Residents of Tilsworth, a village in Bedfordshire, have expressed anger after a group of travellers allegedly connected their unauthorised camp to the electricity grid. The alleged connection occurred on June 19, five days before a widespread power outage hit the area on June 24.
Camp built without permission
A large caravan park was erected without planning permission at the start of June. Central Bedfordshire Council served a Temporary Stop Notice on June 16 ordering all construction work to cease. However, locals claim work continued, and the camp expanded.
UK Power Networks said it was investigating a suspected illegal connection at the site in Dunstable Road, Tilsworth, reported on June 19. A spokesman stated: “While our network is currently operating normally, our engineers are working closely with police regarding this and an adjacent site.”
Power outage and local reaction
During the outage on June 24, residents received a text message from the power company: “We are aware of an unexpected power cut in LU7. We didn't know this was going to happen, so providing prior notice wasn't possible, but we are working to get the lights back on as quickly as we can.” UK Power Networks later said the outage “was caused by a fault on the overhead network and is not believed to be linked to the site.”
One local resident commented: “It's a disgrace. The council issued the stop notice, but the work has continued since then. They do whatever they want and get away with it. They managed to connect to the power network, and this took out the village for about an hour. It's a scandal.”
Council response and site details
The new site reportedly contains 19 motorhomes and caravans, with an additional 70 on an existing encampment. Tilsworth has around 140 homes, leading residents to claim that travellers now outnumber locals. Complaints include noise and late-night bike riding.
A council spokesman said: “The Council is aware of reports of an unauthorised connection to the electricity infrastructure, and we've notified UK Power Networks as the relevant utility provider. Any investigation into the cause of the outage is a matter for UK Power Networks. We understand the unauthorised caravan site has caused concerns for residents in Tilsworth. Officers have responded quickly and treated this as a priority. The Council must follow the correct legal process and ensure any formal action is supported by evidence. A Temporary Stop Notice was served on Tuesday, June 16, requiring all further construction work to cease. The Council obtained a High Court injunction on July 3 for this site.”
