Travellers who have occupied part of a grassed area owned by Tendring District Council are to be given notice to leave the area.

Two caravans set up camp in Riverside Avenue West, Manningtree, on Wednesday.

Essex County Council’s traveller unit has been informed and was due to pay a visit to the group as well as serve it with a Direction to Leave notice.

This gives them 24 hours to move on from the site or face further council action.

The council has had to deal with a number of encampments in recent weeks, mainly in the Clacton area and on Holland Marshes.

All left following a Direction to Leave notice being served – except for one group on the marshes which eventually left having been summonsed to court.

Paul Honeywood, TDC’s cabinet member for housing, said that traveller encampments occur mainly in the summer and during the holiday period.

“Where this happens we often receive complaints from residents and we go through a tried and tested procedure with our colleagues at the traveller unit,” he said.

“It may mean that a group will move on to another site but then we follow the same procedure there and do everything by the book.

“Usually it will have the desired effect and so far this year none of the groups have ended up making a court appearance.

“However, we are left with the job of tidying up the mess which is often left behind after they go.”

There is a further encampment in High Birch Road in Weeley that has been there since the weekend, but this is on private land and not something TDC can deal with.

The land owner is aware and has been given advice on what to do to evict the travellers.