POLICE are set to serve a notice for travellers to leave a country park after they moved from a store car park.

The traveller encampment, consisting of five caravans and two campervans, moved onto Rochford District Council land at the car park of Cherry Orchard Jubilee Country Park yesterday afternoon.

The group had previously set up at the car park of the Tesco Extra store on Prince Avenue in Southend for several days.

A spokesman for Rochford Council said: "The council was made aware that travellers had moved onto council-owned land at Cherry Orchard Jubilee Country Park, as of the afternoon of Thursday August 1.

"The authority sent an on-call officer to the site on Thursday afternoon and found that caravans had moved into the car park area.

"It was observed that damage had also been committed to the height restriction barriers at the site.

"The council has been liaising with police and the Essex Countrywide Traveller Unit (ECTU) in relation to this matter.

"ECTU subsequently attended the site and found two camper vans and five caravans to be present.

"They are expected to serve a ‘Direction to Leave’ notice, which will require the vehicles to move on from the site.