Travellers have been ordered to leave a Costessey site or face legal action after pitching up on the edge of a housing estate.

The caravans moved into wasteland, pictured, off Sir Alfred Munnings Road in Queen's Hills on Tuesday in an area owned by the consortium of developers at the housing estate.

The encampment is on land under the control of Gleeds Building Surveying and the consortium, through South Norfolk Council, served a notice on the Travellers ordering them to leave by 10am on Wednesday, April 17.

Gleeds have stated that 'direct action' would be taken if the encampment is still there after that time.

On Wednesday, South Norfolk Council delivered the notice to the Travellers and explained the consequences if they did not obey it.

The council's visit to the encampment coincided with a visit by the police who told the group they would be making regular visits to the area while they were encamped there.

A spokesman for the Queen's Hills Consortium said: 'The Travellers are illegally encamped on consortium land.

'On Wednesday, April 10 South Norfolk Council served the group with a notice to leave the site by Wednesday, April 17.'

Encampments caused friction at Queen's Hills last year after Travellers took six months to be moved on from a site also off Sir Alfred Munnings Road.

Housing developers eventually took legal action to get rid of the four caravans and the Travellers moved to a pitch run by Thetford Town Council.

Do you have a story about Costessey for the Evening News? Contact reporter Tom Bristow on 01603 772313 or email tom.bristow@archant.co.uk