Four travellers who have joined caravan-dwellers at an Oxfordshire beauty spot have been told to clear out - or spend six weeks behind bars for contempt of court.

At the High Court in London yesterday, a judge ruled that Mary, Jimmy and Bridie Connors and John Hughes had breached an injunction preventing more than eight caravans setting up camp at Hadden Hill, North Moreton, an

area of outstanding natural beauty.

The family wrote to the council last month saying their caravans had been on the site before the original injuntion, but they had been forced to move away temporarily to be with a sick relative.

But the judge, Mr Justice Royce, said they had "wilfully interfered so as to thwart the purpose of the injunction".

South Oxfordshire District Council started legal proceedings soon after caravans began arriving at the site in June last year. In September 2004 a judge issued an interim injunction against 13 people living on the site forbidding more than eight caravans from being stationed on the top of the hill.

But when a council enforcement officer visited the site on August 24, he found 17 caravans and yesterday Mr Royce accepted that the four travellers who have parked their caravans since the injunction was granted did so in contempt of court.

None of the four travellers were in court to hear the ruling but in a letter to the council the family pleaded that their children "need to go to school" and they have nowhere else they can lawfully park their caravans.

The letter stated: "We do not need to travel anymore, we need to adapt to a new way of life."

In October last year, the council issued enforcement notices requiring removal of all caravans and restoration of the land to its former unspoilt state. An appeal by the travellers is due to be heard on November 1.