TRAVELLERS who set up camp in Church nearly a month ago were evicted during a police operation on Wednesday afternoon.

Police officers teamed up with representatives from Lancashire County Council and Hyndburn Council, who are joint owners of the land, to serve eviction notices at seven caravans parked off Bradshaw Street.

The Observer was invited to watch as Sergeant Christine Driver, of Accrington Police, gave the travellers just one hour to leave - with support from around 10 police officers stationed in vans and cars.

The notices were served under section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, a little-known law that allows police to move travellers off land within a certain time limit once the owners have asked them to leave.

It is the second time in a month that the legislation has been used. Earlier this month, officers in Oswaldtwistle moved more than 20 caravans off the Heys playing fields, on Fielding Lane, with the help of the landowners.

PC Lyndsey Molloy, community beat manager for Church, said that the operation was in response to dozens of complaints from nearby residents, who were worried about the noise and litter caused by the travellers.

Sgt Driver added: "I gave them one hour to get off the land, which is a reasonable amount of time. They were starting to cause damage to the area by burning fires and throwing litter.

"The owners of the land have to be there when we serve the notices, which is fine when it is council land but it can be much more difficult when it's private land.

"The operation went well and we had plenty of resources on stand-by in case they started causing trouble. But, to be fair, they left quite peacefully."

The travellers, who left behind piles of rubbish, are thought to have moved on to Burnley. Council officers are now working towards clearing up the land and repairing damaged bollards.