Janet Alty, who already has a wind turbine and solar water heater on her Lillington Road house, had the "cells" fitted on Thursday and Friday last week, following a protracted planning wrangle.

Her property now runs off sustainable energy and, she says, is a an example of the kind of steps other should follow.

But neighbours are not so sure - and have complained to Warwick District Council that the addition is an eyesore.

Joe Harrison, of Waller Street, said: "It is absolutely dreadful - this is a conservation area and they are enormous.

"I know we are all supposed to be getting greener but really - this is not the right sort of area."

Coun Eithne Goode (Con, Leamington Manor) said she too had heard complaints. She explained that permission for the five metre by three metre cells had been granted by the district planning committee - despite recommendations from officers to reject the proposal.

There have been no appeals against the decision, and unless enforcement officers intervene, the panels will stay for at least three years until the decision is reviewed.

Coun Goode said: "In principle I like the idea of solar panels - but when I received the first call I went to have a look.

"I was expecting something quite big but I gasped in amazement when I saw them. It's not particularly attractive - If I lived in that area it would not be something I would want to see."

The cells, measuring 5.7m wide by 3.12m long and with an angle of trajection of 0.7 metres from their base, cost Mrs Alty £12,708,50, with the rest of the £14,730 total being covered by a government grant.

Their maximum output is 2.87 kilowatts, and with an anticipated annual output of 2500 kwh, there should be more than enough to provide Mrs Alty with free electricity.

She will be paid per unit of electricity the cells feed into national supplies. Mrs Alty said: "I have had a lot of people tell me how wonderful they are.

"People need to stop for a minute and consider what we are doing about climate change. I'm doing it to set an example and I'm prepared to take the flak for it."