PEOPLE in Bexley are being urged not to panic over the state of some of the borough's horse chestnut trees.

The leaves on a number of the trees have prematurely died and fallen after being attacked by the horse chestnut leaf miner, the lavae of a small foreign moth which burrows into the tree's leaves.

Together with the fiercely hot weather in July, the double whammy has badly affected many trees this year.

Experts say the trees should not be permanently damaged but cannot say if they will suffer the same fate next year.

No-one can say if this year's conker crop will be affected.

The public is being asked to help stop the problem spreading by sweeping up and either composting or burning the leaves of affected trees to try and stop the larvae hatching into more moths.