Your Monday Medway Messenger is out today – packed with all the latest news, sport and entertainment.

Courageous Alec Martin was named winner of the Pride in Medway Awards on Saturday. The 14-year-old from Allhallows has been battling cancer – but that hasn’t stopped him raising £6,500 for charity.

Olympic gold medalist Duncan Goodhew who presented the awards with Meridian’s Sangeeta Bharbra described Alec as “exceptional”. You can read his story and see a picture of all 35 winners in today’s paper.

Our front page also takes pride in another Medway hero – Chatham dad Matt Loughrey who sets off on a gruelling bike ride across America today. Matt will be cycling 10 hours a day – travelling 160 miles each day with only his wife Caroline in a support vehicle alongside him.

We’ve also got the latest on the end of Rochester’s Christmas market. Emergency talks are being held after the firm behind it pulled out.

Hundreds of people attended the funeral of popular firefighter Chris Peacock on Thursday. See pictures of the moving guard of honour formed by his friends and colleagues on p5 of today’s paper.

We’ve also got dramatic pictures of a car fire on the A289 and the scene when a lorry crane toppled over in Chatham – narrowly missing cars and homes.

In our two-page Going Out guide we have news of a visit by the great great grandson of Charles Dickens and youngsters can find out how they can join this year’s Under Siege concert at Rochester’s Castle Gardens in July. Readers also have a chance to win tickets to see La Traviata at Showcase Cinemas at Bluewater.

In sport, we’ve got a full report and reaction following Gillingham’s 3-0 victory over Cheltenham on Saturday and news on the return of Jo Kuffour to the side.

All this for just 50p – don’t miss it.