Hamish Mureddu-Reid
BBC News Online, South East

Image source, Presser

A former minister has said he is shocked by proposals from Guildford Borough Council to build on green belt land.

Sir Paul Beresford, the Conservative MP for Mole Valley, said the council was looking to build 57% of new homes on green belt.

He said during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons: "It was therefore a shock to me and a vast number of my constituents in the Guildford wards of Mole Valley when Guildford council submitted their draft local plan."

Theresa May said a local authority could only alter a green belt boundary in "exceptional" circumstances.

She said: "In our housing white paper, we were very clear this means when they've examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting identified development needs - of course that includes looking at brownfield sites and building on brownfield sites.

"We want to ensure green belt is protected."

Stuart Maisner
BBC Live reporter

Gillingham football players have made a Christmas visit to meet sick children at the Medway Maritime Hospital.

The deaths of two men whose bodies were found in a flat in Tunbridge Wells are now being treated as non-suspicious, Kent Police has said.

Officers were called to a property in Grove Hill Road at 12:06 GMT on Wednesday 6 December.

Two men aged in their 40s and 50s were found dead. Their next of kin have been informed.

Post mortem examinations have been completed and a report will be sent to the coroner.

Have you seen Andrew Prince? He's wanted in relation to a stabbing in Eastbourne, but police believe he may currently be in Lincolnshire.

Image source, Sussex Police

Sussex and Lincolnshire Police have joined forces to ask for people's help in locating the 20-year-old after a man was attacked in Eastbourne in October.

He is also wanted on a warrant after failing to appear at Hastings Magistrates' Court for possession of an offensive weapon.

Officers believe he may be in the Boston or Spalding areas and are asking for anyone with information to get in touch.

Workers at six rail companies are planning to stage a series of 24-hour strikes in 2018 in the long-running dispute over the role of guards.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) at South Western Railway, Greater Anglia, Merseyrail, Arriva Rail North and the Isle of Wight's Island Line will walk out on 8, 10 and 12 January, while those on Southern will strike on 8 January.

The union said it had made "every single effort" to resolve the bitter disputes, which it insisted were about safety.

Hamish Mureddu-Reid
BBC News Online, South East

Two illuminated reindeer, a festive St Bernard dog and a sleigh were among Christmas decorations stolen from the front garden of a home in Challock, near Ashford.

Four sets of white Christmas lights being used in trees were also taken from The Lees between 18:00 GMT on Sunday and 15:20 GMT on Monday, Kent Police said.

Det Sgt Nicky Holland-Day said: "During the season of goodwill, this theft shows a distinct lack of Christmas spirit."

Andrew Foster suffered catastrophic facial injuries when an oil drum exploded in his face.

There was a treat for Christmas shoppers in Maidstone this weekend, with the town centre used to stage a live nativity, including animals.

Kelly Turner died having raised almost two thirds of the cost of specialist treatment in the US.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

Seven people have been arrested and suspected drugs seized in a series of raids across Gravesend and South London.

A 38-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman from Gravesend are among those detained, along with four men and a woman from Clapton, Stockwell, Kennington, Peckham and Wimbledon.

Image source, Kent Police

The raids are part of Operation Raptor, Kent Police's crackdown on the supply of drugs from the capital to the county.

Image source, Kent Police

A new bill introduces new penalties including unlimited fines for laser offences against vehicles.

The owner of this house needs every inch of space, and several trees, to display his collection of baubles, gathered over more than half a century.

Charlotte Wright
Reporter, BBC South East

Es Devlin has created stage sets for many leading performers, such as Adele, Beyonce and Kanye West.

The artist, who's from Rye, has now turned her attention to a festive project.

Children at a school in Brighton are working with scientists from Kew's Millennium Seed Bank to help protect rare butterflies.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has released an interim report into a train crash near Waterloo station, which happened on 15, August.

Investigators say a set of points outside the UK's busiest station were "not set correctly" and "directed the train away from its intended route".

It adds that the driver of the commuter train - bound for Guildford - noticed this and applied the brakes "three seconds" before crashing into an engineering train.

This reduced the train's speed and the impact.

There were no injuries, however the crash caused widespread disruption lasting more than a day.

Image source, RAIB

Surrey all-rounder Scott Borthwick signs a new contract, and will remain at The Oval until the end of the 2020 season.

Last year three people died and 16 others were seriously injured on Kent's roads because of drivers who'd been using drugs.

We've been on patrol with the officers who are on the front line in the fight against drug-driving.

Yasmine Djadoudi
BBC Live reporter

Fatima left home nearly two years ago and her family hasn’t seen her since. Her husband has described her disappearance as a 'nightmare' and says his life has been put on hold.

Kate Kinsella
BBC Weather

Here's my latest forecast.

Lizzie Massey
BBC Live reporter

Image source, Worthing United FC

Vandals smashed four windows, two doors and emptied fridges and freezers during a raid on a football club.

Worthing United was targeted on Monday 18 December.

Club chairman Steve Taylor said the "mindless action was hugely disheartening".

While nothing was stolen except some cans of cola, the damage will cost thousands of pounds to repair, he said.

Image source, Worthing United FC

The physio room, officials room, tea hut/kitchen and outbuildings were all raided.

Volunteers helped to clear up the mess and secure the buildings, but the windows will all need to be fixed if the club's Boxing Day match is to go ahead.

During the summer the club unveiled a new stand in memory of the 11 victims of the Shoreham air crash, as two of the men who died in the tragedy played for the side.

The memorial was not damaged, which Mr Taylor said was a small comfort.

Image source, Worthing United FC

Image source, Worthing FC