Park home residents say they have been left in tears and fearing eviction after bosses demanded £6,000 upfront for site fees.

Notices to leave are likely to be issued to a handful of people living at the Bradgate Holiday Park in Margate, if they are unable to stump up the cash.

Bosses from the company running the site say they were left with no choice but to ask for the fees to be paid in a lump sum after some owner-occupiers defaulted on their payments by as many as eight months.

But those living on the park say the prospect of having to find the funds has left them fearing they will be left with nowhere to go.

Douglas Tivers, who has lived there for four years, told KentOnline: "I've had people collapse in my arms in tears because they haven't got that sort of money.

"Everyone has been paying monthly for years, but it seems that just because a few people have got themselves in arrears, the company is punishing everyone.

"I understand some people have already been given eviction notices, including a deaf lady, because they can't pay, and others have been warned their utilities will be cut off.

"It's shocking and upsetting, and many residents will simply have nowhere to go."

Those with mobile homes or chalets at the site have 12-month occupancy licences, which allow them to use the properties all year round, but for holidaying purposes only.

Many of those affected by the changes have been on the site for almost 30 years and are pensioners.

Dozens of them have taken to the Bradgate Homeowners United Facebook page to voice their concerns.

"We first got notice of this switch from monthly to annual payments last October, which was obviously alarming and we queried it," Mr Tivers added.

"But then we were told that if half wasn't paid by January 15, the whole amount, on average about £6,000, was liable within 28 days.

"The company has offered a finance agreement to make monthly payments, but that's over two years and comes with interest. Many people here are simply not eligible for borrowing."

The Manston Court Road complex, which has about 230 mobile homes and chalets, is owned by Wyldecrest Parks, which acquired the site in 2014.

Its chief executive, Alfie Best, previously claimed residential sites like his were a "solution to the housing crisis".

The businessman, who once appeared on television's Undercover Boss, said at the time that residential park homes were "cost effective and will free up people's capital, allowing them to enjoy a better quality of life".

Mr Best insists that before his firm took over Bradgate, residents had to pay the annual fee upfront to the previous owners.

"We were asked to go monthly, which we agreed to, but never said it would be permanent," he told KentOnline.

"We did it with the best of intentions and now it looks like it has backfired on us.

"Then we had quite a few people defaulting on payments, some by up to eight months, and then removing their caravans.

"We had to dedicate someone to deal with it and ultimately decided we couldn't carry on like that as a business because otherwise there would be no park.

"An annual site fee in advance is the business model used by just about every other park home operator.

"Bradgate is only licensed as a holiday park so people should not be living there permanently anyway."

He said termination of contract notices would be issued to those who do not pay.