Anglers will be unable to use a popular fishing lake from next year after council bosses decided to shut the site.

The Moat on Park Farm, Ashford, has been enjoyed by enthusiasts for decades but has become overgrown in recent years.

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) has now confirmed fishing will no longer be allowed from April, sparking sadness among residents.

Tom Halpin, a bailiff at Stanhope Angling Society, which has had the licence for the lake since 1996, says the authority "could have done much more".

"The members are up in arms about it as it's still a popular site – we had 50 to 60 members this year," he said.

"The council just isn't doing anything about it which is sad.

"We've tried and tried and tried but when I went fishing over there earlier this year there was just a foot of water."

ABC recently spent £400,000 upgrading the adjacent play park, but club member Rob Heath says some of the money could have been spent desilting the lake, which is on the site of a former moated manor house.

"They're spending thousands on new swings and slides, which is all well and good, but they could have looked at The Moat as well," the Park Farm resident said.

"They're taking away an amenity which is very sad – children can spend the day there and all the dog walkers know us.

"The council will have to take all the fish out of the lake – that will be the only way to stop people using it.

"It's sad that they'd rather do that than pay the money to desilt it. We gained lots of new members through lockdown and raised £25,000 which could have been used."

Kennington resident Joanne Frazier, who owns a dog walking business, says she approached the council about revamping the spot but her efforts "fell on deaf ears".

"I'm really upset about the current condition it has fallen into," she said.

"To think it won't be able to be used for fishing any more is really disappointing and I want to try to turn this decision around.

"It gives locals – young and old, boys and girls – a chance to spend some time outdoors and learn about fish and nature.

"It's keeping young people off the streets and possibly committing crimes.

"If they're not allowed to come here, where else are they going to go?"

The 42-year-old says the site should be protected as it is one of few fishing spots in Ashford.

"It's a shame, so much could be done with this area but instead it's becoming an eyesore," she said.

"Lots of people have expressed the same concerns as myself on social media.

"Originally, water ran all the way around the moat but now more than half of it is completely overgrown.

"The fishing swims are inaccessible and are rotting away. They have holes in them and are trip hazards.

"It's just not very nice."

In a statement, ABC confirmed fishing will stop at the site at the end of March.

"Following a consultation with the angling club, parish council and ward members, an agreement has been reached to cease fishing at the moat site in Park Farm from early next year," a spokesman said.

"As a result we will be removing the fishing platforms accordingly in due course.

"We will however continue to maintain the site as a public open space and for biodiversity, although there will be no fishing on the site from April 2023."