THE owners of a coal yard site in Boscombe have applied to the courts to have campaigners evicted.

Representatives from Brightmark Ltd will appear at county court next week in a bid to repossess the site in Ashley Road from the Occupy Homeless Sanctuary.

The sanctuary moved onto the ground in early January. It was previously based on privately-owned land opposite the BIC in Exeter Road.

The Bournemouth site was evicted on two separate occasions. Squatters moved back onto the area, formerly occupied by the Punshon Memorial Church, hours after a first eviction.

Legal documents show the new claim relating to the land in Boscombe will be heard by a county court judge on the afternoon of February 6.

News about the court hearing spread just days after one of Occupy's organisers, Gary Sherborne, announced he would take a step back from the organisation.

In a post shared on social media, Sherborne said: "The overwhelming issues facing people with homes, but no flats or houses to put them in, is much much more than a small team of dedicated champions can safely deal with."

Adding that it "pains" him to "yield to the pressures", Sherborne said: "I will be vacating my position over the next few days."

He will continue working as part of Occupy's legal group, he said.

Sherborne, who lives in Walpole Road, was charged with criminal damage and obstructing an enforcement officer in January. Both charges relate to incidents alleged to have taken place at the Exeter Road site on January 2.

On his first appearance at court in Poole, he refused to stand in the dock, telling magistrates he was to represent himself and would feel too "confined" to do so from the dock.

As a result, the 55-year-old was told his appearance would not be acknowledged and a warrant for his arrest would likely be issued. Sherborne then left the court building.

He appeared once again before magistrates on January 29 and was charged with failing to surrender to custody on January 19.

Sherborne, who has not yet entered pleas to any of the alleged offences, was given conditional bail and ordered to appear once again on February 27 for a case management hearing.