Hundreds of dangerous trees are expected to be cut down from the Mote Park boundary from next week.

It comes as Maidstone Borough Council spotted about 270 Ash Dieback infected trees around the Maidstone park.

The uncurable fungal disease, which is spread by airborne spores and characterised by leaf loss, makes ash trees brittle, unstable and at risk of falling, which poses a serious health and safety risk.

According to MBC, who monitored the progression of the disease for a few years, explained the height of the trees also means that if they were to collapse, they would fall onto the A20 and the network rail track.

The removal will be divided in two phases, the first one from December 20- 23, and second stage from January 10 to February 28, 2022.

Works will involve closing part of the A20 Ashford Road on two Sundays in January.

In order to have a safe removal of the trees, the road will be completely closed on January 23 from Willington Street to New Cut Road. It will also be closed on January 30 from New Cut Road to Square Hill.

Deputy leader of Maidstone Borough Council Jonathan Purle said: "It is extremely sad to have to cut down any trees, especially given the Council is now committed to extensive tree planting throughout the Borough.

"However, trees infected by Ash Dieback could pose a serious risk to life if they were to fall, therefore we have no choice but to safely remove them."

He added: "All the wood from the trees will remain in Mote Park in the form of habitats for wildlife, wood chip for flower beds and woodland paths.

"In line with our forestry commission felling licence we will be planting 30 new trees and letting the woodland naturally regenerate. The woodland will have a natural seed bank that will see hundreds of young trees emerging very quickly."

The news come not quite two years after the council felled 300 trees in Mote Park as part of anti-flooding work. But 300 new trees have already been planted in the park to compensate for those, with another 90 to be planted this planting season, December to March 2022.

There are also plans to plant another 70 trees next year.

For further information about Ash Dieback click here.