PRIVATE landowners will be left to fend for themselves if travellers move on to their land after the eviction.

Basildon Council says its officers and police will only get involved if there is a risk of people being hurt or the makeshift camps cause major disruption.

This is the usual case when travellers set up on people’s land, but the council will be putting no special measures in place, despite the high risk of unauthorised occupation this month’s evictions will bring.

However, Dawn French, council head of corporate services, said the authority would focus on protecting its own land from occupation.

She said: “Security of privately-owned land is a matter for individual land owners.

“Basildon Council is responsible for 80 open spaces across the borough and aims to ensure they are as secure as possible in general, and during any potential Dale Farm site clearance, while balancing the right of public access.

“There are a number of plans in place to protect our open spaces from unauthorised occupation.

“However, it is not appropriate to provide specific details.”

At Gloucester Park, Basildon, boulders are blocking entry on to a land owned by the council, but it denies placing them there to stop travellers.

Mick Kirby, from Corner Road, Crays Hill, said he was concerned about a large area of farmland known as Pond Farm, near his home.

Travellers from Dale Farm already own the front part of the field. Residents fear the site is vulnerable. Mr Kirby said: “That field is the first place the travellers might go. We have been on to the council to improve security, but they say it is down to the private landowner to deal with.

“So if travellers own it and move on to the land, what will happen?”

Mr Kirby said the council told him an injunction against any occupation was still in place, so they could not move there.

He said: “That may be the case, but physically, there is only a flimsy gate, which a five-year-old could force open.”