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Security increased at cricket club after traveller damage

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A CRICKET fixture had to be moved after dozens of travellers caused major damage to the square before being moved on.

The large group of around 40 travellers in 15 caravans moved onto the cricket pitch at around 10pm on Thursday.

A metal fence had been torn off its hinges and wooden posts ripped up.

Mountnessing Cricket Club members could only hold their breath and watch as travellers who had parked on the periphery zoomed up and down the wicket, seemingly trying to plough it up through a series of hand-brake turns.

In full view of onlookers another man brazenly tried to dig a name into the crease.

The man began digging a T shape into the crease before attempting a letter I. He soon gave up.

The groundsman of Mountnessing Cricket Pitch feared the worst as he watched from a distance.

He said the travellers' apparent spiteful riposte came after being ordered off the site by police and council staff ahead of a match scheduled for Saturday against Roxwell.

He said: "It was obvious they were doing all they could to plough up the pitch and do as much damage as they could.

"It was just very lucky that we haven't had rain for a while and the surface was very hard.

"If we had had any rain that would have been it – it would have been turned into a ploughed field – we were very lucky.

"Someone had tried to dig some initials around the crease of one of the strips, but he had given up because the ground was too hard."

The damaged wicket strip will be not be used for the remainder of the season while the rest of the ground will be out of action for the next month.

The club's mechanical roller will also have to be stripped back and repaired after the oil filler cap was taken off and large quantities of soil and grass cuttings were forced into the engine block.

Police had already been called to the site after reports that a member of the public had been threatened with a firearm.

Police say the call was not followed up after the complainant was unable to be traced.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Police received a call at 8.10pm on Friday to reports that a member of the public had been threatened with a firearm when attending playing fields off Road Road where travellers were camping.

"Officers undertook an investigation but were unable to trace the informant to substantiate the claims."

As well as damage to the wicket and roller, at least a tonne of rubble and debris was dumped in the corner of the pitch.

Another eyewitness, who does not want be named, saw the procession of vehicles, which had apparently come from Havering, making their way into the site.

The man, who was leaving the village hall car park in his vehicle, had his path blocked.

He said: "About 10 people had just completed their removal of the gate and the caravans then drove through triumphantly and aggressively, one by one around the whole park, parking in several locations by the playground and the cricket pavilion.

"As the caravans all made it through, this made it clear for us to leave and as we did, we noticed that everyone from the pub was standing outside looking on in astonishment."

Karl Afteni, chairman of Mountnessing Parish Council, which owns the site, said the travellers had caused about £600 of damage but around £1,500 is likely to be spent in beefing up security.

He said: "Officers were quick to respond and the police issued a Section 61 requiring the travellers to leave by 10am on Saturday.

"It would seem that the damage done to the wickets through wheel spins and some digging was a reaction to this. They actually left at 9pm on Friday.

"Of course nothing will stop a determined effort with machinery and power cutters but we must make it harder to gain unlawful access in future."

Eric Pickles, who lives close by and whose Government remit encompasses laws governing incursions from travellers, alerted the council after pursuing the procession to the site in his car.

He said: "The reason they had to leave is we can now impose unlimited fines since we changed the law, whether it is their land or not.

"What we saw last week from the way they tried to dig up the pitch is the element of bitterness that they can no longer play the system.

"It cannot go without being said that we are dealing with a bunch of people who are less than honest.

"They said they were on their way to Appleby horse fair in Cumbria. Well that was last week."

Louise Mckinlay, leader of Brentwood Borough Council, said: "We were down there and started legal action as soon as we were alerted to the incursion but, with legal fees and barristers advice, this has cost the council taxpayers £4,500, which should be used on improving council services rather than fighting off illegal activities."

Security increased at cricket club after traveller damage


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