A SECOND couple from the Fens were made homeless on Tuesday after council bailiffs forcibly evicted them from their mobile home after falling foul of planning laws. Less than a fortnight after a couple from Elm watched as their mobile home was towed away

A SECOND couple from the Fens were made homeless on Tuesday after council bailiffs forcibly evicted them from their mobile home after falling foul of planning laws.

Less than a fortnight after a couple from Elm watched as their mobile home was towed away, 23 year-old Walter Beaney, his partner and their six month old baby woke on Tuesday to find bailiffs at the door.

Mr Beaney said: "I answered the door and there were four men there - two were bailiffs and the others were from the council - and I could see lots of police cars and other vehicles down the road.

"I knew I had to go but if the council had given me a date to get off I could have got everything prepared to get off in my own time before they come out."

Mr Beaney set up the mobile home in Horsemoor Road, Wimblington, last year for himself and his partner who, at the time, was about to give birth to their son.

Mr Beaney said: "I was living at home with my parents and had the baby coming so there was not the room at home and I did not have the money to rent.

"I bought the land cheap from a mate and put all my money into this because it was rent free. I have a legitimate reason to live somewhere - I have a six month old son.

"Even if it was just temporary and when we moved on we put it back to its original state, I would have been more than happy.

But the council took exception and in rolled the contractors who pulled down the fencing which surrounded the site before towing the caravan away.

His home was due to be taken to a site in Wentworth, near Ely, but after Fenland officers held talks with East Cambs District Council, they realised the place they were going to take it to had not got planning permission to store caravans.

Mr Beaney said he had been told by Nigel Brown, the council's head of planning, the caravan will now be taken to a Fenland impound where it will be kept until it was either recovered by Mr Beaney or sold to recover the costs.

Mr Beaney said: "I cannot afford to rent anywhere but I suppose I am going to have to go into a hotel, however long for and however much it costs.

"It was not as if I was doing anything wrong. I was not making any noise or trouble, it was just somewhere to live."

Enforcement proceedings were authorised by Fenland District Council Planning in February.

A report, agreed by councillors, said no attempt had been made to comply with enforcement notices and "it is not anticipated that any level of compliance will be attempted by the occupant of the site.