Couple's shock at 'gypsy campsite' leaflet

A Leicestershire couple say they are shocked after council leaflets suggested they could be planning to turn their land into a gypsy camp.

In December, Rick Gunn and Lyndasy Akiens started to renovate a Groby bungalow with 12 acres of land.

The Groby Parish Council leaflets said residents had raised concerns that the site was being "gutted" by travellers.

The couple said they have no such plans and the council's failure to contact them felt like a "personal attack".

Mr Gunn and Ms Akiens said they were refurbishing the bungalow and tidying the land to return it to its "former glory" and planned to keep three of their own horses in the stables.

The leaflets, which were brought to the couple's attention by a neighbour, read: "Groby Parish Council and local councillors have been inundated with emails and telephone calls from anxious residents that a large area of land to the rear of Fern Crescent may have been sold to gypsies or travellers who have been seen to be 'gutting' a property on Fern Crescent that is tied to the sale and clearing and cutting down tree and bushes to the land at the rear."

The parish council said it was holding an emergency meeting on Wednesday night to discuss the issue.

Mr Gunn said: "Lyndasy's father has bought this property because she's always had horses and has a wish to live near the horses."

Peter Battey, the council chairman, said they had since delivered an updated leaflet outlining the couple's views and that Mr Gunn had been invited to speak at Wednesday's meeting.