A wildlife charity has slammed a rock band for trespassing on restricted areas of a beauty spot and filming a music video.

The Kent Wildlife Trust says it is “deeply disappointed” to see the group flouting protections for vulnerable birds at Sandwich and Pegwell Bay Nature Reserve, between Ramsgate and Sandwich.

But a video producer involved in the shoot says he is “truly sorry for being so absent-minded” and admits being there was “enacted completely out of ignorance and lack of proper preparation”.

An image was shared on Instagram showing eight people at the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Members of the band can be seen with guitars and even an entire drum kit on the muddy surface.

“We shouldn’t have to say this, but please don’t trespass on restricted areas of Pegwell Bay, SSSI, to film a rock video,” the Instagram post states.

“We are deeply disappointed to see a group ignoring protections for vulnerable migratory birds by trampling across mudflats and saltmarsh.

“This area is off-limits for a reason, it is one of the very few areas where wildlife comes first.

“Respect nature. Stay off protected land.”

Many commented on the post calling for the group to be “named and shamed”.

Accordionist Jarrod Piner, a member of the Kent-based band Gentlemen of Few, told KentOnline he was producing a video for another band, but declined to give the name.

He explained the group did not see signage warning it was a protected area.

“We spoke to a couple of Thanet officials who made mention of signage somewhere down the road but purely by chance where we parked up and chose to walk down, there was none there,” he said.

“The officials told us windsurfers rip down the signs to plead ignorance.”

Mr Piner apologised in a comment shared on Kent Wildlife Trust’s post.

“I want to say we are truly sorry for being so absent-minded and poorly prepared insofar as not doing ample research before turning up and filming on what we now know to be protected land,” he wrote.

“We feel awful and want to extend a huge apology to you and the locals and volunteers who we can see do so much to protect our limited wildlife reserves.

“Our mistake was making an assumption regarding beaches, public land and filming.

“We have filmed in tons of public places, particularly on beaches before, so we felt no reason to check further than any signage that we may have encountered, which we didn't.

“Unfortunately, we entered the beach from the Viking Ship.

“As we have since been made aware from discussions with members of Thanet council (who let us know that signs are posted around the corner, quite a distance from where we happened to arrive), where there should be signs there most certainly are not any.

“Not at any point during the walk from the road to the seafront did we have any indication we shouldn't be on the marshes.

“Though this in no way rectifies the fact that our being there was enacted completely out of ignorance and lack of proper preparation, I do hope this great community is made aware of the lack of signs could help others to not make the same mistake as us in the future.”

The Kent Wildlife Trust has since praised Mr Piner for his comment on the post.

“Thank you for coming forward and providing more context to the situation,” a spokesperson said.

“We truly appreciate this must have been a difficult decision, and we respect your willingness to do so.

“It takes courage to acknowledge the impact of your actions on wildlife and to apologise, especially as we often encounter responses of indifference or even hostility when addressing breaches of these restrictions.”

Wildlife expert Nik Mitchell was alerted to the live band performing for the shoot earlier today.

“I went over to have a word with them,” he said. Not only were they disturbing wildlife but it was extremely dangerous being out on the mudflats with an incoming tide.”

Pegwell Bay is home to many internationally important and rare plants and animals.

In the spring, migrant birds arrive on the reserve to bread, such as nightingales, cuckoos and warblers.

In summer, visitors such as oystercatchers and ringed plovers nest on Sandwich Bay’s shingle beach.

Seals can be seen from the end of Stonelees in the autumn and winter.

There is also the biggest influx of waterfowl and waders such as dunlin, sanderling and grey plover during the colder months as the feed in the saltmarsh and recover from their long migrations.

Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve (NNR) is important for breeding, migrating and wintering birds all year round.

Kent Wildlife Trust says many bird species numbers have “fallen steeply here”.

“Little terns have stopped breeding and ringed plover chick numbers have declined sharply,” the charity’s website states.

“We have also seen increasing pressure from recreational activities in parts of the bay that need to remain undisturbed for wildlife.”

Human disturbance can cause birds to move or fly up, which may not seem serious but can have a big impact.

It can cause missed feeding opportunities, difficulty feeding chicks, wasted energy, loss of condition before long migrations, relocation to overpopulated sites with less food and reduced breeding success.