Over 20 travellers vehicles have left Burnham-On-Sea’s Winchester Park after pitching up on Saturday evening (August 15th) following a stand-off with Police at the entrance.
Officers served them with a Section 60 notice and they left by 1pm today (Sunday).
Residents had reported seeing a long line of caravans and towing vehicles arrive on Saturday evening via Winchester Road, as pictured here.
A Police spokesperson told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We were called at around 8.20pm on Saturday 15th August to Winchester Road Park in Burnham-On-Sea about an unauthorised encampment.”
“Officers attended and engaged with members of the public – and from people from the unauthorised encampment – and issued a Section 60 notice under Section 60C of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.”
“The notice instructs individuals to move from an area by a set time and makes it an offence to reside on land without consent.”
“Officers from our Neighbourhood Policing Team remain in the area and continue to conduct high-visibility patrols.”
Several community-spirited residents launched a clean-up of the playing fields, helping the council’s cleaner who was also on site to take away litter.
Somerset Council – which owns the park – added that it had been aware of the matter and was following its usual legal process.
