An Esher resident has likened the earth being dug up by council workers around her home as the trenches of the Second World War’s blitz.

Residents in Esher were horrified to see the green playing fields opposite their homes turned into “unbelievable” mounds of earth as part of Elmbridge Council’s traveller prevention measures this week.

Linda Knight, of Jubilee Villas in Weston Green Road, noticed workmen digging “a massive ditch going around the perimeter of the green” opposite her home on Thursday, October 15.

The implementation of the ditch is part of the council’s measures to prevent unauthorised gypsy and traveller encampments on borough-owned land.

The ditch, reported to be about 15ft long, has ignited anger among residents who thought preventative posts would be installed on the land instead.

Miss Knight said: “We would’ve liked posts. It would’ve looked quite pretty – but it’s going to look like the Blitz.”

She said that after speaking to the workmen, it was confirmed that small pathways were to be built over the ditch to allow people on to the green, however she, among other residents, have concerns about dogs or children falling into the ditch.

She said: “I wouldn’t want to fall in it.

“People who go to the station from here will struggle to get across as there’s only one walkway. It’s not the sort of ditch you can jump across. There’s no health and safety notice that there’s this big ditch there.”

A document entitled the Joint Elmbridge Borough Council Traveller and Gypsy Protocol was published last month by the council detailing their £120,000 scheme to prevent unauthorised encampments.

It announced that wooden and metals posts, selected tree planting and ditches and mounds would be implemented after the borough saw a rise in travellers illegally camping on council-owned land.

Miss Knight said: “I think it’s tragic in a conservation area. I’ve been here for 15 years and travellers have only been here twice.

“It’s going to completely ruin the view, it’s going to look terrible.”

A council spokesman said: “Elmbridge Council has taken a proactive view on strengthening the security of the borough’s green spaces to further protect the council’s landholding.

“Working closely with the relevant ward councillors, officers have agreed a series of physical improvements that could be made to vulnerable sites, being sympathetic to the specific site and location.

“At Weston Green, ditching and banking with the use of wooden posts was chosen as the most natural measure to help prevent unauthorised access.

“The fresh ditching will be grass seeded to green and blend in with the surrounding area, as with the ditches throughout the borough.”