Deadline looms for travellers

Mr Kardona: "Council is destroying our community"

Families living on an illegal caravan site in a Bedfordshire village have just one week to leave the land they own, or be evicted.

Residents at Woodside Caravan Park in Hatch near Sandy were given notice to leave, which expires on 1 November.

In June, the High Court backed Mid Bedfordshire District Council view that the travellers do not have planning permission for a permanent site.

Cliff Kardona, the travellers' leader, said the council was destroying their community.

Council leader Brian Collier has said every provision would be taken to make sure they will have somewhere to go, but they could not be guaranteed accommodation.

The council said local housing associations might be able to help re-house some of the families.