Travellers camped on Leigh Marshes could be moved more than a month earlier than was first feared.
The travellers are on land near Two Tree Island and councillors were initially told the earliest eviction they could get was July 21.
By the time all the notices had been served and red tape cleared up, it would have been August before the travellers were evicted.
This would have meant they were still on the site during the Leigh Folk Festival on June 28, when the area is needed by campers.
Following pressure from Southend Council and the police, an eviction hearing has now been rescheduled for June 13. Although the authorities will still face a race against time to get rid of the travellers before the Folk Festival, the earlier date has been welcomed.
Peter Wexham, Liberal Democrat councillor for Leigh, said: "This is better news, because if we'd had to wait another month for the hearing the place would have been a rubbish tip."
Published Friday, June 6, 2003
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