Travellers have brought in bulldozers and ripped up green belt land “in the hope the local council will be too slow to react” over the Easter weekend.
Hertfordshire locals, just off the cusp of the Chiltern Hills, claimed they have been subjected to “violent abuse and threats” hurled at them by a “whole load of travellers” first making their arrivals on Thursday night.
Over the course of the Bank Holiday, a slew of bulldozers and caravans appeared off a Friendless Lane near the village of Flamstead, feeding both fear and fury amongst the locals.
They believe the group of travellers took advantage of the long weekend over Easter in the hope Dacorum Borough Council would be slower to respond to the land grab.
Additionally, an anonymous parish councillor has claimed clashes have already occurred with the new residents along the lane, with individuals wielding metal bars and causing damage to vehicles.
As it stands, the council is continuing to wait for a court date – although it has already secured an emergency injunction, which is a planning tool designed to stop work going ahead, on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Hertfordshire Constabulary confirmed it was “monitoring the situation” while they assess claims of criminal damage, traffic offences and threatening behaviour.
The unnamed councillor told The Telegraph: “At about 7pm [on Thursday], a whole load of travellers barged their way through.
Drone footage has captured the concreted land, shared on a local Facebook group
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“There was a lot of violent abuse and threats, people wielding iron bars, a few cars were damaged, they drove into a police car and drove past.
“[They] knew that over a bank holiday, councils and courts are effectively closed and they can do as much damage as possible before anyone starts to do anything about it.”
While the narrow roads around the rural area become blockaded by the hefty vehicles, some 10 caravans and mobile homes have already stormed their way onto the field.
Overnight, some villagers even went so far as to bguard the entrances to the field in a bid to protect the land – but the motor vehicles pushed their way through nonethless.
Villagers have been left inflamed after the shock arrivals
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With the area being green belt as well as an area of outstanding beauty, the parish councillor told the paper it was a “double whammy”.
The leader of the borough council Sally Symington agreed she shared the residents’ “anger and devastation”.
A council spokesman confirmed the local authority had applied for an emergency injunction.
He added: “This order was successfully granted by the court, and the council served papers on the site prohibiting any unauthorised words or use of the site.
“We now must wait for the courts to schedule a hearing date before further legal proceedings can take place.”
A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said: “While the civil matter is being led by Dacorum Borough Council, we are continuing to monitor the situation and a police presence remains in the area to prevent a breach of the peace and deal with any criminal matters.
“A number of allegations have been made by several parties involved, including criminal damage, traffic offences and threatening behaviour, and these are being investigated as per usual protocol.
“In these circumstances, police have no enforcement powers to prevent access to the land or building work taking place.”
Meanwhile, an Environment Agency spokesman told The Telegraph: “We are aware of concerns regarding a site near Flamstead in Hertfordshire and are currently working with Dacorum Borough Council in relation to this site.”