Travellers return to illegal Shropshire site close to M54

The illegal camp appeared over the weekend and police went to the site.

West Mercia Police spokeswoman, Abbey Hartley, said: "We have been made aware of a travellers' encampment by the M54 service area. Police attended and issued a code of conduct notice."

There has previously been some confusion over the ownership of the land, with neither Shropshire Council nor the Highways Agency taking responsibility for the ownership of it.

Travellers last occupied the site in August last year and before that in May. Shropshire Council highways officers had ploughed up bits of the verge in an attempt to stop caravans returning but it appears not to have worked although authority spokesman Adam Spreckley insisted the measure was only a "temporary solution".

The code of conduct notice served to unauthorised traveller sites sets out a number of rules for those on the land outlining how they are expected to behave.

The notice says any unauthorised stay on the land is "limited in time and is dependent on travellers complying with the code".

It added: "Travellers should treat the land with respect, respect the rights of other people who also wish to use the area and keep the same standard of behaviour that is expected of the settled community."

It also said travellers "must not force entry to land".

Meanwhile, security will be improved at a derelict site which has twice been occupied by travellers in the last two months.

Travellers who had camped on land earmarked for development off the Stourbridge Road in Bridgnorth have been moved on following a visit from bailiffs on Saturday.

The travellers broke through extra barriers on land co-owned by the Communities Agency, a government body set up to make homes and business premises available to those who need them.

Tom Davies, for the agency, said: "The Stourbridge Road site is now being cleared and arrangements are being made to provide improved security measures in an attempt to prevent further incursions."