Felling of trees in a park has caused emotions to "run high" as one observer described seeing a "chainsaw massacre".

Workers have been cutting down trees in Victoria Park in Ashford as part of a wider project to regenerate the green space and introduce new trees.

Signs had to be put up during the work to ask people not to approach the crews working on the felling, after a number of people criticised the workers for destroying healthy-looking trees.

One observer said: "I'm sure there is a reason for what they are doing but in my opinion lots of healthy trees have been unnecessarily felled. It's a chainsaw massacre."

The latest trees to come down are located along the boundary of the basketball courts.

It comes as Ashford Borough Council is in the process of spending £4.5m on the park after securing funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2019.

An council spokesman said: "There are a number of trees currently coming out in Victoria Park, and which are part of the planned clearance works and tree maintenance works included within the Victoria Park project.

"The local community are much attached to, and rightly proud of, their park. In the past, on occasion, emotions have run high when they have seen healthy-looking trees being removed but have always understood the need once they’ve had a chat with the crews and heard why trees are being taken down.

"Notices have been up in the park since February to explain why tree works are being undertaken to forestall this and try to avoid park users from approaching the crews whilst they are undertaking hazardous works."

The council says there are a number of dead or dying ash trees in the park which have had to be removed, as well as some self-seeded evergreens which have grown at unsafe angles and need to be taken out.

"A large number of semi-mature trees have been planted so far across Victoria Park since 2020 in carefully planned spots to reintroduce original avenues of London planes," the council spokesman said, "and native oaks which will become a feature of the park for generations to come."