Sisters left in tears as they return to home destroyed by illegal occupiers

Two sisters told today how their London home had been "destroyed" by a gang of Romanian squatters while they were away on holiday.

Retired NHS nurses Amelita and Lilia Olasa wept as they surveyed the damage after the eastern Europeans were evicted by police in the early hours today.

The pair had been visiting family in the Philippines when they heard their £500,000 home in New Southgate had been taken over.

They returned last night to the home where they had lived for 27 years in time to watch eight squatters - including a heavily pregnant woman and small children - kicked out. The squatters had removed the sisters' possessions and hauled dirty mattresses into the house, forcing the women to sleep on mats on the floor last night.

Ashtrays full of smoked cigarettes were strewn across the living room of the three-bedroom house this morning. Lilia said: "My sister and I aren't feeling very well - it must be the shock.

"I don't know where to start with the clean-up. The squatters have taken so much furniture out and scattered things everywhere.

"I can't find anything, my whole wardrobe has gone - the clothes, towels, linen - everything." The devoutly religious sisters have lost some of their most treasured possessions. The curtains had been taken down and the kitchen cleared of appliances. Amelita said: "We are just in shock and very, very upset. How could this happen? How are these people allowed to do this? All of our things are gone - they have thrown away everything, there is nothing left. The Government needs to change the law, this cannot be allowed to happen."

Important documents were also thrown out, including the title deed of their house, which they will need to prove ownership of the property if they attempt to take legal action.

However the sisters returned to the full support of their neighbours who had staged a vigil on the street waiting for them to come home.

Up to 30 neighbours waited for hours in Glenthorne Road to support them on their return.