SOAP TO RESUME FILMING DESPITE GYPSY INVASION

Producers of the ITV soap Dale Farm have sensationally decided to continue filming scenes even though hundreds of travellers have set up camp on their land.

Filming for the show which is screened 5 nights a week had previously been suspended while travellers and protesters fought to stay. Cast and crew were relieved last week as bailiffs moved in to try and evict them, but at the last minute travellers obtained a court injuction to stall proceedings.

Stuart Blackburn who's descision it was to carry on filming said, 'It's not ideal to film scenes in this situation, but we had no choice but to carry on. We had to compromise with the Travellers so what we have decided to do is have a storyline where Dale Farm is taken over by the gypsies, basically exactly what's happening in real life'. Most of the scenes will be dictated by the travellers, so the script will be limited. We hope this is only a short-term solution'.

The filming started earlier today and actress Emma Atkins who plays Charity Tate in the soap was there to tell all. 'We all felt a little intimidated by the travellers at first, but as the day wore on we found them to be quite good company, there was a low point as some of them trashed the Woolpack pub when they realised we didn't serve real alcohol, but on the upside the drives of the houses are looking really nice'.

The fight for travellers to be evicted is set to rumble on well in to next week, but maybe Dale Farm won't mind after they were impressed with some of the acting they saw, even suggesting that 4 of the travellers could land permanant roles as The Dingle's extended family.http://www.itv.com/