Letter to PM: Delivered by traveller children

Joe Jones, from Fordwich, near Canterbury in Kent, along with his wife Bridgette and three grandchildren, protested in London over planning laws.

They were joined at Downing Street on Thursday by two Irish Traveller children from Hackney, in east London.

A letter was handed in to No 10 highlighting the shortage of sites.

The Government doesn't want us to go anywhere, people don't want us to go anywhere Bridgette Jones, campaigner

"The local authorities are not building enough sites and the few sites they are building are on sewers and tips," Bridgette Jones said.

"The Government are planning to build thousands of new homes over the coming years but there are no plans for any more gypsy sites.

"The Government doesn't want us to go anywhere, people don't want us to go anywhere," she said.

Bernadette Collin, 12, said her family had had to move from London to Middlesbrough because there was not enough room at a site in the capital.

"There are seven families using one toilet and there's no electricity or running hot water and we're having to go to the swimming baths every night for a shower," she said, describing the conditions.

'Campaign of hatred'

The Canterbury Gypsy Support Group want the government to help local authorities across the UK provide suitable sites for Gypsies and Travellers to house their caravans.

It is also calling for more consideration to be made to Gypsies' needs in legislation, such as the Housing Bill.

The protesters are supported by the Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition.

Spokesman Andrew Ryder said: "I hope the government has the nerve to get on with the job that needs to be done."

In the open letter presented to Tony Blair, the Gypsies and Travellers said they are fearful of the "campaign of hatred" being stirred up by the media.

"We are being described as 'invaders' and 'rural terrorists'. We are fearful of where this hate will lead," it reads.