TWENTY gipsy families moved on to a site earmarked for a major road scheme at the weekend.

Residents of Llanfoist, near Abergavenny, are calling for urgent action against the group.

They say it is the third time in three months gipsies have moved on to the old garage site on Merthyr Road.

The area forms part of the National Assembly's Heads of the Valleys road scheme. Work is scheduled to start in June on adding an extra lane to the A465.

Joan Finch, who is retired and lives in nearby Briardene, said: "It's driving us round the twist because of all the mess they leave. The kids are running wild and the mess is like nobody's business.

"I don't mind gipsies but there should be dedicated sites for them with proper facilities."

Another Briardene resident, who asked not to be named, said: "There's nothing wrong with gipsies but you can't just come and dump yourselves anywhere can you?

"They don't seem to obey the rules. There's a lot of mess up at the site."

Llanfoist Fawr councillor Eric Saxon said: "I have been contacted by worried residents and I'm surprised the site wasn't made secure after the last two gipsy camps set up there."

"Locals are in fear of these kinds of settlements and are concerned at anti-social behaviour, as well as the rubbish nuisance."

A spokesman for the National Assembly said officers were aware of the camp but the whole area of land had been handed over to the contractor Edmund Nuttall and it was a matter for them to end the occupation.

The contractor would have to start proceedings to remove the gipsies before works could be started on the road, he said.

Nobody at Edmund Nuttal could be contacted for comment.