NEW Milton Town Council is taking legal action to attempt to move a group of travellers who arrived at Fawcett's Fields in New Milton on Sunday afternoon (August 31).

Several vehicles including caravans, cars and vans are parked on the council-owned fields, mirroring a similar set of events last year.

In September 2007 New Milton Town Council battled to evict an encampment of nearly 60 vehicles after their arrival caused the cancellation of planned bank holiday charity events on the site. And with the date of the 25th New Forest Marathon looming and 2,000 runners expected to converge on the Fields, the council was forced to apply for a possession order from New Forest Magistrates to move them on.

Fortunately the group packed up and pulled out at the 11th hour but it is hoped that the travellers currently living on the site will not prove to be as troublesome.

Graeme Flexman, the council's town clerk said the council was going to New Forest Magistrates Court on Wednesday, September 3, to apply for a possession order to move the travellers on their way.

"We have organised for a gypsy liaison officer from Hampshire County Council to visit the site and try to negotiate with the travellers to move them on as soon as possible and I will be going there to issue the order once we have it from the court.

"The police made a visit to the site on Sunday to ask them how long they would be staying and were told about a week. Fortunately it hasn't affected any of our events, like last year but the marathon is on September 21, so hopefully they will be gone by then."

He added: "We would like to assure residents that everything possible is being done.

"But it is an inconvenience and we'll have to wait and see if there is any clean-up required once they have moved on."