Travellers spotted setting up camp along Southsea seafront

Photographs show the travellers have pitched their carvans – roughly half a dozen vehicles in total – in the paddock behind the Yomper statue along Eastney Esplanade. The paddock is close to the Royal Marines’ Museum.

A spokeswoman for Portsmouth City Council told The News that the council is aware of their presence.

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She said: ‘Portsmouth City Council is aware of an encampment along Eastney Esplanade and have informed the landowners.’

When travellers park on public land, the local authority has the legal power to evict them. However, in the event of them parking on private land, that responsibility falls on whoever owns the land.

Romany and Irish travellers are also protected in law from racial discrimination, under the Equality Act.

In the past year, police officers have been given bolstered powers to disperse travellers via new wording in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act (1994).