BIRMINGHAM City Council and police can remove travellers from illegal sites at two hours notice under a new policy which has been adopted.

Extra powers to evict travellers from publicly-owned land have been adopted under new rules for dealing with illegal encampments.

Its formal adoption by the city council comes after traveller camps hit the national headlines over the forced eviction from Dale Farm in Basildon.

Under an earlier protocol drawn up five years ago, the council would give a standard seven day eviction notice to move caravans from parks and open spaces.

But residents in many areas have become frustrated at the length of time they have to wait for the caravans to leave and their parks to become cleaned.

Under a new council and police agreement, which was agreed by the public protection committee last Friday , if senior council officers believe there is an urgent need the police can be called to give occupiers two hours to vacate.

In most other cases the travellers will have two days to move on from public parks and open spaces.

The seven-day -limit will continue to apply to other sites such as industrial waste ground where there is little urgency.