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. Gillingham sign Bury's Reilly on loanpublished at 11:45 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Gillingham sign Bury midfielder Callum Reilly on loan until the end of the season.

    Read More
  2. Trust apologise after man sent home too soon after surgery diespublished at 10:08 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Yasmine Djadoudi
    BBC Live reporter

    NHS managers have apologised to the family of a Sussex grandfather who died after being sent home too soon from hospital after a major surgery.

  3. Attack leaves victim unconscious for almost a weekpublished at 10:01 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Bob Dale
    BBC Live reporter

    A teenager has been left with head injuries described as "potentially life-changing" after being attacked in Brighton.

    It happened outside the Arch nightclub on the Lower Esplanade, just after 07:00 on 14 January, and followed a closing-time altercation in another nightclub, the Hub.

    Lower Esplanade, BrightonImage source, Google
    Image caption,

    The attack happened on Brighton's Lower Esplanade

    The 19-year-old victim is still unconscious in the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

    A man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

  4. Rail services hit across the South Eastpublished at 08:23 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Bob Dale
    BBC Live reporter

    The wind is causing problems for many people trying to get to work by train this morning.

    Southern says a fallen tree is blocking the line between Oxted and Uckfield, with replacement buses being used for Crowborough, Oxted and Uckfield.

    Blocked lines between Horsham and Dorking and at Lingfield have now been removed and the lines reopened.

    The latest updates from Southern are here, external.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

    Southeastern said it has disruption to London-bound services because of a train hitting a tree at Sydenham, a train striking a fence blown on to the line at Sheerness-on-Sea and a tree on the line near Deal.

    The latest details are here, external.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post 2

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post 2
  5. Cornish chefs feed migrants in Calaispublished at 08:05 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    BBC Spotlight

    A group of chefs are on their way from Cornwall to Calais to provide food for migrants.

    Keep Cornwall Fed, external is a social enterprise involving a number of people who are trying to reduce food poverty.

    Chef chops leeks

    It has provided more than 3,000 free meals in the county since it started 12 months ago.

    Chefs are lending their support to the the Refugee Community Kitchen, which helps feed migrants in Northern France.

  6. Delays as QE2 Bridge closed at Dartfordpublished at 07:57 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Hamish Mureddu-Reid
    BBC News Online, South East

    The A282 QE2 Bridge at the Dartford Crossing is expected to remain closed until after the morning rush hour, due to high winds, Highways England have said.

    Southbound traffic is using the tunnel's east bore. Northbound traffic is restricted to the west bore, where a height restriction of 4.8m (15ft 9in) has been put in place.

    Long delays are to be expected throughout the morning.

  7. 'Fraudsters ran copycat website scam'published at 20:57 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    The group allegedly tricked paying customers into thinking they were on authorised government sites.

    Read More
  8. New mother and baby unit to openpublished at 20:31 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    Mother-of-two Zoe Gibson has helped design the specialist unit, which will be the first in the South East.

    Read More
  9. PC sacked for checking abuse victim casepublished at 20:01 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    Det Con Jessica Hamer used a computer to search for the crime report for her boyfriend's friend.

    Read More
  10. Police concerns over missing womanpublished at 19:34 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    Yasmine Djadoudi
    BBC Live reporter

    Police have said they are "concerned" about a woman from Henfield who has gone missing.

    Katherine Haxby, 55, was last seen at home on Tuesday morning and was due to attend Brighton College.

    It is believed Katherine drove into Brighton on that morning in a silver Citroen car.

    Sussex Police has asked anyone with any information about Katherine's whereabouts to contact them.

    Katherine HaxbyImage source, Sussex Police
  11. Barrow sign ex-Gills keeper Arnoldpublished at 18:51 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    National League side Barrow sign former Gillingham goalkeeper Steve Arnold on an 18-month contract.

    Read More
  12. Pensioner punched in face in Hovepublished at 18:40 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    Yasmine Djadoudi
    BBC Live reporter

    A 79-year-old man needed hospital treatment after being punched in the face in Hove over the weekend.

    The attack happened in George Street shortly before 12:30 GMT on Saturday.

    A 33-year-old man was arrested and charged with wounding and assault by beating.

    Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.

    George Street, HoveImage source, Google Maps
  13. Queen Elizabeth II bridge to close at midnightpublished at 18:11 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    Yasmine Djadoudi
    BBC Live reporter

    High winds will force the closure of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge from midnight.

    Highways England said it will continue to monitor wind speeds closely and will reopen the bridge as soon as the wind drops to a safe level.

    As a result, the east tunnel of the Dartford Crossing will close at 21:00 GMT tonight in preparation for the bridge closure.

    Highways England said the crossing will remain open overnight, with the tunnel operating in both directions when the bridge is closed.

    The agency expects the bridge to reopen after the morning rush hour tomorrow but added this "could change based on forecast wind speeds".

    Dartford Crossing
  14. Loneliness minister targeting young and oldpublished at 18:08 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    The government creates a new ministerial role, which continues the work of the late MP Jo Cox.

    Read More
  15. Judges rule 'mailbag thief' was framedpublished at 18:07 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    Stephen Simmons clears his name, after discovering his arresting detective was jailed for framing people.

    Read More
  16. Teen wanted after court no-showpublished at 18:06 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    A teenager who failed to show up to court is wanted by Sussex Police.

    Connor Mackay, 17, who has been charged with theft of a vehicle, failed to attend court on Wednesday 10 January.

    Sussex Police believe Mackay may be in the Brighton and Hove or St Leonards area.

    A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

    Connor MackayImage source, Sussex Police
  17. Baby death mother 'not told of small risk'published at 17:31 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    Baby Puck died in a neonatal unit following an emergency caesarean section.

    Read More
  18. Builder 'kidnapped and raped' womenpublished at 16:23 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    A builder planned for weeks to abduct two women and dump their bodies in a freezer, a court hears.

    Read More
  19. Tribute to 'clever, interesting and kind' student struck by trainpublished at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    Sue Nicholson
    BBC News

    Lara CalthropImage source, British Transport Police

    A woman who died after being struck by a train at Hildenborough railway station has been described as "clever, interesting and kind".

    University student Lara Calthrop, 19, died on 29 December.

    A family tribute said she was always smiling and had "left a gap" in everyone's lives.

    "She had set off for university life in London to study English Literature in September 2016 full of hope for the future," they said.

    "We knew she had become unhappy and disillusioned with her course but never imagined for one second that she would so drastically take away her own life, or the extent of her depression."

    The family added that they hoped to raise funds for Papyrus, external - a national charity for the prevention of suicide in young people - so that "Lara’s death has not been meaningless".

  20. Drone 'crashed into newly erected crane'published at 14:40 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2018

    It struck a crane that was not in place when the pilot carried out site safety check, a report says.

    Read More