A group of around 40 to 50 travellers have failed to comply with a Direction to Leave a Clacton seafront coach and car park, Tendring District Council (TDC) has said.

Around 10 caravans and 19 other vehicles turned up at the Martello site in Marine Parade West on Monday morning.

TDC, which owns the land, requested the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit (ECTU) to serve the direction under its normal procedures.

That was done at 11am yesterday but the group were still on site late this afternoon with “no sign of moving”, a TDC spokesman said.

On Thursday, the group will be issued with a summons by the ECTU to attend court on Monday and it is expected that they will go before the court appearance, either on Sunday night or Monday morning.

An officer from TDC’s parking services tried to issue the group with penalty charge notices this morning with support from a Police officer for using the car park without buying a pay and display ticket.

A TDC spokesman said: “Unfortunately the travellers became hostile after the first notice was issued and the decision was taken to leave the site. Another attempt will be made (on Thursday).”

Neil Stock, leader of TDC, said: “They (the travellers) have not complied with the Direction to Leave and were prepared for that situation.

“However, it is all part of the process we need to go through to get them off the land.

“What is totally unacceptable is that a member of our TDC staff was put in a very threatening position when he was carrying out his duty.”

Mr Stock said that the group was only being treated the same as any other person who chose to leave their vehicle in the car park without purchasing a ticket.

Paul Honeywood, cabinet member for housing at TDC, said the council will continue to follow the correct procedure and take the most appropriate action in a bid to remove the travellers from the land.

He said: “We have received many complaints from residents in that area but we can assure them that we are doing what we can as quickly as possible.”