South East news: Week in review

Shot soldier 'talked of suicide'

A soldier was found shot dead at Deepcut barracks in Surrey hours after telling colleagues he was thinking of killing himself, an inquest heard on Monday.

Pte James Collinson, 17, from Perth, said he was considering killing himself adding: "I am going to do it tonight".

He later borrowed a rifle from a fellow recruit and walked off for a smoke, a jury at Epsom Magistrates' Court was told on the first day of the inquest.

The hearing followed inquests into the deaths at Deepcut of three other soldiers from Sussex, Wales and County Durham. The hearing continues.

Huge blaze wrecks disused hotel

A disused hotel in West Sussex was left badly damaged after a fire engulfed the two-storey building in the early hours of Tuesday.

More than 50 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Cranfield Lodge Hotel, in Maypole Road, East Grinstead, which had been scheduled for demolition.

No one was inside the building. Fire crews were pulled back from the blaze when the roof collapsed and it was judged too dangerous to continue.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire was being investigated. Arson was not ruled out.

Family abducted in £50m heist

Police said more than £25m in cash was stolen from a depot in Kent after its security manager and his family were kidnapped by armed robbers posing as police.

The raid was carried out in the early hours of Wednesday at Securitas, in Vale Road, Tonbridge, by at least six men who tied up 15 staff members.

The manager, Colin Dixon, was abducted after being pulled over in his car by what he thought was an unmarked police vehicle. His wife and son were kidnapped at about the same time at the home in Herne Bay.

Estimates of the amount stolen later rose to a possible £50m, making it the UK's biggest ever cash robbery.

Further fears over Dreamland site

Campaigners fighting to save the Dreamland amusement park in Margate, Kent, have raised fears that the site could still be re-developed.

Thanet council published a local plan this month and is running consultation until 31 March.

The Save Dreamland Campaign said on Thursday the plan still allows redevelopment while they want that option to end.

The council has said the intention is for the site to remain an amusement park unless it proves not to be viable.

Call for hosepipe bans in South East

Water companies in south-east England are being urged to bring in hosepipe bans to avoid the introduction of more extreme water-saving measures such as standpipes.

A report from the Environment Agency made the recommendation, saying the region was in a "serious situation".

The period from October 2004 to January 2006 was the driest in some parts of the South East since 1921.

Rainfall has been low across most of England and Wales, but the south of England has been the driest area.