A group of travelers had trapped people in their houses by blocking off roads and causing them to be locked out, prompting Riot Police to arrive at the housing estate.
According to residents, the 20-caravan group arrived in Worcester in December 16 with 20 vehicles and established camp in the parking lot at the site of Lotus Lightweight Structures.
The newcomers erected a metal barrier across the only way in or out of the nearby housing estate and parked their vehicles on grass verges, blocking locals from leaving or entering.
Residents claim officers had to wait for backup from riot police before the gate was eventually reopened on Christmas Eve, but say the group still remains at the site and the gates were re-locked ‘another couple of times after the police opened them’.
Homeowners say they have since been verbally abused, had projectiles thrown at their cars and have witnessed fights breaking out.
There have also been reports of cars racing up and down the roads, while others have had vehicles ‘dumped’ in front of their homes.
The group arrived in Worcester with 20 caravans on December 16 and set up camp in the car park at the former site of the Lotus Lightweight Structures factory
A metal barrier was erected by the newcomers to block access or exit from the adjacent housing estate. They parked their cars on grass verges blocking the view of locals leaving or entering
Local resident said the fear of safety has caused shaken people to move. He stated that the responding officers had to wait until the back-up of the riot police before they could open the public roads. Is this how you believe local residents should feel?
“The police had opened the gates, and they were still locked.
“The travelers have ignored the orders. They are allowed to do this. This is what law-abiding citizens have to accept and endure.
“We are aware that police can move them, but they fear too much.” It’s disgusting this continues.
According to residents, they’ve grown in number and spread into the nearby old gas works. Today, garbage is scattered across the entire estate.
Anxious neighbours claim loud chainsaws as well as late night bonfires kept them up all night.
According to the resident who declined to identify himself, he added that many people had lost their Christmas because of them.
We won’t let our home be empty.
We have only one way to get in, one way to go out and this is past the site.
We have reached out to West Mercia Police for comments.