Furious traders blockaded a main road with trucks and cars in protest over an illegal traveller’s camp site.

Police were called to the protest at 9am this morning after traffic to dozens of businesses and the construction site of a new Costco development were prevented from entering Imperial Way in a Croydon business park.

Dozens of cars and lorries came to a standstill as the blockade stopped them from passing.

Jim Quirke of Millennium Jaguar Garage said he was carrying out the protest because he claims a group of nearby travellers are ruining his business. He claimed the police and Croydon Council had done nothing to move the illegal encampment on.

Mr Quirke said: “This is nothing against the other businesses I am just sick and tired of having our stuff broken into and customers turning around because they don’t want to park their high-end cars near the travellers.

“If it is not resolved next time I will block it permanently. I have been on to the council and the police and each time they just pass the buck.”

Ian Sutherland of Ecram Printers, whose premises were blocked by the dozens of cars queing to get past, said: “Our van was out for delivery and now it is stuck behind all this traffic.

“I can understand why he is doing what he’s doing though. We’ve had windows smashed and cars broken into so we don’t really blame him. Something’s got to give and no-one seems to care.”

Gray’s Trucks, who have a nearby premises, have had more than £10,000 worth of damage to the vehicles on its forecourt.

Owner Dan Cole said: “We have had six catalytic converters stolen and a police car vandalised.

“Their presence here causes no-end of mayhem and no-one is doing anything about it.

“Our forecourts are crammed with cars because we can’t park there and we have customers driving down seeing the travellers then turning around.

“It is the mess they leave behind when they go as well. It is devastating to our businesses.”

A police car arrived 30 minutes in to the protest and officers persuaded Mr Quirke to move the blockade.

A Croydon police spokeswoman said officers were called to the blocked road shortly before 8.45am.

"Some travellers who had parked their vehicles in a private carpark without permission, had removed some of their vehicles from the location but the owners believed they would return.

"The owners blocked the road to prevent their return.

"On arrival of police, the obstruction was removed.

"Police spoke with all parties and it is understood the travellers were intending to move on."

No-one at the traveller’s camp would speak to our reporter.