TRAVELLERS were finally ousted on September 1 from the sports ground at Christchurch where they have been camped for more than a month.

But a handful of the caravans which quit the borough overnight turned up in neighbouring Bournemouth, where they made camp on the Solent Meads car park at Hengistbury Head.

They were among some 30 traveller families which had occupied the arena behind the 2Riversmeet leisure complex in Christchurch during August after a court turned down a council bid to evict them when it was claimed a teenage girl had recently given birth.

A number of traveller families had already left as the September 1 deadline approached but town hall chiefs went back to court to secure an eviction order for the remaining dozen caravans.

Police, council officials and security guards stood by to prevent the travellers invading car parks and other open spaces in the borough but the final exodus of caravans passed off peaceably.

Council leader, Cllr Alan Griffiths, said: "It is a clear relief that they have gone. We had been concerned that they would make another excuse, or refuse to leave or get on to other council land but, so far, so good."

Now council tax payers in the borough are left to pick up the estimated £13,000 bill for the security operation and clearing up the rubble, rubbish and filth the travellers left in their wake.

Overflowing rubbish skips and portable toilets, mounds of building spoil, a wrecked caravan, numerous children's bicycles and even a brand-new dishwasher still in its protective packaging were abandoned when the travellers left.

Cllr Griffiths said: "It is grossly unfair that law-abiding people in Christchurch, many on low or fixed incomes, should have to fund what is basically a free holiday for these people courtesy of the Human Rights Act. What about the human rights of Christchurch people?"

He is tabling a motion at the next council meeting to press for a change in the legislation to prevent similar traveller invasions in the future.

Meanwhile, police and Bournemouth council were last night taking tough action to move the travellers from Hengistbury Head to a temporary site near the Millhams tip.

Roger Brown, head of leisure services, said: "We've given the group tolerance to occupy a small area of council land adjacent to the civic amenity site at Millhams, on the understanding that they will leave the site by Monday at the latest. If they don't leave the site by this date we will be applying to court for an eviction order."

First published: September 2