TRAVELLERS who pitched up outside a nursery school in Tilbury have been asked to move on or be evicted.

A court notice was served to the families who have moved on to the St Chad's School site at the end of North View Avenue.

They have until the end of the day to leave the site - a footprint of the secondary school which was closed in 2003 and demolished in 2009 - which is overlooked by Little Pirates Nursery School.

A spokesman for Thurrock Council said: "The Essex Traveller Unit – working on behalf of Thurrock Council - has secured a court order giving the travellers 24 hours to move off the site. The order was served on Tuesday."

The order comes after numerous complaints from residents.

Speaking to the Gazette, one resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "If I just went and sat outside a school, I would be nicked. I know there are procedures and processes to follow, and anywhere else fine, but not when travellers are pitched up outside a school."

Another resident, who lives on North View Avenue, said: "On Tuesday night, it was 2am before the noise from the site died down. There are three generators going. It's awful."

Around eight or so caravans moved on to the site on Wednesday, February 26 and residents have been nagging the council to act since then.

Essex County Council's Traveller Unit are now responsible for dealing with these sorts of matters on behalf of Thurrock Council.