Traveller encampment pitches up on Stone Recreation Ground hours after group removed from Dartford Heath

A group of Travellers have moved onto a park just hours after an unauthorised encampment was turfed out of a nearby beauty spot via court order.

The latest pitch was spotted on Stone Recreation Ground in Dartford last night.

Poilice were called to the park shortly before 10pm last night where at least four caravans were reported.

Following talks with the landowner, officers issued the occupants with an order which means they must leave the site within 24 hours. A resident who spotted the campers said it was still there as of 10.15am this morning.

It comes just hours after a similar unauthorised encampment was evicted just under five miles away.

Four campervans, four vans and two cars were spotted on part of Dartford Heath earlier this week.

The unauthorised encampment, located on land off the A2 on Rochester Way, is believed to have arrived on Monday.

Enforcement officers from Dartford council visited the grassland site the same day and served a section 77 notice ordering the campers to vacate the land by noon the following day.

A court hearing also took place at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court yesterday, where council officers sought an order for their removal by 6pm today should they refuse to leave.

This was granted in court and the group of campers left the site some time after 6pm last night.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the convoy of caravans on the Rec is the same group spotted on the heath yesterday.

Dartford council says it is aware of the latest encampment and is working with police.

It comes a week after legal action was taken on a group that moved on to a field in Twydall at the beginning of the month.