Gypsies ask police to open up field so they can reverse their caravans - and then park up and stay put

From the Daily Mail

Police have been labelled 'naive' after a group of Gypsies seized the opportunity set up camp in a field officers had opened up to allow their caravans to turn around.

The officers asked for height restriction barriers to be removed at the entrance to some playing fields in Fareham, Hampshire, to allow the group to manoeuvre after they were blocking a street.

But the group simply drove in and pitched up and now they're refusing to move.

Initially four caravans were parked on the Cam Alders playing fields, but now there are as many as 15.

Fareham Borough Council will have to begin court action to evict the group.

Council leader Sean Woodward today said the restriction barrier had been in place to stop Travellers using the fields and described the police’s actions as ‘ridiculous’.

He said: 'A group crowded into the road in their caravans and blocked the road.

'I would have left them to it but the police came along and demanded the council open the height restriction barrier to allow the caravans to go in and turn round.

'It was the most ridiculous thing. OK, they couldn’t turn round in the road but that’s the police’s problem.

'The police told the council to open the height restriction barrier, which was in place to prevent exactly what was happening.

'And that, of course, let them on. They didn’t turn around, they moved in.'

He added: 'How naive can you be?'

The Travellers had been criss-crossing their way across Gosport and Fareham for several weeks.

On Saturday the council sent in bailiffs to remove the group after they pitched up in Stubbington.

The caravans then blocked up a street close to the playing fields in Fareham and it was here that police ordered barriers to be removed so the vehicles could turn around.

Cllr Cllr Woodward said if police wanted to clear the highway they should have made the Travellers uncouple their caravans from their vehicles and turn them round.

He is now ordering an inquiry in to what happened.

He said: 'I’m sure they (the Travellers) are finding it hugely amusing. They moved on with police assistance. They are having a laugh because of the police but at our expense.'

Hampshire police said council officers were not ordered to open the gates, it was ‘a request’.

A spokeswoman for the force said: 'The issue was the highway there was blocked by all of the caravans.

'The only way to sort that out was to let them into the ground to turn around and let them out again.

'There were already caravans on the ground anyway so action will have to be taken to move on ones already there.

'It was not an order to open the barrier, the council were prepared to open it and it was the most practical solution at the time.'

Fareham Borough Council has been left to clear a huge amount of rubbish left by the Travellers, including builders rubble and an old caravan.

And they have now had to put up large boulders and tree trunks around all public open spaces in a bid to stop any more encampments.

Deputy leader Councillor Graham Burgess said: 'We’re doing everything possible to stop them getting access to our land in the interests of all the residents of the borough because Travellers cost money.

'We’re being proactive in our enforcement of our green open spaces.'

Councillor Sean Woodward is also fighting to have trespass made a criminal offence.

Currently, it is classed as a civil matter courts and authorities must go through the courts or employ bailiffs to remove them from public land.

Cllr Woodward said: 'I have taken this up with the Prime Minister directly. Trespass should be made a criminal offence. As soon as they step on public land police would be able to arrest them.'

see also The Daily Telegraph - Gypsies take advantage of police to set up camp

Fareham People - Travellers set up camp on Fareham playing field