Travellers return to scene of legal row

TRAVELLERS have set up an unauthorised camp on the same land which sparked a costly legal battle in 2004 when a family of travellers took legal action to stop them being moved on.

Four caravans have arrived on a playing field off Spinkwell Lane, Tingley, which is used by a local football club.

Leeds Council has started legal action to have the travellers evicted.

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When it took action in 2004 a family of travellers began legal action, saying the eviction infringed their human rights under Article 8 of the European Convention, which protects private and family life.

The family, who were granted a maximum of 60,000 in legal aid to fight the case, eventually lost but not before the case had reached both the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords.

Leeds Council had to spend tens of thousands of pounds in clean-up, legal and security costs relating to the Spinkwell Lane site.

Yesterday a council spokesman said it would be seeking a court order tomorrow.

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Those who have set up camp are not the same family who took legal action in 2004.

Local councillor Jack Dunn said the caravans were not actually on the playing area and so football games should be unaffected. He said the locked gates at the site had been forced.

Leeds Council has had to take action against two other illegal encampments by travellers, both set up just over a week ago.

Yesterday travellers left Soldiers Field, Roundhay on the day that a possession order was granted to the council.

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They left behind two bags of rubbish but the ground was undamaged, according to a council spokesman.

A court date has been set for Thursday this week to deal with a camp of travellers on land off the Armley gyratory in Leeds.