A HEROIC 73-year-old woman was hurled to the ground by travellers as she tried desperately to prevent them from gaining access to a popular nature reserve.

Brave Sarah Freeman noticed the group of around seven caravans pull up at the entrance to Hilly Fields, in Sussex Road, Colchester, after a leisurely walk with her two dogs on Thursday morning.

She watched on as several men attempted to force the gate open and thought “enough is enough.”

Running towards the group of burly men, the brave pensioner wrapped herself around the gate.

She stayed there for half an hour before police arrived and the travellers gave up.

The group bruised the hardy protestor while prising her fingers away from the gate, before throwing her to the ground.

“I wrapped myself around the barrier and they were trying to force me to let go,” said Miss Freeman.

“They picked me up and forced me to the ground - my false teeth actually fell out.

“They were trying to get the lock open, but I wouldn’t let them.”

Miss Freeman, of South Street, said several dog walkers took pictures of the clash, but many seemed afraid to step in.

“My adrenaline was shrieking,” she said.

“There were three men trying to get me off the gate and one really nasty lady saying awful things.

“People were just watching and urging me on.

“After a while the police turned up and the caravans were trying to turn around and leave.

“My family were not too happy with my actions - they were cross that I had intervened and put myself in the way.”

Miss Freeman decided to act to protect the much-loved beauty spot when she remembered a similar group had arrived on the land last year.

“I recalled a group were on Hilly Fields last year - it was very similar as they gained entry the same way,” she said.

“I have no particular objection to travellers.

“But when they were here last year there were fires lit, rubbish dumped and human excrement left behind.

“I live near Abbey Field and I know a group of French travellers left their rubbish in bin bags last year.

“I thought of this while I was watching all these vans pull up and thought ‘not again.’ “I wrapped myself around the gate and I wasn’t going to let go if it killed me.

“I understand travellers are just people.

“But you don’t expect anyone to manhandle a 73-year-old woman in order to break-in.

“I have bruising up my left arm.

“I think it’s quite cunning - they removed a bollard and I think someone had already been there trying to remove the padlocks in preparation.”

James Peters, 46, lives in Sussex Road and witnessed the whole ordeal.

The stunned resident was sitting in his campervan by the gate when the travellers arrived at around 10.30am and watched on amazed as the brave woman made her stand.

He said: “If it hadn’t been for that lady without a doubt that whole field would be full of travellers, it was truly remarkable.

“There was a long row of caravans and I was sitting in my van about three meters away- the woman came running up and wrapped herself around the gate.

“They were pushing her and shoving her and they threw her to the ground.

“I thought it was outrageous.

“They came over and started threatening me, it was mayhem.

“They saw me filming and tried to break into my van.”

He added: “It was voting day, so the road was quite busy as there is a polling station there.

“There was a stream of caravans blocking the road.

“Sarah was holding on to the gate for dear life doing all in her power to stop them entering.”