Bailiffs entered Dale Farm and urged campaigners to stop obstructing the eviction process - and leave in peace.

About 12 men in blue jackets, marked "Enforcement Officer", moved in before a spokesman stepped forward.

He told of the bailiffs concerns, especially in regards to a structure erected by the campaigners which he said had the potential to "put people's lives at danger".

At this a woman yelled out "a woman will die if you move it". This was in reference to the protester who had put a bike lock around her neck and attached it to the barricade by the site's main entrance.

The spokesman then went on to speak of health and safety concerns before asking if there was anything he could do to get people to leave peacefully. This was met with jeers from protesters.

The bailiff team then left the site via some metal fencing at about 3pm. They refused to answer any questions from the media.

Moments before they went on five police vans were seen arriving.

It came after last-minute talks to avert the site clearance collapsed earlier.

A spokesman for Basildon Council said: "Last minute talks requested by the Travellers have broken down.

"This happened as soon as it became obvious to the council that the only objectives the travellers had in holding the talks were to delay today’s planned activity until November 22- the date of an appeal for a planning application on Church Road, which has been previously refused by the council.

"This was never open for negotiation.

"The Council for the past two weeks has made it absolutely clear that the operation to clear the site would commence from Monday 19th.

The council’s purpose for today’s talks was to ensure cooperation so that the clearance could be carried out in a safe and orderly manner.

"The council will now get on with the difficult job of clearing the site and we continue to urge the travellers and their supporters to cooperate with the Council and behave in a lawful and peaceful way."