Top News

Residents of a quiet estate have been left shaken after claiming they were subjected to a violent backlash from a group of travellers who allegedly attacked their cars with power tools and threatened to set fire to their homes.

A fleet of caravans and motorhomes arrived at Power Park in St Peters, Worcester, last Thursday. Although most of them had left by Sunday, their departure was quickly followed by the arrival of a new group, consisting of 15 more caravans and motorhomes.

Determined residents had padlocked the gates after the initial group's departure. In addition, a resident strategically parked their car on the road, preventing the new group from entering the site.

This, however, triggered a violent outburst, during which one of the travellers smashed a car windscreen with a drill. Photos document the resulting damage, with cars dented and windscreens shattered.

John Renshaw, chair of St Peter's Parish Council, described the sequence of events: "At 5.45pm, the group which had been on Power Park left, but they left one of their vehicles behind.

"Fifteen or 20 minutes later, another group showed up but they couldn't get their vehicles past a car which was parked on the road.

"One traveller shouted to the owner, 'get your car out the f***ing way', he refused so they smashed his car up.

"They smashed his lights and drilled his windows with a power tool."

Locals report that several groups of travellers are dodging the authorities by perpetually switching locations around Worcester.

A perturbed resident shared, on the condition of anonymity: "The travellers who had been here since Thursday swapped sites with the travellers who were at Perdiswell Leisure Centre.

"We had no warning this was going to happen to us."

One local voiced their concern: "They threatened to burn people's houses down, they have assaulted people, they tried to get into people's back gardens.

"It just feels surreal that this could have happened here. It's a quiet street.

"We feel like we are not going to be able to sleep for weeks after this."

The response from West Mercia Police to the unlawful encampment has come under fire from the community.

Adding to the grievances, another resident remarked: "We called 999 and the police said that four wagons were on their way, but they never came.

"It wasn't until we had to call for an ambulance for someone that the police finally arrived."

One more resident expressed her frustration: "When they saw the police van they turned away, but if the police move the van, we're in trouble.

"They'll get on the grass again no problem."

Despite the park being secured with a locked metal barrier, the travellers still managed to gain entrance.

An elderly resident recounted the harrowing ordeal, saying: "They came Thursday night and stayed a couple of days.

"We just called the police because the kids were naughty, and were going in people's gardens and pulling at their car doors.

"Some the children even went into an old man's garden and turned on his outside tap to fill buckets with water.

"Then on Sunday night 15 caravans came down the road.

"All of the residents came out and told them we don't want all these people here.

"One of them had an electric drill, and they started to drill the car's windscreen and said they would burn our houses.

"Some of them were pushing the kids. There was a woman fighting with a woman and a man hit one of the guys on his eye.

"Everyone is scared, those with kids are scared. Everyone is frightened.

"We're all stressed out and none of us can sleep."

A dramatic face-off ensued between the travellers, local citizens, and the police, but after an intense hour, peace seemed to momentarily return as the contentious convoy vacated.

Cllr Renshaw reported on the community's angst and the dire options they faced: "The police said they could either go into the caravans and arrest the people who assaulted the residents, or they could escort the caravans off the park.

"The residents did not want them yards away from where they were sleeping so they wanted the police to move them on.

"But they do not feel safe in their own home anymore."

West Mercia Police confirmed the incident in a brief statement: "Officers were called to Trefoil Close at around 7pm on Sunday following reports of disorder involving an unauthorised traveller encampment and local residents.

"There was a report of criminal damage to a vehicle and reports of assault, and enquiries are currently ongoing into these incidents.

"The group were directed to leave the area, which they complied with.

"Officers remained in the area to carry out patrols."

Before setting their sights on Worcester, villagers in nearby Kempsey notably thwarted the group's plans by barricading the entrance to Kempsey Playing Fields with their own vehicles.

---