POLICE persuaded travellers to move their caravans off Chislehurst Common just three hours after they arrived.

Residents bombarded Bromley Council with phone calls when the group parked six caravans on the common at about 12.30pm on July 8. Bromley police advised the travellers to move on and they were gone by 3.10pm.

Jim McGowan, trading standards officer for Bromley Council, said: "The common is a recreational area so the police used their powers to move the travellers on. But on other sites it's usually up to the council to take action if there are no residents living nearby."

Travellers vacated Shirley Wanderers' Rugby Club, in Addington Road, West Wickham, on July 7, following a Bromley Magistrates' Court order.

Some moved to land in Oaklands Lane, Biggin Hill, while others went to a site on South Eden Park Road, Beckenham, where the council plans to build a primary school.

July 9, 2002 12:30