AROUND 100 police officers were involved in a massive operation on Wednesday morning to remove the travellers who had set up camp around the town.

Police from across the county mounted two operations - near Coxbridge roundabout and near the Six Bells roundabout - to invoke section 61 of the Criminal Justice Act which gives them the power to immediately remove the travellers.

Officers, many wearing protective clothing, moved in at around 6-50 am and served each vehicle with a written notice instructing the owner to leave the land within one hour or they would be moved off by force.

Around 75 notices were served after which the police escorted each vehicle off the site and moved them on "in small groups" according to one officer at the scene.

Customs and Excise officers mounted a parallel operation to dip-test all the vehicle on the site to check for red - or agricultural - diesel, which is illegal to use in road vehicles.

The RSPCA were also called to both sites to check the welfare of some of the dogs belonging to the travellers.

At the time of going to press there were no reports of any violence or disorderly behaviour and the travellers were moving off peacefully.

Inspector Richard Bridgman, who was heading the Six Bells operation, said that the mostly likely cause of the influx of travellers, which extends across the county, was the Epsom Derby.

Other significant factors were thought to be the cancellation of the Appleby Gipsy Fair in Cumbria because of foot- and-mouth, and the fact that the gipsy site at Epsom Downs has raised its fees from £75 to £85 a week.

He said that similar operations were being mounted in seven sites countywide, but again there had been no reports of any violence towards officers.

The operation followed a meeting between Waverley's divisional commander, temporary Superintendent Neil Boon, with landowners to inform them of Wednesday's action.

Since the travellers first descended on the area four weeks ago, there has been growing public concern about their presence, and there have been some angry outbursts from some of the farmers whose land has been invaded by the travellers.

Last week the police came under fire from motorists who had bricks thrown at their vehicles near the travellers' site along the A31 between Farnham and Bentley. Mike Smith, from Alton, and Terry Hampton, from Southampton, both said the police seemed unwilling to act against the travellers.

This week two farmers, who asked The Herald not to print their names, accused the police of effectively "standing by and doing nothing" while the travellers left a trail of damage and debris across their land.

One, who was counting the cost of the damage to his land this week, said he was planning to launch a campaign to change the law regarding travellers.

He spent around £1,000 on an enforcement notice which he says had little effect on the travellers because they simply moved to another field.

As he began the clean-up operation this week he said that the travellers had dumped around 15 tonnes of Tarmac and tree branches on one of his fields, ruined more than 1,000 bales of hay and left gas canisters and other debris lying around.

But other landowners praised the police. Keith Kenward, who owns Coxbridge Farm, said: "When I dialled 999 the police were quickly at the scene reassuring and advising us.

"On the whole this is a most unpleasant experience and we appreciate the prompt and sympathetic arrival by the police.

"People have a perception that the police don't care but they do. If there are any shortcomings in the system, it's the law that needs changing."

Kevin Mailey, who owns the land opposite the Poacher's Barn restaurant together with his wife, was present when the police were moving the travellers on.

He said that as soon as they had gone he was planning to dig a deep trench along the edge of the field to prevent them coming back in. He was also facing repairs to a gate and fence which had been damaged.

"The police did all they could. They were well-trained and well-briefed," he said.

His father-in-law, who did not wish to be named, was clearly angry that the situation had reached this point: "Basically the law is an ass. If you or I did what they (the travellers) are doing then we would be arrested straight away."

When the travellers first came to the area they occupied land owned by Surrey County Council near the Coxbridge roundabout.

But the powers of the council to remove travellers were shown to be woefully inadequate after council bailiffs served them with an enforcement notice.

Served on May 23, the notice was meant to have immediate effect but the travellers ignored it.

The council was then forced to apply for a court order which they finally got on Friday, but by then the travellers had moved to an adjoing field which was privately owned.

The operation caused long tailbacks around Farnham throughout Wednesday morning.