Transit sites are supported by Devon and Cornwall Police

Devon County council has earmarked land at Shillingford Abbot as one of four transit sites for the county.

Scores of people voiced their anger and opposition at the meeting at the city's livestock centre.

Local residents have set up a 'fighting fund' to oppose the site and are planning a mass demonstation.

Unauthorised sites

The three other applications are for land at Ipplepen, Fremington and Denbury.

Transit sites are supported by the Commission for Racial Equality and Devon and Cornwall Police.

A police spokesman says the majority of Gypsies and travellers are law-abiding and transit sites would allow them to act more quickly to close unauthorised sites.

At the moment Devon has no official transit sites for Gypsies or travellers and the county council says there are about 3,000 in the county each year.

There were 119 unauthorised sites in Devon in the past year, an increase of 60% on 2002.

Strong feelings

The public meeting was arranged by Peter Cox, chairman of the Alphington Community Association.

Mr Cox says he was delighted by the turn out, which he claims showed the strength of feeling of local residents.

Some residents at the meeting said they felt the plans were being 'steam-rollered' through and were angry at the council's lack of consultation.

One resident opposing the planned sites says he has seen two unauthorised sites which he described as 'disgusting and disgraceful'.

He said: "I'm not going to let them come here".

Residents say they will bombard the council with letters of objection and plan to hold a mass demonstration outside County Hall in Exeter on 9 December, the date of the next full council meeting.