A FOURTH bid for the right to run an independent radio station in Maidstone has been submitted.

Radio for Maidstone (Maid FM) is a consortium headed by former Invicta FM programme director Roger Day and Nigel Reeve, who is a former chief executive of Invicta FM.

It will join a bidding war for an eight-year broadcasting licence in the County Town against 20/20 FM, Absolute Radio Kent and Maidstone Local Radio.

The licence, which will be awarded next spring, will allow the successful bidder to broadcast on one frequency in the FM waveband. Bids have to be registered by January 7, 2003. Radio for Maidstone was formed in 1989 - making it the oldest of the groups bidding for the licence.

Mr Day, who started broadcasting 35 years ago for Radio Caroline, said: "Radio for Maidstone plans a truly local radio station for the people of Maidstone. Over the next few weeks we will announce many of our programming plans."

The 20/20 FM group has been campaigning for a licence since 1993 and has carried trial broadcasts under the names of Maidstone Festival Radio (MFR), County Town Radio (CTR) and 20/20 FM.

Maidstone Local Radio (MLR) is backed by the Scottish Media Group - the owners of Virgin Radio - and its directors include Jill Cochrane, the presenter of Meridian TV's Country Ways and Richard Harvey, a former Invicta Radio director.

Absolute Radio Kent's shareholders include Absolute Radio UK (AR-UK) and Vibe Broadcasting.

Kent Messenger Group, which has five radio stations in the county, is disbarred from applying for the Maidstone licence under Radio Authority rules.