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00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:28I'm Abbey Hook, here are your top stories on Monday, the 28th of July.
00:37A roaring success. With Kent's Alessia Russo's head in the game, the Lionesses are champions of Europe once again.
00:46It actually feels like we were there. It feels so good. I can't even believe it works.
00:51Lions, strikers and bears. There really is no place like home as we meet the next generation of football stars in Bearstead.
01:01I would love to be a Lioness like Russo because it's just amazing to be in front of the crowd and performing.
01:10And beefing up biodiversity. Scotney Castle has introduced cattle to combat concerns for conservation.
01:19And in the house there is a picture of one of the prize-bearing cows that won a top award at one of the local agricultural shows.
01:25Well first this evening, heroic legends, history makers and game changers.
01:41Just a few ways Kent fans have described the back-to-back European champions.
01:46There were tears and cheers at Folkestone's harbour arm as the Lionesses became the first English side to win a major tournament away from home.
01:54Although they went a goal down, the Kentish crowd never lost hope.
01:58And once the final penalty hit the top corner, you could probably hear the fans roaring with pride.
02:04While Finn McDermid was in Folkestone capturing the ups, the downs and the top bins.
02:10Well it's a rare feeling for us England fans having a trophy to defend.
02:14And here in Folkestone, the harbour arm hosted 800 Lioness fans praying for another victory on the European stage.
02:20No-one can deny it's been a tournament of narrow victories for the Lionesses, excluding a 6-1 plashing of Wales.
02:26But did fans think that would be the case for the final?
02:292-1 England.
02:302-1.
02:313-1 to England.
02:33Yes.
02:342-1.
02:352-1.
02:352-1 win.
02:362-1.
02:37I reckon 3-1.
02:382-0 England.
02:392-0 England.
02:392-0 England.
02:39Lauren James goals.
02:41Yeah, I think it's going to be 1-0 to us.
02:42We're going to score in the first half.
02:44Come with that confidence.
02:44Go on, England.
02:46Let's go in the start of it.
02:48Kent's own Alessia Russo started up top as well as the sky darkened.
02:52But even when the weather turned wet, spirits certainly weren't dampened ahead of kick-off.
02:56Come on, England!
02:59It looked like a promising start, but only 20 minutes in and Spain sent England 1-0 down.
03:05But people weren't letting it affect their mood, especially when Chloe Kelly came on just before the end of the first half.
03:11How were you feeling at the half-time break?
03:13A bit disappointed, but still hopeful.
03:16I know I'm not happy with this score right now.
03:19We're playing so well, but I just don't see this.
03:22I'm nervous.
03:23We're going to pull it back.
03:25We've got it.
03:26We've got it.
03:26And they were right to be hopeful when the Kentish hero Alessia Russo scored to keep the Lionesses fighting,
03:32and the pressure lifted as cheers echoed around the harbour arm.
03:36Then it was extra time, and then on to penalties.
03:38Another first shot bounced off the keeper's gloves, and so the atmosphere turned tense.
03:44It was a back and forth that kept the harbour arm on their toes.
03:47Score, then save.
03:48Cries of joy and shouts of frustration rang in the audience's ears.
03:51But then it was down to Chloe Kelly.
03:53Music blared out, plastic cups went flying, children and dogs were being held up, and there were hugs all around.
04:03England are dead.
04:04Yes, come on, Lionesses.
04:07We've brung it home again.
04:08Woo!
04:09I burst into tears.
04:11It was brilliant.
04:12I can't believe it.
04:13Back to back.
04:14Yeah, back to back winning.
04:16Five major tournaments.
04:17She's made every final.
04:18The women's a legend.
04:20The women are glorious.
04:21What a time to be alive.
04:22Obviously, we've won.
04:24Was there ever any doubt?
04:25No doubt.
04:26No doubt.
04:27I didn't say 2-1 to England.
04:31Yes.
04:31And we did it.
04:33Tannehill, woman at the back.
04:36It actually feels like we were there.
04:38It feels so good.
04:39I can't even believe it works.
04:40It was amazing.
04:42800 of us turned out and watched 120 minutes of patience, of pressure, and then of penalties.
04:49Never before has an English senior team won an international trophy back-to-back, except now.
04:55The Lionesses will be celebrating, the country will be celebrating, and I'm sure Kent will
05:00be celebrating as well.
05:01Finn McDermott for KMTV, here in Folkestone.
05:06Well, she's right.
05:07What a time to be alive.
05:09And for Kent's very own Alessia Russo, too, she's very much on the international stage.
05:15But she began her journey to gold at Beersted FC.
05:18Well, today, in honour of the legacy she's building herself, the club unveiled a mural to
05:22remind the next generation of female footballers just what's possible.
05:27Gabriel Morris was there today, speaking to some of her biggest and maybe smallest fans.
