GYPSIES that set up camp outside offices near the town centre on Wednesday are still at the site after having been given 24 hours to leave at 2.50pm yesterday.

Three caravans and associated vehicles have been parked in Theatre Court, behind the Jobcentre Plus in London Road, since 6pm on August 30.

A spokesman at Cheshire West and Chester Council said that the offices’ landlord issued a 24-hour eviction notice at 2.50pmon August 31, but eyewitnesses have told the Guardian that the gypsies are still on the site as of 3pm, alongside police officers.

Cheshire Police has confirmed that the incident is still ongoing.

Tony Astbury is a manager at Robinsons, which is based in Theatre Court.

He told the Guardian that the gypsies found a way into the office car park at 6pm yesterday – despite a barrier and alligator teeth preventing entry.

“They arrived at 6pm yesterday, and I believe they placed a piece of wood over the alligator teeth so they could get in,” Mr Astbury said.

“They seem to be using our bin area as toilets. We have been advised to lock our office doors.”

Councils across the country are required by law to provide transit sites, giving gypsies a place to set up camp.

CWAC currently has no transit site, but has proposed a number of possible sites in Northwich and Winsford.

Cllr Michael Baynham, CWAC member for Winsford Over and Verdin, has done a large amount of research on gypsy sites while challenging the council’s proposed Whitegate transit site.

Although this case involves private land, Cllr Baynham told the Guardian that the council would struggle to move gypsies on if they set up camp on a public site.

“The point of providing transit sites is that gypsies can argue they have nowhere to go,” he said.

“It’s a legal obligation to provide that site, and a number of sites have been brought forward through the council’s consultation.

“The biggest issue is where the sites are – 75 per cent of gypsies that stop in the borough stop around Ellesmere Port, so to put one in the middle of nowhere near Northwich doesn’t make sense.”