CLEEVE Prior residents told the inspector at a gipsy site appeal held in the village that 'enough was enough'.

Chairman of the Residents' Association Richard Beddows told him that gipsy sites had been increasing in numbers over the last 20 years, but that the occupants had integrated well.

If the latest application for a further 18 caravans for nine families next to Twin Oaks went ahead the situation would worsen, he said.

Mr Beddows said: "We have done a lot of good work over the years to the extent that one of the gipsies is a member of our residents' association. If more sites were allowed it would undo everything.

"The ratio of gipsies to villagers now stands at about 20 per cent but would rise to about 30 per cent."

He said that the balance would be adversely affected.

He also added that if the latest plans were passed it would send out the wrong signals to other parishes.

Mr Beddows said: "They would think that if they accepted one small site it would open the floodgates."

About 70 villagers attended the first day of the appeal at Cleeve Prior Village Hall last Tuesday.

In an opening statement Wychavon's head of planning, Gill Collin said that recent figures showed that out of 156 pitches in the county, over half, 82 pitches were in Wychavon.

She also added that nine pitches on land near Wyre Piddle were expected to get planning permission after satisfactory drainage was installed.

Counsel for the gipsies Bridget Forster said that any harm that might be identified is more than outweighed by the need for additional gipsy sites in Wychavon and the gipsies need for lawful accommodation.

The appeal ended last Thursday, and the inspector's decision is expected to be announced early in February 2006.