The families protested outside the council house on Tuesday

Nuneaton and Bedworth Council has secured a series of eviction orders against the 21 families living on the site at Bulkington, who failed to get planning permission for the development.

About 40 protesters staged a demonstration against the move outside the council house in Nuneaton on Tuesday.

A High Court judge has given the travellers until 12 January to leave the Wolvey Road site.

The council is expected to tell the families on Wednesday that it will definitely use bailiffs to evict them if they are still at the site by Monday.

The travellers have asked to be allowed to buy some other land they can develop.

Bailiffs could be used to ensure the families leave the site

One of them, Aaron Smith, said: "If the council can find somewhere tomorrow, we'll buy if we can live on it, and we'll be gone for the 12th of January."

Councillor Bill Hancox has denied the travellers' claim that the authority is ignoring their needs.

He said: "Legally as an authority, we have to take into account their special needs.

"I believe we've done that all along through this process.

"You have to remember this is an issue about the illegal occupation of greenbelt land."