Concerned neighbours have started a petition about plans to plant more than 2,000 new trees in Danson Park.

Residents in Radnor Avenue, many of whom have gardens backing onto the park, have spoken out against the plans to plant trees next week.

Sharon Chapman, one of the residents who has organised the petition, said she was concerned that the council would eventually be creating a 'mini forest'.

She said: "It is mad. It is meant to be an open space for children to play and for dogs to run and they are just going to plant some trees instead.

"It won't be like a park anymore. Many of us bought houses with a view of the park and the lakes, and this is a mental amount of trees for such a small area.

"It will put people of that part of the park. People won't want to wander past the trees and the bushes at the night time. It just doesn't seem right."

The council said 2,400 trees will be planted over two community planting days involving children and community groups.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The new native species being planted, which include Field Maple, Common Crab apple, Mountain Ash and Bird Cherry, are of the ‘small garden variety’. They are being planted to replace a collection of Poplars which previously stood at around 28m high.

"The young whips are currently unbranched stems, which measure no more than one metre tall and will take in excess of 10 years to reach full maturity. Even then the trees are not expected to grow larger than 8m in height due to the nature of the heavy clay soil at Danson Park."

The council also said that not all the trees will survive, with an expected failure rate of 40 per cent in the first two years.

Ahead of the plantings next week, so far residents of more than 30 houses have signed Mrs Chapman's petition which will eventually be delivered to ward councillors.

Chris Hunt, a courier who lives in Radnor Avenue, has also signed the petition.

He said: "This park has always had children playing in it. They're going to plant thousands of trees in an open area.

"Where they are planting them it is open space, that will be taken away. Once that is gone, it is gone."

The council said increasing trees is part of a London wide scheme to make the capital greener and cleaner.

The spokeswoman said: "Surviving trees will grow nine metres away from the rear gardens of properties on Radnor Avenue.

"In the future these new trees will provide both a healthy and balanced woodland edge to the park and an enhanced habitat for flora and fauna."

The trees will be planted by staff and 120 pupils from Hook Lane Primary School and Sherwood Primary School at an event on Tuesday, January 9.