�Hundreds of angry residents are urging Havering Council to pull the plug on plans to create an Olympic campsite on their doorsteps.

Jon Cruddas, MP for Dagenham and Rainham, is backing campaigners who say campers and caravanners at Westlands Playing Fields – straddling Romford and Chadwell Heath – will cause disruption during the Games this summer.

The MP handed a 400-signature petition to Havering Town Hall last month.

“While we all support the Olympics and want our local communities to be involved, it is also important that we do not impact on local residents on a day-to-day basis,” said Mr Cruddas.

“The noise and congestion that will be caused by this site is not appropriate for the area which is already extremely busy.

“I believe Havering Council needs to take a step back and re-evaluate these plans.”

Residents have met representatives from Havering and Barking and Dagenham councils three times since last September.

‘Security’

They say they were not consulted over the plans – and the first they knew about them was when they were published in the Recorder.

One resident, a 51-year-old courier from Coombewood Drive, Chadwell Heath, said: “[The council] has no regard for any of the residents – many of us have to get up early for work, and we’ll be kept awake all night by people on holiday.

“They said there will be two security guards making sure there is no noise after 11pm, but how can two people police a site that size?

“If it’s full, there could around 1,500 people.”

Council leader Cllr Michael White said: “The Westlands site is an opportunity to bring visitors to Havering and boost the local economy. We’ve written to and met with people living near the site many times and have kept them up to date with our plans.”

The plans show that the council has agreed to 800 pitches, with some around 60ft from homes.

The council also revealed that it is planning to bring in food vendors and that bookings had already been taken.