Caravan owner says her family is being persecuted

THE occupants of a caravan on land behind Panmurefield Village on the outskirts of Dundee say they are victims of a sustained campaign of harassment.

The owner, who asked not to be named in order to protect her young daughter, has had to install CCTV cameras because the caravan has been repeatedly attacked since it was installed in September.

One image captured shows what appears to be someone attempting to kick off the wing mirror of a car late at night.

The owner claims a steel fence along one side of the caravan was installed to make sure no one injures themselves on their land.

The caravan was installed on the site, by North Balmossie Street, in September and local residents have complained it has no permission to be there. However, the woman maintains the caravan is legal and she intends to secure planning permission to build a permanent home on the land.

She said she and her family have been subjected to a systematic campaign of abuse since they arrived, including people hanging bags of dog dirt on the door of the caravan and damaging cars.

The woman said she had to call the police at 4am one day because of people trying to kick down the front door of the caravan.

She said she has been in regular contact with the police and anti-social behaviour unit and regularly shares CCTV images with them in a bid to trace the perpetrators.

She added: “We are being persecuted. The police and Asbo team couldn’t believe how many people were doing it.”

She said both youths and adults had been involved and there had been attempts to force open the caravan’s door, adding: “We’re not Travellers on public land — we’ve owned this land for three years.”

A council spokeswoman said its Asbo team has been in touch with the caravan’s residents.

One of the CCTV images.