A council chief has commended the work of those who cleared an illegal travellers' site in a £100,000 operation.

The praise comes after bailiffs moved in to clear the unauthorised site in Cranham Road, Little Waltham, near Chelmsford.

Bailiffs were pelted with rubble as travellers tried to stop them entering the site yesterday. Two bailiffs were taken to hospital, one with a broken knee cap. Two others suffered minor injuries.

The council has been taking action against the travellers on the site, which houses about 30 caravans, since November 2001. It pledged to remove the illegal residents after claiming it had exhausted all other options, including issuing two enforcement notices to stop the unlawful use of the agricultural land.

Neil Gulliver, executive member for planning and transport, said this was the "last resort" and those behind the operation had done a "grand" job.

Published Tuesday January 27, 2004

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