COUNCILS are nervously waiting to see where a group of travellers settles next.

The group was moved from a site in east Cleveland following complaints from residents alleging intimidation, indiscriminate firing of air weapons, use of knives, defecating in public and the illegal building of a chicken coop.

Neighbours complained of being pestered by people from the camp touting for work and of trees being uprooted.

The caravanners were on land needed for house building by North-East contractor Persimmon Homes at Black Bridge, near Redcar.

Both the company and Cleveland Police stepped in to move the group on, using new police powers.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that an officer accompanied by an executive from Persimmon Homes served a notice to quit within 24 hours.

"This was under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act and followed a total of 20 households' complaints, plus a number of councillors' complaints."

A spokeswoman for Persimmon Homes said: "We can confirm that a group of travellers has recently taken up residence on our land at New Ings estate, Redcar.

"A number of local residents have expressed concern and therefore in accordance with good land management practice, we have asked the travellers to leave.

"However, we have referred them to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council so they can find an authorised site."

The council is going to court a week today to apply to evict another group of travellers, who have set up home at Warrenby, near Redcar.

These travellers signed an agreement with the local authority to behave in a reasonable manner in return for toilet facilities and rubbish collection.

But more than 360 people signed petitions to have them moved on, accusing them of animal cruelty and damage to property.

The travellers said that the official site at South Bank was too small to accommodate them and that they would resist efforts to move them on.

They said that their group included two pregnant women and a number of children who were settled in local schools.