'We'll be homeless in a week'

The families living at the Greenacres site in Earl Howe Road had asked for extra time to try to find a new home, but had their request turned down.

The site is home to many families and three women have recently given birth.

John Webb, 57, one of showmen, said: "We don't know what we are going to do. We have got children from a month old to old-age pensioners. It is very worrying for them to think we will be homeless. We have looked everywhere but we have nowhere else to go."

Chiltern District Council issued notices in September last year ordering them to move out after a second appeal was rejected by the planning inspector.

The showmen, who are known as the Fairlight Group, bought the land three years ago to use as winter quarters and moved to the site in October 2004.

Notices were immediately issued by the council asking them to move because they did not have planning permission to live on the land, which is classed as part of the green belt. Mr Webb said: "We have bent over backwards to try and find somewhere. They say moving house is the most traumatic experience of your life, and it is a lot worse when you have nowhere to go."

Mr Webb said he thought it was unlikely that they would be able to move out before the deadline.

Chiltern District Council has said it will be keeping an eye on the site over the coming days.

Stuart Malton, district council spokesman, said: "They know they have to go and they are not disputing that. If they are still there on June 2 another set of legal rules come into play and another letter will be sent out asking them to comply. We will not be seeing enforcement action overnight."

Cllr Margaret Hamilton, district councillor for Holmer Green, said: "I am very concerned that they have nowhere to go but as a councillor I have to back the decision to ask them to leave. They do not have permission and we have to stick to our policies or we will have a free-for-all."