Romani Revenge ?

The smell of campfires and the soft sound of violins on the air. To some that conjures up an image of mysterious romance but to the people of Warwickshire its a nightmare.

Dozens of gipsies that were evicted from Newham and Hackney, East London, to prepare for the 2012 Olympics have found a new home. Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell was involved in that decision.

In an ironic twist the Romanies have bought a plot of land and have set up their camp in a field a quarter of a mile from the £1 million country retreat of Tessa Jowell and her estranged husband David Mills.

The 30 gipsy caravans swarmed on to the two-and-half-acre field, along with three diggers and a fleet of lorries, vans and four-wheel-drive vehicles, on Good Friday knowing council enforcement officers would be on holiday and no one would be there to stop them.

"It's a bit muddy now," said one of their number, father of 14 Jason Buckley, 38 but soon we'll have water and electricity .

"People treat us worse than pigs but we are not bad people. There are good gipsies and bad gipsies, like there are good and bad in any community, and we are the good ones. We are English Romanies. We have jobs like roofing and fitting PVC windows, we may steal the odd baby but who doesn't? "

One mother of four living in a nearby barn conversion with the large red doors and a silver mini van parked outside, who did not want to give her name for fear of reprisals, said: "In the 15 years I've lived here it's always been a safe area where you can leave your door open.

Now we'll all have to be a bit more careful and close our doors. No doubt if they're allowed to stay, house prices round here will be hit too."

Another elderly woman said: "It makes me so mad that they've come like this I hate bloody violins . It'll make me think twice before leaving home in case they rape me with their strong Gypsy hands and Romani lust , I have to walk past that camp 4 times a day, well I don't have to."

Mr Mills was at their home and commented about the gipsy situation when he briefly came out on to his rear patio which overlooks the camp.

"What has happened is a fairly outrageous breach of planning law," he said. "Those Tinkers have done a hell of a lot in a short time . I am genuinely sympathetic to people like them as long as they are not near me .

"We all need a place to live but, equally so, all have to obey the planning laws. I'm sure the council will deal with the matter ruthlessly and quickly."