by Hornby to celebrate their Dreamland headline show recently. And it's not the only
19:02thing they've been training for as Olly Leader's been finding out. It was a rock star entrance for
19:10one of Britain's biggest bands. Now also one of Margate's smallest as they came to visit a Hornby
19:18tribute at the station ahead of their headline Dreamland set. Big station, you've got millions of people
19:24pass through here every summer. So we thought let's do it, but let's kind of localise it. Let's make it a
19:29miniature version of Margate. So it's all brilliant. But one thing that was missing was the bands go on the
19:34stage. And obviously there's lots of great acts that play here every summer. And we thought who would be the
19:39best band. And Libertines was a no-brainer for us because obviously their local connection.
19:43The likely lads have become local heroes here in the coastal town, with members making Thanet their home
19:51throughout the years. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you know what? I've been, they've caught it. They've caught it.
19:56They've sort of, you know, the little furrowed brow and the grey stubble. Yeah, they've, I'm very impressed,
20:02so you know, Hornby, like Margate itself, is stuff of British legend. Do you know what I mean? So it's,
20:09it's a no-brainer, really. It's absolute joy and honour. Every single person in the Dreamland replica
20:16has been scanned in, in a machine, just like the one behind me, including the Libertines themselves.
20:23And I want to give it a go because while I may not be a rock star, I still think I could add a little
20:29bit of something to the town. It's time to take a very quick look at the results of the scan.
20:35And as you can see, you get all the details, the wrinkles, the pattern of my shirt. They use 105
20:42different cameras to get this level of fidelity. And while I may want them to slightly trim down my
20:50belly in post, and if it's good enough for the Libertines, it's good enough for me. They're
20:56absolutely fantastic. We scanned them back in band. Clearly have such a love for music. They kept
21:01wanting to play their instruments while they were being scanned. Yeah, it was amazing. They seemed
21:06like such lovely people. But the boys in the band had a busy day ahead of them, with not only a sold
21:12out show, but also a big day down on the football pitch. I've now officially signed semi-professional
21:19papers for Margate FC. So I'll be making my semi-professional debut. Yeah, down at the gate.
21:26What's your training measurement for it? I've cut down on cigarettes. I'm only on one pack a day.
21:31And no, no, just a few touchy toes and like star jumps and then a quick burst on the aspirin
21:39inhaler and I'll be away. Yeah. The miniature railway set will be at the station all summer. A suitable
21:46tribute for a band known for going off the rails and then getting back on track.
21:52Ollie Leder in Margate.
21:56Great stuff there. Well now, as temperatures are expected to hit highs of 34 degrees in some
22:02parts by the weekend, we have officially entered the six-day-long Yellow Heats health alert in place
22:08until the 15th of July. With the highest recorded temperature of the year having been in Faversham
22:14at the start of the month, Kent, along with the rest of the southeast, looks like it'll be taking
22:19the bulk of the heat. Well, with that being said, let's take a look at the full forecast where you
22:23are for the coming days. Well, this evening, pretty warm overnight. Highs of 20 over in Dartford. Lows
22:35of 16 down in Ashford. Some cloudy skies but clearing tomorrow morning. Bright and sunny across
22:41the county. Highs of 23 down in Dover. Warming up though in the afternoon. 30 degrees over in
22:48Dartford. 29 and 28 in many other places. A bit cooler by the coast there. And here's your picture
22:53over the weekend too. Highs of 27 and sunny skies on Sunday.
23:07Now, after Kent tonight, we'll be taking a trip back in time for the 20th episode of Kent Chronicles,
23:13a programme dedicated to uncovering some of the county's most interesting history, alongside
23:18keeping up with all the historical anniversaries and news here in the Garden of England. Well,
23:23joining me on the sofa is the presenter and producer, Finn McDermid. Finn, what's coming up
23:28on Chronicles this evening? We've got about half an hour or so. Yeah, well, it'll be an interesting
23:33episode as always. We'll get to hear from the owner of one of Kent's oldest family homes known as
23:40Hull Park. That's all about the centuries of old military and, sorry, the centuries-old military
23:46and musical ceremony that they held for the first time in more than a decade at the historic home.
23:52We can hear a little bit about how the ceremony went. You can see some pictures here from Edward
23:57Barham, who's the descendant of Colonel Arthur Barham, who bought this historic house 114 years ago.
