KICKED OUT
Caravan park is shut down with families ordered to leave after mum-of-six pleaded ‘we’re fighting for our babies’ home’
Police say firearms are being hidden in toilet blocks
A CARAVAN park has been shut down and families ordered to leave - with an evicted mum-of-six pleading "we're fighting for our babies' home".
There was a large police presence at Crompton Lodge in Bolton, Lancashire, yesterday morning as council officials swung the axe.
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Authorities have linked the park - where Travellers have lived for around 20 years - to "escalating violence and criminality".
Greater Manchester Police claims firearms have been hidden in toilet blocks, while knife-point robberies have also taken place.
The process of closing the site was started by Bolton Council last month.
Kathleen Moloney told previously how she was living in fear her family would be "left on the streets" amid the crackdown.
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'Irish traveller' Kathleen - mum of children aged six, eight, 11, 12, 17 and 21 - claimed occupants are being "cut off" in violation of their "human rights".
Cops were snapped at the park's entrances on Monday, while several Tactical Aid Unit vans were seen lining the road, including around Moses Gate.
There were also police dog units on hand.
GMP said its officers "assisted council staff in executing a closure order".
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A order notice, granted by a Manchester court, was erected outside and stated that "access to the premises is prohibited by all persons" until October 3.
This prevents occupants returning now that they've been removed.
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Police confirmed those living at the site vacated "without issues", adding that those with council tenancy agreements "are being supported".
Kathleen said around 40 people, including her elderly uncle, were battling the prospect of being homeless.
Four of her children were born at the site.
She had said in June: "We've got to fight for this place because it's our home - all our babies are here.
"It's not just about plots and static homes - it's about the women and kids having to leave their homes."
Kathleen said her eldest child has a heart condition - and "having to deal with all of this is the last thing I need".
The mum-of-six blasted the council for making the whole community suffer rather than targeting those committing crimes.
"They're saying there's been crime on the site," she continued.
"It feels like they're saying there's crime in our community.
We've got to fight for this place because it's our home - all our babies are here. It's not just about plots and static homes - it's about the women and kids having to leave their homes.
Kathleen Moloney
"But it can't be true - if there were guns on our home address, why wasn't it closed down years ago.
"Why weren't social services taking our kids?"
Meanwhile, the council claimed the community had been "causing nuisance" for years.
They allege violence has escalated over the past six months, including drugs, stolen goods and guns being hidden in local toilet facilities.
A police liaison officer was also assaulted, according to the council.
Kathleen explained how eviction notices were plastered on caravans in the weeks before the closure, which sparked uproar.
In a statement, a GMP spokesperson told the Manchester Evening News yesterday: "There was a police presence around Crompton Lodge in Bolton this morning (08/07/2024) while we assisted council staff in executing a closure order to prohibit access to the caravan park.
"Occupants vacated the premises without issue and residents who have a tenancy agreement with Bolton Council are being supported throughout the closure process."
Bolton Council Leader, Cllr Nick Peel, said: “As the judge acknowledged, the council has always understood that Crompton Lodge is, first and foremost, a home and a place that is much loved by the families who live there.
“The safety and wellbeing of those tenants has been the council’s key priority throughout this process, and the decision to pursue a closure order was never taken lightly.
“However, the overwhelming evidence presented to the court shows we had reached a point where it was no longer possible to safely maintain the site.
“It would have been unacceptable to continue with the site as it was, a situation which harmed tenants, local residents, and the wider Traveller community.
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“Our focus now turns to supporting our tenants to find a new home in a safe and secure environment, while the site remains closed and secure.”
The Sun has approached Greater Manchester Police for further comment.
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