I thank the Echo and Jon Austin in particular, for the articles published this week, relating to the illegal Traveller site at Crays Hill.

As a resident of Crays Hill I have attended four hearings and heard just about every lame excuse under the sun, to justify a claim that "special circumstances" apply to the illegal occupants and therefore should be permitted to stay.

The articles have thrown a whole new light on the reality of what the Irish traveller world is all about.

I am of the opinion that this case and others, is more to do with politics than legality. After all there is no question that the site is illegal, the question is, why is it still permitted to be occupied?

Political correctness wrapped in the armour of the Human Rights Act (for which Tony Blair signed a blank cheque) is the answer.

It is not a challenge politicians want to face, so the appeal after appeal system suits them down to the ground. It provides the opportunity to persevere until, perhaps, an inspector appears that does agree that "special circumstances" exist, the politician can then grant consent and the problem has gone away, from Westminster that is, not Crays Hill.

I sincerely hope that the Secretary of State reads the book Outsiders, it would open her eyes to reality, she can then pass it on to Tony Blair.

Harry Scott
Crays Hill

...I was horrified to read travellers are looking to create four more sites in the Basildon area. The picturesque village of Crays Hill is testimony to the damage to communities these sites can do. When will the Government step in and stop this madness? Angela Smith, MP for Basildon, should get off the fence and get involvedbefore more carnage is allowed in the green belt. The Echo has exposed these people for what they are and it is high time this Government looked into the murky dealings that are being overlooked to satisfy the PC brigade. The way we are constantly bending over backwards to assist this effrontery sickens the law-abiding people of Basildon. A full and proper inquiry into the people bankrolling these sites is long overdue.

David Razey
Great Gregorie
Basildon

...As a resident of Crays Hill I thank Jon Austin for at last uncovering and making public knowledge the fact that the travellers "with nowhere else to go" are in fact involved in very large and lucrative cash transactions buying and selling green belt plots across the country. When will the Govern-ment finally wake up to what is going on?

Mark Hood
Crays Hill