RESIDENTS of an affluent Hampshire village are furious after a group of travellers moved on to a site which they had warned could become illegally occupied.

The worst fears of people living in East Wellow, near Romsey, were realised this week when six caravans and various pieces of fairground equipment arrived at the field in Gardeners Lane An investigation has been launched by Test Valley planning bosses, who were in the process of taking legal action to prevent such an unlawful occupation taking place.

The owner of the site, whose identity has not been revealed, has been contacted by the council and is aware of its objections.

Suspicions were first aroused just over a month ago after workmen with diggers began removing topsoil and putting down hardcore, a material commonly used for foundations.

The contractors told home owners that the land was to be returned to its original use - a pig farm - but few believed them.

A banner reading, "Do Wellow residents want another Scallows Lane Act now before it's too late," was draped over a Gardeners Lane road sign.

Scallows Lane, in West Wellow, was the location of another illegal gypsy camp set up in 1994.

Police made 24 arrests and seized two shotguns in a raid there. The occupiers have just under a year to clear out.

Geoff Levine, who lives next door to the latest site, said: "I knew there was no way this was going to be used as a pig farm - that's a loss-making business at the moment.

"If this becomes a permanent site it's going to devalue our homes and it's not cheap to buy a house around here."

Wellow Parish Council chairman Veronica Perry has vowed to have the gypsies moved off the land as soon as possible.

She said: "I understand that they are intending to be there over winter and go around the fairgrounds in the summer.

"What has been done here has been done without planning permission. To my mind, this looks like a permanent arrangement and the residents are extremely annoyed.

"The parish council will do all it can, in co-operation with our two Test Valley representatives, to have these people removed as soon as possible."

Councillor Nigel Greasley said: "We are somewhat distressed that we couldn't prevent this happening.

"The council were taking legal steps which could have avoided this but it seems we ran out of time."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.