Travellers leave open space behind Romford street
12 caravans unlawfully gained entry to an open space in Lilliput Road, Romford, last week - Credit: Kayleigh Lockwood
Travellers who gained unauthorised access to an open space behind a Romford street last week have now moved on.
Around 12 caravans moved onto the site behind Lilliput Road on Friday afternoon and were almost immediately served with an eviction notice.
Havering Council’s parks protection team remained at the site until the travellers moved on yesterday at 5.30pm.
June Wingrove, whose garden backs onto the area that was occupied said: “The whole situation has been resolved now.
“The parks protection people were absolutely brilliant - they were there all the time and happy to give people updates.”
She added: “All that is left now is an awful mess.”
This is not the first time that travellers have gained access to open spaces in Havering.
Most Read
- 1 Woman who 'glued neighbour's door shut' ordered to pay over £600
- 2 Tributes to former Hornchurch, Dagenham, Wealdstone and Hendon forward Marvin Morgan
- 3 'Everybody wanted to be in his company': Tributes paid to popular Romford postman
- 4 Murder investigation continues after man found dead after disturbance in Rainham
- 5 Weather warning issued ahead of expected gale force winds in London
- 6 Pupils explore great outdoors at primary's 'forest school'
- 7 Farming family to be evicted from Upminster land they worked for a century
- 8 'I thought I was dying': Havering mayor and deputy catch Covid
- 9 Wheelchair user's 'disgust' at borough's pavements after park visit ends with hour wait for ambulance
- 10 Items from Lidl and Sainsbury's recalled over health and safety concerns
Earlier this year around 25 caravans were parked in Bretons car park in Rainham and were not moved on for almost a week.
Labour candidate for Romford, Sam Gould, said: “It comes as no surprise that travellers moved onto a space off Lilliput Road.
“I have warned the council that this will continue to happen until they begin to exercise precautionary measures in problem areas so that travellers cannot occupy spaces in the first place.
“They have not listened and once again they have put residents’ safety at risk.”
Cllr Melvin Wallace, cabinet member for culture and community engagement, pointed out that the council “won’t tolerate any unauthorised settlement in our parks or green spaces”.
Read more:
Travellers move onto green space in Romford
Recorder readers disagree with council’s decision to approve gypsy and traveller site
