POLICE reinforcements moved in on Wednesday morning (May 20) to help specialist bailiffs trying for a third day in a row to remove ‘travellers’ who have taken over a large public green in Wellington.

About a dozen ‘traveller’ caravans moved onto the field off Hoyles Road late on Sunday after steel bollards protecting the site from vehicles had been removed.

Wellington Town Council, which owns the land between Oakfield Park and Webbers Close, immediately contracted Bristol company GRC Group to start eviction procedures.

But, despite eviction notices being served on Monday and daily visits from the bailiffs, the ‘travellers’ have refused to move on.

One resident who lives near the site told the Wellington Weekly: “It looks like one or two caravans may have gone but then others have come in their place instead.”

A council spokesperson said GRC bailiffs were on site again on Wednesday morning but ‘the eviction process is taking longer than we had hoped’.

The spokesperson said: “While some vehicles initially left the site yesterday, they then returned later in the day.

“GRC will be escalating their process with a view to continuing to try to move things on quickly and are liaising with the police in relation to that.

“We are in discussions with GRC about how we can secure the site on an interim basis as soon as it is clear while we consider what longer term measures are needed.

“Thank you for your patience with this.

“As with yesterday’s update, we would ask that people steer clear of the site to allow GRC to do their work and to avoid any risk associated with moving vehicles.”