Court wrangle will let travellers stay a week
Travellers who taunted families before taking over playing fields in Wolverhampton look set to stay for at least another week after council bosses were told their eviction case would not be heard until at least next Monday.
Travellers who taunted families before taking over playing fields in Wolverhampton look set to stay for at least another week after council bosses were told their eviction case would not be heard until at least next Monday.
The group jeered at residents of Lichfield Road in Wednesfield as they smashed their way through locked gates on council land last Monday.
Families watched as the 40-strong group of men, women, children and dogs swore and gesticulated at them before some spun their vans around the grass.
Residents say they have been disturbed by travellers knocking on their doors trying to sell items, and that last night children were being pulled along on mattresses tied to Transit vans.
Wolverhampton City Council is now taking civil action over the trespassing with a view to securing an eviction order.
Council spokesman Tim Clark said: "We were in court on Friday to make an application for a hearing.
"We made representations as to reflect the serious nature of the case and the earliest date Wolverhampton County Court would give us is August 16."
However, court officials today said that the council had indicated it would be unable to present its case before Friday.
Therefore, they had allocated the matter for court on the earliest possible date.
But resident Scott Hadley, aged 50, said people living next to the site wanted it cleared as soon as is possible.
He said: "We are not happy at all. A lot more of them turned up over the weekend in cars.
"We have seen them peering into windows and they have been driving horrendously in and out of the site."
A resident from Coleman Avenue, who also did not want to be named, said: "The caravans are parked right at the back of our garden.
"If I was at work all day I would be concerned."
Firefighters were called out last week after trees near to where the travellers are living were set alight.
* Police were today investigating an attack on a nearby play area last Thursday when metal was taken, forcing the council to dismantle all the equipment to prevent further damage.
