A car boot businessman has gone to extreme lengths to keep travellers breaking onto his field again.

Mark Greenfield – who rents the site in Upnor – has installed four anti-tank defences, locked the gates with two chains and hired a security guard after he heard about caravans moving onto a park in Gillingham.

This week, around 30 vehicles were spotted on Beechings Way Playing Fields, Twydall, and were being dealt with by Medway Council. They left the area at around 8pm on Wednesday.

Mark worried when the group left the recreation ground they would head straight for his field so decided to implement military-like measures.

He has installed anti-tank defences, which he got from the army and weigh around a ton each, in front of each gate. Both entrances have also been locked with two chains and two cars parked behind each as an extra barrier.

The dad has also hired a night watchman who has been living on the site in a tent since Tuesday.

Mark explained: "I am trying to stop them getting on the field. I do not want them on here. I have had to go to extremes and I would go to more if I had to.

"I think I have gone a long way to stop them. I have put my defences up. I do not want them to ruin my business or ruin the boot fair for all the traders and public who come to them.

"It is costing me money to get them out. I am out here everyday. I cannot relax really. It is stressful, I have a double weekend this weekend which would not go ahead if they get on here."

In July, the field off Anthony's Way was broken into by members of the travelling community and around 20 caravans were pitched up on the site. After three days, a section 61 order was issued and the group were gone by 1pm.

The notice – which gives police the power to tell an encampment to leave once certain conditions are met – is in place for three months but is only issued to those present at the time so does not cover any other groups which may turn up.

Mark feared if the travellers in Twydall were to move onto his site his popular boot fair would be under threat as the order would not apply to them but he says the group has settled on Barnfield Recreation Ground, Chatham.

He is now looking forward to a busy weekend at the boot fairs on Sunday and Monday but is not letting his defences down just yet.

This comes as members of the travelling community were pitched up in Wombwell Park, Northfleet, earlier this week and served an eviction notice to leave on Wednesday.

There is also a group in Scrapsgate Road playing fields, Isle of Sheppey, who have until this afternoon to move on.

You can read more about the action being taken to clampdown on unauthorised encampment in Kent here.

Ian Gilmore, Medway Council’s head of regulatory services, said: “We are following a civil legal process to move the group on.”