EVICTION papers have been served on a traveller encampment which sprung up in the heart of a New Forest village.

Fifteen caravans, horse boxes, transit vans and cars arrived overnight to set up camp near Furzley Common yesterday.

They put out mats and carpets and spread out duvets to air on a hedge. The families claim they will move on by Sunday.

Parish councillor Celia Perfitt said the council had been bombarded with calls from worried villagers.

"We are concerned they will leave a mess and could come through a wooded area help themselves to whatever they want. They're not causing a problem at the moment but it's unsightly. Hopefully they will be moved on quickly."

A traveller camp along nearby Blackhill Road ended up as a dumping ground last summer.

It was cordoned off by the National Trust for heath and safety reasons and cost more than £600 to clean-up.

One villager said: "It's a real worry. You have to make sure anything loose is locked-up - property and livestock."

Police said they were aware of the latest group of travellers and would be speaking to the landowner, the National Trust, in due course.

National Trust warden Ian Bradwell said: "We have started eviction proceedings and hopefully we can get them off within seven to ten days. I've spoken to the travellers and they told me they were going to go on Sunday.

"There are no toilet facilities at the site and its already started to fill up with litter.

"They said they would bag things up but haven't done previously.

"With it being a tight site we hope it will pressure them to leave early because it's not that accommodating."

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said its gypsy and traveller unit would help with health and welfare checks and the eviction proceedings.