24:04Well, this is the Army of Neverland Fund holding their annual beating retreat ceremony here at Hull Park
24:09last night. It was just the most magical evening. The weather could not have been better. The setting,
24:15the flag flying briskly in the wind, the Gurkha band performing absolutely stupendously preceded by
24:23Cranbrook town band. One could not want for a better local band than Cranbrook. They provided magical
24:30music for both bands. It was wonderful. About 500 people here in total.
24:34And they had lovely weather for it. More on that in Kent Chronicles later on. But who else will make
24:40an appearance on the show? We also spoke to a grandfather from East Morling, who was unfortunately
24:45diagnosed with a rare brain cancer in 2017, but recently crossed an item off of his bucket list,
24:50getting to fly a Grey Nurse Squadron Spitfire, which you can see here. His friends and family
24:55raised £3,000 so that Chris could get the chance to fly the aircraft at Biggin Hill. And he spoke a little
25:00bit about what the day meant to him. And we can hear a little bit from him now.
25:05Well, it was just, I mean, I had a fight to get to where I wanted to be.
25:10And I obviously had to lose, I had to lose over five stones to actually get in the plane.
25:16But it just meant so much. And I was in my dream machine, you know, and it was just absolutely
25:21fantastic. I mean, all the times I've been to air shows and watched them, you know, and always thought,
25:27what would it be like to actually fly in one. And my dream come true. It was, I mean, it was just,
25:34I mean, we had lovely weather, it was lovely and sunny. So it was a perfect day. And I had a lot of
25:40friends and family there. So, and the staff at Biggin Hill were just so accommodating. You know,
25:46they really made us all welcome, you know, family, friends, you know, me, they really looked after me.
25:51It was just, it was just fantastic. That's amazing. And pretty impressive to get that ticked
25:58off the bucket list as well. Amazing for him and his family too. Yeah, absolutely. And it's not the
26:03only news we have. We always do a little bit of trivia. So I've snuck this one on you. Can you
26:07guess where this is? Oh, Finn. Every time. Can I guess where it is? Yeah.
26:11In the whole world? No, in Kent. In Kent? That is potentially in Kent.
26:15Well, there's a waterway. Where in Kent? Let's go just off of Chepi. You're not too far off. So this
26:23is a painting that could be of Margate. And it's actually by a Polish painter. And we'll delve more
26:28into why Margate is part of the Isle of Thanet and what that means exactly. And it's all to do with
26:33death. Thanet is another word for death, really. So we'll go into that. And there's some ties to Greek
26:38mythology in there. So if anyone likes that. You know how to bring the joy, don't you, Finn? All right. More on
26:43that and all the other historical news and stories as we turn back the time on Kent Chronicles
26:49a bit later on. But more news after the break. See you then.
27:13See you then.
32:50Okay, well, Bartholomew joins me in the studio now.
32:53And we have had an update this afternoon.
32:56A new cordon's been put in place.
32:58That's right.
32:59Well, we heard in my report there that Ashford Road, the A20, had been closed for the majority
33:05of yesterday since the incident happened on Monday evening.
33:08Well, that was opened around 7 o'clock yesterday evening.
33:11That's Tuesday evening that cordon was opened.
33:14Well, we've been hearing from one of our reporters for our sister publication, Kent Online, who's
33:18been down at the scene in the last hour, arrived there just around about 20 to 20 minutes before
33:245 o'clock, told us that when they first got there, there was no cordon in place.
33:29The pub that we've been speaking a lot about, the Parkgate Inn, was open as usual.
33:34They put a message out that they'd be open as usual from 3 o'clock and were looking forward
33:39to welcoming their customers back.
33:41When it hit around about 5 o'clock, there was four officers and a police van in attendance
33:46and they were telling people to vacate the area.
33:48And when asked why, they said it was because it's all part of their ongoing investigation.
33:53And we can see the pictures that we've been showing from the past hour, that cordon
33:57now very much still in place.
34:00Now, we don't know for certain if this is linked to the incident on Monday night where
34:03Sean Amaro was shot by police.
34:06We have asked Kent Police to confirm.
34:08They're yet to get back to us to absolutely confirm that.
34:11But of course, hearing that it is part of their ongoing investigation, one thing's for
34:15certain is that unlike what I said at the end of my report there, it's not exactly back
34:19to the usual peace and quiet of this small Kent countryside village.
