VILLAGERS were celebrating today as a group of travellers left a controversial site.

A week ago up to 30 caravans moved on to a small plot off Blackberry Drive, Fair Oak, near a group of upmarket houses.

The situation became tense last week when residents were involved in a stand-off with the travellers and police were called in.

Yesterday landowners Persimmon Homes applied to Southampton County Court for an order to evict the group but by the time of the hearing at 12.30pm yesterday the travellers had dismantled their camp and shipped out.

A pair of residents, who declined to be named, said: "Persimmon, to be fair, responded as soon as they knew and within a week the travellers had gone.

"We're happy to see the back of them."

Allen Smith, managing director of Persimmon Homes, said: "The possession order not only requires the travellers to leave the site but means that if they return to the site, they will be in breach of the order. We are therefore able to make an immediate application for a bailiff's warrant to evict the travellers if they should return in the future."

Philip Spearey, Eastleigh councillor for Fair Oak, said: "The law needs to be toughened up so that situations like this can't be repeated. I would remind residents not to use the services of the travellers as this will help to discourage them from coming to the area."