Villagers fear wildfires as residents of illegal South Downs 'shanty town' repeatedly burn rubbish inside tinder-dry national park

By RORY TINGLE, HOME AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT and BARRY KEEVINS and ROSS SLATER Published: 00:01, 25 August 2026 | Updated: 00:06, 25 August 2026 Villagers are living in fear of wildfires due to dangerous blazes being repeatedly lit at a sprawling 'shanty town' inside an idyllic national park.  The eyesore site at Soberton in the South Downs has been occupied by caravans for more than a decade despite rules forbidding anyone from living there.  Drone photos taken by the Daily Mail show a giant enclosure littered with caravans and ramshackle huts, with other areas covered in blue netting.  Nearby is a large firepit piled high with rubbish and broken furniture - some of it already turned to ash.  Despite a series of legal cases and evictions, the camp has remained in place – to the growing frustration of local residents.  They now have a new threat to contend with in the form of regular fires, which they fear could spread out of control.  Firefighters have been called out seven times in recent weeks to put out blazes that have been lit at the site despite repeated warnings about the risk of wildfires. People living nearby also fear the thick, acrid smoke from the fires is a health hazard. Drone photos taken by the Daily Mail show a giant enclosure littered with caravans and ramshackle huts, with other areas covered with blue netting Nearby is a large firepit piled high with rubbish and broken furniture - some of it already turned to ash There have been multiple blazes at the site in recent weeks, despite repeated warnings about  the risk of wildfires  One woman said she was threatened when she approached the residents of the camp.  Others said they had seen trucks and lorries dumping waste at the site, with further fly-tipping reported in the surrounding countryside.  Adele, who asked us to only use her first name, said: 'There are fires every night between midnight and 1am. 'There are always lots of vehicles and people coming and going. They get their water by filling up tanks at the church water tap. They are not friendly.' 'It's like a village now. The council moved some people out a few weeks ago, but there shouldn't be anybody living there,' she said.  'I think there's about 20 people living there and there were probably about 50 when it was full. It's disgusting.' Adele said some of the camp's residents were from overseas and accused them of 'playing the system'.  Another local, who asked not to be named, said: 'The field was sold 15 years ago and then it was split up into different plots and sold on again. 'Nobody is supposed to live there. It's agricultural land and it has taken about five years to get people off there.' After being shown the drone footage, the resident said: 'It looks a bit better than it did, but it still looks like a shanty town in the middle of the South Downs National Park. 'I think they are doing house clearing for cash and burning it all in those huge fire pits. Nobody seems to be able to get to grips with it.  'They drive trucks on to the site at night. There have been two huge fires since we got the emergency alert on our phones.  The eyesore site at Soberton in the South Downs has been occupied by caravans for more than a decade despite rules forbidding anyone from living there  Villagers have described the ramshackle settlement as resembling a shanty town  'We know it's illegal and it shouldn't be happening. The system doesn't do what you think it should do.' In April last year, a woman living on the site was spared jail after the High Court ruled she repeatedly broke planning rules. Lara Kim Deroubaix was sentenced to four months, suspended for four years, after ignoring an injunction to remove a caravan. The conviction came after eight years of attempts at enforcing the planning rules. Judge Dunne KC said she failed to heed numerous warnings and awarded the South Downs National Park Authority £14,945 in costs. Another neighbour who did not want to be named said: 'The field was sold as a bit of a land scam. 'People were turning up in the village thinking they could start building houses on it.' The South Downs National Park stretches 87 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne. The national park authority and Winchester City Council evicted people living illegally on the site in June after a lengthy planning dispute lasting more than ten years. They removed caravans, mobile homes, sheds, non-agricultural vehicles, fencing, domestic animals and gas bottles. The only lawful use for the land is agriculture. Tim Slaney, Director of Placemaking for the South Downs National Park Authority, said: 'This has been a lengthy and difficult enforcement case that ultimately left us with no option than to take robust action. 'We seek to negotiate where possible on enforcement matters, but our warnings and notices were consistently ignored. 'The South Downs National Park is a very special landscape that has been designated for the benefit of the entire nation because of its natural beauty, wildlife and heritage. 'Without a planning system that everyone adheres to, it could be harmed by any number of illegal developments and would cease to be a special place for people to live, work and enjoy. 'These unlawful activities were significantly harming the landscape and people's enjoyment of it. 'I am pleased we've been able to work in partnership with Winchester City Council to achieve a successful outcome that will allow the land to recover.' Away from the main compound are several caravans surrounded by various kinds of waste, including tyres  Elsewhere, huts, a tent and a lorry are lined up beside a hedge  Cllr Jackie Porter, Cabinet Member for Place and the Local Plan at Winchester City Council, said: 'At Winchester City Council, we are committed to protecting our district from harmful unauthorised development, including taking action through the courts when necessary.  'In this case, I am pleased that Winchester City Council has played its part in this joint effort to protect the treasured landscape of the South Downs National Park. 'As a result, we have achieved a successful resolution after many years of hard work by officers at both authorities. 'The land will now have a chance to recuperate and return to its original purpose.' The issue of fires being lit at illegal encampments is not confined to the South Downs.  The King's Norton nature reserve in south Birmingham is a slice of countryside in the middle of a metropolis enjoyed by ramblers, cyclists and dog walkers alike.  But last Monday, the patch of the reserve off Middlemore Road in Northfield was invaded by a large convoy of travellers who, after smashing the padlock off the gate, set up camp on tinder dry grasslands next to a sheltered housing complex. 'It was very alarming,' said Sue Rudd, 71, who regularly walks her little dog in the area. 'We have just had serious fires in the West Midlands that destroyed homes and here they were with about 16 caravans, flat-bed lorries and they were lighting fires right next to sheltered housing. 'They also caused trouble for locals. I heard that one old man was threatened with what was a fake gun by one of the kids. 'And then there's the excrement. One area really stunk after they left.' Fires were also reported at this illegal traveller site at Barnes Hill in Birmingham The group only stayed for just over 24 hours after a local councillor swiftly obtained a notice to move them on.  West Midlands Fire Service confirmed that they were called out to reports of a fire soon after the travellers turned up. A spokesman said: 'We were made aware at around 9.25pm on Monday of a fire in the open, off Middlemore Road. One fire engine attended, but police at the scene confirmed there wasn't a fire, so the crew left a few minutes later.' Singe marks on the ground where the caravans had been suggest some sort of fire was started. Locals too have a rather different take on events. David, 74, a retired car worker, said: 'I understand that the Fire Service came down and were given a lot of abuse as were the police. It was a dangerous situation with it being so dry and so close to houses.' Mike Ward, 70, said: 'This area is very well used and feels like you are in the countryside. News of their arrival spread on the local WhatsApp group.  'Generally people were horrified. Those who have been here for 40 years and more said they had never known it happen before. 'The kids were stopping people walking along the path, asking them for money. The main concern was the weather and the thought that the whole place could go up like a shot.'