05:34Years of hard graft happened on this pitch, shaping the lioness she is today.
05:39These two young footballers, trained at Beersted FC, see Alessia Russo as their inspiration,
05:47especially after meeting her before the Euros.
05:49Good luck, Beersted Bells.
05:51Good luck.
05:52Good luck.
05:53And if it weren't for Russo's equaliser yesterday, the final score might have told a different story.
06:00She was amazing, and her goal, it was just amazing.
06:04It was absolutely brilliant. The crowd went wild.
06:09Holly and Phoebe say they picked up a few tricks from their idol's performance and can't wait
06:14to test them out on the pitch.
06:16I would love to be a lioness like Russo because it's just amazing to be in front of a crowd
06:24and performing.
06:25I want to be like Russo because I know that she'll be more confident in what she was doing.
06:35This morning, the club revealed a mural to mark Russo's rise from local talent to global
06:41star.
06:42She started her football journey at West Farley before moving to Beersted FC, where she played
06:48for both the girls and the boys' teams.
06:51She scored 76 goals in one season. She's just shown that little bit of inspiration to the
06:58rest of the girls, and it came through really on Sunday as well, really, of what her determination is.
07:05Russo says she couldn't wait to play after school, and in 2010, she led her school to victory
07:12in the KM's mini World Cup.
07:15But after that, she moved on to play for Charton, then joining Chelsea, before heading to the
07:20States for university, where her football career kept climbing, eventually returning
07:26to England and joining the national team. And as they say, the rest is history.
07:33Despite her rise, Russo has stayed close to Beersted FC. Her legacy has helped boost girls'
07:38football here, with more teams forming and more young players signing up.
07:43For the girls this season, it's their first season playing together as under-8s. The Beersted
07:47have given us the go-ahead to run an under-8s team. So it's actually the first ever under-8s
07:52team for Beersted. So it's a privilege and an honour to run this under-8s team. And hopefully
07:59we smash them out of the park this season.
08:02Now all eyes turn to the Women's World Cup in two years. Holly and Phoebe might be a bit
08:08too young for that. But who knows, we could see them on the international stage in 2035
08:14following Russo's footsteps. Gabriel Morris for KNTV in Beersted.
08:22Definitely an absolute inspiration, Alessia Russo's. Bartholomew joins me now to talk more
08:27about the celebrations, because they are far from over.
08:30They really are. And they've continued on the plane. We can tell you in the last hour,
08:33the entire squad, actually minus Jess Carter, who's already flown back to the US, more on
08:38that and the rest of the women's football scene later on. But the team here have all
08:43landed. You can see, obviously, the all-important trophy down in between them all. They've all
08:47been getting off the plane. Our very own Alessia Russo, with I think her eyes might be closed
08:52in the picture, but she's over to the right there. I mean, it's a glorious day, isn't it,
08:57for football fans, back-to-back champions. What more could you ask for? And especially for
09:02those youngsters as well, having something tangible to look towards. And every time they
09:06are practising, they'll be able to look over and see Alessia right there.
09:10And a few modes of transport. They've gone on the plane, now they're getting on the bus.
09:13That's right. There'll be, tomorrow, there'll be an open-top bus parade going through London,
09:18finishing off at Buckingham Palace. What better place for, what are now names of football royalty
09:23to be celebrating.
09:24And we've even heard from the King as well.
09:26That's right. The King's been putting out some messages. The Royals have led praise for the
09:30awesome Lionesses. We've had plenty of messages as well from the Prime Minister, who was there
09:36in Switzerland, saying that they dug deep when it mattered most, and you've made the nation proud.
09:43Okay. It's pretty impressive stuff. Pretty impressive feat. And yeah, as you say, the celebrations
09:49will continue on, and our coverage of the incredible Lionesses will continue with Invictus Sport this
09:55evening. Thank you very much.
09:56Okay. More on that later in Invictus Sport, as I say. But today, let's get some more of
10:04the news headlines from across the county. The mother of an Air India crash victim, Fingal
10:10Greenlaw Meek, from Kent, has been left heartbroken after the remains of her son were found to be
10:15wrongly identified.
10:18Amanda Donaghy flew to India to recover her son's body and returned back to England with the coffin
10:23after finding a match late in June. However, as his family was preparing the body for burial,
10:31police told Miss Donaghy that DNA tests showed it was not, in fact, his remains.
10:36The 66-year-old said she had her doubts. However, to be actually told the news was heartbreaking,
10:42she says. And she's urging the British government to do everything in their power to find and bring
10:48Fingal home. More on that story on the front page of Kent Online now.
