A gay couple in Faversham feel they are being victimised by homophobic vandals.

Johnathon Reynolds and his partner, Ray Lindley, of Belvedere Road, first thought they were being attacked because of a dispute over a piece of land involving neighbours.

But they soon realised they were the only ones being targeted.

On Sunday morning, John and Ray awoke to find their trellis ripped off the wall, pots smashed and plants pulled out and strewn across the front of their house.

It is the fifth time they have been hit by vandals and John thinks the culprits have an agenda.

He said: “We didn’t think anything of it at first, we just thought it was kids, but then it kept happening.

“We soon began to realise none of our neighbour’s plants were being targeted and it is just us.

“It is so unnerving and is never something we expected from living in Faversham.

“We moved away from London and might expect behaviour like that there but not in Faversham, and it is really upsetting.”

A battle has been raging in Belvedere Road over the last few years about who owns the pathway in front of their houses – pedestrians or homeowners.

But John and Ray say they have the deeds of the house to prove their ownership and have a right to place plants on the doorstep.

John continued: “If that was the problem, then why not knock on the door and be an adult and we can discuss the problems. Just tell us if the plants are getting in the way.

“But these people are not bothering to do that and it makes us feel there’s more to it than that.

“None of the neighbours are being targeted. Why is it just us?”

John and Ray have lived in the row of houses for eight years and are proud of their collection of plants.

“It’s just pure vandalism and we really want it to stop" - Johnathon Reynolds

John works in London and loves that they are the first thing he sees as he arrives home after a long day.

One of their neighbours spotted someone running away from the house at about 5am on Sunday, just hours before John discovered the mess in front of their house.

But the neighbour was unable to see their face.

John said: “We love the plants and we’ve always been really proud of them.

“I wouldn’t want to get rid of them.

“It’s just pure vandalism and we really want it to stop.”

A police spokesman said: “We are investigating a report of criminal damage.

“It is reported that plant pots and trellis were damaged in Belvedere Road, just before 6am on October 26. Inquiries are ongoing.”