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Kesgrave travellers fears prompts wheelie bin blockade | Kesgrave travellers fears prompts wheelie bin blockade |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Residents have blocked green spaces with wheelie bins and cars amid reports of travellers descending on a town. | Residents have blocked green spaces with wheelie bins and cars amid reports of travellers descending on a town. |
Several caravans are already on a field in Kesgrave, Suffolk, and word has spread on social media that 100 more travellers were set to join the unauthorised camp on Grange Farm. | |
Suffolk Police said it had a "small police presence" in the area after reports of "community tension". | Suffolk Police said it had a "small police presence" in the area after reports of "community tension". |
A police spokesman said no crime or disorder had been reported. | A police spokesman said no crime or disorder had been reported. |
He said the area would continue to be monitored. | He said the area would continue to be monitored. |
Live updates: Blockades remain in place | Live updates: Blockades remain in place |
About 13 caravans first arrived on land near Cardew Drift on 15 June with more arriving over the next fortnight. | |
But on Tuesday legal action to have them evicted was adjourned until July by a district judge to ensure all travellers on the site were aware of efforts to have them moved on. | |
There are 185 authorised travellers pitches currently in Suffolk, but none in the Suffolk Coastal area. | |
Rumours began on social media that more travellers were due to arrive in the town for a christening. | |
It has since been confirmed that five children were due to take their first communion at the Holy Family Church on Friday morning as part of a normal Mass. | |
However, BBC reporter Andrew Woodger at the scene said there were only about a dozen cars there, not the many that were rumoured to be on their way. | |
Nearly 4,000 residents have joined a community Facebook group to discuss the situation, with many people saying they had been monitoring green spaces overnight. | |
One said: "06.05am. Oak Meadow all clear. Thank goodness." | |
Another woman said: "When this is all over... lets have a grange farm residents BBQ/party at the millennium field... to celebrate the residents coming together during this worrying time..everyone has shown great community spirit." | |
Christopher Hudson, Conservative county councillor, told BBC Radio Suffolk he was backing the action taken by residents, and blamed a lack of action to remove the group who had been in the area for about a month. | |
The Gypsy Council has been approached for comment. | The Gypsy Council has been approached for comment. |