THE McCanns claimed Hatchertang was home to a single mother at a public inquiry just two weeks ago.

Mary McCann, Gerry's daughter, in her twenties, told planning inspector Diane Lewis that Hatchertang was a base to educate four children.

Yet Echo investigations in February and March found it actually houses labourers in four caravans and a fleet of commercial vehicles.

The inquiry at the Basildon Centre was an appeal to the Government by Miss McCann against Basildon Council orders for her to leave.

Although Hatchertang has planning permission for a family of travellers called the Dennards, this expired when they sold up.

Miss McCann said Hatchertang was bought for her by Mr McCann for about £60,000 because Hampton Court was overcrowded, but claimed he does not live in the area and has no idea what business he runs.

However, the Echo has seen him living at Hampton Court and organising his workers since February.

According to residents, he has lived there since the family arrived in 2003.

Our picture of Hatchertang taken just days before the inquiry shows four caravans and four industrial lorries, including the green Iveco, used by Mr McCann's labourers.

Neighbour David Walsh, 57, said: "It is not the scene painted by Miss McCann of a haven for her children. Who are the men who have been living in the caravans for many months?

"They are pulling the wool over everyone's eyes with misleading statements and dodgy information to the planning inspector."

We photographed Hatchertang the morning of the inquiry and found all but one of the caravans had moved off and two lorries were gone.

There were more caravans and commercial vehicles at Hampton Court. These included a van with the logo Paving Ltd, which is not registered at Companies House.

Neighbours said the remaining lorries were moved to another part of Hovefields before Mrs Lewis visited.

Jill Walsh, 56, said: "They had workers out in the morning surfacing the road and cleaning up to make it look better before the inspector arrived."

Her husband, David, recorded in his diary that the McCanns tried to sell Hatchertang last July but the traveller, who agreed to pay £120,000, got his cash back after Mr Walsh told him only the Dennards should live there.

During the inquiry, Mary McCann, who survives on benefits, admitted there had been up to four caravans on Hatchertang at times, but claimed this was because she buys and sells them.

He urinated on our drive...then asked for a lift into town

The Walshes' diary contains a number of references to non-travellers staying on site.

On May 30, 2005, the couple's son came home at 2.30am to find a Top Paving van, which was usually parked in Hampton Court, across Hovefields Avenue, with its front smashed in.

By 9am two workers from Hampton Court were out cleaning the length of the road, taking rubbish and broken tarmac from the van into the plot.

On April 22, 2006, the couple saw a man urinating on their drive. When challenged, the drunk said he had been kicked out of Hampton Court and asked for a lift to town. They refused.

On December 28, 2006, a strange man in his early 20s, with a long hat and pink trousers with one leg rolled up, who was living on Hampton Court, wandered up and down the road and into their driveway, singing and dancing.

Mrs Walsh wrote: "Reported to police. Concerned that daughter would be on her own all day.

"Later that same week, notified person been sectioned."

On September 2, 2007, she noted there were seven caravans each on Hatchertang and Hampton Court and a new Chrysler in Hampton Court.