Travellers win injunction to delay Dale Farm eviction

There was some respite for the travellers based at Dale Farm in Essex after they won a court injunction delaying their planned eviction.

Residents won the injunction preventing Basildon Council from clearing the site pending a further hearing at the High Court on Friday.

Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart granted the injunction at London's High Court on the basis that there was a realistic apprehension that the measures to be taken - while genuinely believed in by the council - "may go further" than the terms of the enforcement notices.

He said,

"Having regard to the fact there is no fixed date for starting these - but they are imminent - I do not see that any serious injustice will be caused if the actual implementation of any measures will not take place before the end of this week."

There were cheers inside the Dale Farm site as residents and supporters were told the news.

The council had planned on evicting the travellers following the expiration of an eviction notice in an operation said to cost up to £18m. Bailiffs had been called in to remove the travellers to prepare for bulldozers to remove illegal homes.

As many as 400 people have been living on 51 unauthorised caravan plots. Campaigners and supporters of the travellers also arrived on the site, chaining themselves to barriers to prevent the bailiffs from carrying out any evictions.

But following the reprieve, residents at the site are hopeful they will be granted a stay of execution.

Resident Mary Slattery said,

"We are delighted. Every day is a bonus. We've got one last chance and we're not going to give up - this gives us so much hope."

Supporter Jake Fulton said,

"This is really great news but this isn't over yet. It makes us feel we have a really good shot at defending travellers in a way that has never happened before."