Members of Romany family, the Skeet-Smiths, said they were unfazed by the enforcement notice that the council has issued against them.

North Wiltshire District Council's development control committee members voted to issue the family with a notice to quit at their meeting on March 10.

The family's agent, Maggie Smith of the Romany Council, said she was surprised by the action, but said the family were not unduly worried as they were expecting a date for a planning appeal any day.

She said: "The important thing for the family at the moment is getting a date for the appeal.

"The council deferred a decision on whether to issue an eviction notice last month when I pointed out that if the family went on to win their planning appeal, the council could end up in the High Court for flouting their human rights.

"They've gone on and done this anyway, leaving themselves open to possible prosecution. But all the family want is the appeal, so they can fight to stay on their land."

Jesse and Lena Smith, their daughter Jean Skeet and her family, moved onto the land at Pudding Brook last year, after Mr Smith bought it at auction. The land only had permission for agricultural use and a subsequent planning application by the family was rejected.

Council planners have stated that access to and from the site on the Bath Road represents a hazard.

But the family hopes to prove at its appeal that this problem can be overcome by only turning left when exiting the land and only accessing the site from the same direction as the traffic flow.

Mrs Smith said: "The appeal will include reports on traffic speed and volume but at the end of the day, this is a family, living on land they have bought and in an area where their ancestors have lived for generations.

"All they want is the chance to use this as a base for their traditional Romany way of life and they are not hurting anyone by doing this.

"Unfortunately, this council, like many others, is already severely lacking in provision for gypsies. I hope to take representatives of the racial equality council with me to the appeal."