The occupants of a caravan set up on land behind Panmurefield Village on the outskirts of Dundee say they are victims of a sustained campaign of harassment.
The owner, who asked not to be named in order to protect her young daughter, said has had to install CCTV cameras because the caravan has been repeatedly attacked since it was installed in September.
One image shared with The Courier shows what appears to be someone attempting to kick off the wing mirror of a car late at night.
And she claimed a steel fence erected along one side of the caravan was installed is to make sure no one injures themselves on their land.
The caravan was installed on a site by North Balmossie Street, between Panmurefield Village and Wyvis Road, in September.
Local residents have complained it has no permission to be on the site.
However, the woman maintains the caravan is legal and that she intends to secure planning permission to build a permanent home on the land.
She said she and her family have been subjected to a systematic campaign of abuse since they arrived.
This includes people hanging bags of dog dirt on the door handle of the caravan and even trying to break into the caravan and damage their cars.
She also said the caravan was pelted with eggs on Hallowe’en.
The woman said she has had to call the police at four o’clock in the morning because of people attempting to kick down the front door of the caravan and that people regularly climb on the fence, batter the caravan or target their cars.
She said she has been in regular contact with Police Scotland and Dundee City Council’s anti-social behaviour unit about the incidents and regularly shares CCTV images from the caravan with them in a bid to trace the perpetrators.
“We are being persecuted,” she said.
“The police and ASBO team couldn’t believe how many people were doing it.”
She said youths and adults had both been involved in the harassment and that there had even been attempts to force open the door of the caravan.
“We’re not Travellers that have set up illegally on public land,” she said.
“We have owned this land for three years.”
Some residents have claimed the steel fence around the caravan is an eyesore but the woman said it was erected to make sure no one could injure themselves on what she hopes will soon be a building site.
“It’s a security fence like you would see around construction site,” she said.
“Before that it was open land and anyone could walk in. We want to paint it green so it looks less industrial.”
Despite the incidents, she said she is determined to build a house on the land.
A previous planning application was refused by Dundee City Council but she said they re-apply for permission soon.
A spokeswoman for Dundee City Council confirmed its ASBO team has been in contact with the caravan residents.
