Meridian Kent University

Lecturers at the South East's universities walked out on strike today in a row about their pensions. Members of the University and College Union staged demonstrations at campuses including Sussex and Kent.

Employers say the final salary pension scheme is too expensive and is facing a huge deficit. But lecturers fear proposed changes could leave them up to £10,000 a year worse off.

Meanwhile, students are losing out on teaching at a crucial stage of their studies. And some are demanding financial compensation.

Malcolm Shaw has our report.

Around two hundred cyclists are preparing for the Tour de France which kicks off in England this year. The race coincides with a special cycling conference in Leeds which is being hosted by the University of Kent. Tom Savvides talks to Andy Galbraith and Professor Louis Passfield.

As many as 35 students at the Canterbury campus of Kent University have gone down with suspected mumps, it's been revealed.

The Health Protection Agency confirmed that the first cases appeared 2 weeks ago.

Information has been sent to students and a vaccine will be available at the medical centre.

Staff at the University of Kent have been asked to distribute information about mumps to its students.

It follows several suspected cases reported to doctors.

The Health Protection Agency contacted the University a fortnight ago.

No cases have been confirmed since.