Council bosses are seeking a court order in a bid to clear a group of travellers off their community field.

Travellers turned up at the recreation ground behind Langham Community Centre in School Road, over a week ago.

Members of the public tried to stop them coming in but were unsuccessful.

A notice was served to the group on Monday and they were given 24 hours to move on.

But they failed to do so.

A court date has now been set for Friday and, if successful, bailiffs will be sent in 24 hours after.

However, because the coming weekend is a bank holiday, the group may not be moved on until Tuesday.

Langham Parish Council bosses say they are moving as fast as possible to get the matter resolved.

Resident Sallie West said it has caused disruption.

She told the Gazette: “Everyone I have spoken to feels the process to evict needs to be sped up and something needs to be put in place to stop them returning.

“Them being there has made us vulnerable as we feel they are watching our every move.

“I’m not looking forward to the clean up.

“Looking forward I think the gates need to be fixed correctly so the locks work once they have left.”

A personal trainer has stopped holding her classes on the field.

Sallie said: “Like her, most are avoiding the field. I walk my dog over there every day but not since they arrived “I have no idea why is has taken a long time.

“The parish said they acted accordingly and had to follow protocol.”

Langham Pre School also operates from the community centre, but bosses say they had not been affected by the travellers.

Residents said the main concern was health and safety, with rubbish being dumped and toilets being emptied.

They are concerned the playing fields and surrounding areas will be a “health hazard” for both humans and animals.

Trespassing on private land by itself is not a criminal offence as prevention and the removal of trespassers are the responsibility of the landowner. Police were in talks with the travellers and have said they are monitoring the situation, and are working with the parish council.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “The Essex Countywide Traveller Unit has started legal proceedings to repossess the land via the Magistrates’ court.

“It is a process that can take up to seven working days to resolve and we have a court date booked for [tomorrow].

“We are constantly monitoring the encampment with the police whose powers can supersede our process if the section 61 criteria is met.”

For that criteria to be met, travellers must have caused damage to the land or threatened, abused or insulted the landowner.

Official police advice states the most senior officer at the scene will make a decision as to whether the use of section 61 is necessary or proportionate.

Crucially, he or she must be satisfied there is:

  • local disruption to the economy?
  • other significant disruption to the local community or environment
  • danger to life
  • an increase in crime directly attributable to the encampment?