GIPSY families at Cleeve Prior are celebrating winning their five year fight to be allowed to stay on their Twin Oaks site.

A Government inspector has allowed the appeal by Julie Smith, Samantha Smith and Peter Greenwood against the refusal of Wychavon District Council to grant 10 years temporary consent for three mobile homes for three gipsy families and the retention of hardstandings.

The November appeal was the latest in a series of appeals to the Planning Inspectorate and actions in the magistrates and High Courts in a desperate battle to be allowed to remain in their homes.

News of the successful appeal came two days before Christmas and Julie Smith said: "It was the best possible Christmas we could have had."

She said: "We are just over the moon at the outcome. It has been a long battle with a successful outcome and we are all just pleased that it is over."

Mrs Smith said the 10 year temporary permission meant there was no more uncertainty about a settled future, particularly for the education of the children of the families.

She added: "We are looking to have a get together for those of us directly concerned and our families and friends along with those who have supported us throughout."

Julie Smith has daughters Shanon, aged seven, and Krystal, aged 3, Samantha Smith's daughters are Tina, aged six, and Ellen-Marie, aged 12, and Mr Greenwood also has two daughters Anna, aged five, and Karina, aged 10.

The children go to various local schools and at the appeal headteachers and the advisory support teacher for the West Midlands Consortium Education Service for Travelling Children stressed the necessity for them to continue a proper settled education.

The decision, which came earlier than expected, is being studied by the legal team at Wychavon and Ian Marshall, head of legal services, said: "We need the opportunity to digest the decision and consider the legal implications before we make any further comment."

Richard Merelie, the inspector who heard the appeal on November 19, 20 and 21, said: "In my judgement, the personal circumstances of the gipsies are sufficient to outweigh the landscape harm in this particular instance."

He added: "There has been a significant change of circumstances overall since the 1998 and 1999 dismissed appeals which allows me to come to a different decision without being inconsistent."