10:54The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into the train crash which killed
11:00an Amazon driver near Tenham. Described as the most caring soul, 23-year-old Brandon Hatcher died
11:07earlier this month after being struck by a train on a level crossing. Now, an inquiry separate to
11:13submit any investigation done by the railway industry will determine the events that led
11:18to the incident. This was some footage from the day after on the scene. It will also review whether
11:24any previous accidents at the crossing are relevant and look into Network Rail's way of assessing risk
11:30and management at the crossing there on the screen. All right, time for us to take a very quick break
11:37now. But coming up, we'll hear more news from across the county. See you then.
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16:21safe manoeuvre and his defendant stated that he had a momentary lapse in concentration
16:26but was full of extreme remorse.
16:32Now residents on Hawkenbury Road in Tunbridge are calling for the speed limit to be changed
16:37after a truck crashed into the local pub. After witnessing a number of near misses,
16:42they fear the next accident could be fatal. Well, with a petition that has more than 200
16:47signatures, there's still no sign of change just yet as the Reynolds has more.
16:58This is the moment a truck crashed into the front of a pub in Tunbridge causing 30,000 pounds of
17:04damage. Residents say it's lucky nobody was killed but fear the next accident could be fatal if the
17:10speed limit doesn't change. They describe car after car treating the road as a racetrack as the
17:16current speed limit is not aligned with the residential nature of the street. Resident
17:20India Phillip has started a petition to change the speed limit to something suitably safer and this
17:26has already gained 200 signatures. Sarah Emberson, a KCC councillor for Maidstone Rural East, has said
17:33she's fully committed to taking all necessary steps to improve road safety in the community. A
17:39spokesperson for KCC has explained that when a road traffic incident occurs, Kent Police investigate
17:45and determine the reasons behind it and this can take up to six months. Police confirmed they were
17:50called to the incident and there were no serious injuries. Now don't forget you can keep up to date
17:57with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website. It's of course kmtv.co.uk there you'll
18:03find all our reports including this one when we spoke to the son of Lindsay Foreman who's still detained in
18:09Iran with her partner Craig, charged with spying. Here we are in the depths of the Armenian countryside.
18:20What was a bucket list trip of dreams that quickly turned into a nightmare when they were detained by
18:28Iranian authorities and charged with espionage. Described as adventurers by their family, Lindsay and Craig
18:36Foreman were travelling across the world on motorbikes, documenting their travels on social media.
18:43This was their last post on the 28th of December last year.
18:47Lots and lots of cats. So there is our little cabin.
18:54Since then, since January, they've been working with the Foreign Office to get them home.
19:00It was panic. It was daunting. It was not knowing what was going to happen. You take your emotions as a
19:08family. You've got to amplify it by a hundredfold, right? They're in a country. They must have some
19:15notion as to what's going on. I don't know how much notion they know or what they know, but they must
19:19have an understanding that, you know, the countries were at war. It's unimaginable. You know, I honestly can't
19:27think what that must be like. It's hard to put yourself in those shoes because you can
19:31try and have an understanding, but unless you're actually living, being there through it.
19:37Yeah, it's a tough one to think about. Try not to think about it too much because, you know,
19:42I don't think that helps. But obviously it adds that urgency because they can't be having a pleasant time.
19:50A spokesman for Iran's judiciary said in February the couple had entered the country under the guise of
19:56tourists and gathered information in several parts of the country. The UK Foreign Office does advise
20:04against all travel to Iran, saying British nationals are at significant risk of arrest,
20:10questioning or detention. It adds that even just having a British passport can be reason enough for
20:17the Iranian authorities to detain you. They did everything possible. They had the visa,
20:22they were allowed into the country, they had a guide, they stayed on main roads, they followed
20:26every single bit of advice they could. And whilst they were there, they did nothing but commend the
20:31country. They couldn't believe how beautiful it was, how nice the people were. But as of today,
20:36the UK has been warned of a rising and unpredictable threat from Iran. Parliament's intelligence and
20:42security committee says the government must do more to counter the national security threat here.
20:48For families like Lindsay and Craig's, all they can do is hope for a safe return. And soon.
20:57Abbey Hook for KMTV.
21:00Alright, let's take a look at the weather forecast for the coming days.
21:03Well, this evening brings some cloudy weather across most parts of Kent, except in Tunbridge Wells. A clear
21:15night sky. Wind picking up by the coast tomorrow morning. Temperatures between 17 and 18 degrees,
21:20but no sunshine in sight, unfortunately. Continuing for the afternoon as well, warming up slightly highs
21:26of 20 degrees in most parts. Cooler there in Tunbridge Wells. But no sun until Thursday and Friday. Behind the
21:33clouds, though, highs of 24 by the end of the week.
21:46Kent Castle is connecting the past to the present by introducing Sussex cattle. Scotney Castle has a deep
21:53rooted connection to the breed as they were first noted on the estate back in 1896. The idea is to boost
22:00biodiversity, as the cows have a unique grazing technique which helps grow native plants in the
22:06area. Daisy Page has more. Among the ancient woodlands of Tunbridge Wells, you may find a picturesque scene.
