A gipsy family living in two caravans in East Bierley could be forced to vacate their own land.

The Collins family applied retrospectively to Kirklees Council to use their land opposite Beck View Farm in Cliff Hollins Lane for the residential caravans.

But members of the Council's Heavy Woollen planning sub-committee refused the application saying it was green belt.

The family's agent, Hughie Smith from the Gipsy Council, said the family would be appealing against the Council's decision.

"This is a political issue as far as Kirklees is concerned," he said. "They are supposed to take all aspects of gipsy life into consideration but obviously haven't in this instance. The children attend local schools and this family will not cost the taxpayer any money."

Mr Smith - who is confident the family will win their appeal - criticised "vote-catching councillors" who promised to find gipsies new sites only to later lease them out. "Why is the Council paying £50,000 a year to evict gipsies instead of trying to help them find a permanent site?" he said.

Kirklees Planning Officer Derek Sturrock said the caravans constituted inappropriate residential development in a green belt area and, to be acceptable, would have to be associated with agricultural or recreational use. "The Council is happy to assist them to look at a brown field site where residential use would be acceptable," he said.

Councillor Robert Light (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw) said: "The Council has taken two lines on this. It refused the application and could take enforcement action if it wanted, but it also said it would help them find a more suitable site."

Council background papers said the refusal was recommended because of the significant volume of local opinion - nine letters of objection were received and only one letter in favour.

One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed boys she believed were from the site swore at her children and threw lumps of mud at passing cars. She also claimed the family grazed their horses in other people's fields.

Another said: "I know most of the people round here don't want gipsies living near them, with their dogs running around."

Hughie Smith said: "There are no official local authority sites for gipsies within the Kirklees area and the private sites which have been provided - with our support - are family-owned sites with limited planning permission.

"Therefore there is no alternative accommodation available to the Collins family, who wish to base themselves in Kirklees in order to obtain an education for their children through the state school system."