POLICE say they have moved to prevent a second “tent city” in Oxford by serving eviction papers against riverbank rough sleepers.

Six people living in five tents on the banks of Bulstake Stream, behind the Osney Mead industrial estate, were handed notices by police on behalf of the landowner yesterday.

Two years ago, up to 14 rough sleepers set up home on the riverbank nearby in an area dubbed “tent city”. They were evicted after allegations of intimidation, noise and mess.

Leslie Malone, 47, said he did not want to leave the new tent community.

He said: “I’ve been here with my girlfriend for seven years. They’ve served me with an eviction. What can I do? I’ve got to fight it.

“If they kick me and my girlfriend out I don’t want to live in the night shelter.

“We’ll have to look for a squat. I’ve already got my eye on a couple of places.

“We’re well out the way of everybody out here and not causing any trouble. No one complains about us being here for the past seven years.”

The land is leased by local farmer Nicholas Frearson.

Pc Jan Warner, neighbourhood specialist for Jericho, Abingdon Road and West Oxford, said: “We are working with support services to find appropriate accommodation.

“A couple of years ago it took a long time to get organised and we ended up with 14 tents.

“Rather than more and more tents being put up we would rather they were spending time finding suitable accommodation.”

An eviction hearing will be held at Oxford County Court on May 22.