22:17Scotney Castle has a rich history dating back to the 12th century. And some of the oldest parts of the
22:22castle were built in 1378. The estates were then purchased by the Hussey family. Edward Hussey III
22:30transformed this castle into a room for a new focal point of his new landscape garden. Originally built
22:37by Roger Ashburnham as a fortified manor house to protect against a possible French invasion. The
22:43medieval castle now is a part of the garden, which is the centerpiece of Edward Hussey III's vision.
22:48As in the mid 19th century, they built this Victorian mansion. Scotney Castle became a part of the
22:55National Trust in 1970. And after three generations of the Hussey family calling the castle their home,
23:01the site opened to visitors in 2007. And since they have been trying to conserve the diverse landscape,
23:08with a helping hand from native grazing cattle. The land has a deep rooted connection with the Sussex
23:14cattle, with the first herd appearing in 1896. Scotney Castle has got this really good history of having
23:21prize-winning Sussex cattle. And in the house, there is a picture of one of the prize-winning cows
23:26at one of the top award at one of the local agricultural shows. Today, the herd is a combination
23:31of Longhorn and Sussex. Selected to help biodiversity thrive, the cows have a unique grazing technique,
23:38which helps create space for more diverse plant life. I started to notice there was a deterioration
23:44in some of the plant species that we had here. And I was backless up with some ecological survey
23:48work done as well. I wanted to bring back these rarer species, so like the orchids, the kind of
23:52Berfoot treffles back in, back into this park and landscape to make it look fantastic how it used to
23:56be. As this is one of the best preserved picturesque landscapes in the country now, to actually try and
24:03bring back those elements are also very good for wildlife back into it. We're really noticing things like
24:07who are insect-eating birds, so we're having things like the woodpeckers coming in, bigger numbers as
24:11well. We're noticing that butterflies as well, the numbers are also increasing. So these two
24:16species really are fantastic to see coming back. With the conservation efforts to increase biodiversity
24:21and create a climate resilient landscape, the herd will graze their way into Scotney's history.
24:28Daisy Page for KMTV.
24:29Daisy joins me in the studio now. Daisy, tell me a bit more about these cows and why they're so
24:42important as well, and also the difference between the two breeds, because you've got two of them on
24:47the screen here. Yes, so making up the Scotney herd are two traditional native breeds. So we've got the
24:53longhorn here. As we saw in the report we just witnessed, their horns are growing differently, and this
24:59isn't to do with gender or anything, this is actually just down to environment, but also genetics as
25:05well. So there's nothing happening there other than genetically is why their horns are a bit different.
25:10But the longhorn cattle are a bigger native breed. Obviously they're unique with their markings and
25:16horns, that's how you can kind of tell the difference, whereas the Sussex cattle is a rich red colour.
25:22The longhorn diet consists of brambles and gorse, and they've got heavy weight and horns which helps them
25:28go through the thick vegetation, where the Sussex cattle, they were actually bred to pull ploughs
25:34through wet and woody areas here in Kent and Sussex. And the kind of unique thing about the Sussex cattle
25:40is that they do enjoy a paddle as well. Okay, so if there's muddy puddles, they'll be having a little
25:46swim. All right, how do they boost biodiversity though? Because it's a technique we said in my opening
25:52there about how they actually graze. Yeah, so the cattle live in an old meadow, and one way that you
25:59can tell that the meadow they live in is old is the amount of anthills there. So more anthills means
26:04the older the land. Now, the cows are used instead of sheep. Usually when you see animals out grazing,
26:11it is sheep. But sheep, when they graze, they cause the ground to be matted, where these cattle use a
26:17technique called twist and pull method. And when ground is being overtaken by vegetation, unwanted
26:24vegetation such as brambles, their unique method, what it does, it cuts through those tough brambles
26:29that we don't want to be seeing. And they make really important bare ground patches. And now why
26:35this is important is that it's creating space for more diverse plant life to come in and more native
26:40species to grow in that bare ground as well. Amazing. So the cows are doing their part for the
26:45environment as well. Well, Daisy, thank you very much for telling us all about the cows and the cattle
26:50at Scotney Castle. We'll have more on that a bit later in the programme as well. See you in a few minutes.
27:15We'll see you in the next one.
32:43And they were right to be hopeful when the Kentish hero Alessio Russo scored to keep the
32:47lionesses fighting and the pressure lifted as cheers echoed around the harbour arm.
32:51Then it was extra time and then on to penalties.
32:55Another first shot bounced off the keeper's gloves and so the atmosphere turned tense.
32:59It was a back and forth that kept the harbour arm on their toes.
33:03Score, then save, cries of joy and shouts of frustration rang in the audience's ears.
33:07But then it was down to Chloe Kelly.