34:23OK, Bartholomew, thank you for those details.
34:25We'll be sure to update our viewers at home and over on the front page of Kent Online when
34:30we do find out more details about that new police cordon on that road.
34:35Can you just remind us some of these details that we've heard today?
34:39Because we've actually heard from Sean Amaro's half-brother too.
34:43He spoke to The Telegraph.
34:44That's right.
34:45And all of this, of course, still ongoing.
34:47As the latest we've heard is that Sean Amaro is in hospital in what is believed to have been
34:51an induced coma because of his life-changing injuries.
34:57His brother, Liam Amaro, has been speaking with The Telegraph.
35:00He described his brother as having mental health problems.
35:03He also raised questions around the force used by Kent Police, stating that officers used
35:10unnecessary force.
35:12Of course, we know that the IOPC is conducting an investigation into the incident.
35:16As I mentioned in my report, they're looking at all factors involved.
35:19But they did say that they're not investigating any officers for misconduct or criminality.
35:25They're instead treating officers simply as witnesses.
35:28OK.
35:29Thank you very much for those details.
35:33Now, don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across your county
35:37by logging on to our website.
35:39It's kmtv.co.uk.
35:41There you'll find all our reports, including this one, about Windrush Day in Medway.
35:46Windrush Day was celebrated on the 22nd of June.
35:50It commemorates everyone from the Windrush generation who came over to Britain just after
35:55World War II.
35:56There was a ship called the Windrush that people came over on, but it's also important
36:00to recognise that there have been many people from Africa and the Caribbean that have been
36:05here for decades and centuries, way before the Windrush arrival.
36:11I feel a great sense of pride, particularly from second generation Windrush.
36:15My parents came over in the early 50s.
36:20Like many of that generation, they answered the call.
36:23Founded around the late 80s, MACA started as a small community of people supporting each
36:28other until they found a temporary home in the Sunlight Centre, where they stand today.
36:32Well, when I first came to Medway, many, many years ago, there was not such a big African-Caribbean
36:41community, but it has built up from people who have come from all different areas in England.
36:50Celebrating Windrush for us in MACA, it recognises what, not just us, but our parents and our
36:57parents' parents who have been here, the contribution that they have made to Medway.
37:02Here in Medway, we've got a fantastic organisation in the Medway African and Caribbean Association,
37:07known as MACA, and they are great champions for that community, and particularly Dr.
37:11Carol Stewart does a phenomenal job working hard, working with partners like ourselves,
37:15the police and others, to really raise the profile, raise the voices, and make sure those
37:21individuals are heard.
37:22MACA, also known as the Medway African and Caribbean Association, raised a flag this
37:27morning, right outside of the Medway Council Building, and here at the Community Hub this
37:31afternoon, a special talk is happening to commemorate those from the Windrush generation and the
37:36impact that they've had on Britain.
37:40What we're doing is we're chronicling and we're telling the history and story.
37:45of some of the families of the Windrush that came into England back in the 1950s and 60s.
37:51We're concentrating on many, many family members, but my family's involved in that as jazz musicians
37:57and calypisonians.
37:58We need to remember the history, and we need to remember the journey.
38:05Many of them were told stories of picking money from trees and running off the ground and all
38:10these kinds of things, and it was very exciting for them.
38:12So it's important for us to pass these stories on and for our children and children's children.
38:18As MACA continues to grow in numbers, and as time passes all too quickly, the importance of
38:24remembering the past and the rich history of our nation shines through on days like this.
38:29Kai Wei for KMTV in Chatham.
38:31Now, more than 22,000 illegal vapes have been seized in Medway since the government ban came
38:39into force on the 1st of June.
38:41Councils, police and trading standards officers have been cracking down on shops still selling
38:46the now-banned products.
38:48The new law aims at tackling underage sales and the environmental impact of single-use vapes
38:56as well, as Kristen Hawthorne reports.
39:0022,332.
39:02That's how many illegal vapes were seized from shops in Medway since the nationwide disposable
39:07vape ban, which started on June 1st.
39:10This was done to mainly tackle underage sales and to help reduce the negative environmental
39:15impacts.
39:16While the council have seized hundreds of thousands of vapes from the streets of Medway, has the
39:20public opinion changed towards vaping?
