OUTRAGED Osmington Mills residents are threatening to chain themselves to trees and blockade roads in a bid to protect their village.

Villagers aim to stop plans to cut down or heavily reduce the size of around 100 trees at Osmington Holiday Park.

They say major changes at the park since November have made it look like a ‘concentration camp’ with barbed wire fences and tonnes of concrete, in what is an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).

Villagers say the planning order to carry out extensive work on trees at the Waterside Holiday Group-owned site is the final straw and they are now planning drastic action to retain the village’s character.

Jill Dunning, of Upton Fort Road, said: “We understand some of the work needs to be done but the extent of it has surprised people, especially the barbed wire-topped fence that was put up.

“It created a real ‘us and them’ feeling and makes it look like a prisoner of war camp.

“If they do come to cut down the trees there is talk of barricading the roads and people chaining themselves to trees.”

Louis Horvath, of Old Coastguard Cottages, is prepared to do whatever is necessary. He said: “We have had enough of it.

“They are trying to turn it into a concrete jungle and have put a huge wire fence with barbed wire.

“We never had a fence there before and their excuse is to keep paedophiles out. It looks like Auschwitz.”

Neighbour Kevan Sheehan said the community has been ridden roughshod over.

“If it means climbing trees, so be it,” he said.

Villagers claim the work, which has included re-landscaping the site and raising the level of the caravans, has caused unacceptable noise and disruption.

Caroline Stevenson, of Mills Road, said: “I’m concerned primarily because there are many beautiful mature trees, which provide a haven for wildlife, but also caravans and chalets are not the most attractive things to look at in an area of outstanding natural beauty.”

The Osmington Mills Protection Group is working to ensure development is kept to a minimum, although chairman Col Derek Thomas stresses that a lot of the work is ‘entirely legitimate’.

He said: “We are trying to ensure that Osmington Mills remains as green as possible.

Waterside Holiday Group declined to comment.