33:13Music blared out, plastic cups went flying, children and dogs were being held up and there were hugs all around.
33:19England, the devil.
33:21Yes! Come on lionesses!
33:23We brung it home again.
33:25Woo!
33:26I burst into tears.
33:27It was brilliant.
33:28I can't believe it.
33:29Back to back.
33:30Yeah, back to back winning.
33:32Five major tournaments.
33:33She's made every final.
33:35The women's a legend.
33:36The women are glorious.
33:37What a time to be alive.
33:38Obviously, we've won.
33:40Was there ever any doubt?
33:41Yeah!
33:42No doubt.
33:43No doubt.
33:44No doubt.
33:45I didn't say 2-1 to England.
33:47Yes.
33:48And we did it.
33:49And I have some women at the back.
33:52It actually feels like we were there.
33:54Yeah.
33:55It feels so good.
33:56I can't even believe it works.
33:57It was amazing.
33:58800 of us turned out and watched 120 minutes of patience, of pressure and then of penalties.
34:05Never before has an English senior team won an international trophy back to back.
34:11Except now.
34:12The lionesses will be celebrating.
34:13The country will be celebrating.
34:15And I'm sure Kent will be celebrating as well.
34:17Finn McDermott for KMTV here in Folkestone.
34:20In Folkestone.
34:21And they certainly will for our own Alessia Russo.
34:26She's very much again on the international stage.
34:29But she began her journey to gold at Birsted FC.
34:32Well today, in honour of the legacy she's building herself, the club unveiled a mural to remind the next generation of female footballers just what's possible.
34:42Well, Gabriel Morris was there today speaking to some of her biggest, and maybe smallest, fans.
34:49Years of hard graft happened on this pitch, shaping the lioness she is today.
34:54These two young footballers, trained at Birsted FC, see Alessia Russo as their inspiration.
35:01Especially after meeting her before the Euros.
35:04Good luck Birsted Bells.
35:05Good luck.
35:06Good luck.
35:07Yeah.
35:08And if it weren't for Russo's equaliser yesterday, the final score might have told a different story.
35:15She was amazing and her goal, it was just amazing.
35:19It was absolutely brilliant.
35:21The crowd went wild.
35:23Holly and Phoebe say they picked up a few tricks from their idol's performance and can't wait to test them out on the pitch.
35:31I would love to be a lioness like Russo because it's just amazing to be in front of a crowd and performing.
35:40What about you?
35:41I want to be like Russo because I know that she'll be more confident in what she was doing.
35:50This morning the club revealed a mural to mark Russo's rise from local talent to global star.
35:57She started her football journey at West Farley before moving to Birsted FC where she played for both the girls and the boys teams.
36:06She scored 76 goals in one season.
36:09She's just showed that little bit of inspiration to the rest of the girls.
36:13And it came through really on Sunday as well really what her determination is.
36:20Russo says she couldn't wait to play after school and in 2010 she led her school to victory in the KM's mini World Cup.
36:29But after that she moved on to play for Charlton then joining Chelsea before heading to the States for university where her football career kept climbing.
36:39Eventually returning to England and joining the national team.
36:44And as they say the rest is history.
36:47Despite her rise Russo has stayed close to Birsted FC.
36:51Her legacy has helped boost girls football here with more teams forming and more young players signing up.
36:58For the girls this season it's their first season playing together as under eights.
37:02The Birsted have given us the go ahead to run an under eights team.
37:05So it's actually the first ever under eights team for Birsted.
37:08So it's a privilege and an honour to run this under eights team.
37:13And hopefully we smash them out of the park this season.
37:16Now all eyes turn to the Women's World Cup in two years.
37:20Holly and Phoebe might be a bit too young for that.
37:24But who knows, we could see them on the international stage in 2035 following Russo's footsteps.
37:31Gabriel Morris for KNTV in Birsted.
37:36And they're big shoes to fill that's for sure.
37:38Bartholomew joins me in the studio now because we have a brand new episode of Invictus Sport.
37:42What a perfect way to have on a Monday.
37:46I know.
37:47But tell us, they've landed, they're back home.
37:50That's right.
37:51On a jet that says so.
37:52On a jet that says so.
37:54Recognising that it's the second time they've brought football home.
37:57Second time they've brought this trophy home as well.
37:59We can take a look at the picture now.
38:01In about an hour or the last hour and a half or so, this is them walking off the plane,
38:05bringing, you know, led by the captain and the manager there,
38:08Leah Williamson, Serena Wiegmann, carrying the all-important trophy.
38:12And you might see in a minute walking out behind them our very own lioness,
38:16Alessia Russo, now memorialised at our own old club.
38:21Look, it's going to be a lot of celebrations to come.
38:23We saw lots of pictures coming from them in Switzerland last night.
38:26They're bringing the party with them.
