When I created Kent Fisher, he lived at his animal sanctuary near to the fictional town of Tollingdon, north of Eastbourne. He worked for a fictional district council called, Downland, which covered a large part of the South Downs in East Sussex.
Downland manor, which is Kent’s home, was also fictional and set at the foot of the South Downs near to the real village of Folkington, close to the A27 to Brighton.
By creating a fictional town, I had the freedom to make it anything I wanted. My inspiration came from the town of Battle, situated on the site where Harold fought William the Conqueror in 1066.
By using Battle I could get the feel of the buildings and streets that would make up Tollingdon.
I also took inspiration from buildings in Rye, a little further down the coast.
Kent’s animal sanctuary is nestled at the bottom of the South Downs. He likes to go running over the hills, which give him some spectacular views across the green, rolling hills.
At dusk the view towards the coast from the hills above East Dean is breathtaking.
While the action in No Accident takes place in Tombstone Adventure Park about 12 miles north of Tollingdon, he always returns home to his animal sanctuary at Downland Manor.