Stars of TV's Big Fat Gypsy Wedding series pitch up - Lincolnshire

From the Grimsby Telegraph

THE stars of hit TV show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding have pitched up in Grimsby.

Some of the Travellers who are currently staying at an unauthorised site in Weelsby Avenue yesterday, will appear in the Channel 4 documentary in March 2014.

Others have already starred in the series, including baby Michael and his mother, Theresa Rooney, 22.

The site opposite Oasis Academy Wintringham started off with five caravans, but yesterday morning, about 15 more followed.

Michael, who is just seven months old, has a hernia and needs medical treatment – and they will not leave the area until he gets it.

His christening was shown on the hit TV series.

Theresa said: "He is my first baby, it is awful knowing he needs help. We won't be moving from around here, we will keep going around until he gets the treatment he needs."

She wants residents to know, they are not like other Gypsy Wedding stars, adding: "Some put it all on for TV – we are not like that."

In another caravan, newly-weds Lully and Martin Rooney, 16, are preparing for the arrival of their baby in four months' time. Their wedding will air to the nation in March.

Michael said: "A lot of people on it are fake and make up lies about our culture.

"We're hoping it will give people a different opinion of us. We don't want people to be afraid of us, we are harmless as long as they don't bother us. We just want to get on with life."

They moved to their current site from Wilton Road, in Humberston, having previously pitched up at Cleethorpes Country Park, Peaks Top Farm in New Waltham and the King George Playing Fields off Taylors Avenue, Cleethorpes.

Now they want an authorised "transit camp" in the borough – but this is not part of North East Lincolnshire Council's policy.

Michaels' grandfather, Mike Doran, 42, said: "They should provide a transit site so we have a place to come to sort out things like medical problems, and then go on again. It would save a lot of time and money. We would be no trouble."

But council leader Councillor Chris Shaw said this will not happen.

He said: "The council does not have a legal duty to provide Gypsies and Travellers with a site. Our policy is to use the legal route to remove them when they set up an unauthorised encampment."

Travellers have come to the current site for a few years.

Ward Councillor Andrew DeFreitas, is not opposed to having a permenant site for them.

He said: "If there was a purpose-built site with necessary facilities it would alleviate the problem in this area."

Fellow ward Councillor Christina McGilligan-Fell, added: "I hope people will consider the needs of this culture that is part of our society."

But Drew Avenue residents remain worried.

One, who did not want to be named, said: "We knew more would follow. It is unnerving to have them so close to us."