A group of gipsy families, locked in a battle with Wychavon District Council for 18 months, have given up their fight to be allowed back onto their land near a south Worcestershire village.

The travellers own a site on Tewkesbury Road, Eckington, and they moved on to it in May 2004 - putting up boundary fences and installing hard standing, drainage, water and electricity without planning permission.

They were evicted after nearly a year when their attempts to gain retrospective planning permission failed and they were ordered to leave by a High Court judge.

They staged a series of protests which included setting up camp at the Civic Centre in Pershore.

The gipsies eventually went their separate ways to find accommodation but decided to appeal against Wychavon's decision to refuse planning permission for a permanent site at Eckington.

The appeal was set to take place in September but, following a request by the gipsies' agent, was rescheduled for January next year.

That appeal has now been withdrawn by the gipsies.

The Eckington gipsies' adviser Ron Stainer said the appeal was withdrawn because the families could face a bill for £40,000 if they lost.

"If the appeal failed Wychavon could ask for costs. They could end up paying £40,000 so they decided to pull out," said Mr Stainer.

Wychavon councillor Adrian Hardman said: "I hope this news marks the beginning of the end of the final chapter in what has been a long, not to mention costly battle not only for us following months of High Court battles, but for the residents of Eckington and Bredon.

"I hope that we will be able to reach a settlement on the question of the restoration of the land without more court action and cost to the council taxpayer."

l Gipsies at nearby Wyre Piddle last week vowed to appeal against a decision not to let them settle permanently on their land, after they built hard-standings without permission.