A bailiff who evicted a "large group of caravans" from a much-loved cricket club has revealed how a team of just five turfed out 40 travellers in a dawn raid.
Jon Spinks, of West Country Bailiffs, was called in by Taunton Vale Sports Club earlier this week to deal with scores of unexpected guests.
Ten caravans, 10-15 other vehicles and 40 individuals had gathered at the club, forcing it to close.
But just hours after Spinks's team turned up, TVSC general manager Steve Archer declared a "big success" as all the travellers left.
Now, the bailiff has revealed to GB News exactly what happened.
Ten caravans, 10-15 other vehicles and 40 individuals had gathered at the club, forcing it to close
JON SPINKS
"We're specialists in travellers, trespassers and squatters," he said. "We can act very quickly under common law and use reasonable force."
When WCB turned up on July 7, Archer was "concerned and worried", Spinks explained.
The travellers had cut the lock on a gate before setting up camp.
At 6.30am the next day, a team of five bailiffs returned to carry out the eviction, serving a "notice to quit" to the vagrants, caravan by caravan, informing each one that they had to go within two hours.
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'We're specialists in travellers, trespassers and squatters,' West Country Bailiffs said
JON SPINKS
"There was some back and forth, but the bailiffs were calm and professional," Spinks said.
At 9.30am, his team went to speak to the travellers, who had pitched up around the edge of Taunton Vale's cricket green.
"The 'lead traveller' woke everyone up, then at 10am, they packed up. By 11, the site was clear and we could do a comprehensive clean-up," he added.
"It all ran smoothly... These can go one of two ways, but we kept it calm. Costs can spiral if it goes on."
Footage from the morning shows the bailiffs scanning the site before the vehicles left, then again watching on as they filed out of the cricket club.
Caravans were later seen on their way out of the cricket club after a successful eviction
JON SPINKS
Police also arrived to ensure that the eviction was running smoothly, but Spinks said officers did not need to get involved.
The bailiff added that July is "peak season" for travellers, who he said were usually on the move between April and October.
"It's very busy this time of year... We do five to 10 jobs per month in the height of it," he said.
The club's general manager said after the eviction: "The notice to quit has come at a major expense to the sports club, but this was the only way to take back ownership of our private land.
"This eviction has been a BIG success with the travellers leaving the site at 11am. Normally, these types of evictions can take days, and sometimes weeks."