Judge rules the gypsies can remain until 7pm on Sunday, August 10

And with two more pregnancies, it could be a long time before they go

But decision has left a football team unable to kick off the new season

A group of gypsies have won the right to a 'fixed abode' on a council-owned football pitch because one of them is having a baby.

The court ruling came after the travellers argued they should stay because by law a woman needs a fixed address for her newborn child.

It means the travellers can stay at playing fields, in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, for another two weeks, leaving a local football team unable to kick off the new season.

Legal battle: Travellers who set up camp on these council-owned playing fields in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, argued they should stay because by law a woman needs a fixed address for her newborn child

But with two other women living on the playing fields also expecting babies there are fears it could be some time before the team get their pitch back.

Today residents and politicians today hit out at the ruling which was slammed as 'ridiculous'.

The travellers set up camp on the car park and playing fields 10 days ago. It is the fourth time in the last 12 months they illegally moved on to the land.

Residents had been expecting the gypsies to be kicked off Birchenwood playing fields, in Kidsgrove, today after Newcastle Borough Council launched eviction proceedings.

But they have been stunned to find out the gypsies can stay for longer - because one of the travelling community is due to give birth at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

Now a judge sitting at Stoke-on-Trent County Court has ruled the gypsies can remain on the car park and playing fields until 7pm on Sunday, August 10.

Not moving on: Residents are furious as they had hoped the travellers would be kicked off the land which they have occupied four times in 12 months

Youth football teams which run from ages six to 18 have been unable to do pre-season training on the fields as the travellers have been there for the last 10 days

Borough council leader Mike Stubbs criticised the court ruling and asked why some of the 20 caravans unconnected to the pregnant woman could not be shifted.

He said: 'This is ridiculous, but the law is the law.'

It is not yet known how much the court action and the clean-up of the area will cost taxpayers.

Mr Stubbs explained: 'The travellers have been able to block our application to the court using something called a social contract.

Residents had been expecting the gypsies to be kicked off Birchenwood playing fields, in Kidsgrove, today

A judge sitting at Stoke-on-Trent County Court has ruled the gypsies can remain on the car park and playing fields until 7pm on Sunday, August 10

'Three of the women on that site are pregnant, and one of them is due to go in for a caesarean, so by law she has to have somewhere to go to for the first two weeks after having the baby which means the travellers cannot be moved yet.

'The judge said the earliest he was willing to allow us to move them on was at 7pm on August 10 and we have now served the order for that date.

Councillor Mike Stubbs criticised the court ruling and asked why some of the 20 caravans unconnected to the pregnant woman could not be shifted

'We have done everything we can to move these people on and I am disappointed with the outcome.

'I am unhappy that none of the group has been moved on because of one member.'

The gypsies can’t just be allowed to go on to public land, it’s not fair on the residents

Kidsgrove Borough and Town councillor Terry Turner said: 'I can understand that the lady who is pregnant may need medical attention and that she should be able to stay for a while longer, but I don’t know why all 20-odd caravans should be allowed to stay too.

'It beggars belief and causes lots of problems.

'It means the residents have to put up with the caravans for another two weeks and the Ladsanddads teams using the field can’t get back to normal in terms of football.

'It’s not fair on anyone. The people of Kidsgrove have not been taken into consideration. There are loads of gypsies all spread out on the park.'

Council officials are now considering measures to try to stop the gypsies getting back on the site.

Sharon Boote, 53, said: 'The council could have done more to stop them coming onto the park. They should put in height restriction barriers to stop any more caravans coming on in the future.

'During the school holidays the park is full of children playing and people walking dogs, but nobody feels safe going through there anymore.'

Another local Kevin Spruce, 57, said: 'The gypsies can’t just be allowed to go on to public land, it’s not fair on the residents.'

It is the fourth time travellers have set up camp at the site off Mount Road in the town in the last year.

A council spokesman said: 'The court has given us a possession order which comes into effect at 7pm on August 10.

'The travellers have been informed. Following the vacation of the site a clean-up exercise will take place.'

In January 2013, a group of t ravellers in Aberdeen stayed at a site in the city after successfully arguing that one of them was heavily pregnant.