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More than 30 caravans have pitched up in a local park – but there’s nothing police can do to evict them.
Cops are ‘monitoring the situation closely’ at Guildford’s Stoke Park in Surrey where the makeshift caravan site has been created.
The dozens of caravans and as many cars and vans appeared overnight to set up camp on one of the playing fields.
Surrey Police are working closely with Guildford Borough Council, which owns the 130-acre town centre park.
Officer’s powers to manage encampments are ‘reliant on certain criteria with regards to damage, disruption, or distress’, according to Surrey Police.
They visited the site after it was reported to them but concluded nothing could be done as locals are forced to put up with the intruders.
But cops confirmed they will continue to monitor the park to see if the threshold to evict the campers had been met.
Each of the caravans seems to have come with its own car to tow it along, taking up even more space in the leafy suburb.
More than 30 caravans have pitched up Guildford’s Stoke Park in Surrey (pictured) – but there’s nothing police can do to evict them
The dozens of caravans and as many cars and vans appeared overnight to set up camp on one of the playing fields
Police can only evict travellers from unauthorised camps under certain legal conditions set by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, the force said.
There must be evidence of damage, disruption, or distress caused by the travellers for officers to have the power to remove them.
Surrey Police said: ‘We are aware of an unauthorised encampment of around 30 caravans and 28 other vehicles in Stoke Park, which arrived yesterday evening (August 12).
‘Officers visited the site and will continue to monitor the situation while working closely with our partners at Guildford Borough Council, who own the land.
‘The powers available to police to manage unauthorised encampments under Sections 60, 61, and 62 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 are reliant on meeting certain criteria with regards to damage, disruption, or distress.
‘It was judged that the encampment does not currently meet this threshold, but the relevant sections of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to judge whether the criteria to direct the site to be vacated has been met.’
Guildford Borough Council have been contacted for comment.
