Travellers are still camped on land next to a youth jail, despite being ordered to move.

The group, of around 20 caravans and vans arrived outside Cookham Wood young offenders institution last Sunday after they left The Vines in Rochester, where they had been living for a week.

The travellers were served a legal notice by the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday which ordered them to move by Thursday afternoon, but the families remained.

In a letter to residents of Sir Evelyn Road on Friday, an official wrote: “As you will be aware from yesterday’s [Thursday, August 25] briefing letter we served a Notice to Vacate on the temporary residents seeking they leave the site at HMPYOI Cookham Wood and Medway STC by 1530hrs today.

“Although they have been polite and courteous, they have not left the site as requested.

“As a result we have been in contact with government legal advisors and given instruction that legal proceedings commence immediately.

“At this point we are unaware of the potential timeline for this and are acutely aware of the forthcoming bank holiday weekend. Please be rest assured that we are doing everything we can to further this as swiftly as possible.”

The Mayor of Medway and ward councillor Stuart Tranter spotted the travellers in Sir Evelyn Road, last Sunday.

He has written to all the residents whose properties back on to the road, asking them to contact him if they had any specific concerns.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “We have made it clear to these individuals that they are illegally camping on prison land.

“We are working with police and the council to remove them from the site.”