Travellers sent packing from land in Walsall - West Midlands

Travellers have been moved on from a business park on the outskirts of Walsall town centre within hours of setting up camp.

A group of caravans forced its way through a locked gate and settled on land in Queen Street.

But within hours, police were at the scene to move them on.

The arrival of the Travellers had prompted concerns from some businesses occupying units on the land and sparked calls for urgent action to move them on.

The convoy rolled on to the site at around 2.30pm yesterday. They set up camp near E&S Motors and had left the scene by 5pm.

Businesses in the area said it was the first time Travellers had stopped on land in the area.

Workers looked on in shock as the caravans barged their way on to the site.

Administrator Karen Wilkins, of E&S Motors, which is based in Queen Street, said: “It was a locked gate that was ram-raided open.

“We had never had anything like this before.”

It is the latest in a string of Traveller camps to be set up in the borough, with areas such as Brownhills, Pelsall and Willenhall usually targeted.

Most recently, Travellers set up camp in Staffordshire, with Cannock Chase Council forced to secure an eviction order from Walsall County Court.

Nine caravans had settled on a large area of open space off Hemlock Way, in Hednesford.

The caravans had rolled up on land close to homes in Devall Close and Keys Close.

The police and council were backed up by a removal vehicle and a JCB digger and the Travellers moved off the site just over a week ago.

Walsall Mayor and Pleck councillor Dennis Anson said action was taken by the council to remove such camps.

“I know there were some on land near Junction 10 at the weekend,” he said.

“Travellers seem to park wherever they feel like parking.

“The council then has to go through the process of dealing with it.”