38:27And if you're in London or the area tomorrow, you'll be able to see them on the homecoming parade,
38:33which will be taking them all the way to Buckingham Palace,
38:36the perfect place for the new queens of English football to celebrate.
38:40Yeah, certainly. Straight off the plane, onto the bus.
38:43Exactly.
38:44But a lot of people have been calling, as we know, over the weeks in the build-up.
38:48If they win, do we get a bank holiday?
38:51So can we all have a rest tomorrow or not?
38:54We can't, unfortunately.
38:55There won't be a bank holiday, but I'm sure every workplace,
38:58every classroom across the country has been talking about it enough today
39:01and celebrating in their own way.
39:02It's interesting, Sakir Starmer, when he was in the opposition,
39:05when the Lionesses reached the World Cup final in 2023,
39:09he called for a bank holiday back then,
39:11but we understand that there won't be one this time around.
39:14But he did put out a statement, as he was there at the stadium,
39:18describing the team as history makers and saying,
39:21you dug deep when it mattered most and you've made the nation proud.
39:25And we are definitely all proud of them today.
39:27Yeah, it's that Lioness fever that just doesn't wear out.
39:29Exactly.
39:30It takes us from Euro to Euro championship, it seems.
39:32Let's see if they can make it a hat-trick, but the pressure will be on for the future as well.
39:37But of course, lots of coverage of the Lionesses in Invictus Sport this evening,
39:42but looking at women's football in general as well,
39:44because that's the conversation that gets extended.
39:46As we saw in Gabriel's report there, it really matters to those young Lionesses,
39:50to the youngsters up and coming.
39:52Of course, and for just viewers as well,
39:54if you've been watching along the Euros 2025,
39:56it always seems to happen after international football,
39:59you then kind of have this fever of, oh, it's all done now.
40:01I want to carry on watching women's football.
40:03Well, you absolutely can, because in just a few weeks' time,
40:05the WSL will start.
40:06It's the Women's Super League.
40:08It's the top flight of women's football in this country.
40:11And you don't have to look too far from home
40:13if you're looking for a team to support,
40:14because the London City Lionesses,
40:16they are Kent's sort of closest team,
40:18despite what the name might tell you, the London City.
40:21They do train here in the county, in Ellsford.
40:24They've just got a brand new training centre there,
40:26play their games just over the border in Bromley.
40:28So, and they've played a few games in the past
40:30at Dartford's Princes Park as well.
40:32So really they, you know, they might not be Kent by name,
40:35but I think they are Kent by spirit.
40:36And I was having a chat with their managing director earlier
40:39about what this win means for them as an independent club,
40:43not linked to one of the big sort of historic names.
40:46We're watching it with all of our players
40:49and some of them are under 23 England Lionesses.
40:52And that gave a different element to watching it
40:55because they're supporting not only our England players,
40:58but they're friends.
41:00But it was a nervy watch.
41:03But it was brilliant that they did it in the end.
41:05And two on the bounce is a great result.
41:08You know, after the first Euros inspired a generation
41:11of girls to start playing football.
41:13And we've seen the supporter base and people interested
41:16in women's football grow.
41:18So winning again, it's just going to multiply that, I think.
41:22And we've had record attendances during the Euros.
41:24And so it just pushes that momentum to keep growing.
41:28That's right.
41:29So the London City Lionesses will be playing against
41:31many of these Lionesses.
41:33If you're a fan of Alessio Russo,
41:34well, they'll be playing Arsenal at the Emirates.
41:36If you're a fan of any of the names there,
41:38Hannah Hampton, they'll be playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
41:40So, yeah, if you want to see these Lionesses in action,
41:43you definitely can.
41:44And you can do it supporting a Kent team as well.
41:46Amazing.
41:47All right, Bartholomew, thank you.
41:48Much more to come on Invictus Sport this evening.
41:50See you in a few minutes, though.
42:10I gave it to you in a few minutes,
42:11let's see you in a few minutes.
42:12You said it's time.
42:13You made your ownICs,
42:15you made your ownICs,
42:16a single event.
42:17So, now, you're going to get to a great sunset,
42:18you're going to be playing.
42:19So we need all the new options.
42:20You're going to want to be playing for the future.
42:21I think the future is going to be playing.
42:22But we'll be playing in a few minutes.
42:23I think it will be playing into a new event.
42:24Give a few minutes of the sky.
42:25And I think it is going to be a new time.
42:26Something's going to be playing for me.
42:27So, you can do it for all the time.
46:28When it's warm weather, we always get lots and lots of these sort of jobs.
46:31Obviously, I haven't got a hand to the figures, but I'm guessing it's going to be a lot.
46:34Like I said, it's a very warm, sunny day.
46:35We're probably going to get a lot of calls about dogs in hot situations.
