Gypsies fear they could be forced to change way of life

10:33am Thursday 1st February 2007

MEMBERS of a Pembroke Dock community say the caravan site where they live is dangerous, and the council is doing little to help.

Mr and Mrs Price say they have been fighting for a new site for more than two years, and their current location, on the edge of Waterloo industrial estate, is riddled with vermin and covered in rubble.

Parts of a wrecked caravan blew onto the Price family's yard, making it dangerous for the seven children who live there. The family are also worried rats have access to their water tank.

Kathleen Price says her health has been affected by the stress of the situation. She said: "The council knocked down buildings and left rubble and rubbish which is dangerous for the kids. I have had to take them to hospital with cuts.

"The site is built on top of an old tip and is sinking and leaking gas from whatever is buried under here. Things are getting worse all the time.

"We have been on at the council to do something but they haven't. We are asking for a new site so we can get on with our lives, but they say there is no more land."

John Roberts, who also lives on the site, said: "We pay our community charges and water rates the same as anyone else, but we're not getting any help. We want the council to clear the rubbish and confirm that this land is fit to live on."

This small community fears the council wants to move them into houses, which would change their way of life.

Pembrokeshire County Council says it carried out a large clean up of the area in 2005, and said some of the rubbish on site was dumped by unauthorised visitors.

A spokesman said the travellers' site was of substandard quality and was being investigated.

"The council is intending to close the site and re-house the remaining households living there, and has been in discussion with the residents about this," the spokesman said.

Two pitches were due to be closed off in the near future, and rubbish would be cleared then.

The spokesman added officers were investigating an eyesore caused by an abandoned caravan stripped of its aluminium.