Caitlin Webb
Local Democracy Reporter

Taxpayers will have to spend an extra £30,000 as two borough councils struggle to empty bottle banks.

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council have agreed to spend thousands on hiring an additional truck as two old council-owned vehicles have become "unreliable".

The vehicles, owned jointly by Tonbridge and Malling Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, have been running for almost two years longer than initially planned when they were purchased last decade.

Now after a "growing number of complaints" from residents that glass and tin banks are overflowing, the councils have decided to hire an external company to meet the demand.

Essex-based Lucy & Martin Recycling Company will join the current provider Veolia to increase the amount of collections at around 100 locations across the two local authorities.

Image source, Sussex Police

A £500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a teenager who is believed to be in Hastings.

Joseph Charlotte, from Carlisle, Cumbria, is wanted in connection with a burglary and a criminal damage offence.

The 16-year-old is known to have friends and relatives in Hastings.

Police say there have been several sightings of him in the seaside town during the last two weeks.

Hamish Mureddu-Reid
BBC News Online, South East

Image source, Govia Thameslink Railway

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) says it is joining in the Pride celebrations in Brighton by rebranding 12 of its Southern trains with the colours of the rainbow.

GTR which has details of its services over the weekend on its website, external says it will have longer trains and additional services "where possible".

Preston Park will be closed over the weekend and London Road station will be closed from noon on Saturday and all day on Sunday.

Image source, Govia Thameslink Railway

Graham Thrower, Brighton station's area manager said: "There is a real feeling of anticipation at the station.

"Staff have been working hard behind the scenes to get ready, and will be joining in by dressing up and wearing glitter."

The advertising watchdog rules the firm could not say it reached London in 30 minutes if many trains did not.

Some 100,000 riders have taken part in numerous events in the capital and Surrey.

The 35-year-old was jailed for contempt of court after filming outside a Leeds Crown Court trial.

A 10-year-old girl who suffered horrific burns in a fire pit accident has been speaking about what happened to her.

Jessica Symons spent weeks in hospital after she was engulfed in flames. She was left with burns to her face and body.

Image source, Getty Images

The Argus, external: Woman raped on Southwick Green - police tape off park as detectives hunt for clues

Kent Online, external: Fire engines called to Canterbury Cathedral

Get Surrey, external: Dramatic footage shows huge derelict Woking farmhouse fire which took six hours to put out

Sussex Express, external: Railway line closure during £20m signalling upgrade

Mid Sussex Times, external: Battle to lower speed limit on road between Horsham and Crawley

West Sussex County Times, external: Vicar set to leave Horsham after 11 years

Worthing Herald, external: Rustington couple discovers thousands of endangered rays in our waters

Chichester Observer, external: Houseboat plan at Birdham pool ‘would end’ treasured view

Kent Live, external: A Margate teenager has vowed Twitter trolls won’t get in the way of his job hunt

Brighton and Hove News, external: Former council chief to chair Brighton hospital trust

Brighton and Hove Independent, external: Brighton photographer captures city’s cats on camera

Eastbourne Herald:, external Langney Library to reopen as community-run facility

Hastings Observer, external: Couple wed on Hastings Pier after anxious build-up

Crawley and Horley Observer, external: Crawley branch manager’s gruelling trek to help hospice

An eight-metre model of the Flying Scotsman is the star attraction at an exhibition that captures moments of British history in Lego.

More than 150,000 bricks have been used to build Bricks Britannia at the Novium Museum in Chichester.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

A 71-year-old man has died after falling off his motorbike in Strood.

It happened on the A2 Watling Street around 19:00 BST last night.

The man, who was from Rochester, came off the black Herald MTR as he travelled towards the Wainscott bypass, close to a traffic island and the junction with Parkfields.

BBC analysis shows grammar schools are expanding rapidly, even before funding for extra places.

Danny Pike
Presenter, BBC Sussex and Surrey

This morning I'm asking why thousands of children don't have a bed of their own to sleep in.

Join me from 09:00 BST.

Children without their own beds may have concentration problems due to poor sleep quality, a charity says.

Afghanistan's Rashid Khan remains at Sussex for the whole of the T20 Blast group stage after extending his stay at Hove.

Kate Kinsella
BBC Weather

How will the weather for this month start?

Here's my forecast.

We'll be doing a tour of the South East this summer. Here's where we'll be.

Youngster Kiran Carlson scores his maiden T20 half-century as Glamorgan beat Surrey while Yorkshire cruise past Leicestershire.

Arry Petch, 18, died when a car hit a wall on Sunday in Aylesham, Kent.

Sarah Keith-Lucas
Weather presenter

Here's my forecast for the days ahead...

Lancashire Thunder earn another dramatic win as the top three all register victories in the Kia Super League.