A GIPSY family who were told they had to leave an official Vale site, have been given a reprieve to stay on until the New Year.

Officers from Worcestershire County Council granted the Smith family an extension to stay until Sunday, January 4, after the family urged the council to allow them to remain on the site until after Christmas, despite moving there without permission.

Elizabeth Smith, aged 50, has been staying at Lenchwick's Hipton Hill site for seven weeks with her daughters Kelly, aged 24, Sabrina aged 21, and four-month old grandson John-Jay.

Mrs Smith moved onto the plot of land with her family after a friend gave it up, but county council planning officers accused them of jumping the waiting list.

A possession order to reclaim the land was passed at Worcester County Court and the family were told to leave the site.

The family then applied to Evesham County Court for an extension of time to leave the site.

But Deputy District Judge Roger Sheldrake told Mrs Smith he would not be able to grant an extension because he was bound by case law, and it was in the hands of the county council.

After the county council granted the extension Mrs Smith said: "It's very good news, it's a bit of less worry anyway.

"Me, my two daughters and my grandson would have been stuck on the side of the road on our own if the extension hadn't been granted, and we wouldn't have enjoyed Christmas one bit."

Mark Middleton, head of planning at the county council said: "We had the right to enforce the judgement handed out by the court.

"Bearing in mind it's close to Christmas, Worcestershire County Council is not unsympathetic to the request that the family remain on site until January 4.

"Obviously we would expect the family to honour the agreement they gave to the subsequent court to vacate the site before noon on January 4."