COUNCIL chiefs will go to court tomorrow in a bid to remove a growing number of protesters from the route of Weymouth’s planned relief road.

It comes as the stand-off intensified in Two Mile Coppice as eco-warriors began moving a fence and telling security staff it encroached too far into the ancient woodland.

But today Dorset County Council is hoping to be granted possession of the land by Weymouth County Court.

The council is asking the court to rule that the protesters must leave the property, and if they agree to that request, when they must leave.

The number of protesters reached seven as a camp was set up beneath an oak tree that stands alone in the fenced off area of the woods.

Four protesters set up camp and roped off their own area below three more based up inside the tree.

One new arrival, known only as Andy, said: “We are here to stop the road as there are many reasons why the woodland should not be chopped down.

“The oak tree we are in and beneath is hundreds of years old.

“We heard about the people here and wanted to come to support the action.

“We can help provide food and whatever else they need in the tree.

“If you let the council go ahead with the road it won’t be long before they want to chop more of this beautiful woodland down for development.

“The road won’t actually help prevent traffic congestion in the end anyway.”

A council spokesman confirmed clearance work is continuing in the western edge strip of Two Mile Coppice and said it is hoped this will be finished before Christmas.

She said: “There is a county court hearing today where the county council will be asking for an order for the trespassers to hand over the land to the possession of the council.”

Nick Pepper, 41, has camped in the woods since he came down from a tree which has now been chopped down.

Mr Pepper, who previously lived in Weymouth but now lives in Bristol, said: “As soon as we received the legal papers to evict the tree we thought we’d better have a legally legitimate support camp.

“We are protected under the 1977 Criminal Law Act which stops us from being legally evicted or illegally assaulted.

“We’ve actually squatted in an area of land so we can protect the people up the tree from intimidation or illegal activity.

“There needs to be open access so we can monitor what’s going on.”

A Woodland Trust spokesman said a representative will visit the site tomorrow to meet council officials and agree the boundary of the site of the clearance work.