Summary

  • An Oxford University student from Surrey accused of rape has had the charges dropped after being on bail for two years

  • Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has suggested the need for a new transport link between the UK and France, during a summit with the French president

  • Relatives of people who died in the Orchid View care scandal in West Sussex will renew calls for an inquiry in talks with MPs

  • Thanet District Councillors voted last night against the proposed local plan which included 2,500 new homes to be built on the site of Manston Airport

  • Shepway District Council has voted to change its name to Folkestone and Hythe District Council

  • Video: One hundred years after women were given the vote, work has begun in a small West Sussex village to create a statue of Emmeline Pankhurst - the leader of the suffragette movement

  • Video: Kent teenage student Keisha Strain loves being a lifeboat volunteer

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

  1. NHS Tracker: Check key targets in your areapublished at 11:07 British Summer Time 13 June 2019

    Use our tracker to check whether your local services are meeting waiting-time targets for cancer, routine operations, A&E and mental health treatment.

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  2. I'll drain the swamp in UKIP, says Boltonpublished at 20:15 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Henry Bolton defies calls to step down as UKIP leader despite a series of resignations.

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  3. Man attacked and robbed in his own homepublished at 15:21 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Bob Dale
    BBC Live reporter

    Police are hunting two men who forced their way into a house in Dover and attacked the owner.

    He handed over a large amount of cash when the pair threatened him, along with a laptop and mobile.

    The robbery happened in Tower Hill at about 22:30 GMT on 7 December.

  4. Man rescued from sea off Brightonpublished at 15:03 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    A man has been rescued from the sea off Brighton Palace Pier.

    At about 13:00 GMT today, Sussex Police asked HM Coastguard for assistance after receiving reports that there was a person in the water.

    Shoreham Coastguard Rescue Team along with the Shoreham RNLI Lifeboats were sent to the scene, with Sussex Police and the South East Coast Ambulance Service.

    A man, believed to be in his 20s, has been rescued and detained under the Mental Health Act.

  5. 'Henry should realise the game is up and go'published at 14:57 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    UKIP's leader is "not facing reality" as several party spokespeople have stood down, says MEP Gerard Batten.

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  6. I expected Ennis reception - Yarnoldpublished at 14:24 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Olympic skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold recalls racing in front of "no-one" in 2014, while fellow Briton Laura Deas wants to make "the step up" in Pyeongchang.

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  7. Maidstone re-sign QPR defender Finneypublished at 14:16 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    National League side Maidstone United re-sign QPR centre-back Alex Finney on loan until the end of the season.

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  8. More on UKIP MEP's resignation as local government spokesmanpublished at 14:06 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    One of the region's UKIP Euro MPs has stood down from his party position as local government spokesman.

    In a statement on his website Tim Aker says: "I cannot continue to serve under Henry Bolton. I hope he does the right thing and resigns before the EGM, so the Party can move forward with a new leader.

    Mr Aker, who became an MEP for the East of England in 2014, is one of several senior party figures to stand down today following Mr Bolton's refusal to resign but will still be a UKIP MEP.

    Tim Aker who's resigned as local government spokesman.Image source, UKIP
    Image caption,

    MEP Tim Aker

    Meanwhile another of UKIP's MEPs, Norfolk farmer Stuart Agnew, has said he will not be resigning as the party's agriculture spokesman, because the party needed someone in the role "at this important time".

    The East of England's other UKIP MEP, Patrick O'Flynn, resigned as the party's economic spokesman last year.

  9. Car park murder accused admits killingpublished at 13:23 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Joshua Stimpson admits the manslaughter of Molly McLaren, but denies her murder.

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  10. 'Drunk' pilot released by policepublished at 13:11 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Hamish Mureddu-Reid
    BBC News Online, South East

    A pilot taken off a flight from Gatwick Airport over fears he was drunk has been released while investigations continue, Sussex Police said.

    A 49-year-old man was removed from the plane on Thursday after concerns were raised by a member of airline staff.

