Travellers thwarted by human barricade

People in Meriden, Warwickshire, formed a human barricade when trucks and diggers made their way through the usually peaceful village.

Farmers parked their vehicles across the roads and scores of residents vowed to hold a vigil to prevent travellers from developing a field without planning permission.

The residents fear that the travellers – who own the land but do not have permission to build on it – were planning to take advantage of the Bank Holiday weekend to lay concrete on the site and have utilities installed.

The travellers lodged a "last minute" planning application with

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council on Friday.

The council has since issued a stop notice, to ban development on the land until the application can be dealt with.

Residents are now planning to stage a demonstration against development of the field outside the council house in Solihull today.

Local farmer Lawrie Arnold, 65, said: "We don't want them here, it is as simple as that.

"As soon as it happened, people rang round and we started to do what we could. We live by the planning laws, why shouldn't they?

"We are going to be here for as long as it takes."

Meriden Parish Council clerk Julie Hall said: "I believe a planning application was lodged at the last minute on Friday evening.

"The land is owned by the travellers, therefore it is a planning issue and the parish council does not have any power.

"Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council will make the ultimate decision and everything has to be dealt with within the law."