A 13-year-old boy and a man have been charged after a disturbance in relation to an illegal traveller encampment.

Thurrock Council and Essex Police acted together to deal with the illegal traveller encampment in Kilverts Field, Grays, on Friday 20 April.

The initial incursion was spotted by a council officer, who immediately called the police to alert them to the fact that a van was trespassing on the site.

This meant that the police were then quickly able to accompany council officers to the scene of the illegal traveller incursion where they were served with a Section 61 ‘notice to quit’ the site within hours of breaking on to it and had fully vacated the site by 10pm.

A council spokesman said: "This is a great example of the council working in close partnership with the police, as it meant that all people and vehicles that had been on the site of the illegal encampment had left within hours of their arrival."

Police have charged two people after responding to reports of criminal damage at the site yesterday, Friday, April 20.

A 13-year-old boy, who cannot be name for legal reasons, was charged with assaulting a police officer and is due to appear at Basildon Youth Court on Tuesday, May 29.

Paul Docherty, 36, of Beaconsfield Road, Enfield, was charged with criminal damage and assault while resisting arrest.

He is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Monday, May 21.

Police received a call at 2.40pm from Thurrock Council about criminal damage to bollards in Thames Road.

Officers attended to find an unauthorised traveller encampment and while making enquiries with the local authority, our officers reported that they were pushed and kicked.

Two people were arrested and police served Section 61 notices before the site was vacated later that day.