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Kesgrave meeting over travellers spews into car park Kesgrave travellers leave after eviction threat
(about 4 hours later)
A meeting to discuss travellers in a Suffolk town had to be held in a car park because so many residents turned up. Travellers have left a Suffolk town five days after residents blocked green spaces over fears more would arrive.
About 70 people attended the meeting at Kesgrave Town Council on Monday night. Last Thursday Kesgrave residents blockaded parks, verges and gardens with wheelie bins and cars amid reports that more travellers were due to arrive at an illegal camp.
On Thursday evening residents blocked green spaces with wheelie bins and cars amid reports of more travellers descending on the town, after 13 caravans arrived last month. At the time the Gypsy Council called the moves "pathetic" and "shameful".
The Gypsy Council called the blockades "pathetic" and "shameful". The Grange Farm site was being cleaned up before it being reopened, Suffolk Coastal District Council said.
Caravans were already in Kesgrave when rumours on social media last week suggested 100 more travellers were set to join an unauthorised camp at Grange Farm. Thirteen caravans were already at the site when rumours on social media last week suggested 100 more travellers were set arrive for a Christening.
It led to dozens of people blockading parks, verges and gardens, with agricultural machinery also used to block off an access road. But despite the reports, just five children and their families attended Holy Family Church on Friday morning.for a normal daily Mass.
But despite the reports, just five children and their families attended Holy Family Church for a normal daily Mass on Friday morning. The travellers had been threatened with eviction by bailiffs and given until Wednesday morning to vacate.
The travellers at the site are expected to leave soon, but if they do not go, the local council is due to attend another court hearing later to get them evicted. A meeting to discuss the illegal camp had to be held in the town council's car park on Monday night after more than 70 residents turned up.
After the meeting, one resident told the BBC: "The police have got no intention of moving them on. It's like they're scared of them, it's just a big joke really. In a statement, Suffolk Coastal District Council said it was "exploring ways of making the area more secure, to try to prevent similar unauthorised encampments in the future".
Suffolk Coastal District Council leader Ray Herring, who oversaw the meeting, said: "When the last caravan goes we will put in a team to clean up the site and put some temporary measures in to restrict travellers returning." "We apologise to local people, and regular users of this park land, for any inconvenience caused by the encampment and will re-open the site to the public as soon as possible," it added.
Speaking about last week's blockades, Candy Sheridan from the Gypsy Council said it was "pathetic" and "un-Christian" when people had travelled miles to celebrate a first communion for the children. Speaking about last week's blockades, Candy Sheridan from the Gypsy Council said they were "pathetic" and "un-Christian" when people had travelled miles to celebrate a first communion for the children at the church.
There are 185 authorised travellers pitches in Suffolk, but none in the Suffolk Coastal area. There are 185 authorised travellers' pitches in Suffolk, but none in the Suffolk Coastal area.