A WILDLIFE park owner says he will sleep in his car to keep intruders out, after his appeal to keep a mobile home on site for security was rejected.

Eagle Heights director Alan Ames put up a mobile home at the Lullingstone Lane animal park following a spate of break-ins and thefts.

In May Sevenoaks District Council served an enforcement notice ordering Mr Ames to remove the home, as it did not have planning permission and the land was green belt.

His appeal against the notice was thrown out by the planning inspectorate on Friday (Sept 11).

Mr Ames, 53, described the decision as “a joke”.

The former soldier said: “What am I going to do now?

“I need 24-hour security to stop people turning up and nicking everything.

“I’ll have to sleep in my car, someone’s going to have to be here.”

Mr Ames says on average there is at least one problem every week, with recent incidents including his 23-year-old son being attacked with a baseball bat, putting him in hospital with a severely bruised face.

Two weeks ago the park’s minibus was also stolen before being abandoned after he gave chase.

He says there have been thefts of chickens, ferrets and ducks as well as an attempt to steal his six Husky puppies.

In case trouble should break out, he has even moved out of his home in Farningham to a cottage down the road from Eagle Heights.

Mr Ames says he spent £4,500 on fighting the council’s enforcement notice and £20,000 on the mobile home.

The father-of-two said: “It’s financially going to crucify us.

“I’ll have to sell a lot of stuff otherwise it’ll get nicked.”

He added: “I now have two choices - either I sell up or carry on fighting.”

A council spokesman told News Shopper last week that officers will be visiting Eagle Heights later this month to discuss any issues he has.