Kent weekly round-up: 6 July - 12 July 2024

The story about children from disadvantaged backgrounds being offered free tennis lessons in Kent, funded by local businesses and club members proved a popular read this week.

A variety of local issues featured on the BBC News website, BBC Radio Kent and BBC South East Today.

We have picked five stories from the past week in case you missed them.

Residents and visitors to Canterbury have been treated to the unusual sight of baby beavers swimming in the River Stour.

The babies, called kits, are thought to be the first to be born in a wild urban setting in England for centuries.

The semi-aquatic rodents are known as a keystone species because of the enormous impact they have on the wildlife around them.

Sandra King, chief executive officer of the Beaver Trust, said: "It's so exciting to see them here."

Read more here

The largest lavender farm in the UK has seen an early blooming of its purple fields.

The family farm in Kent grows over 130 acres (53 hectares) of lavender and welcomes visitors each year for tours and picnics.

Lorna Roberts from Castle Farm in Shoreham, near Sevenoaks, said: "The season is well underway with the lavender flowering very early this year following a mild winter.

"We have been busy hand-cutting bunches of lavender for drying."

Read more here

A 24-year-old woman from Kent has become what is believed to be the RNLI's youngest ever female coxswain.

Becky Cannon followed in the footsteps of her father and grandfather in taking charge of the lifeboat out of Ramsgate.

She joined the volunteer crew at the age of 17 and became the coxswain of the all-weather lifeboat on 22 June.

Ms Cannon said the role "teaches you great skills, confidence, teamwork, courage and a sense of being part of something meaningful".

Read more here

The last remaining bank in Paddock Wood has closed its doors for the final time.

NatWest, which closed its branch in Station Road on Thursday, is the last of several banks to have left the Kent town, following the departures of HSBC and Barclays.

Paddock Wood is an area with an expanding population after thousands of new homes were built over the last decade.

A NatWest Group spokesperson said: “As we adapt our services to meet changing needs, we may take the difficult decision to close or consolidate some of our branches.”

Read more here

A semi-professional footballer, who played for England as a boy alongside Jude Bellingham, has sent a good luck message to his friend at Euro 2024 and says he believes "it's coming home".

Goalkeeper Serine Sanneh now plays for Rusthall FC in Kent in the Southern Counties Eastern Division, after spending a year out of the game with injury.

Sanneh, who competed alongside Bellingham in the England under-15s team and said he was "bound to make it", sent a message of congratulations to his friend after a stunning overhead kick against Slovakia which kept his side in the tournament.

He told him to "keep working hard" and wished him "good luck" with the next round.

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