Travellers at Southsea Common dodge eviction at court after leaving before hearing

TRAVELLERS on Southsea Common dodged eviction proceedings after leaving the site before they faced the wrath of authorities at court.
Travellers On Southsea Common - Caravans parked on the Common.  Picture: Vernon NashTravellers On Southsea Common - Caravans parked on the Common.  Picture: Vernon Nash
Travellers On Southsea Common - Caravans parked on the Common. Picture: Vernon Nash

Besieged residents and officials were left up in arms after the annual influx of travellers came early this year on the popular spot next to the Blue Reef Aquarium between Clarence Esplanade and Serpentine Road. The nomads then moved onto the D-Day Story car park.

In total, at least 23 vehicles pitched-up earlier this month to give Portsmouth City Council its first travellers headache of the year.

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Attempts to thwart the interlopers following last year’s arrival at the site have already flagged problems for the months ahead after boulders meant to restrict vehicle access were dumped out the way.

Council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson confirmed the travellers had circumnavigated the barricade after admitting a ‘gap appeared in the defences’.

He said last week: ‘We will be going to court to get them evicted as soon as we can. We will do everything we can to get the land back to normal as quickly as possible.’

But at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday an application to evict was not needed after travellers had now moved on from the location.

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The settlement comes after at least nine unauthorised camps were pitched up across the Portsmouth area last year.

Southsea Common was among these, with travellers also going to Canoe Lake, Watersedge Park, Ferry Road in Eastney, Five Heads Recreation Ground in Horndean and others.