Defiant travellers in Billericay are mounting a campaign against council threats of eviction and also hope to scrap the MP's plans to change the law.

Travellers at the site in Oak Lane in Crays Hill, are preparing a fight for their homes by trying to make the site legal and appealing for planning permission.

Some joined the Gipsy Council and other protesters at a meeting to mark Human Rights Day on Tuesday at the House Of Commons.

The travellers say they will oppose Billericay and Wickford MP, John Baron's attempts to change the law on travellers sites.

Their growing campaign will also see a mobile office being moved onto the Crays Hill site to deal with the mounting paperwork over eviction threats.

This meeting follows an earlier public meeting on Saturday called by Mr Baron to discuss the growing problems on sites in Billericay and Wickford.

Mr Baron updated people on his private members bill which aims to toughen up the law and make all authorities provide sites for travellers.

Tempers heightened as both travellers and residents took part in angry exchanges while Mr Baron kept order.

He said: "No one is looking to persecute a minority but all who live in a community must abide by its rules and laws otherwise there would be chaos."

Several organisations representing travellers were at the meeting including the Gipsy Council, Bedfordshire Groundswell and the Romany Federation.

Spokesman for the Gipsy Council, Grattan Puxon, said: "It is great what Basildon has done in providing sites, but you cant just kick people out of their homes."

Crays Hill traveller, Patrick Egan, said after the meeting: "We have elderly and young children living in Oak Lane and they deserve a home the same as everyone else."

Published Friday, December 13, 2002

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