Summary

  • An independent review into how the Church of England handled the case of a Sussex bishop accused of being a child abuser will be published later today.

  • The church has apologised to the relatives of former Bishop of Chichester George Bell for the way it investigated the claims.

  • Primary School children in Medway and East Sussex have fallen below the government's expectations with less than 65% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

  • The family of East Sussex adventurer Christian Velten - who went missing in West Africa 14 years ago - are still hoping he will make his way home after he was apparently seen begging.

  • News, sport, weather and travel updates for the South East of England

  1. Sheep destroyed after dog attackpublished at 13:37 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Kathryn Langley
    BBC Live reporter

    Police are trying to find a dog thought to be responsible for attacks on three flocks of sheep near Uckfield.

    The attacks have all taken place in the past fortnight in the High Hurstwood area.

    In the latest incident, a sheep grazing near Burnt Oak Road was badly mauled and had to be destroyed.

    Officers say the dog suspected of carrying out the attacks is a large, tan coloured animal.

    Quote Message

    Livestock worrying has a devastating effect on the sheep farming community and is a nationwide problem.

    Quote Message

    Please keep your dog safe and do not let it roam away from your property. Where appropriate, police will prosecute owners who allow their dogs to attack sheep and under certain circumstances dogs worrying livestock may be shot."

    Sergeant Tom Carter, Sussex Police

  2. 'Energy drinks need to be regulated'published at 13:18 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Kathryn Langley
    BBC Live reporter

    The family of an East Sussex man who took his own life are calling for the government to regulate the sale of high caffeine energy drinks.

    Justin Bartholomew from Newhaven had been depressed before he died.

    His relatives believe the drinks contributed to his mental state.

  3. A birds-eye viewpublished at 12:48 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Kent County Council has tweeted this pic of an unwelcome visitor to their traffic cameras.

  4. Police officer injured after burglarypublished at 12:32 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Hamish Mureddu-Reid
    BBC News Online, South East

    A Kent Police officer has been hurt as he investigated reports of garage locks being tampered with in Dartford.

    A man was seen testing the locks in the St Vincent's Avenue area at about 02:30 GMT, police said.

    Police then found two men sitting in a van who tried to drive away, hitting a police car and injuring one of the officers.

    Two men, a 31-year old from Chatham, and a 26-year-old from Gravesend were arrested on suspicion of theft and burglary.

    DartfordImage source, Kent Police
  5. Tractor used in cash machine ram-raidpublished at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    A cash machine is ripped out of a shop front on a petrol station forecourt.

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  6. Appeal to find toddler's lost toypublished at 11:53 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Mac the monkey was lost on a flight from Gatwick to Knock.

    Read More
  7. Energy drinks 'need to be regulated'published at 11:43 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Justin Bartholomew was drinking up to 15 cans a day before he died in August.

    Read More
  8. Inquest into death of Max Clifford openspublished at 11:34 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    The disgraced publicist died after collapsing in his cell in Littlehey Prison in Cambridgeshire, on 10 December.

    Read More
  9. Cooking for £1 a portionpublished at 11:29 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Bags Of Taste is a free cooking course helping people in or at risk of food poverty to cook extremely cheap yet nutritious meals.

  10. Tractor used in cash machine ram-raidpublished at 11:22 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Sue Nicholson
    BBC News

    Scene of the ram-raid

    Thieves in Surrey have used a tractor and a digger to rip a cash machine out of a shop front.

    The Londis store at the Texaco garage, on the A25 at Gomshall, was badly damaged in the raid, which happened just before 03:00 GMT.

    Scene of the ram-raid

    The suspects are believed to have driven off in two other vehicles, leaving debris scattered on the forecourt and in the road.

    The tractor and the digger were abandoned at the scene.

    Scene of the ram-raid
  11. Part of garden city gets go-aheadpublished at 11:00 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Hamish Mureddu-Reid
    BBC News Online, South East

    Ebbsfleet Garden CityImage source, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation

    Plans for 6,250 new homes at Ebbsfleet Garden City have been approved.

