A campaign has been launched to save eight “iconic” trees from the chop.

The towering oaks in Hoo, near Rochester, are on land owned by Medway Council and are protected by tree preservation orders.

But insurance companies representing two properties nearby have submitted two applications to fell eight out of the 13, claiming they have caused subsidence.

Cllr Michael Pearce (Ind), who represents the area and is a volunteer tree warden, has started a petition to save them from the chainsaw which he believes could be up to 100 years old.

He said they were there long before the houses were built and they were initially planted to mark a boundary between two agricultural fields.

He is calling for an independent expert to investigate the alleged subsidence of the buildings behind Aveling Close and Knights Road.

Cllr Pearce told KentOnline: “Medway Council declared a climate emergency in April 2019 and passed a motion committing to reduce its carbon footprint and provide the local community with a clean, green future.

“The potential felling of these oaks, which are in the custodianship of Medway Council, would fly in the face of the climate emergency declaration and promise made to the community.

“It’s within the council’s power to stop this environmental vandalism and to protect wildlife and our local landscape.

“I believe the felling of these protected oak trees would be unprecedented for the authority”

Since starting his Save Hoo’s Oak Trees battle a week ago, he has received almost 3,000 signatures, with 1,327 adding their names in one day alone.

Cllr Pearce will be presenting the petition to Medway council leader Cllr Vince Maple (Lab). Click here to view the petition.

Among the comments posted on the petition include this from Roma Foster.

She wrote: “I spent my childhood climbing these trees along with the giant elms which had to be felled during the late sixties due to Dutch elm disease.

“To lose these iconic trees would be a great loss, I have lived in my current house for 25 years with one of these beauties at the bottom of my garden and my house shows no sign of subsidence.

“Further investigation and proof of these claims needs to be done.”

Medway Council declined to comment.