A precious nature reserve in Chatham is being spoiled by rough sleepers who are turning the area into a wasteground, it is claimed.

A wildlife enthusiast and dog walker is calling on police and Kent Wildlife Trust to protect Darland Banks from illegal campers.

Kevin Cornish, 56, says it is being spoiled by litter and campfires, but thinks trust officers are more interested in “raising cattle for beef burger sales” than dealing with issues like trespassers.

Mr Cornish, of Rainham Road, Chatham, has called police and the trust at least twice since last month to report people camping at the park, which is a haven for several rare species including man orchids.

“About six weeks ago I phoned the police and Kent Wildlife Trust. There was a couple of tents in the stretch of woods between Ashtree Lane and the second paddock – they went about a week later but since then there’s another tent appeared.

“They’ve more or less established pitches now.”

He said beer cans and other litter had started to spoil sections of the reserve, which he recalled had once supported a population of hares.

“It looks like a waste ground,” he added. “It doesn’t look like a nature reserve.”

“Kent Wildlife Trust have got about 50 sites, so that’s probably the reason why they haven’t got round to it.

“If kids see it like that they’re not going to care either.”

Dave Hutton, Kent Wildlife Trust’s reserve manager for West Kent, said there had been reports of anti-social activity at Darland Banks and nearby Ambley Wood – a haven for dormice – which had attracted noisy youths, as reported in the Messenger last month.

“We do what we can to work with local people to make sure this sort of thing doesn’t happen, but we have limited resources,” he said. “We’ve got one site warden who has other sites to manage.

“We have groups of volunteers who keep the site clear of scrub and clear litter, but we can’t be there 24 hours a day. If we find tents we will take them down and remove them so it’s not seen as a free for all.”

He disputed the claim the Trust was more focused on making money from its cattle.

“We manage the site to maintain the biodiversity which is where the cattle come in,” he added.

“They graze the grass and graze down the shrubs so the site doesn’t turn into scrub. We’re keeping it open so people can walk and enjoy it.

“They are there to do a job – they don’t produce a profit. It costs us.”

While the Trust does sell meat from its conservation herd to Kent butchers, Mr Hutton said the money was simply to offset the costs and was part of a programme of sustainable management.

He advised anyone to tell police if they saw anti-social activity.

Police confirmed the report of people camping and starting fires at Darland Banks, on Thursday July 21, followed by a another of people camping and leaving litter on Sunday August 14. A PCSO attended but did not find anybody.