Farmers have invaded a supermarket car park tonight as part of a stand against unfair treatment and cheap imports.

Around 20 vehicles are currently in the Asda car park in Ashford.

It is the third time farmers, and their tractors, have held protests in the county, with two previous rallies held in Dover.

Today, the farmers initially gathered at the Ashford livestock market before taking part in a go-slow, and ending at Asda.

Signs fixed to their machines read ‘back British farmers’, while the Union Jack was pinned to another vehicle.

Andrew Gibson, 42, a fifth generation farmer from Wingham, said: “British farmers have been downtrodden for years and years. And years. And we’ve just simply had enough.

“We're thinking about public safety and food security as well, as we're getting imports from around the world that are not operating to our standards.

“We've got the highest food standards in the world. And we want to keep that. We love feeding the British public, and we want to keep doing that.

“Supermarkets say they love British farming, but it's not filtering down.

“We’ve got to make sure we are protected and our food security is protected.

“The public have been brilliant – we’ve had a lot of support for our protests, people coming out the houses cheering and it has been brilliant actually, we really enjoyed it.”

Stuart Howland, from Canterbury, added: “It's important, because if we don't do something, it just gets swept under the carpet. And it will just carry on like it has been for the last 40 years.”

Police were also called to Asda that evening.

A spokesman said: “Kent Police were aware of a protest which took place in Kimberley Way, Ashford at around 6.30pm on Friday, February 23.

“Officers attended and engaged with those present.”

Last Saturday (February 17), farmers took to the streets of Dover for a second time, having also rallied the previous weekend.

Steve Skinner, who has a farm at Coldred, previously told KentOnline: “This is about food being sold under the cost to produce it.

“That's illegal in Europe but allowed here. It's not sustainable."

An initial protest was held on Friday, February 9, also in Dover.

This comes as Europe's farmers ramped up protests against EU measures and rising prices, with blocked roads reported in Belgium, Spain, Poland and Hungary.

Farmers on the Continent say they have also faced heavy regulation, powerful and domineering retailers, debt, climate change and cheap foreign imports.

Many argue the EU agricultural system is based on the premise mass production is cheaper and better.

While most protests have been in France, similar action has been taking place in a host of countries including Italy, Spain, Romania, Poland, Greece, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands.