Several fires were lit around the field at Cranham Road near Little Waltham in Essex on Monday morning, where almost 100 police officers, some in riot gear, were on the scene.

Chelmsford Borough Council had a court order demanding the travellers leave the site, but some told BBC Essex they would refuse to go.

A spokeswoman for the council told BBC News Online that contractors sent to clear the site were "met with hostile resistance".

'Long process'

She said rocks were thrown and two contractors were injured. One had a badly injured knee and was taken to hospital.

She added: "Many of the travellers feel that they own the land, but legally, they don't have the deeds."

The council has been trying to evict the travellers since the site was brought to their attention in November 2001.

A bulldozer was used to breach a muddy bank so police could enter the site, and the fire service was called after three separate fires were seen to be burning at the site.

Councillor Neil Gulliver, the borough's executive member for planning and transport, said: "It's very much about planning issues - we wouldn't have had 28 houses built out here in countryside, so we wouldn't have allowed 28 caravans to be here either.

"It's been a long process and we're still trying to work with the travellers to get them into alternate legal caravan sites or other housing."