TRAVELLERS very much remain in Andover with two separate camps spotted in the town, less than a week after a court order forced them to move on.

Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) went to court earlier this month and last Tuesday were granted a warrant to repossess land at Kiel Drive, in Saxon Fields, where the travellers had set up a camp.

However the group did not move far, leaving the land at Kiel Drive and moving to the field opposite in Elbe Way.

Now another group has been spotted on the roadside verge opposite the Picket Twenty Sports Ground, while the travellers who were at Saxon Fields have since moved on to Augusta Park.

The land at Picket Twenty is owned by housing developer Persimmon, while the Augusta Park site is the property of Taylor Wimpey.

Both Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey have confirmed that "appropriate" action has been to have the travellers evicted as soon as possible.

It is the latest in a spate of traveller camps to be set up in Andover in recent weeks.

Last month, a group was moved on from land in Anton Trading Estate, where they left behind a trail of rubbish, before breaking into the former Ducal site in Walworth Business Park.

TVBC Leader councillor Phil North says it is “clear” there have been “more incidents of unauthorised traveller activity in Andover this year than ever before” when addressing the situation via his Facebook page.

He said: “I am clear that we take a zero tolerance approach to travellers in Test Valley and will always take immediate action to remove unauthorised encampments.

“It is clear to me though that we have had more incidents of unauthorised traveller activity in Andover this year then ever before - and so I have asked my officers to investigate the possibility of getting an injunction in place, which would enable us to remove travellers immediately, with the threat of arrest, without having to go through an arduous court process.

“This has worked well for other authorities but we need to justify to the court that it is required in Andover.

“Additionally, we’ve been ramping up security on our vulnerable sites and additional bunding is being put in at Smannell road and Saxon Fields.”

A spokesman for Persimmon Homes said: “We are aware of the issue at the site.

“We have taken appropriate action and expect an eviction notice in the near future.”

A spokesperson from Taylor Wimpey added: “We can confirm that a group of travellers unlawfully entered land at our Augusta Park development in Andover.

“We followed all the appropriate procedures to secure their eviction at the earliest opportunity and will clean up any mess left at the site as soon as possible.

“We are in ongoing discussions with Test Valley Borough Council to seek an agreement on further preventative measures.”