They have been a much-loved feature of Herne Bay’s Memorial Park for decades.

But last week many of the magnificent horse chestnut trees planted to create the Avenue of Remembrance in 1932 were cut down.

The work was ordered by the city council after it discovered the trees were suffering with bleeding canker - a bacteria which the Forestry Commission says there is no treatment for and will cause them to die.

They are being removed in two phases, with the half closest to the war memorial taken out this winter and the others leading towards the entrance gates felled next winter.

But in their place are being planted hornbeams, which the council says will grow to develop and maintain the look of the park.

Chairman of the council’s Community Committee, Cllr Neil Baker, said: “It’s sad that we have to lose trees in such an important and prominent location.

"But it would be far worse to leave them to decline and detract from the appearance of the park and the war memorial.

"The memorial is the focal point for the town’s annual Remembrance celebrations.

"This work has been planned so that the new avenue of hornbeams will start to become established for the commemorations for the centenary of the end of the First World War in November 2018."

The area immediately around the avenue was closed off while the work took place, but the park remained open.

It is part of a planned maintenance programme to remove diseased or dying trees and plant new replacement trees across the park.

Some of the timber will be taken to the Fifth Trust, a local charity supporting people with learning difficulties.

They will create items including benches and tables for sale, giving them an opportunity to develop their skills in working with timber and to generate income for the charity.

But the council says the wood is available free to anyone else wanting to use it for a local art project.