RESIDENTS forced a three-hour stand-off with their landlords to stop them towing away a neighbour’s mobile home.

Families living at Haven Village, Brightlingsea, formed a defensive shield around Jonathan Edwards’ caravan, after they claimed park managers tried to move it from the site.

Mr Edwards, a 58-year-old father, was on holiday in Cornwall when residents called him to say park officials were trying to move his mobile home off the site in Promenade Way.

It follows a four-year legal battle between residents and caravan park managers Brightlingsea Haven Ltd, and Hamerton Leisure Ltd, over money and housing rights.

Steve Foster, chairman of Haven Village Residents’ Association, said: “They just turned up and took the doors off so they could get inside and turn the electricity off.

“We all stood in front of the caravan and they started to drive it towards us.

They had to stop, otherwise they would have run us over.”

Mr Edwards said: “The first I heard of it was when my neighbour phoned to say someone is moving your caravan.

“I’m surprised they did this. I think it’s disgusting.”

Last November, residents won a legal battle to live in their mobile homes all year round.

Jacqueline Morris and Stephen Foster said they bought their homes on the understanding they could live there permanently, even though the caravan park is closed from December to February.

But park managers told them they were breaching the site licence, and applied for an injunction to prevent them returning to the park in the day during the closed season.

However, residents were told they should be allowed to occupy their homes until 2019, when the company’s lease runs out.

Both sides will reappear at court in June in a bid to resolve the remaining issues, which includes planning and financial matters.

The Gazette tried to contact Brightlingsea Haven and Hamerton Leisure Ltd, but no one was available for comment.

Source: gazette-news.co.uk