Intimidation after Gypsies move in to Bishop's Cleeve - Gloucestershire

From the Gloucestershire Echo

GYPSIES who moved into a private road in Bishop's Cleeve intimidated workers, stopping them from getting to the office.

Travellers arrived at the privately-owned road in Cleeve Business Park, preventing employees of Deburring Services Limited reaching their workplace.

The Gypsies left the site yesterday morning, leaving behind them piles of rubbish strewn on the land.

One worker, who did not wish to be named, said: "They have been encamped since Saturday and almost immediately began intimidating the people and businesses.

"Rubbish is now strewn across the site and dogs roamed freely, attempting to bite anyone who went near them."

Another added that the site had been left an "absolute disgrace" with human excrement left along with piles of rubbish blighting the area, which is near Cheltenham Road.

Chris Jackson, a spokesman for Gloucestershire police, confirmed complaints had been made to them about the Gypsies.

He said: "We went down to the site on Tuesday and advised the private land owners about their options, including how to make an application for eviction.

"We also had calls from workers complaining they were unable to get to work and we went down and resolved that situation by asking Travellers to move their vehicles.

"We have received other complaints that they have been noisy, untidy, threatening and intimidating and we have taken a positive action and spoke to the Travellers about this.

"They said they would be off the land by noon and were."

The unadopted road is understood to belong to nearby GE Aviation, but is used for access by manufacturers Deburring.

Deburring declined to comment through fear of repercussions and GE Aviation was unable for comment.

Issue

A spokesman for Tewkesbury Borough Council added: "It is not a council issue because the land is privately owned."

It comes as children in the village of Pilning in South Gloucestershire were given a police escort to school after 15 caravans moved in there.

There are currently four council-run Gypsy and Traveller sites in Gloucestershire – all of which are full and there is a waiting list. Sandhurst Lane in Gloucester has 46 plots; Cursey Lane in Elmstone Hardwicke 19; Showborough in Twyning 10 and Culkerton, near Tetbury, just four.

Cheltenham Borough Council has no allocated sites, but there are others across the county which are privately owned. Last year, there was anger in Charlton Kings after a Gypsy family was allowed to remain in a field off Mill Lane on appeal, following objections from the borough.