A GROUP of travellers is set to stay on the former Beccles household waste recycling site for another two months.

The group first arrived on the site, just off the A146, in the middle of January, but the travellers have officially been allowed to stay until the end of April.

Two 'tolerance meetings' have been held involving district councillors, the police, Norfolk and Suffolk county councils, the town council and representatives from the group and at the most recent one it was agreed that the group could stay until April 27.

County councillor for Beccles Chris Punt said: 'The travellers up to now have fully conformed to all the conditions set on them and the agreed plan by all parties is for them to move on April 27.'

Mr Punt said that a first meeting was held shortly after the group moved to the site on January 11. It is believed they moved from a site in Trowse, near Norwich.

He said a number of conditions were imposed on them, including that numbers were not to be increased above five living caravans and six vehicles, that they had to buy methane alarms, obtain portable toilets and allow regular inspections.

It is understood that there was initially a six-week agreement, but this has now been extended to allow them to move on during the school Easter holidays.

Mr Punt said: 'The prime importance is the children, and their education and welfare.'

The household waste recycling site was initially earmarked for closure on May 9 last year as part of Suffolk County Council's cost-cutting measures, but after a move from Waveney District Council it remained open until the end of October when a new centre run by B & B Skip Hire was opened in Beccles Business Park, in Ellough.

Suffolk County Council is currently in the process of transferring the original site to Beccles Town Council, who intends to use it as additional car parking for the Marsh Trail.