39:23I think it's ridiculous, truthfully.
39:26They banned the one-use vapes, which I think is absolutely ridiculous.
39:33If you want to go out and buy one vape alone just for that night, then it should be allowed.
39:42It's better for the environment, but my attitude was it hasn't really changed.
39:46Vapes are still just as accessible.
39:48I suppose your children might have started vaping less, because most of the shops that
39:52now sell refillable ones do ask for ID.
39:55Well, I don't really know much about vapes, but all I know is that vapes can be quite addictive,
39:59so if it helps reduce that, then it's a good thing.
40:02Yeah, I used to use disposable religiously, and now I've got a refillable one, and I would
40:08say it's better, to be fair.
40:11I would say it's more cost-effective, yeah.
40:13I spoke to Alex Patterson from Medway Council to find out how they felt about the number
40:17of vapes seized.
40:19I think you always hope for the best, but fear the worst when there's a change like this
40:24that comes in.
40:25Certainly, I don't think retailers could claim not to have been aware of the changes.
40:30This has been telegraphed really well in terms of the legislation and the new rules coming
40:36into force, so I think it's absolutely reasonable to challenge those retailers who have ignored
40:43that change.
40:44If that happens, then there is the opportunity to issue them with a fixed penalty notice,
40:49but also to seize that illegal stock, and I think it's really important that we do that.
40:55The whole point of a change in the rules is that it should have consequences, and I want
41:00to see these single-use disposable vapes off our streets.
41:04As it's just been more than a month since a disposable vape ban has come into place, it's
41:09clear that these are still early days for its regulation.
41:12This means that we may soon see changes like a cost increase, making the future of vaping
41:18a little cloudy.
41:19Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV, Rochester.
41:21All right, time for us to take a very quick break now.
41:26When we come back, we'll have an update on that A20 road closure in Hollingbourne near
41:31Maidstone, as a fresh police cordon has been put in place.
41:35We'll have those details in just a few minutes' time, so don't go anywhere.
41:39I'll see you then.
45:12Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
45:16Now, we're going to be bringing you some latest breaking details.
45:20We've just had a police statement through in regards to the ongoing inquiries they're making
45:25into a police shooting.
45:27This was a police officer.
45:29that arrest warrant in place in Hollingbourne that police attended later during that a man
45:38in his 30s was shot. He's been named today as 36-year-old plumber Sean O'Meara. He's
45:43currently in hospital being treated for life-changing injuries. Bartholomew joins me now as we have
45:49an update from the police about a cordon that has just come back in place this afternoon.
45:54Well, that's right. We'd heard from witnesses in the past hour that police were diverting
45:58people away from the scene that a new cordon had been set up. That's now been confirmed
46:03by Kent Police. They told us inquiries into a police shooting mean that the A20 Ashford
46:08Road has once again been closed. This is in Hollingbourne. This isn't the entire stretch
46:12of the road, just a small stretch of the road near the Parkgate Inn, which has been closed.
46:18They've told us that the cordon is back in place to make the area safe and that the EOD
46:23will be attending. That's the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, more commonly known as the Bomb
46:28Squad. They were there yesterday, if you'll remember, because during that visit on Monday
46:33night where Sean O'Malley was shot by officers, they saw what looked like he was holding an
46:41IED, an improvised explosive device. They attended on Tuesday to make the area safe. We don't
46:46know what is in the area, but Kent Police said that following the discovery of items which
46:50need to be safely disposed of, the EOD will be attending and that they're advising motorists
46:56this evening to find alternative routes. Should also mention as well that in their updates
47:01throughout the week, they did say that they're not treating this incident as terror-related.
47:05OK, Bartholomew, thank you for those details. More on the traffic implications on the A20
47:11and that road closure over on KMFM and more on that story on the front page of Kent Online
47:17as well as we get more and more updates as the situation develops. Thank you very much.
47:22All right, next this evening it's time to get to the heart of the matter as the Libertines
47:28take centre stage at Margate Station. The band have been reimagined in miniature by Hornby
47:34to celebrate their Dreamland headline show recently and it's not the only thing they've been training
47:40for as all your leaders have been finding out. It was a rock star entrance for one of Britain's
47:46biggest bands, now also one of Margate's smallest as they came to visit a Hornby tribute at the station
47:55ahead of their headline Dreamland set. Big station, you've got millions of people pass through here
48:01every summer so we thought let's do it but let's kind of localise it, let's make it a miniature version
48:06of Margate so it's all brilliant but one thing that was missing was a band's go on the stage
48:10and obviously there's lots of great acts that play here every summer and we thought who would be the
48:15best band and Libertines was a no-brainer for us because obviously their local connection.
