THREE rough sleepers who had been illegally camping in Minehead’s Blenheim Gardens for the past two weeks have now been moved on.

Two of their tents were cleared from the Edwardian park on Monday (July 14) by neighbourhood police officers along with a large quantity of waste materials, and the third tent was left with Somerset Council’s rough sleeper team.

The move came as new MP Rachel Gilmour visited Blenheim Gardens on Tuesday and met local residents who had been complaining about ‘noisy, drunk, and abusive’ behaviour over the past fortnight.

Mrs Gilmour said: “I am pleased to have met residents at Blenheim Gardens to get to the bottom of the issues there.

“Last week, I wrote to Avon and Somerset Police as a matter of urgency.”

Mrs Gilmour demanded to know from Chief Constable Sarah Crew what the police had been doing to resolve the incident.

She said she was aware through her work with Minehead’s Hope Centre how there were some individuals in the town who were voluntarily homeless and whom she had encouraged to make contact and keep in touch with the appropriate support agencies.

Mrs Gilmour said: “As a new MP, I am juggling my work in Westminster, where I was sworn in last week, with my constituency responsibilities.

“After the meeting in Blenheim Gardens, I was back on the train to London for the King’s speech, which will form the topic of debates over the next few weeks.

“I will robustly stand up for the people of Tiverton and Minehead in Parliament and work hard in the constituency.

“I am currently recruiting staff and finding offices to undertake the latter.”

The men who had been camping in Blenheim Gardens were believed to have gained entry through a gap in the park’s perimeter fencing.

They were first spotted on July 1 and were still camping in the bushes when Britain In Bloom judging of Minehead took place.

Local residents questioned why it took two weeks to deal with the issue and questioned whether the same situation would have been allowed to continue for so long if it had happened in Vivary Park, in Taunton, where the unitary council has its headquarters.

Police said they had been working with Somerset Council and engaging with the authority’s rough sleeper team to move on the Blenheim Gardens campers and ensure they received the support they needed.

A spokesperson said: “Trespass is a civil matter and we will continue to work in partnership with Somerset Council as the landowner, and the town council, to identify any future improvements regarding the security of the gardens.

“Officers regularly visit the gardens as part of their high-visibility patrol plans and have been speaking with residents who live nearby to understand any concerns they have.

“We are also making plans to set up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme for the area.”

The spokesperson said anybody who experienced anti-social behaviour in their community was encouraged to report it to police online or by calling 101.