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A school has begun legal action in an effort to remove travellers from its grounds before pupils start back next week.

Ash Green School near Coventry faces a race against time to evict a large group of travellers who have set up an illegal camp on its paying fields.

Some parents have pledged not to send their children to the school in Ash Green unless the problem is sorted.

North Warwickshire MP Craig Tracey said the school is seeking an eviction order after the group pitched up at the weekend.

There will also be a site inspection over the next 24 hours to see if there has been any criminal damage, added Mr Tracey.

He said: “They want it dealing withas quickly as possible so that parents aren’t inconvenienced and pupils get to school as they should be doing next week.”

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Worried mum Debbie Nolan wrote to Mr Tracey about her fears for her daughter who goes to Ash Green and is due to return next Wednesday.

She said: “I’m utterly appalled that this has been allowed to happen.

“How the hell do caravans get onto a school property without anyone stopping them?

“School is supposed to be a safe environment for our children but as of next week it won’t be.”

Security is being looked into at the site which is fenced off, said the MP.

He added: “Their initial understanding is that the site has been broken into but they need to get that verified.

“If there is criminal damage, and that’s proven to be the travellers causing that damage, the police can get involved.”

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A spokesman for Warwickshire County Council said because Ash Green is an academy school and leases the land from the council, it was unable to take action.

He added: “However officers of the authority have advised the school on the actions which can be taken to evict the encampment from the site.”

Travellers also moved onto Table Top Field - part of Blue Coat School land - but they have now moved on, said a Coventry City Council spokesman.

Mr Tracey vowed to raise in Parliament the issue of travellers.

He said: “There does seem to be an imbalance in favour of travellers against the settled community. That is something we really need to look at.

“We need to ensure that police are given the powers they need to remove travellers who are illegally encamped.”

Coventry City Council evicted travellers from Morris Park in Stoke Heath, last Thursday, and also recently had to start a massive clean-up operation after rubbish including faeces, used toilet tissue, gas canisters and bedding were left at Spencer Park, Earlsdon, when around 50 caravans finally moved on.