Alex Johnstone MSP is calling for more help for landowners plagued by illegal traveller encampments following the nightmare suffered by a Mearns pensioner made a prisoner in her own home after the arrival of nearly two dozen caravans.
For more than three weeks, recently widowed Mary McBain (76) has been living with her doors and windows locked since the convoy pitched up on a piece of her land known as the Old Sawmilll immediately adjacent to her picturesque home at Fetteresso.
She was forced to go to court to remove them, and yesterday was with her family clearing “the most horrendous mess.”
The group had brought dogs and children and were using a ditch in the 13-acre field as a toilet.
The retired florist said, “My nerves are absolutely shattered and I am exhausted.
“I am still listening for every car that passes on the road worried they try to come back again.
“It is time there was something to help landowners.
“One of my granddaughters was followed and was so terrified she has been sleeping with a crowbar by her bed.
“Local councillor Wendy Agnew has been magnificent and has fought hard for us.
“But we approached the police, the council’s environmental health department, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and numerous other bodies and none of them could do anything.
“The police have been patrolling the house three times a day, but otherwise it seems their hands were tied.
“We were told the only way to get rid of them was to go to court and I’ve no idea what that is going to cost us.
“We’ve had 19 caravans and two motor homes here, some of them quite beautiful, but when the convoy rolled up it was quite fearsome.”
She was so scared her daughter Ann had to move in with her, and she praised her family for all the help and support they had given her.Clearing up the messThey have been clearing the mess left behind the encampment for two days now.
She said, “You just wouldn’t believe how bad it is.
“Family and friends who have been helping have been sickened even the council has said it’s the worst they’ve ever seen. We’ve taken away 60 loads of rubbish.”
The field was about to be ploughed and reseeded for the family’s horses when the caravans showed up.
“But even the horses’ stable has had to be towed away because it was full of human excrement.
The travellers had also brought mechanical diggers with them and had pulled out two trees, she believes, with the intention of filling in the ditch to make an access for their return.
However, her family has taken measures to erect a barrier, including digging a trench and blocking entrances with boulders, earth mounds and fencing.
MSP Alex Johnstone has received a substantial number of complaints from residents about illegal campsites and allegations of intimidation and criminal activity.
He said, “The issue of illegal campsites is a perennial problem in the Stonehaven area, and there does seem to be some confusion about who has responsibility for dealing with these situations.
“If there are more than 12 caravans, or there is illegal activity being conducted on the campsite, then the police can act but even in this situation I would urge landowners to seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity.”
He said the problem was it could take some time to get court orders to remove the travellers and they were well aware of the timescales.
“There should be a fast track system so that court orders can be granted far more rapidly than is currently the case, and I will be writing to the Scottish government to highlight the situation,” he added.