A clean-up operation costing thousands of pounds is under way after travellers were evicted from council-owned land on Canvey.

Leisure chairman Dave Blackwell has now demanded action to come up with a detailed strategy on how officers should handle incursions onto council land by caravans.

Mr Blackwell was speaking after the council evicted a group of travellers from the land at Small Gains, off Point Road.

He said: "This summer we have had travellers on four parts of the island, Waterside Farm, Waterside allotments, Benfleet bridge and at Small Gains.

"The latest group were evicted from Small Gains on Sunday but every time they move on they leave a great deal of rubbish which we have to clear up.

"They have also been driving over the football pitches which the council now has to repair and we don't know if they will be ready for the Island Boys team when they start to use them later in the year.

"This year we are facing a clean-up bill that is going to run in to thousands of pounds."

Tony Galloway, director of leisure at the council, said: "Our contractors are still in the process of clearing up but it's anticipated to cost several thousand pounds."

Published Thursday August 15, 2002

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