Businesses have backed an MP’s call for police to protect them from travellers occupying their land illegally.

Witham MP Priti Patel spoke in the House of Commons during the second reading of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill last week.

She called on Home Secretary Theresa May to use the bill to “help businesses and individuals affected by travellers staying on their land without permission, which is a form of antisocial behaviour”.

Ms Patel claimed there had been a number of incidents in recent times, with caravans most recently occupying the Eastways Industrial Estate in Witham ahead of the bank holiday weekend at the end of last month.