    The development at Eastern Quarry, which was approved by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s planning committee, will include a market square with shop, bars and restaurants, as well as offices.

    One third of the area will be open spaces, the developers said.

    "There will be a series of smaller neighbourhood greens, local parks and play areas, all creating a unique garden city feel," a spokesman said.

  12. Cooking for £1 a portionpublished at 10:51 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    'Bags Of Taste' is a free cooking class aimed at helping people in or at risk of food poverty. Alicia Weston is teaching people all over the UK to cook nutritious meals for less than £1 a portion. She teaches students to cook healthy meals and then sells them a bag of ingredients for £3 (which makes 4 portions) so that they can re-create the dishes at home. Students say it’s empowering and that it broadens the type of food they’re eating.

    Filmed by Emily France and Charlotte Pritchard. Edited and Produced by Emily France.

  13. Theresa May "will miss his advice, will miss his support"published at 10:47 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Here's the BBC's Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg on Damian Green's sacking.

  14. Family jewellery stolen in 'distressing' Luton burglarypublished at 10:45 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Family jewellery handed down through several generations has been stolen during a burglary on Monday.

    The thieves broke in to the house on Riddy Lane in Luton.

    PC Alex Marvin said it was "a very distressing incident" for the home owners.

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  15. Grieving parents 'felt like a burden'published at 09:14 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Tens of thousands of mothers and babies in England have been harmed by potential lapses in maternity care in the past two years, the BBC has learnt.

    Wendy and Ryan Agius are from Eastbourne.

    Their daughter, Talulah, was stillborn.

    Read more on this story here.

  16. Damian Green sacked after 'misleading statements' on porn claimspublished at 08:52 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Lizzie Massey
    BBC Live reporter

    Ashord MP Damian GreenImage source, PA
    Image caption,

    Ashord MP Damian Green

    Damian Green, one of Theresa May's closest allies, has been sacked from the cabinet after an inquiry found he had breached the ministerial code.

    He was "asked to quit" after he was found to have made "inaccurate and misleading" statements over what he knew about claims pornography was found on his office computer in 2008.

    He also apologised for making writer Kate Maltby feel uncomfortable in 2015.

    Laura Kuenssberg said the PM "had little choice but to ask him to go".

    The BBC's political editor said the departure of a close friend left Mrs May a "lonelier figure".

    Mr Green, 61, who as first secretary of state was effectively the PM's deputy, is the third cabinet minister to resign in the space of two months - Sir Michael Fallon and Priti Patel both quit in November.

    Mr Green is the Ashford MP.

    Read more here.

  17. Today's local newspaper headlinespublished at 08:42 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    NewspapersImage source, Getty Images

    The Argus, external: Shopkeeper’s dismay over police response to theft

    Kent Online, external: Manhunt launched after taxi driver's car set on fire at petrol station

    Get Surrey, external: Epsom Hospital trust charges its staff more than almost anywhere else in the UK for parking, according to union figures

    Brighton and Hove Independent, external: Bus company boss ‘regrets’ fare rises

    Kent Live, external: Kent's quietest railway station has just 11 passengers a day

    Worthing Herald, external: Town’s bowls history ‘under threat’ over parking decision

    Crawley and Horley Observer, external: Little Ellie Mae is a Christmas star

    Chichester Observer, external: Husband pleads for missing woman to come home for Christmas

    Hastings Observer, external: Bailey is loving it after building giant replica of McDonalds from gingerbread

    Mid Sussex Times, external: Rail union announces strike action

  18. 'Original' pirate radio station returnspublished at 08:19 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Former 'pirate' station given old BBC World Service frequency in an "ironic twist".

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  19. Rail strikes in new year over guards rowpublished at 20:07 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2017

    RMT members at six train operating companies plan a series of new year strikes.

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  20. Gorillas' Christmas tree treatpublished at 18:36 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2017

    Christmas came early for these gorillas at Port Lympne Reserve as they were given a tree with edible decorations.