A popular country park has made its car park entirely cashless.

Leybourne Lakes Country Park, near Snodland, revealed yesterday its cash payment facility has been removed.

A new system has now been introduced allowing visitors to pay using an app or card only.

The car park was previously pay and display with the option to use the RingGo app, but now visitors will not have the option to use cash..

Blue badge holders, who had previously been able to park free of charge, will also now be charged. There will be four allotted bays year-round with additional slots in the summer.

The park, which is operated by the Tonbridge and Malling Leisure Trust (TMActive) on behalf of Tonbridge and Malling council, will also no longer sell season tickets but will continue to honour those issued by the council until their expiry date.

On the TMActive website it states: "All money generated from parking charges helps us to maintain and improve the Country Park."

But the inability to settle in sterling and the requirement to use either card or tech has angered park-goers.

One local resident, Tonia Woodhall, said: "We use the park often and I think it's not right to take away people's choice of using cash. So-called legal tender. We'll have to find somewhere else."

Community care worker Sue Mitchell, 59, said: "It's just a shame that something for all to enjoy will prevent some from going as not everyone has a smartphone.

"My dad doesn't nor does he want one.

"He has already stopped going to Gillingham Football Club after a lifetime's support because they are cashless now and require a smartphone to download the tickets on.

"This will stop some from going to the lakes too. Can there not be both?"

West Malling retiree Christine Wilson said: "This is absolutely disgusting, not only are the charges extortionate, not being able to pay by cash is very short-sighted. I shan’t be visiting anytime soon."

Meanwhile other residents fear the impact it could have on local streets with some parking on surrounding residential roads to avoid the fees.

The park's £880k eco café and watersports centre opened to the public last July, three weeks after the closure of family-run Leybourne Lakes Café, which had been at the park for six years.

The watersports centre hosts activities such as open water swimming, paddle boarding, scuba diving, windsurfing and kayaking, having previously been based in a metal shipping container which had been in the park since 1986.

TMActive was approached for comment.