46:38We even get a lot of collapsed animals in the heat, so lots of cats and horses.
46:41So I think it's going to help, well, not help, but it's going to increase the figures drastically.
46:46And he was right, as this year, the number rose to 1,205.
46:51It's been busy. We've had a lot of animals moving around. We've had some more animals coming in, some going out.
46:57It's been really hot. It's been really hot. With Kent facing three heat waves this summer already, the charity say they are worried about the future.
47:07From everything I've heard, I'm not a climate scientist myself, but from everything I've heard, things are going to warm up and get more extreme weather conditions.
47:19And the heat does make it harder to look after animals, certainly.
47:25Hershey is just one of the animals rescued by the RSPCA this summer.
47:29He was left outside the Leibourne Centre in a cardboard box with no food or water at just 10 weeks old.
47:36So with financial strain, heat and neglect all pushing the number of cruelty cases up,
47:41the RSPCA says that the need for help is greatest when it's least expected.
47:45Because for animals like Hershey, abandonment came not with snow, but with a heat wave.
47:51Kristen Hawthorne, KMTV, Leibourne.
47:55Alright, now it's time to take a look at the weather forecast where you are for the coming days.
48:05Well, this evening brings some cloud across the county.
48:08Clear skies down in Tunbridge Wells there, low wind speeds as well.
48:11But picking up by the coast there by tomorrow morning.
48:14Temperatures between 17 and 18 for your Tuesday morning into Tuesday afternoon.
48:20Warming up to 20 degrees in most parts.
48:2319 down in Royal Tunbridge Wells again there.
48:26And here's the picture for the next few days and the rest of the week.
48:29Wednesday cloudy, Thursday the same, but the sun potentially out in some parts.
48:33The same on Friday, highs of 24.
48:35Now, Kent Castle is connecting the past to present by introducing Sussex cattle.
48:47Scotney Castle has a deep-rooted connection to the breed as they were first noted on the estate back in 1896.
48:53Well, the idea is to boost biodiversity as the cows have a unique grazing technique which helps grow native plants in the area.
49:02Daisy Page has more.
49:03Among the ancient woodlands of Tunbridge Wells, you may find a picturesque scene.
49:12Scotney Castle has a rich history dating back to the 12th century and some of the oldest parts of the castle were built in 1378.
49:20The estates were then purchased by the Hussey family.
49:23Edward Hussey III transformed this castle into a rune for a new focal point of his new landscape garden.
49:31Originally built by Roger Ashburnham as a fortified manor house to protect against a possible French invasion.
49:38The medieval castle now is a part of the garden which is the centrepiece of Edward Hussey III's vision.
49:46Victorian Mansion
49:48Scotney Castle became a part of the National Trust in 1970
49:51and after three generations of the Hussey family calling the castle their home,
49:56the site opened to visitors in 2007
49:59and since they have been trying to conserve the diverse landscape
50:03with a helping hand from native grazing cattle.
50:06The land has a deep-rooted connection with the Sussex cattle
50:09with the first herd appearing in 1896.
50:12Scotney Castle has got this really good history of having prize-winning Sussex cattle
50:17and in the house there is a picture of one of the prize-bearing cows
50:21at one of the top award at one of the local agricultural shows.
50:24Today the herd is a combination of Longhorn and Sussex.
50:28Selected to help biodiversity thrive, the cows have a unique grazing technique
50:33which helps create space for more diverse plant life.
50:36I started to notice there was a deterioration in some of the plant species that we had here
50:41and I was backless up with some ecological survey work done as well.
50:43I wanted to bring back these rarer species
50:45so like the orchids, the kind of birdfoot treffles back in
50:48back into this parkland landscape to make it look fantastic how it used to be.
50:52As this is one of the best preserved picturesque landscapes in the country now
50:57to actually try and bring back those elements
50:59are also very good for wildlife back into it.
51:01We're already noticing things like you're insect-eating birds
51:03so we're having like the woodpeckers coming in bigger numbers as well
51:06we're noticing that butterflies as well
51:08the numbers are also increasing.
51:10So these two species really are fantastic to see coming back.
51:13With the conservation efforts to increase biodiversity
51:15and create a climate resilient landscape
51:18the herd will graze their way into Scotney's history.
51:22Daisy Page for KMTV.
51:31OK, well, to finish the show this evening
51:33Daisy's decided to embarrass me live on air
51:36as she always loves to with her climate-themed quizzes
51:39but this time it's a cow quiz.
51:41Yep, a cattle quiz.
51:42A cattle quiz.
51:44Alright, I'm bracing for the embarrassment.
51:46Do join in at home.
51:47We're starting off nice and easy, OK?
51:49So, Scotney Herd is a combination of two native breed cattles
51:55which we can see here.
51:56What are the two native breeds called?
51:58Something to do with the horns and Sussex.
