Moment police cause outrage by 'escorting' a static caravan onto an illegal site where travellers paved over a village's protected field

Police have caused outrage after a video captured officers 'escorting' a static caravan onto an illegal site where travellers paved over a village's protected field. Last month, travellers ripped up a pristine plot of green land in Irby, Merseyside, with a fleet of diggers and a forklift. They erected a 10ft fence and carried out noisy excavation work next to residents' homes. Now video has emerged of police guiding another large white caravan onto the site. Aerial footage has since revealed it has been placed in the back left of the plot and has had AstroTurf placed in front of it. One homeowner said he believed police were more interested in the welfare of the travellers than in the welfare of other Townshend Avenue residents.He added that the assisting police looked like 'bodyguards' and it felt like the travellers were 'customers'.Merseyside Police have said they are 'duty-bound to escort vehicles that could pose a safety risk to other motorists due to their size or weight'. Police have caused outrage after a video captured officers 'escorting' a static caravan onto an illegal site where travellers paved over a village's protected field Drone footage shows the formerly pristine plot of green land in Irby, Merseyside, that was paved over by travellers Travellers caused outrage after they allegedly ripped up a green belt field to build a camp ahead of the Bank Holiday weekendThree traveller families bought the protected green belt land in August. They then moved in over the August Bank Holiday weekend and conducted illegal works, including erecting a 10ft wooden fence and laying hard standing. Drone images also show three other caravans, one building with AstroTurf, three cars and a van on the land. No planning application had been submitted for works to be completed on the land, according to the Wirral Council planning portal. The land is a piece of green belt land and has now been described as a 'building site'. A temporary stop notice is now in place to stop further construction but does not apply to the caravans. All static homes and park homes require planning permission to be used as permanent residences. Under safe loads regulations, haulage companies are required to have National Highways consent and a police escort for 'exceptionally abnormal loads', which means anything exceeding 4-5m wide.Wirral Council was unable to prevent a police escort. Aerial view of the traveller site two days into settlement at Townshend Avenue in Irby Travellers erected a 10ft fence and carried out noisy excavation work next to residents' homes Aerial footage has revealed that the new caravan has been placed in the back left of the plot and has had AstroTurf placed in front of it The land is a piece of green belt land and has now been described as a 'building site'Local councillor Mark Skillicorn confirmed police were notified.He said that he recognised that residents wanted 'swift action' on the site. He added he was pushing for escalation of the council's enforcement options 'as a matter of urgency'. Local Conservative campaigner David Fairbairn, 67, said he was 'outraged' by the works.He said: 'This piece of green belt land has suddenly turned into what looks like a building site almost overnight.'Reacting to the static caravan being moved to the site, one resident said: 'What happened on Sunday was really strange.'I went down to see what was going on. These police, traffic cops, had escorted [the static home] into the street. But there was a car parked in the way.'The police attitude was that the travellers were their customer - and that someone needed to move it. Aerial view of the site at Townshend Avenue in Irby, the Wirral, Merseyside, before the travellers moved onto the illegal plot The site has been occupied since the evening of August 26'An officer said, 'that car needs to be removed - if that's not removed, it's going to get towed away.''Police officers were alleged to have asked residents on the street to 'knock on doors' and find out who the car belonged to.A 'feisty' conversation between residents and travellers followed later that day, according to one local homeowner.A traveller is alleged to have said: 'We're here now, get used to it, we mean you no harm.'Another resident said: 'It's really intimidating. Our mental health is diminishing; our rational thoughts are diminishing. Everyone I've spoken to is distressed.'I understand the council are doing investigations, but they need to put comms out and let us know.'The temporary stop notice is currently in place to protect the natural environment, enable assessment of the development's impact and prevent uncontrolled development potentially harming the environment.Cllr Skillicorn said the council continues to monitor compliance with the notice, which expires on October 22.A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: 'We were informed that a large vehicle was due to travel from an address in Liverpool to Irby on Sunday 13 September.'As a police force, we are duty-bound to escort vehicles that could pose a safety risk to other motorists due to their size or weight.'We therefore fulfilled this role to ensure road safety at all times.'