48:19The likely lads have become local heroes here in the coastal town with members making Thanet their home
48:27throughout the years. Yeah, yeah, yeah, do you know what, I think they've caught it, they've caught
48:31it, the sort of, you know, the little furrowed brow and the grey stubble, yeah, they've, I'm very impressed,
48:37you know, Hornby, like Margate itself, is stuff of British legend, do you know what I mean, so it's,
48:45it's a no-brainer really, it's absolute joy and honour. Every single person in the Dreamland replica
48:51has been scanned in in a machine just like the one behind me including the Libertines themselves
48:59and I want to give it a go because while I may not be a rock star I still think I could add a little
49:04bit of something to the town. It's time to take a very quick look at the results of the scan and as
49:11you can see you get all the details, the wrinkles, the pattern of my shirt, they use 105 different cameras
49:20to get this level of fidelity and while I may want them to slightly trim down my belly in post
49:28and if it's good enough for the Libertines, it's good enough for me. They're absolutely fantastic,
49:33we scanned them back in band, clearly have such a love for music, they kept wanting to play their
49:38instruments while they were being scanned. Yeah, it was amazing, they seem like such lovely people.
49:43But the boys in the band had a busy day ahead of them, with not only a sold-out show,
49:49but also a big day down on the football pitch.
49:52I've now officially signed semi-professional papers for Margate FC, so I'll be making my
49:58semi-professional debut down at the gate. What's your training regimen for it?
50:04I've cut down on cigarettes, I'm only on one pack a day and no, no, just a few touch your toes and
50:11like star jumps and then a quick burst on the aspirin inhaler and I'll be away, yeah.
50:16The miniature railway set will be at the station all summer. A suitable tribute for a band known
50:23for going off the rails and then getting back on track. Olly Lieder in Margate.
50:30Now, as temperatures are expected to hit highs of 34 degrees by the weekend in some parts of
50:38southern England, we have officially entered that six-day-long yellow heat health alert. It's
50:43in place until the 15th of July. With the highest recorded temperature of the year having been in
50:48Faversham at the start of the month, Kent along with the rest of the southeast looks like it'll be
50:53taking the bulk of the heat. With that being said, let's take a look at the forecast for the coming days.
51:04Okay, this evening looking pretty warm in Dartford in particular. Cloudy skies though,
51:08covering most of Kent warming up and those clouds clearing tomorrow morning. Highs of 23 down in Dover,
51:16but in the afternoon creeping up to 30 in Dartford. Wind dropping down ever so slightly. Temperatures
51:22around 26 to 29 across the county. And here's the picture right up until the weekend. Friday,
51:29highs of 27. Much of the same on Sunday. Sunny skies.
51:33That's almost it for Kent tonight. Now, I'm handing over to Finn McDermid for Kent Chronicles,
51:45our 20th episode. It's the show which keeps you informed and entertained on all the history news
51:50from the county, alongside some interesting trivia you might not know about the Garden of England.
51:55Finn, is history news a thing? They feel like juxtaposed words, don't they?
51:59Yeah, because there's new things that happen to old things. So, archaeology is a perfect example
52:03of that. What a sentence. All right, the more important thing, I've quizzed you now.
52:08You've got to quiz me apparently. Yep, so it's time for a game that I'm still working on the name,
52:12Kent or not Kent. First, I show you a tradition and it's up to you to tell me if it is based in fact
52:18in the Garden of England or not. I will tell you a bit about the tradition itself. So, first of all,
52:24let's get our first picture up. This is the Sweeps Festival. This location marks
52:29May Day every year by taking the town back to the 1800s, filling the streets with the same
52:33performances there would be on a chimney sweeps day off. It is, of course, Rochester Sweeps Festival.
52:39It is, of course, Rochester Sweeps Festival, starting off with an easy one. Let's go to our
52:43next one now. This is the burning of the clavvy, an old heathen tradition. A barrel that you can see
52:49just there is cut almost in half, filled with tar and wood and carried to a stone altar. Some even keep
52:55some of these embers here as charms for good luck against witchcraft.
