A GROUP of travellers has arrived in Frinton after being moved on from Clacton.

Tendring Council and the police persuaded them to move away from the greensward in Clacton, where the airshow is due to take place today.

Shortly after their morning departure, having spent less than two hours in the Martello area of Clacton, they were spotted on the greensward in Frinton.

Councillor Richard Everett, who lives in Frinton, said "scurrilous" rumours from Frinton residents was that Tendring Council staff suggested they move on to Frinton - something denied by the council.

But Mr Everett said he was more concerned about any mess the travellers might leave, which would damage tourism in Frinton.

Fellow councillor Anne Davis met with the travellers and stressed they had told her they would leave the greensward today (Thursday) and move on to Holland Marshes.

“They assured me that the council would be down in two hours, that they have been given 24 hours permission to remain on the greensward. They are moving on to Holland Marshes because they want to see the airshow,” she said.

Mrs Davis said she told them that people were concerned about mess, but the travellers told her they “were clean and would not leave a mess”.

“They assured me they would be gone in the morning,” she added.

Frinton Conservative councillor and Tendring cabinet member Nick Turner said it was not true the travellers had been encouraged by council staff to go to Frinton.

“They would not be that stupid,” he said.

He said Tendring Council and others have the matter “all in hand” and they are doing all they can to remove them, with senior officers and councillors on-site.

The North East Parking Partnership is being asked to give Tendring Council powers to issue them with parking fines.

“This is the first incursion we have had in Frinton for a number of years,” said Mr Turner.

The veteran councillor said the travellers know what they are doing and it is a game of cat and mouse with the authorities.

Even if they moved to Holland Marshes, they would still have to move on from there.

“Tendring Council is doing everything it possibly can to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,” he added.

Mr Turner said the council would have to ask him for the permission to let the travellers be at Frinton for 24 hours.

“There’s no way in a million years I would agree to that. You can’t stay there. I can’t stay there, so why should they? We are all equal before the law,” he added.

Tendring Council confirmed it had begun its "normal procedures" following the Frinton incursion.

“We have informed the Essex County Traveller Unit who act on our behalf and they will visit the group tomorrow (Thursday) and the travellers will then be given 24 hours to leave the site,” said spokesman Nigel Brown.

“If they do not do so the matter will be pursued through the courts and this is a process we have followed on a number of occasions this year on other sites around Tendring. Depending on whether they decide to move when given the initial direction it can take between seven to days to remove them,” he added.