'Sound mirrors' tucked away in the wilderness of the Romney Marsh hardly sound the desired hotspot for Hollywood A-listers.

But the huge monuments in Denge, near Dungeness, have been just that, with their eerie charm attracting the likes of The Prodigy and Nicki Minaj over the years.

The acoustic mirrors - also known as 'listening ears' - were built between the two world wars to pick up sounds of the approaching enemy aircraft coming over the English Channel.

After the invention of radar, however, the sound mirrors were never used and now stand obsolete dotted across the Kent coast.

But the structures on the Marsh are perhaps the most famous with the three, huge mirrors standing alone on one island.

'Kids used to have raves and parties all the time before the island was built'

In previous years the mirrors were magnets for illegal raves, though are now protected by a padlocked swing bridge which was built in 2003.

Owen Leyshon from the Romney Marsh Countryside Project used to run tours around the site for 19 years.

The Denge sound mirrors were built between the two world wars to detect enemy aircraft sounds
The Denge sound mirrors were built between the two world wars to detect enemy aircraft sounds

He said: "Kids used to have raves and parties there all the time before the island was built.

"We used to find cans, bottles and all sorts of stuff. The swing bridge was eventually built to slow down the vandalism and graffiti.

"You have to swim to access the mirrors now, though the water is full of blood sucking leetches."

The bridge didn't stop some revellers, however, who took inspiration from a music video filmed at the mirrors by The Prodigy.

Mr Leyshon went on: "Back in 2009 The Prodigy filmed their Invaders Must Die video.

Invaders Must Die video

"There was a massive logo spray painted onto one of the mirrors. Although it was removable paint, a week after the video was released one of the mirrors was vandalised.

"The following bank holiday Monday someone had swam onto the island and sprayed onto the 30ft mirror, which is still there today."

The mirrors were also used in 2012 when Nicki Minaj filmed her 'freedom' music video.

The video features her performing on the shingle coast of Dungeness and in front of the sound mirrors.

Nicki Minaj shoot

Throughout the shoot the R&B star reportedly made a number of outlandish demands, where she refused to walk on the shingle beech in heels and had staff carry her instead.

Minaj also reportedly had one of her assistants drive 20 miles away for a KFC.

Nicki Minaj performed in front of the mirrors for her 'Freedom' music video
Nicki Minaj performed in front of the mirrors for her 'Freedom' music video

Mr Leyshon added: "We used to get all sorts of turning up, from Claudia Schiffer, Vogue fashions shoots and the One Show.

"At first we did guided walks, where 200 to 400 people would turn up at a time. On our last open day, we attracted about 1,000 people."

The Denge site was taken over by the RSPB in 2015, who regularly host guided tours around the site to get closer to the sound mirrors.

The next sound mirrors photography day is on Tuesday, September 18, with tickets from £35.

A guided tour day is on Saturday, October 6 with tickets available from £51.

To see upcoming events and tours, click here.

Where are the other sound mirrors?

Two First World War mirrors are located is in Fan Bay - just a mile off the White Cliffs of Dover.

The Abbot's Cliff mirror is located between Dover and Folkestone the cliffs, and still exists in good condition after being built in 1928.

Two sound mirrors are also in Hythe in an area known as The Roughs.

A First World War sound mirror at Fan Bay, shelter
A First World War sound mirror at Fan Bay, shelter