Usual tranquility of the seaside town evaporated when the motorhomes rumbled onto Hove Lawns yesterday

Aerial photographs show the traveller site as an eyesore on the waterfront and close-up shots reveal rubbish

Hove Lawns is a protected stretch of land, meaning that any prolonged period of encampment is banned

Sussex Police confirmed that the caravans and motorhomes are still there, but that no action has been taken

**Have you seen the traveller site? Email jack.a.newman@mailonline.co.uk or call 02036150488**

A community of 50 travellers which made camp on the Hove promenade yesterday have faced down police officers and council authorities by refusing to budge from their new seaside home.

Sussex Police told MailOnline that officers are powerless to break the standoff and forcibly remove the travellers, even though the strip of land on which their caravans are parked is reportedly protected and encampment is banned.

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The force said: 'Police and the city council have attended Hove Lawns after around 50 travellers arrived there on Saturday afternoon.

'The council has formally requested them to leave. As yet, they have not. At this time, criteria to use our police powers has not been met, but this is being constantly assessed.'

The air of tranquility which normally makes the stretch of coastline so attractive to tourists and holidaymakers evaporated yesterday afternoon when scores of caravans and motorhomes rumbled on to the lawns by the beach.

Aerial photographs show the traveller site as an eyesore on the waterfront and close-up shots reveal rubbish strewn across the neatly-trimmed grass on which the vehicles were parked.

A community of 50 travellers which made camp on the Hove promenade yesterday have faced down police officers and council authorities by refusing to budge from their new seaside home

Aerial photographs show the traveller site as an eyesore on Hove waterfront after roughly 50 caravans and motorhomes pitched up on the promenade

Rows of motorhomes and caravans rumbled onto the strip of grass at about 1pm yesterday, and Sussex Police confirmed that they are still thereC

Hove Lawns is a protected stretch of land, meaning that any prolonged period of encampment for more than 12 hours is banned.

Albert Scruggs, 58, has lived in Hove all his live and said that the travellers have been coming to the town for a decade but this is the most there have ever been.

The designer told MailOnline: 'They turn up on average about four times a year, this has been going on for years.

'The local community is incandescent that nobody is doing anything. The public protection order was put in place to stop this, but you can see how well that's going.'

A refuse bag, cups, cartons and other items of litter spoil the normally picturesque coastline which makes Hove such an attractive place to homeowners and tourists alike

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Albert Scruggs, 58, has lived in Hove all his live and said that the travellers have been coming to the town for a decade but this is the most there have ever been

Aerial photographs show the extent of the ground covered by the travellers who pitched their white caravans along the side of the grass

One witness said: 'I saw them arriving at 1pm, there were loads of them. There were tents there before, but this escalated quickly.

'They weren't there when I woke up this morning. There must have been 50 or 60 vans, it was ridiculous.'

Mother-of-one Alex Cunningham, 36, told MailOnline: 'It's the last weekend of the school holidays and we can't make use of the beautiful space.

Have you seen the traveller site? Email jack.a.newman@mailonline.co.uk or call 02036150488

'Cars are driving around at ridiculous speeds and I have seen faeces on the lawn.

'I am in fear of going out of my own house. I do not feel I can take my seven-year-old son out this weekend because I do not feel safe.'

Ms Cunningham, who is disabled, said the residents of Hove pay an 'extortionate' amount of money in council tax and rent to live in such a beautiful area but feels the local council and police have let her down.

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The traveller occupation of Hove Lawns came days after a homeless camp was reportedly erected on the same spot of grass.

Addressing the tents, a council spokesperson had said: 'This is a complex legal matter and our teams are looking into this.'

Brighton and Hove Council did not immediately reply to MailOnline's request for comment.

The traveller occupation of Hove Lawns came days after a homeless camp was reportedly erected on the same spot of grass

A witness said: 'The local community is incandescent that nobody is doing anything. The public protection order was put in place to stop this, but you can see how well that's going'