Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

A couple of former Monarch customers will soon be able to begin their week in the sun after being able to buy the last two available tickets on a plane to Gran Canaria with Thomas Cook.

Image source, PA

Nic and Amanda Fergusson, from Watford, arrived at Gatwick Airport shortly after 03:00, having been assured the previous evening that their holiday would still go ahead, despite fears about Monarch Airlines.

The company ceased trading overnight and the couple had checked in and were heading for the boarding gates when they were told the flight had been cancelled.

Mrs Fergusson said: "I just burst into tears. We were just so looking forward to getting a bit of sun and we thought that our flight - despite all the problems - was still going ahead.

"We had the boarding cards in our hands, ready to go, and then it all went to pot.

"We started phoning all the airlines and looking to see what was available. I was starting to think we wouldn't get away at all.

"But thankfully we got two tickets with Thomas Cook, which I think were the last two seats on the plane out of here today."

By the time the pair get on the plane they will have been at the airport for 12 hours, but Mr Fergusson was positive.

"Yes, we are spending a day sat in the airport rather than on holiday, but it has not affected our hotel or anything at the other end," he said.

"We are quite lucky."

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

As Kent County Council tries to save another £75m from its annual budget, its leader tells the Prime Minister that austerity is pushing local government finances to breaking point.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

A man's in hospital after being stabbed in Epsom at the weekend.

He was with a group of friends who got into an argument with another group, opposite the railway station at about 22:20 BST on Friday.

The argument quickly turned into a fight and the victim was stabbed in the abdomen.

Three local teenagers have been arrested, a 17-year-old on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm, and two 16-year-olds on suspicion of affray.

Image source, Google

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

Five years ago Aaron Lindridge travelled from Gravesend to the USA for treatment for a rare cancer. Now he's celebrating its success.

Rail travellers across England face a week of disruption with strike action due to take place on Tube and train services.

Image source, Getty Images

Kent News, external: Newly-elected Ukip leader Henry Bolton to step back from pro-Manston campaign group ‘to avoid conflict’

The Argus, external: Calls for South Downs to be healed after work

Chichester Observer, external: Tories ‘reckless to wave goodbye’ to £250m A27 Chichester funding

Kent Online, external: Travellers set up camp off Lunsford Lane

Hastings Observer, external: Hastings historians find new home for statue

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

These young people, who are facing serious illness or bereavement, are learning to cope and grow with the help of a breast cancer survivor.

Sue Nicholson
BBC News

Image source, Google

A 16-year-old boy has appeared before magistrates charged with the murder of a 50-year-old man.

The victim suffered a head injury following reports of a disturbance in Week Street, in Maidstone, on Friday night.

He was taken to a London hospital where he later died.

The teenager, from Maidstone, was remanded in custody, and will next appear at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday.

Three other teenagers who were also arrested have been released on bail.

Yasmine Djadoudi
BBC Live reporter

This girl's joints dislocate more than 40 times a day.

Image source, Eddie Mitchell

Safety checks are taking place on a property in Hove seriously damaged by fire.

About 40 firefighters tackled a major blaze at a nursery and flats in Palmeira Avenue, Hove, on Saturday night.

Investigators will not be able to enter until it is safe to do so, East Sussex Fire and Rescue said.

A 54-year-old Brighton man arrested on suspicion of arson has been released under investigation.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

Detectives are investigating after a man was found in a Woking street with serious head injuries.

Police were called to Chertsey Road just after 06:00 BST yesterday.

Several roads were cordoned off while enquiries were carried out.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

A man died in the sea off Brighton at the weekend.

The 28-year-old was reported missing near the Palace Pier on Saturday morning.

A body was recovered just west of the pier.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

A driver has died after his car hit a tree near Chichester at the weekend.

The 32-year-old was driving a Porsche 911 Turbo south on the B2141 at North Marden around noon on Saturday.

The man, from London, was declared dead at the scene.

The road was closed for several hours while police investigated.

Image source, Lauren Hurley / PA

Monarch Airline customer Alan Gee was due to get married in Gran Canaria on Saturday.

Now he is stranded at Gatwick Airport with 30 members of his family after hearing the airline had gone bust.

He said: "I have spent £12,000 on my wedding and now I can't even go and get married.

"I am gutted, absolutely gutted, and my Mrs is in tears, an emotional wreck."

He added: "All my family has come from Lincolnshire by coach, now they can't even get home. We've got disabled children with us...

"I've got another 36 people coming out during this week and they are not going to be able to come out."

He said Monarch had done "absolutely nothing" to help him.

"When it came over the tannoy that all flights were cancelled, we went to one of their desks and they said they couldn't do anything about it, we would have to get another flight."

Affected customers should check monarch.caa.co.uk, external for more information or call the CAA 24-hour helpline on 0300 303 2800.

A Monarch customer only found out her flight to Menorca had been cancelled after arriving at Gatwick airport.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

A man's in a serious condition after being stabbed when he confronted a gang which had broken the window of his house in Strood.

The 59-year-old was attacked by three people in Vicarage Road around 20:50 BST on Friday.

The man's been taken to a hospital in London.

Image source, Google

Tom Darby
BBC Live reporter

Passengers returning early or late from their Monarch holiday will be able to use their pre-booked train tickets, rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has said.

This applies to passengers with advanced pre-dated rail tickets returning from Luton (with Thameslink) and Gatwick (with Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink).

Monarch Airlines has ceased trading and its 300,000 future bookings for flights and holidays have been cancelled, the Civil Aviation Authority has said.

Jenny from Ringmer in East Sussex was due to fly to Menorca this morning on a package holiday booked with Saga.

She told BBC Sussex she was "devastated" to hear the news after getting up at 04:00 BST to leave for the airport.

"My transport arrived to pick me up, we had just got into the vehicle, the driver had a phone call and that was it. We unloaded and I am back indoors."

Jenny said Saga was working to find her another flight but it "didn't promise anything for today".

She added: "[Saga] told me, if you have a corner shop, go and buy a loaf of bread and a pint of milk.

"My friend that I was going with is stuck at the airport not knowing what to do."

Affected customers should check monarch.caa.co.uk, external for more information or call the CAA 24-hour helpline on 0300 303 2800.

Stuart Maisner
BBC Live reporter

Meet the former policeman with a rare neuromuscular disease who's now an award-winning amateur photographer.

Scott Sinden is the latest to appear in our series meeting our #PhotoOfTheDay regulars.

Meet Jimmy Lawrence, one of the last men to skipper a working Thames Barge.