An eviction order has been granted to evict travellers from council-owned land.

Medway Council applied to magistrates today to get the group, who pitched up at the Wigmore Park and Ride facility in Maidstone Road, removed.

Magistrates heard this afternoon the group pitched up on the site near Bredhurst, on Sunday, September 11 and have been moved from other areas in Medway on 18 other occasions by the authority.

An employee told magistrates the group have now reverted to pitching up on car parks because the authority had put fences up at parks and green spaces they had previously occupied.

Magistrates were told the group had been served with a Section 77 notice to leave the site by 2pm today (Wednesday), when they were issued with the notice yesterday.

A copy of a summons was also left at the site informing the group the authority would be applying for an eviction notice at Medway Magistrates' Court.

At 1pm today the group were still there.

The Medway council employee also told magistrates the authority had previously had to use bailiffs on occasions to get this particular group moved.

Magistrates granted the order which means the group now has 24 hours to leave.