COASTGUARDS are warning that a travellers' encampment could ground its rescue helicopter.

Families in caravans moved onto a patch at the end of the runway at the helicopter base at Osprey Quay yesterday.

They are among two groups of travellers staying on or near Portland.

Coastguards said there is a danger the group staying near the base, which includes children, could be affected by the ‘downwash’ from the helicopter’s rotor blades as the aircraft scrambles to an emergency.

If the pilot feels he is putting lives in danger he may decide not to take off – a move which could seriously affect the outcome of a rescue.

Area sector manager for Portland Coastguard Rob Sansom has visited the group to warn them of the dangers and advised them to move.

He said: “There are six caravans behind the fence at the end of the extended runway.

“The concerns we have are that they’re on a site we call the splash area which is a safety area for the helicopter at the end of the runway if it crashes through the fence.

“Also there is a significant risk of people being injured or glass being broken by foreign objects like debris and stones getting blown up from the helicopter taking off.

“If there is a significant danger of this happening, the pilot may decide not to fly.

“It’s very rare the helicopter is grounded unless it is fog-bound but in this case we’ve got a third party who could affect whether the helicopter attends an incident.”

Mr Sansom said at this time of year in particular the ground is very dry and there is nothing to hold debris down.

He witnessed this yesterday at the landing site at Dorset County Hospital when the helicopter brought in a heart attack patient.

Mr Sansom added: “If the helicopter couldn’t fly we would have to decide what best rescue asset to use. We may have to call on another helicopter from a different area.

“Time is a major factor, particularly in maritime incidents. A 20 minute delay may alter the outcome of an incident.”

It is understood the travellers are on land owned by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA). No one from SWRDA was available for comment.

Dorset Police are monitoring the group.

A force spokesman said they were informed of the group’s arrival yesterday lunchtime.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council environmental health officer Nigel Emery has visited the site and said people were not allowed to stay there overnight.

Mr Emery said: “The law is laid down in legislation and the Human Rights Act and you can’t just tell people to move off.

“We would go to court to get an order for them to move and if they won’t do it voluntarily then we would follow it through.”

He added: “Normally they stay about a week and it’s a week before we can go to court to officially move people on.”

Mr Emery added that the main concern of the borough council was that the group kept the area tidy.

• ONE of the travellers who arrived on Portland yesterday said they would be staying for about a week.

Ann Doran, 19, insisted they would keep the area tidy.

She said she had already collected a bag of rubbish that had been around the area.

She said: “We came from Southampton.

“There was rubbish here and we picked it up, we want to make sure it’s clean.

“Some travellers leave a lot of rubbish but we keep it clean.”

She added: “We’ll probably be here a week at most. I hope we get a week.

“It’s really awkward on the roads, especially with kids. If we are nice to the council, they will hopefully be nice to us.”

A second group of travellers have set up in the car park next to the Chesil Beach Centre off Portland Beach Road. They have been given notice to leave the site by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

The three caravans are home to the Kelly family from East Sussex.

Head of the family John Kelly, 54, said they would be leaving in the next few days.

Mr Kelly said: “We try to do the best that we can. We live like normal citizens and all we want to do is settle down and live in our own home and I need help to do that.”

He added: “We have bagged up our rubbish.”