53:02Wow, so it's whether this is a Kent tradition or not or happens in Kent. I don't think it does.
53:07OK, any guesses as to where it might be?
53:11In the UK. It is in the UK.
53:12OK, let's go with Reading.
53:15A bit too far south. This is in fact Scotland.
53:18Oh, yeah, way too far.
53:20No, it's in the village of Burghead.
53:22OK.
53:22OK, let's have the next still. This is the Venetian Fate. Now, it's actually nothing to do with Venice,
53:29but it is in fact a chance for local businesses, schools and sports clubs to show a bit of their
53:34creativity. And they make a float that you can see like the one here that just goes down the canal.
53:39And they do this every two years.
53:41I feel like I should have heard about that if it was Kent, but I also do remember lots of parades
53:48of boats and flowers and things. I'm going to say no.
53:55This is in Kent. This is in Kent. Any guesses where?
53:58Oh, down the river Medway?
54:00No, it's in Hyde. It is in Hyde, in fact.
54:02I'm rubbish at the quizzes.
54:02No, it's all right. It's a difficult game and it's not the best quality photo.
54:05OK.
54:06This is my favourite photo.
54:07The next one.
54:08Yeah. So this gentleman's name is Tiny and he is one of the people walking the plank before
54:17jumping into the sea on the August bank holiday. I don't believe he is, but oftentimes councillors
54:22and local politicians were encouraged to walk the plank as they were particularly disliked.
54:26I don't think this is Kent because I really felt like I would know if our local councillors
54:31were doing that.
54:31This is in fact Sheppie. This is Kent, I'm afraid.
54:35Yeah, it's not going well. Hey, let's keep it going.
54:38Let's do Kent Chronicles 2. Let's keep it going.
54:39OK, let's keep it going. OK, I hope for the next one.
54:41This is the Hen Racing Championship. Participants will race their hens across a track to see
54:46which bird is the fastest. It will be going on about 20 years, so not too old. Various
54:50heats and categories with one hen being crowned the world's fastest at the end.
54:55I'm going purely just on the figures here and the likelihood of this being in Kent as well.
55:01I'm going to say no.
55:02That's correct. It is the village of Bondsall in Derbyshire.
55:04OK, nice.
55:05And now we'll go to our last one here. This is the mud dodging championship.
55:09So in this, a large number of contestants...
55:11They haven't dodged any of the mud.
55:12Do they use this?
55:13No, they're not. Well, these are the losers. Maybe they're hiding the winner.
55:15So that guy's got quite clean.
55:17A large number of contestants will go into a particularly muddy field,
55:20and after 10 minutes, whoever has the least mud on them,
55:22so maybe this guy on the left with that white shirt, is crowned the winner.
55:25There's famously quite few rules. I went down a big rabbit hole on this one.
55:29One contestant was actually banned for climbing a tree right on the border of the field
55:34and was completely disqualified. The only time it's ever happened.
55:36I don't feel like you should be disqualified for that, perhaps.
55:38You think it's the game's the game?
55:39I feel like that's game plan. Yeah, climbing the tree.
55:42All right. I'm going to say, this is my logic, this is in Kent,
55:48because I want you to go and do it and film it.
55:51I would love to do this as well, but I'm sorry to you and the audience, I made this up.
55:54This is a stock image. That is not real. So completely made up.
55:59I thought I'd throw one in there. I thought about AI generating an image,
56:03but that's just a stock image. So this is not a thing.
56:06I even looked up mud dodging and it's not a thing anyway.
56:08You know what? We had a huge debate in the newsroom today about AI and its involvement in art,
56:13in journalism, and what we do in the newsroom, and if it should help you write your scripts and
56:17your links and things for our stories that we report on. And look, it's helped you fool.
56:22No, that's a stock image. Yeah. Okay. Well, the concept of it. You didn't even need AI to fool me.
56:29No, but AI wouldn't have lied, I don't think, so there you go.
56:31Well, you know what? I'm going to make you go and do that now anyway and film it.
56:34Just for fun on my own.
56:35If you've made your bed, line it. Or line the muddy field. All right. Stick around for more
56:39Kent Chronicles and I hope your history is better than mine. All right. See you soon. Bye bye.
57:05Bye bye.
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