The Shrub End caravan causing six months of issues

The mystery caravan has been appearing and disappearing from Rayner Road, with councillors calling for it to be removed.

Fed up residents say the caravan is obstructing both the road and the pavement.

Location - Rayner Road residents concerned over the caravan situation (Image: Google Earth) Councillor for Shrub End ward, Claire Osbourne said: “This has been ongoing on and off for well over six months.

“The caravan will appear and then disappear but no one has seen the person who is putting it there and then taking it away.

“It has been mentioned in online groups and I’ve had residents reach out about how much of a problem it is causing.

“My main concern is that it keeps happening and people are reporting it, and it isn’t being sorted.

“It’s blocking the pavement, and it is of concern for our residents.”

Councillor for Shrub End ward, Dave Harris said: “It’s of huge concern, caravans are notorious for having gas equipment and having it dumped there is not good, especially if it catches alight.

Unimpressed - councillor Dave Harris is not happy with the person who has been dumping the caravan in Shrub End “This is not community minded, me and my fellow councillor Claire are very concerned about this

“The sooner it is removed the better as it’s an absolute mess and it’s obviously been put there for someone to cut their losses instead of sorting it out properly.”

A spokesman for Colchester Council said: “We are aware of the abandoned caravan on Rayner Road in Shrub End and have taken steps to address the issue.

"A Neighbourhood Warden has recently visited the site and issued a notice for its removal. They will be returning tomorrow to assess the situation and initiate the removal process if necessary.

“We understand the concerns of local residents and are committed to resolving this matter promptly.

"While the removal process may take up to two weeks, we are actively working to identify the owner of the caravan and explore potential options for disposal.

"Our Neighbourhood Wardens will be conducting further inquiries, including door-knocking in the surrounding area, to gather additional information.