COUNCIL officials have acted quickly to drive out a family of travellers that set up camp behind the civic offices in Christchurch.

As soon as the travellers arrived in the car park behind the civic offices off Stony Lane South they were served with direction notices by council officials.

And when car park wardens threatened to issue penalty charge notices, the travellers bought parking tickets for the collection of five caravans and ancillary vehicles.

A court hearing is scheduled for Monday to evict the travellers but it is thought they may leave of their own accord before the weekend is out.

Borough community services director Nigel Davies said: "They are now parked legally. We have issued notices on them and should be in court on Monday but they have advised us they would be moving on Sunday."

Meanwhile, council staff are working to install barriers at the Wick Lane car park in the town centre to prevent a repeat of the invasion which occurred last year when one band of travellers spent several weeks moving around the borough.

Christchurch council went to court six times during 2003 - five times for the same family - running up a near £20,000 legal bill and ploughing some £35,000 into preventive measures to safeguard car parks and other open spaces.

While the travellers' occupation of car parks was estimated to have cost the council coffers around £5,000 in lost revenue, shoppers and traders were left fuming at the loss of available spaces.

And while wardens ignored travellers parked illegally, there were howls of protest from motorists who incurred penalty notices.

Security has also been strengthened around meadows at Burton where large groups of travellers have set up illegal encampments in previous years.

Landowners Meyrick Estates have installed heavy metal gates and dug a defensive 'moat' around the perimeter of the fields beside the Stony Lane roundabout in a bid to prevent incursions this summer.

First published: April 24