52:06Yes, so what's something about their horns size-wise maybe?
52:10Big, long.
52:11Long horn.
52:12So yeah, we've got longhorn cattle and the Sussex cattle.
52:16OK, so these are just two of many that we have here in the UK.
52:19OK, so how many native breeds of cattle are there here in the UK?
52:23We've got, I've done multi-choice so you don't need to panic too much.
52:26A, 24.
52:27OK.
52:27B, 34.
52:29C, 44.
52:3144.
52:32No, it's B, 34.
52:34OK, so you might know this one because I know you like a bit of a quiz
52:38and this is quite a common one in a quiz.
52:40So what is something unique about a cow's stomach?
52:44I actually sometimes go and sometimes go and do a weekly quiz.
52:47That doesn't make sense.
52:48Sometimes there's a quiz I do in my local area that I go and do.
52:50That came up last week and I can't remember the answer.
52:53It's something like they have four of something in their stomach.
52:58Yeah, so...
52:59Is that good enough?
53:00Very good enough.
53:01It makes sense.
53:02So as humans, we have one stomach with one chamber.
53:06Cows have one stomach but with four chambers
53:09and this just helps them digest plants a bit more better and easier.
53:14So apart from...
53:15Oh, this is a really interesting question.
53:17I did not know this.
53:18Apart from eating and sleeping,
53:20cows like to take part in extracurricular activities.
53:23So what is one school game that you think cows like to do?
53:28Like hide and seek?
53:30Yeah.
53:31Really?
53:31You're the only part.
53:32I've asked everyone...
53:32Where is a cow hiding in a field?
53:34Behind a tree?
53:37They're quite big.
53:38I'll give you that.
53:39They're quite big.
53:40OK, now true or false,
53:41Cows can predict the weather.
53:46Let's go...
53:49False.
53:49And it's another farmyard animal.
53:51No, no, it's just false.
53:52So it's actually a myth.
53:54So there is a belief that if cows are laying down,
53:56it means that it's going to rain.
53:58But this is actually a myth.
53:59They're just probably laying down because they would like to
54:01and they might be eating.
54:03Or playing hide and seek.
54:04You never know.
54:05So we're going to go back more into questions for these two
54:09cattles here now.
54:10They were just some fun facts I found.
54:13So what is the difference between these two breeds,
54:15so the longhorn and the Sussex?
54:18That's vague.
54:19That's like a broad question.
54:21You can go with...
54:22How they look?
54:23Visual.
54:23One's brown, one's grey.
54:27One's got horns, one doesn't.
54:28Oh, but the horns aren't determining the sex of the animal.
54:35Yep.
54:35Right?
54:35Yep, pretty much so.
54:36The way you can identify these is the longhorn is a much
54:40bigger breed.
54:41You can tell by their unique patterns, their horns.
54:43The Sussex is usually a rich red-brown colour.
54:47The Sussex was bred to actually plough through the Sussex
54:52and Kent countryside during wet and woody lands.
54:56But they're both known typically for their very calm temperament
55:01and placid temperament.
55:02And obviously they make great crazing cows as well
55:05and used in conservation.
55:07So which cattle was first introduced to Scotney in 1894?
55:12Is it on my computer?
55:15Is that dishonest?
55:17Oh, I can't get there quick enough.
55:18I don't have my glasses on.
55:20I don't know.
55:21It's either the Sussex or Longhorn.
55:23You're going to go 50-50.
55:27Sussex.
55:28Yep, that's correct.
55:29The Sussex was introduced in 1894
55:32and then that's why they brought them back
55:34because they'd done well all the way back then
55:36and they brought them back to help boost biodiversity.
55:39I just gave away the next...
55:41Answer to my question.
55:43It was, why weren't they brought back to Scotney?
55:46Biodiversity.
55:47Biodiversity.
55:48Abby gets one question right on one quiz once.
55:51Their amazing use of grazing conservation
55:55which helps boost the landscape.
55:58It reminds me a bit of the bison.
56:00They're sort of what they call them
56:01sort of natural biodiversity sort of champions as well.
56:05So it's a very similar concept.
56:08There's like a term used, keystone species
56:10where this animal comes in
56:11and they make pathways for ecosystems to come
56:14and animal other, like bugs,
56:16we're talking about small all the way to big,
56:18birds, bugs, plants can thrive and live there.
56:22Bison play a really important role
56:24if they're kind of...
56:25Very similar to the cattle, I guess,
56:26is that they go through vegetation.
56:29They're clearing that landscape up
56:30for the animals to go and live there.
56:32We've got ten seconds.
56:33One more question.
56:33One more, one more.
56:34OK, more anthills means...
56:37More cows.
56:39They're older than meadow.
56:40Older than meadow.
56:41That's all from us, thank goodness.
56:42Good night, see you tomorrow.
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