GIPSIES moved onto land near Shipston and wasted little time trans- forming it into a caravan site over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Since 100 English Romanies appeared on the land on Good Friday, building work including the installation of water and electricity supplies has already been completed.

Diggers were brought in to lay hardcore, fences put up and hedges cut down before a number of caravans arrived.

Cllr Chris Saint, who represents Shipston on Warwickshire County Council, said: "They have come in unannounced, unexpected and without planning permission. We are all law-abiding citizens so this is being viewed with considerable dismay.

"My phone has not stopped ringing since Friday morning. The council has started investigating what action can be taken and I understand that the barristers who advise us are meeting with the council to discuss the way forward tomorrow afternoon.

"The main concern from many members of the public who have contacted me is that that an illegal act has taken place and that they do not want people who break the law in their community."

When Cllr Saint chaired a meeting of Shipston Community Committee on Tuesday, he told members that a planning application submitted for use of the land last Thursday was not valid and he would expect the council to take enforcement action.

The site the gipsies moved on to is a two-and-a-half acre piece of land at Darlingscott Crossroads on the side of Fosse Way.

It is only 200 yards from the country home of Olympics minister Tessa Jowell and her estranged husband David Mills.

Environmental health officers from Stratford-on-Avon District Council visited the site on Tuesday in order to consider what appropriate action to take.

Insp Pat Devereux, of Stratford Police, said: "As far as we are aware, the land concerned is privately owned by the people who have moved on to it, they are not trespassers and as such we have no enforcement powers.

"Stratford District Council has responsibility for planning law and enforcement and this is essentially a matter for it."