CIVIC officials have obtained a court order to evict travellers from two unauthorised encampments in Poole.

Travellers first moved onto Hatchards Field, Rossmore, and a car park at Baiter Park on Sunday evening.

Direction notices requiring them to vacate the sites were served on both encampments on Thursday.

However, later that evening, an additional three caravans pulled onto the Hatchards Field site.

Seven caravans and other vehicles remained at Hatchards Field, close to the children’s play area.

Meanwhile, six caravans and one motorhome also remained at Baiter. The court order means the travellers that initially moved onto the sites on Sunday must leave over the weekend.

Borough of Poole’s Jeff Morley said: “This afternoon the magistrates court confirmed eviction orders on travellers at Baiter car park and Hatchards Field, requiring them to leave over the weekend.

“The three caravans that arrived at Hatchards on Thursday evening cannot legally be included in this order. We have started legal action to evict this group.”

Earlier this week, following his visit to the Rossmore site, Alderney ward councillor Tony Trent said it was apparent the travellers had gained access because of a rotten ‘dragon’s teeth’ stump at the park’s entrance.

He added: “This was pure and simply a lack of maintenance. This is a case where minimal measures would have prevented access.”

Borough of Poole recently agreed to improve protection at six of the town’s ‘priority’ public spaces.

Borough project manager Michael Webber said: “These sites are located at Whitecliff, Baiter, Verity Crescent, Broadstone Recreation Ground, Branksome Recreation Ground and Haskells Recreation Ground.”

Contentious plans to establish two temporary stopping places for gypsies and travellers in Poole were abandoned earlier this year.

Members of Poole council’s planning committee rejected the applications for Marshes End, Creekmoor, and land off Broadstone Way.

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