• Dave Dawson threatened to remove travellers by force himself after declaring: 'I won't tolerate it.'
  • Police say travellers left of their own accord in two hours 50 minutes after Mr Dawson's intervention

By Luke Salkeld

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Not having it: Dave Dawson, left, responded to travellers moving on to his land by leaping into his digger and threatening to move them by force

Not having it: Dave Dawson, left, responded to travellers moving on to his land by leaping into his digger and threatening to move them by force

When he found travellers’ caravans had arrived on his land, Dave Dawson had two options.

He could either alert the authorities and wait for the slow turning of the wheels of justice and officialdom.

Or he could rely on the somewhat quicker wheels of his digger – and remove the caravans by force.

Taking the second course of action, Mr Dawson put in a call to the police to inform them of his intentions, which risked leading to his arrest.

Officers arrived to oversee what appeared to be a few heated exchanges before – remarkably – the travellers left of their own accord.

His swift action stands in stark contrast to the decade-long battle to shift travellers from the notorious Dale Farm site in Essex, which only came to an end in October last year.

Mr Dawson, whose farm is near Shoreham in West Sussex, discovered the intruders early yesterday morning. ‘I would have used any force possible to get them off my land,’ he said. ‘I got down here about 6am and told them to move off. There were four vans there at the time and more parked up outside.

‘I came down with the digger and tractor and told them if they didn’t move I was going to move them.

‘I just won’t tolerate it. It is my land. I bought it and I have worked hard for it. I called the police and told them I was going to get the digger and move them.

‘I didn’t care if they got squashed, flattened or left on their own, but one way or another I was going to get them off my land.’

'It's my land': Undeterred by the sudden arrival of the travellers, Mr Dawson called police and told them he was prepared to remove the intruders by force

'It's my land': Undeterred by the sudden arrival of the travellers, Mr Dawson called police and told them he was prepared to remove the intruders by force

'I would have used any force possible': Officers were forced to stand between Mr Dawson's digger and the travellers' caravans to prevent him from carrying out his threats

'I would have used any force possible': Officers were forced to stand between Mr Dawson's digger and the travellers' caravans to prevent him from carrying out his threats

aIt is believed that the went to Lancing Green, West Sussex, three miles from Mr Dawson's land

It is believed that the went to Lancing Green, West Sussex, three miles from Mr Dawson's land

He said that at one point in the clash the officers had to stand between the two sides.

‘The police told me that once they are on the land they have rights. But what about my rights?’ Mr Dawson added.

‘If I had left it to the authorities they could have been on my land for weeks. I wasn’t going to wait for a court order to get rid of them.

‘As it was, the police threatened to arrest me. It has already cost me a day’s work and about 500 to repair the damage. They cut through a metal gate and put their own lock on it.’

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: ‘Six caravans turned up on land at 6.45am. The landowner also turned up and threatened to evict the travellers.

Furious: Officers oversaw what appeared to be several heated exchanges between Mr Dawson and his uninvited guests

Furious: Officers oversaw what appeared to be several heated exchanges between Mr Dawson and his uninvited guests

A traveller talks to officers: Mr Dawson feared that if he left the eviction to the authorities, the caravans could have been left on his land for weeks

A traveller talks to officers: Mr Dawson feared that if he left the eviction to the authorities, the caravans could have been left on his land for weeks

‘Police attended and remained on scene to prevent a breach of peace. The travellers left the site of their own accord at 9.35am.’ Removing travellers who have occupied land without permission is usually a much more costly and time-consuming exercise.

At Dale Farm, the decade-long legal battle cost taxpayers an estimated 18million.

A total of 43 people were arrested and several injured after protesters fought running battles with riot police over the eviction of about 80 families from what was the UK’s largest illegal traveller settlement.

As soon as Basildon council had declared a final victory, there was a massive leap in the number of caravans pitched on the legal Oak Lane site next door – and an adjoining road – prompting more expensive legal action.

In 2009, a convoy pitched up at another controversial travellers’ site just hours after a group had been evicted following a six-year legal battle costing 400,000.

The new arrivals rolled on to a field adjoining the notorious Smithy Fen site at Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, where travellers had set up an illegal camp.

Bye bye: The travellers eventually moved off Mr Dawson's land at 9.45am - three hours after they had arrived

Bye bye: The travellers eventually moved off Mr Dawson's land at 9.45am - three hours after they had arrived

Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Good on you Sir I salute you!

Well done that man, best news yet, get them scruffy looking idlers away from your land.Perhaps if they contributed something to the country they might be welcome.The farmer has every right to stop trespassers on his property....

Great Stuff Mr Dawson! You should have the support of every right thinking person in the country. In Scotland it is a road traffic offence ( Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 34) to park a vehicle more than 15 yards off the public highway without the owners permission. Worth checking if it's the same in England. The police seem to want to ignore this.

If some one occupies my house and I desire to enter but can't. Should I send them the gas ,electricity, water, rates bills and mortgage and let the powers that be prosecute the intruders . or-- MMMM-- I own the house but can't break a window and climb in,- mmm-- will I have to prosecute myself for breaking my own window or will the police let the occupiers take me to court for the damage to my own house ?. Or is it my house any longer? Gets complicated don't it. Me thinks British law regarding this matter is an ass. Until No 10 have squatters or the Buckingham Palace grounds are occupied by travellers nothing will be done.

Why were the travelers not arrested for damaging his fence? Surely it's against the law to cut open someone's fence. What kind of laws do you have over there? Over here they would be charged with property damage and trespassing.

Dangerous Dave take note! the public will fight back if you and your freeloaders don't act to protect the taxpaying majority.

Well done pal, it's about time someone did something positive. Congrats. Useless police - and I have NO problem with the police, they should have charged the travellers with trespass, not protecting them. One man, how many travellers!!?? I'd have done, no problem.

I find this whole "travellers" thing very confusing. Does it mean that anybody could just come onto your property by any means (ie broke the lock on Mr Dawson's gate) and have (essentially) squatters' rights? this is absurd!!!

we should send them all back to their fair green isle of Ireland. how ridiculous that they have rights once they are on your land, trespass is trespass

Over 9,000 green arrows for this gent's very popular actions. Just watch politicians, especially Labour, come out with vote begging promises to bring out laws to curb trespassing.

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