A FORMER town councillor was shocked to receive a hate card among her festive greetings.

Sylvia Oiller, who has lived in the village of Dungeness, near Lydd, for more than 50 years, said she could not believe her eyes when she opened her post to find a Christmas card message had been crossed out and replaced with "You do not own Dungeness so stop being a nosy busy body".

The card was unsigned.

Mrs Oiller, of Beach Cottage, said: "Dungeness is very special and unique and I have been privileged to live here and I have grown to love the area and respect the flora and fauna.

"I always have and always will watch for damage to it and have an opinion on it, whether this be fly-tipping near the boats, damage from quad bikes driving on the shingle or new developments."

Mrs Oiller and her husband, Ken, were both Lydd town councillors, until they retired last year due to Ken’s ill health. Mrs Oiller would like whoever sent the card to come and discuss the matter with her.

She added: "Both Ken and I have been blamed in the past for things that were nothing to do with us and threatened with violence.

"The sender of this card is fully entitled to their opinion, however if they would like to come and discuss face to face what they think I have done to touch a nerve, please do so.

"Organisations such as English Nature now have the power to protect Dungeness and damage to it because of ignorance or greed cannot be right."