    The man from Harmondsworth, West Drayton in West London was arrested on suspicion of performing an aviation function when the level of alcohol was over the prescribed limit.

    The Boeing 777 which was scheduled to depart at 20:50 GMT took off just before 23:00 after the pilot was replaced, British Airways said.

    An airline spokesman said: "We are taking this matter extremely seriously."

    British Airways planesImage source, PA
  11. Petition demands Shoreham crash legal aidpublished at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    The families of the Shoreham air disaster victims have been refused legal aid ahead of an inquest.

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  12. South West MEP resigns from UKIP front benchpublished at 11:23 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    A third UKIP front bencher has resigned over Henry Bolton's refusal to stand down as leader.

    Earlier, Margot Parker stood down as the party's deputy leader after UKIP's immigration spokesman, John Bickley, quit.

    Mr Bolton is under fire over texts sent by his former girlfriend.

    William Dartmouth, an MEP for South West England, has sent a letter to Mr Bolton explaining why he is resigning.

    William Dartmouth (centre) debates with Philip Hammond and and Tim Farron in 2015
    Image caption,

    William Dartmouth (centre) debates with Philip Hammond and and Tim Farron in 2015

    Quote Message

    Your position is untenable. I am unable to serve under you. We have an important case to put over, including to rebut the CBI today. We cannot. Your personal life has become the entire story. When you became leader you said that you would make the party successful. If you still feel that way then you should resign forthwith.

    William Dartmouth, MEP for South West England

  13. Man in indecent exposure arrestpublished at 11:13 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    A man has been arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure in Folkestone.

    Kent Police had received reports of a man in a silver or grey car approaching people and then exposing himself.

    No physical contact has been reported.

    A 53-year-old man from Hythe was arrested on Friday and has been released pending further enquiries, Kent Police said.

  14. Sussex charity for disabled children raises money for new facilitiespublished at 10:23 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Yasmine Djadoudi
    BBC Live reporter

    As Brighton struggled against Chelsea over the weekend, just outside the stadium a different campaign was under way, as a Sussex charity for disabled children raised money for new state-of-the-art facilities

  15. Hamilton demands UKIP's Bolton resignspublished at 09:56 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Neil Hamilton says Henry Bolton has "made himself into a ludicrous figure due to poor judgement".

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  16. Missing teen foundpublished at 09:10 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Yasmine Djadoudi
    BBC Live reporter

    Missing Eastbourne teenager Yasmin Price has been found safe, say Sussex Police.

    The 15-year-old had been missing from her home for a week when she was found on Saturday 20 January.

    Sussex Police has thanked the public for their help in trying to find her.

  17. Seriously ill woman identified amid appealpublished at 08:33 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    The woman was found without any identification and taken to hospital in a serious condition.

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  18. Today's local newspaper headlinespublished at 08:22 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2018

    Newspaper printing pressImage source, Getty Images

    Kent Online, external: Flasher and fraudsters apply for jobs in west Kent schools

    The Argus, external: Final push to raise money to save young girl's leg

    Kent Live, external: Updates as a person dies after being struck by a train at Canterbury East railway station

    Surrey Mirror, external: Meet Epsom Pizza Hut hero who stepped between knife-wielding attacker to protect victim

    Hastings Observer, external: Police crackdown begins today

    Mid Sussex Times, external: Campaign to give young homeless people in South East a home in winter

    Brighton and Hove Independent, external: Tenants in South East at risk of the silent killer

    Worthing Herald, external: Community rallies to replace stolen charity cash

    Chichester Observer, external: Dance star’s success at championships

    Brighton and Hove News, external: Two people in hospital after crash shuts A23 just north of Brighton

  19. UKIP 'no confidence' vote on leader Boltonpublished at 19:09 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January 2018

    UKIP's ruling body backs a vote of no confidence in the party's leader Henry Bolton.

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  20. Appeal to identify seriously ill womanpublished at 18:16 Greenwich Mean Time 21 January 2018

    She was carrying a Mickey Mouse toy and has three distinctive moles on the left side of her face.

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