Gipsies camping on one of Bradford's busiest car parks have until Monday to leave.

The ultimatum comes after Bradford Council yesterday successfully went to court to repossess the land, which it owns.

Yesterday's county court decision means that the travellers must move off the land or their vehicles will be towed away from two car parks on George Street.

Up to 25 caravans, containing several families with dogs and horses, have been living on the site for almost a week.

The travellers are aware that they are going to be ejected from the land next week.

One man, who asked not to be named, said he would leave on Monday.

"We are not sure exactly where we are going but it could well be somewhere local, as we like it here," he said.

Another traveller said they may head for London.

Their stay has caused misery to motorists who have had to find alternative car parking facilities this week.

And it is believed to have cost the Council hundreds of pounds in lost car-parking fees.

As yet the Council has not quantified the loss.

A spokesman for Bradford Car Parks Section confirmed the Council had obtained the court order.

"If the travellers have not left by Monday then they will be towed off the site," he said.

He also added that he hoped the matter would be resolved peacefully. This is not the first time the Council has had to apply for a court order to have travellers removed from their land.

In the past six months it has successfully applied to the county court five times to regain possession of their land.

It also provides advice for private landowners to deal with travellers.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.