Charlotte Church may have to remove huge fortress-style gates from her home after being plunged into a planning battle.

The singer-turned-presenter put up the 16ft gates and a wooden construction above them to protect her and her £400,000 home but did not seek planning permission first.

Now neighbours have attacked the work and Church is having to seek retrospective planning permission.

"I think it looks blooming ugly," an elderly resident told the Daily Mirror. "The gates are fair enough but not that darn thing they put over the top."

However, a friend of the star told the paper they were necessary for security and privacy.

"Charlotte wants to close the electronic gates behind her and know she is safe," he explained. "People can see in from the road so she had blocked off the entrance with the gates and a wooden fence above them.

"Charlotte and Gavin didn't realise they needed planning permission."