Court action has been taken by Norwich City Council to clear a makeshift campsite that was threatening to spread on to Mousehold Heath.

As reported, the city council had warned on Wednesday, February 22, that legal action would be taken if the campsite was not cleared.

Around a dozen protesters had put up five tents in Heathgate, off Gurney Road, and an anonymous spokesman told the Evening News the demonstration was to highlight homelessness issues in Norwich and could spread on to Mousehold Heath itself.

However, it was said that the campsite was in violation of Mousehold Heath Bylaws of the Norwich City Council Act 1984 and that the campers were trespassing.

A Norwich County Court notice has now been posted at the site and the campers appear to have left, leaving behind a mass of rubbish and camping equipment in a popular dog-walking area.

The notice is a claim form for possession of property from the city council for the land at Heathgate, described as St James' Hollow, listing a court date for 11am on Thursday, March 15.

Listing court and solicitor's costs of �244.50, the notice appears to have worked in getting the campers to leave and it remains to be seen whether the court date will go ahead.

A spokesman for Norwich City Council said: 'We've made an application for the warrant and are now waiting for the bailiff to contact us with suggested dates to clear the area, if necessary. In the event the site needs clearing, our contractor would do this within the existing arrangement we have with them.'

Have you got a story for the Evening News? Contact David Freezer on 01603 772418 or david.freezer@archant.co.uk