A PROTEST group has been set up after a council announced it would cut the number of rangers managing a country park.

The Save Langdon Hills Action Group formed after Thurrock Council announced the cuts. It fears events will be cancelled and there will be increased antisocial behaviour and a loss of wildlife.

The group believes popular events such as Santa in the Woods, which it claims attracts 1,000 children each year, will no longer take place due to the loss of the rangers.

On Saturday, members of the group held a Farewell Santa event at the park to mark the potential loss of the event.

Group spokesman Charles Shearer said: “Because they will no longer have the rangers, they will lose green flag status.

“There are also implications for wildlife such as rare orchids and butterflies.”

A Thurrock Council spokesman said the council’s government grant had fallen by a quarter – £10million – in 2015/16 compared to 2014/2015.

The reduction means the total grant will have dropped from more than £65million in 2010 to about £20million in 2016.

The spokesman said: “Unfortunately, this means services will be affected and discretionary services such as this one are, regrettably, a lower priority than those services we are legally required to provide.

“The number of rangers will be reduced at both Langdon Hills and Coalhouse Fort, in Tilbury.

“Unfortunately, the wide range of services they provide to the public will be reduced and affected, and the rangers will be focusing on the pure management aspects of the park and working with the many volunteers who will wish to continue to contribute to the day-to-day running of these much-loved local assets.

“Thurrock Council welcomes the action group’s interest and has and will happily discuss ideas with them.”

The spokesman said the ranger service, like all other council departments, has had to take its share of funding reductions.

He added: “An examination of the service showed what is now planned for 2015/16 will have comparatively little effect on services.

“Santa in the Woods has always been a voluntary function, although admittedly volunteers from the department played a major role.

“If volunteers wish to run a similar scheme this year, the council will be more than happy to facilitate it.”

The action group will protest outside Thurrock Council’s offices this morning.