Squatters are living in a historical pub on royal land backing on to Bushy Park.

The group moved in to the Dukes Head, in High Street, Hampton, on Sunday, August 18.

Hampton safer neighbourhood team received complaints about the squatters and officers have offered advice to the management company looking after the pub.

The empty pub, which has been on site since the 1870s, is managed by Alder Grimes Gooderham (AG&G), which is marketing the freehold for £450,000+VAT.

AG&G director James Grimes explains on the company website: “The royal land is a roughly 16-foot wide strip at the bottom of the trade garden because “The Dukes Head backs on to Royal Bushy Park.

“The original idea was that any deer leaping over a royal park fence or hedge should remain on royal land because they are royal property, so a perimeter area around every royal park is free board.”

The 3,100sq ft pub includes a function room, trade kitchen, and central U-shaped serving space on the ground floor and three double bedrooms, an en-suite, living room, bathroom and kitchen upstairs.

A public footpath runs to the side of the pub and leads directly to Bushy Park.

The pub is the latest in a string of properties across the borough to be occupied by squatters.

A group of about 30 squatters were booted out of a former wine shop and office block in the Causeway, Teddington, in May after they called police for help following a disagreement among themselves.

In June, squatters were evicted from the former Lionsgate Hotel in Hampton Court Road and last month enjoyed riverside views in a multi-million pound office conversion in Hampton Wick.

Police could not confirm if the squatters were the same group.