ITV Meridian news in brief

Kent firefighters are hailing the early success of their new all terrain vehicle after it helped rescue a puppy from a 30 foot hole.

The vehicle was used for the first time near Chartham on Wednesday, getting firefighters and equipment to a ploughed field on the edge of a wooded copse where Brody, a 15-month-old puppy red setter retriever, was trapped.

He had been missing since Saturday.

Crews set up a pulley system to retrieve Brody and used specialist equipment to go into the hole, putting the puppy into a harness to bring him to the surface.

Station Manager Russ Jones said: “It was smiles all round when Brody was brought up to safe ground.”

Brody’s owner, Charles Willson, added: “He was a rescue dog and we’ve only had him for a short while, so we were devastated when he went missing. We are thrilled and incredibly grateful to Kent Fire and Rescue Service for helping us get him back.

“We’ve taken him to the vets this morning, who have said he’s fine and just needs a good meal or two and a rest but he’s very happy to be home.”

German company MVV Energie has started constructing a biomass plant near Sittingbourne in Kent.

The company says the £118million power plant will create 25 jobs at Ridham Dock. It will be fuelled by old timber and construction is due to be completed in 2015.

A pedestrian involved in a crash near Winchester has died.

At around 1pm yesterday a blue Vauxhall Corsa collided with a woman and a dog on the B3049 near Lainston House Hotel.

Caitlin Homan, 24, from Canton in Connecticut, USA, was taken to hospital were she was pronounced dead earlier today.

Officers are continuing their appeal for information and would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw either the pedestrian or the vehicle prior to it.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgnt Andy Tester at the Fratton Roads Policing unit on 101.

A homeless man who was caught on camera stealing £500 from a bookmakers in Tunbridge Wells, has been jailed for six years. 55-year-old Christopher Hall handed himself in after CCTV images were released by Kent police in April.

The head teacher of a Kent school has said he fears it will take a serious injury "or even death" before safety measures are put in place to stop traffic chaos outside its gates.

Andy Somers, executive head at Cliftonville primary, is backing a campaign by governors and parents for urgent action to halt "motoring madness".

They want a zebra or pelican crossing, speed bumps, a 20 mph speed limit or even a one-way system introduced outside the school.

Mr Somers said: “The majority of drivers and motorist parents delivering and picking up children behave responsibly,” but he added "actions by the minority mean you do take your life in your hands.”

Hampshire Police say they have seized £3.3million in cash and assets during the past 12 months using the Proceeds of Crime Act.

It almost doubles the amount claimed back the previous year using powers that came into law in 2003.

They said significant confiscations have been made on the Isle of Wight, in Farnborough, Aldershot, Alton and Waterlooville. Funds forfeited are divided 50/50 between the Home Office and the police.

The biggest order was brought against the financier of a cannabis import ring.

He received a sentence of eight years in prison, and a confiscation of £2.3million in cash and assets including houses in Dubai and properties in the UK.

If he doesn’t pay back the money by time of his release in six months time, he will receive another eight years on top of his existing sentence.

A3098 High Street in Chapmanslade both directions blocked, slow traffic due to broken down lorry around Huntenhull Lane.

Police are appealing for information after a man died in a road crash in the early hours of this morning in Hampshire.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene after his BMW collided with a tree on the A34, around a mile south of Tothill services, at around 1.45am.

He was believed to be in his 30s. Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the vehicle before the crash.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fratton Roads Policing unit, quoting Operation Plait, on 101.