Latest news with #Faversham
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
The Faversham explosion that killed 108 and rocked the town
During World War One, Faversham in Kent was rocked by an enormous explosion which killed at least 108 men and boys and left a permanent mark on the Sunday 2 April, workers at a gunpowder site were loading shells when the explosion the cause of the explosion was never discovered, there were theories of a dropped cigarette, sparks from the boiler house hitting TNT sacks, and the sacks naturally combusting in the Tonge, one of the authors of Terrible Tudors in the Horrible Histories series, said: "The gunpowder still haunts Faversham, so it still lives in the history of the town." The site caught fire and there was an enormous explosion which was followed by other detonations as the flames reached other explosion was ruled to be accidental following an a worker later gave a testimony and said staff had become careless and stacked sacks of TNT outside without any consideration of what could happen to Tonge said: "That was the principle problem, is that they had to produce as much as possible for the Western Front to obviate this terrible scandal that was erupting about the shell shortage."Many of those who died were buried at Love Lane Cemetery in the town, and a memorial grave was placed there. Mr Tonge added: "The problem was when they tried to recover bodies, they were recovering parts of bodies, so some were never identified."Some boys as young as 12 were thought to have been working at the site."There are some really very poignant photographs of the parade [and] the funeral cortege through the town and it's attended by inevitably hundreds of people," Mr Tonge the war ended it was decided that the gunpowder business was vulnerable to attacks from Europe, so it was moved to Ayrshire in Scotland.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
McDonald's new site on A2 near Canterbury gets approval
Plans for a new drive-through McDonald's on a main road in Kent have been approved despite some residents' claims there was "no need" for fast-food chain tabled plans to launch at the A2 London-bound Gate Services at Dunkirk, between Faversham and Canterbury, on the site of a former Travelodge 79-seat eatery will be next to an existing Costa Borough Council's planning committee voted on Thursday to approve the plans, with 10 councillors in favour and four against. Charlie Brown, acting as a planning agent for McDonald's, implored the committee to back the proposals, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "The application will help redevelop a brownfield site, enhancing the existing service area, creating over 100 new jobs across a range of full and part time roles," he Faversham resident Sarah Moakes said the site would "attract horrendous traffic, especially at tea-time" and would be a "magnet for antisocial behaviour".Councillor Rich Lehmann said: "Whilst new jobs are welcome we must also consider whether this employment genuinely offsets the potential negative impact on existing local businesses – especially independent food outlets in Faversham."Councillor Ben Martin said: "Based on what we have here I cannot see a reason to reject which would stand up to the scrutiny of an inspector."
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Fatal M2 Faversham crash leads to man being jailed for 12 years
A man who admitted causing death by dangerous driving after speeding at more than 120mph (193km/h) before a crash has been jailed for more than 12 years, police Amaglo, 43, was driving a Mercedes C-Class on the M2 near Faversham in Kent when the crash happened on the morning of 27 November struck the back of another vehicle, instantly killing a woman in her 50s who was also driving, police was sentenced to 12 years and three months' imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday. Both the vehicles were travelling between junctions six and five on the London-bound carriageway when the crash, which was captured on Amaglo's dashcam, happened. After initially pleading not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, he changed his was banned from driving for 18 years and two months and a further charge of causing death by careless driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs was ordered to remain on Con Sara Capozzi said: "Amaglo's driving that morning was truly appalling and resulted in the most tragic of consequences."I hope that the custodial sentence he has received offers opportunity for him to reflect on his thoughtless and grossly irresponsible actions, which led to the loss of a much-loved and cherished woman's life."
