Crays Hill residents welcomed the verdict, but fear the battle is not over yet.

Campaigner Len Gridley, whose Oak Road property borders the site, said he wouldn't be completely satisfied until the eviction has taken place.

He said: "We pretty much knew this would happen. The council had to take the action or it would have faced a lawsuit from residents for maladministration.

"But now we still have the possibility of legal holdups with the talk of judicial reviews.

"Even if they are evicted we are surrounded by green fields and they could camp nearby and it will start again."