12:34pm Tuesday 4th March 2008
By Jon Austin
FIVE people were arrested after a man and a woman were injured in two separate attacks thought to be connected to a traveller feud.
A woman, in her forties, was assaulted while visiting the Oak Lane site in Crays Hill from the Smithy Fen camp in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire.
The attack happened at about 5pm on Sunday when the woman was at the site for what is believed to be a wedding or christening.
Later that night, a man in his forties from the Oak Lane site in Crays Hill was taken to Basildon Hospital after being cut in the chest with what is believed to be a broken bottle.
He was injured after fighting broke out in the Duke of York pub, in Southend Road, Billericay, at 10.25pm.
Landlord John Harris said: "There was a punch-up and the people involved were escorted out. If someone was cut it must have been outside. Police are now looking at our CCTV."
Earlier in the day, firefighters had to break into a chalet on the Oak Lane site at 2.38pm after reports people were inside as flames from nearby burning rubbish spread.
The fire is being treated as arson, but police do not believe it is connected to the assaults.
Essex Police spokeswoman Donna Veasey said: "We are investigating two allegations of assault.
"The first alleged incident occurred at the Oak Lane traveller site at 5pm, when the victim was a woman, believed to be in her forties, from Cambridge.
"The second is believed to have occurred in the Duke of York.
"A man in his forties was wounded in the chest."
Police confirmed the rubbish fire is being treated as deliberate, but there is nothing to suggest it was linked to the later attacks.
Christine Connor, spokeswoman for Essex Fire and Rescue, said: "We had reports of a shed alight, then a caravan, then we were told people were inside. Firefighters forced entry, but it was empty.
"People living on the site said they would board it up."
Most of the arrests were made in the early hours of yesterday morning, when police armed with Taser guns entered the site.
l A 46-year-old man and 19-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of grevous bodily harm.
A 37-year-old man and two women, aged 39 and 26 were arrested on suspicion of actual bodily hamr. All gave Billericay addresses.
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