TRAVELLERS look set to be illegally camped on a public car park in Ellesmere Port over Christmas.

The group arrived on the site, at the corner of Wellington Road and Cromwell Road in the town centre, on Friday morning.

They were ordered to move over the weekend, but refused. Now the borough council will apply for a County Court order this Friday, but it is not known how soon bailiffs can be brought in to enforce it.

Angry residents have now called for action to prevent the Travellers trespassing on the land again. One even staged a sit-in at the council offices in protest.

A Wellington Road area resident said: “This is the third time they’ve been on the car park now. How long are they going to be on there this time?

“More than 80 residents signed a petition last time, back in March, asking for action to be taken to prevent this.

“The council did put up barriers but the Travellers just drive on every time. The car park needs a height-restriction barrier to put a stop to this.”

Community leader Maurice Brookes, who has long called for an official Travellers’ site to prevent them trespassing in the town, said: “They could be here for Christmas.

“The council was supposed to identify a site for them in September but never prevailed.

“People in the houses near the car park are very vexed, and one man even staged a sit-in at the council on Friday in protest. He eventually got some answers to his questions, but not satisfactory ones.”

Mr Brookes added that he has not heard of any incidents of anti-social behaviour.

A council spokeswoman said: “A notice to quit, served on Friday, expired at 9am on Monday. The next step is applying to the county court and we have a hearing this Friday. The court order will take immediate effect but the bailiffs could then take several days. We now lock Wellington Road car park at 7pm rather than 11pm, and do consider residents’ views on this matter.”