An MP has become embroiled in a row with her neighbours who say tall trees growing on her property are causing a “nightmare” and leaving them shrouded in darkness.

The wooded area running alongside MP Helen Whately’s £1.35m farmhouse in a village outside Faversham is said to be blocking sunlight to nearby properties, with falling leaves creating havoc in their gardens.

Those living in the row of cottages - a mix of council and privately-owned homes - beside the Conservative MP and her husband say they are “disgusted” at being asked to fork out if they want the trees reduced in height.

Among them is Marilyn Kemsley, 67, who says: “The Whatelys bought the farmhouse about this time last year, and we’ve had a running battle with them ever since.

“The trees are 50ft to 60ft high. The lady next door to them lives in perpetual twilight. She has to have lights on all day long. It’s absolutely dreadful.

“And we don’t get any sunlight from about 3pm onwards.

“One lady’s back garden is absolutely full of these trees, which have self-seeded. Some are about 20ft now. She’s elderly and alone and she can’t deal with it herself.

“In winter we get at least 15 sacks of leaves in our garden. We’re continuously cleaning it up.

“We’re getting older and we don’t want it, but my neighbour’s 81 and she simply can’t do it.

“She can’t afford to do it and can’t even go in her back garden now.”

The previous owner of the farmhouse is said to have agreed to reduce the height of the trees, but the property was sold to the Whatelys before this work was carried out.

Mrs Kemsley, who says she is acting as spokesperson for the cottage residents, says she has been urging the Whatelys to reduce the canopy since they moved in.

She says Mrs Whately’s husband, Marcus, arranged for some low-hanging branches that were banging on a cottage roof to be removed.

But to the residents’ outrage, he has now suggested neighbours make financial contributions to further work.

In one text from Mr Whately to Mrs Kemsley, he wrote: “I have no obligation to cut trees to any height.

“I’ve had some work done at my cost as a gesture of goodwill, and I’m sorry that gesture has not been appreciated.

“I’m happy to consider other works if you want to pay for them, or to discuss other ways forward.”

Mrs Kemsley, a grandmother and mother-of-four, said: “I think it’s disgusting.

“We all voted for Mrs Whately to try and help with everything that was going on in the country, and now we feel totally let down.

“Something silly like this in our own environment, and she can’t even help us.

“And then her husband’s asking us for money.”

Mrs Kemsley says the residents would not be able to afford to make contributions.

“One lady has been made redundant, one is 81, I’m retired, another lives in a council house and looks after her children,” she said. “It’s not possible at all.”

Mr and Mrs Whately were approached by KentOnline's sister paper Faversham News, but declined to comment.

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