ROUGH sleepers were given until late last night to dismantle their tents pitched up in a homeless encampment.

A dozen tents belonging to rough sleepers had been been set up on derelict land, off East Bay, Colchester.

But the area had attracted antisocial behaviour and nearby residents lodged complaints with both Colchester Council and Essex Police.

Council bosses initially were not able to help but on Friday, they served a ‘stop notice’ on the site, which allowed it to be legally cleared.

The Gazette visited the site yesterday and found three tents had not been taken down, but there was no sign of the tents’ owners.

Mike Lilley, Colchester councillor responsible for public safety, said: “Wardens and policed officers visited the site early on yesterday morning.

“There were some people still there but we expect them to be gone by the end of the day.

“If they are still there on Wednesday, the tents will be dismantled.”

Mr Lilley (Lab) added if rough sleepers return to the site, as soon as a complaint is made they can be legally moved on immediately.

The council boss added: “We went on Friday and served the notice but we did give them some time to get their things together.

“But we are clear from today, there will be no more camping down there.”

Colchester councillor Darius Laws (Con), who has represented some East Bay residents who continued to call for site to be cleared, said: “The site was out of control. I had witnessed it myself and the situation had become intolerable.

“Antisocial behaviour is not a small crime. It affects people in a bad way if it is happening during the night and you are having to get up for work or have a young family.

“The fact is, though, no one should be living in a tent and we do have support services in place to stop that.”

Some residents who the Gazette spoke to welcomed the council action.

One said: “It become an absolute pain and that’s putting it lightly.

“It is a huge relief to know there is something in place to stop it happening.”

But another man said: “I never really found them to be a problem to be honest.

“I’m very much ‘live and let live’ but I know others round here have had more bother than I have.”

“I knew they were there and I would actually pop into them every once in a while and I never really had any trouble.”

He added: “We got something through the door telling us who to call - the police and the council - and I just said I wouldn’t unless I was having any bother.

“I passed it on to other people because just because I didn’t have a problem didn’t mean no one else had.”