A TRAVELLER group who had set up an unauthorised encampment in Ellesmere Port have been ordered to leave the site.

The camp, which consisted of a single caravan, was set up on Council-owned land on Kalewood Road on Thursday (March 28).

All unauthorised encampments are assessed and dealt with by the Cheshire and Warrington Traveller Team (CWTT). Various checks are made including welfare, cleanliness, disruption to local businesses and obstruction of highways.

If an unauthorised encampment is on Council land, the Council may only evict them subject to complying with Human Rights legislation and other procedures.

Following that assessment, the group were today (Wednesday, March 3) served with a section 77 order under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

The order instructs the group to leave by a set date, and failure to do so will result in a possession order (section 78).

Failure to leave after this point would constitute a criminal offence.