Legal action is being pursued to evict a group of travellers from Milton Creek Country Park.

At least three caravans arrived at the park about three weeks ago, setting up camp just off Swale Way between Kemsley Paper Mill and the Eurolink Industrial Estate.

Most of the park is managed by the Milton Creek Trust in partnership with Swale council but the travellers are on land under Kent County Council’s jurisdiction.

KCC is going through the process of applying for a court order to force them to move and the case is due before Maidstone magistrates on Monday (September 21).

A KCC spokesman said: “We are aware of the travellers who have parked illegally on KCC land and officers have conducted welfare considerations and have issued them with section 77 direction to leave."

As they had not complied with the direction, KCC has applied to magistrates to obtain a court order for them to vacate the land.

She added: “We are aware of welfare issues with the occupants of one of the caravans therefore it would not be appropriate in this case to move them on at this time.”

Before evicting anyone, local authorities are obliged to check the welfare of those camping illegally, involving the NHS if there is any doubt about the health of those present.

Section 78 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act allows for a court order to be obtained to move campers on.

Court hearings, attended by council officers and the person deemed to be in charge of the caravans, are generally heard the same day as summons are issued.

If not contested, the travellers would have 24 hours from the time the order was granted to vacate the land.