TRAVELLERS who set up camp in a Newport community are to be evicted.

Newport city council served the group with 28 days' notice to leave Longditch Road in Spytty.

But the travellers told the Argus they were not doing wrong by being there. Owner of nearby Newport Wasps speedway and stadium Tim Stone was furious the convoy of eight caravans parked there.

"They arrived three weeks ago," Mr Stone said. "We started off with three caravans and then there were eight."

The gypsies were ordered to leave the area by the council's highways department on February 5.

But Mr Stone said: "Three more caravans have arrived since that first notice."

Asked if he was optimistic the families would accept the eviction notice and move on, Mr Stone said: "Let's wait and see. Let's hope so."

The first complaint was lodged with the council on January 28 by a local businessman.

Traveller Suzie Janes and her nine children have used the site on and off for 12 years.

"We go to McDonald's and Tesco to use the toilet and we do keep the place clean and tidy," she said.

Miss Janes did not think she and her family should be moved on. "This our home. I don't want to go anywhere else. I know people here, I know the people in the shops - they are our friends."

A trader in the area, who did not want to be named, said his company had also lodged a complaint with the council.

He said: "We're not happy about them being there." A spokeswoman for Newport city council said inspectors from the highways department had visited the site.

"They were served notice on February 5. They have 28 days to go. After that our enforcement officers will go down and ask them to leave," she said.

The spokeswoman said the council had not designated a plot of land for travellers to use.

She said: "They can stay wherever they like as long as they have the permission of the landlord.

"If it's on council land then it's illegal."