Indian IT services provider MindTree is celebrating 10 years supporting the Spastics Society in Indian state Karnatica which was formed in 1999.

The government has invited tenders for "identity verification and authentication services", in an attempt to assess the public sector's need for something that will confirm a user's identity.

RBS is axing 1,000 technology jobs as part of a cull of 3,500 positions across the company.

A DIRECT bus service into Sevenoaks and Gatwick is to be axed due to lack of support.

Borough Green travellers were delighted last year when parish council chairman Cllr Steve Perry persuaded Excel Passenger Logistics to stop its Maidstone to Gatwick coach in the village.

But the two-hourly X11 coach will stop on June 25.

Holiday-makers and businessmen and women who have come to rely on the cheap airport service will now have to pay out £50 each way for a taxi.

Cllr Perry said: "I am surprised at the news. Although it is an unusual journey I thought more would use the service to Sevenoaks station.

"Perhaps more would have used it if the timings were different."

The bus leaves the Sevenoaks Road stop near the Western Road junction approximately every two hours from 3.20am.

Parish councillor Mike Yianni recently highlighted poor bus services to and from the village, particularly from Borough Green to Maidstone Hospital.

On hearing the latest news, about the X11, he said: "I don't know how much publicity there was for it. A lot of people didn't know about it.

"It won't be a good move for the village."

Residents have often complained to the councillor about the poor bus services to Sevenoaks, especially for people working there.

SIX years after nearly losing a leg, Tony Martin is gearing up to cycle across the challenging terrains of the Andes and Amazon rainforest.

The Stansted man, 28, is to embark on the 210-mile two-wheeled adventure over mountains and through thick jungle for soldiers' charity Help for Heroes.

He said: "From a young age, I have always been interested in sport. I used to ride horses and then I got involved in motorbikes, so over the years I have had quite a lot of injuries."

Six years ago, he crashed his grass track motorbike and nearly lost a leg

"I spent six months learning to walk again," said Tony.

"But I have always been very active and find myself drawn to taking on new challenges."

Tony still suffers pain from his old injuries, but his love of sport has always spurred him on.

He added: "Over the years, I have injured myself quite a lot, so I do worry about the ride from that point of view.

"You do fall off your mountain bike and I don't bounce like I used to. Sometimes it really hurts, from where I have injured myself in the past."

His September 16 South American trek will begin in the Andes and includes a day-long mountain climb. Also taking part in the challenge are two of his friends, Robertsbridge sisters, Alex Petkovic, 29, and Charlie, 34.

"I'm really excited because I have always wanted to go to Peru and see the lost cities, and I have always wanted to go to the Amazon," Tony said.

The trio will mountain bike for five-and-a-half days across the Andes and into the Amazon rainforest, also raising funds for Barnardo's.

The self-employed maintenance and repair man, who also constructs sports facilities, has been training since November.

His gruelling six-day-a-week schedule often begins at 5am and includes either working out in the gym, circuit training, or a 40 to 50-mile cycle ride.

"It's easier at this time of year because the nights are drawing out," said Tony. "Throughout the winter, I was having to use loads of lights on my bike."

Tony, of Tumblefield Road, often trains alone, but is sometimes joined by his bike polo team mates from Vigo.

NEW plans for Kings Hill could include an upmarket supermarket like Waitrose or M&S Food.

An updated scheme for the area around Liberty Square was presented to residents at last week's annual parish meeting.

Andrew Blevins, managing director of developer Liberty, brought along early plans showing a 20,000sqft retail outlet next door to Asda.

He told residents: "It would be nice to have an alternative to offer besides the market Asda has captured".

Kings Hill residents have often criticised the decision to allow the budget supermarket to open on their doorstep.

At the meeting on Wednesday of last week, Derek Schroeder asked at the meeting on Wednesday of last week (April 28): "What's the point in having Asda on such a high-brow estate as Kings Hill?"

Liberty's draft proposals also tackle the controversial issue of the control tower, once the focal point of West Malling as a Second World War air base.

Plans have been mooted in the past to turn the listed building into a museum, but Mr Blevins said it would not be possible.

"It's all about bringing the control tower back into use, but it has to be sustainable.

"It is not a sustainable proposition to imagine someone will sink millions of pounds into the building for it simply to end up as a museum."

The developer has been working with English Heritage on a plan to link two single-storey pods to the building in a bid to attract "high-quality branded coffee operators" to the site.

Resident Ray Cassidy said: "All we are hearing is we, we, we and I'm interpreting that as Liberty. Is everything just down to the business community?"

Angela Vincent agreed: "There seems to be an over Liberty riding feeling we're just a commodity in part of this money-making scheme."

Liberty also wants to drop initial proposals for a multi-storey car park and to build more homes near the centre, including some small town houses off Queen Street.

The properties might be sold as affordable housing.

The developer also plans to remodel Liberty Square and Queen Street, introducing more green space, but says the economic climate means it will have to scale down plans for more shops.

Mr Blevins admitted the square, created six years ago, had "not been a financial success".

"We have had the devil's own job to get people interested," he said.

Parish council chairman Cllr Sarah Barker, who chaired the busy meeting in the community centre, said residents would have an opportunity to make their views known when Liberty submitted formal plans.

Liberty aims to consult the public about the project this summer and hopes to have planning permission by the end of the year.

Mr Blevins hopes building work will begin next spring.

He told residents: "I would urge you to see it as a package. We can't say we'll have a bit of this but not that. We need to think or it as a whole."