A group of dog walkers have been left appalled after tree clearing left flowers destroyed and wildlife disrupted.

The group, which often walks in the countryside opposite Fowlmead Country Park, found a large section of trees had been cut down on the Deal to Sandwich Road to protect overhead power lines.

Steve Franks, 67, of Hayward Close, Deal, walks his labrador with the group every Sunday.

He said: “It looks like they used a sledgehammer rather than carefully cutting the trees close to the power lines. They just took everything.

“I was appalled that they have gone straight through there without taking any notice of what might be there.”

Orchids which had just bloomed have been destroyed and the lizard colony has not been spotted since. He was also concerned birds’ nests might have been damaged.

UK Power Networks confirmed the trees were trimmed by contractors to protect the overhead lines.

A spokesman said: “UK Power Networks is investing over £6 million this year keeping tree branches away from overhead power lines in the south east, as they can cause power cuts for local residents.

“On June 11, our contractors carried out work outside the park at Colliers Way, towards Sandwich Road, Deal, to trim trees away from 33,000-volt overhead lines. We are sorry to hear that residents were concerned about this work.

“We are sensitive to the needs of landowners and the environment and were given permission to carry out this work by the landowner concerned.”

Louise Cheesmur, general manager at Fowlmead Country Park, said the land does not belong to the park: “The trees on the Deal/Sandwich road are not part of our land so we have not been involved with the cutting back there.

“We are very aware of specific endangered species within the park – which include an established colony of bright wave moths as well as orchids – and do everything in our power to protect them.”