Travellers start leaving Prince Charles village

Travellers camped at the Prince of Wales's model village have begun to leave the area, it was confirmed today.

A group of about 60 Romany gipsies pitched around 13 caravans on the outskirts of Poundbury, Dorset, last Saturday.

One traveller, Sherry Hughes, 38, said her three-week-old granddaughter Joanne was in Royal Dorset County Hospital and that the group would move on as soon as she was released.

Mike and Mary Westgarth's flat overlooks the land occupied by the travellers. Mrs Westgarth, 58, said: "We have to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Simon Conibear, development manager at Poundbury, said: "We have to bear in mind the intentions for that land and how it can be secured."

The village was conceived by Prince Charles after he derided modern architecture.