TV star attacks traveller 'claims' in row over land

MARTIN Clunes has launched a fresh attack on his “hippie” neighbours for claiming they are travellers by “the way they dress” and “going to music festivals”.

- TOM BEVAN

The Men Behaving Badly star has fought a long-running battle to try and stop New Age Travellers Theo Langton and Ruth McGill from turning their woodland plot and caravan into an official travellers site. The couple have lived in the 45ft by 16ft mobile home on a temporarily rolling licence near Beaminster, Dorset, for more than 20 years.

They have applied for planning permission for continued use of land as a private residential traveller site for “sole use of the applicants and family”. The plans include use of the barn as a day room, workshop and store, one mobile home, a touring caravan and a mobile van.

Mr Clunes had claimed that the current residence did not meet the definition of a mobile home - and described the neighbours' attempts to classify it as one was “cynical” and “dishonest”.

A decision on the application that was due to be made at a council meeting last month was postponed after flooding fears were raised. Fresh representations have now been made by Clunes on the council's planning portal where he questions their legitimacy as travellers.