Residents should not be distressed at the removal of the public benches in the remembrance garden behind the Maidstone Carriage Museum. They are not gone for good.

The three benches were taken away by Maidstone council's parks and open spaces department in October for repair and repainting and are due to be returned tomorrow, Tuesday.

The news should please those who feared the seats had gone for good in a move to discourage anti-social behaviour.

The park, off Palace Avenue, provides a popular walking short cut to College Road, and in summer months is also favoured by office workers as a spot to eat their lunch.

A council spokesman said: "The seats were unsafe and in poor condition with broken slats.

"We are doing the repair work in the winter when there are fewer visitors."