FIREFIGHTERS claim a roadblock put up during a long-running row between travellers has hindered efforts to tackle two blazes.

Fire engines struggled to get from the A127 into Oak Lane to deal with fires at the weekend because of rubble strewn across the track.

According to Essex Fire and Rescue, the blockade was put up by an English gipsy, who still lives in Oak Lane, to stop Irish travellers driving their cars and lorries past his home.

Firefighters put out hay bale fires at midnight last Friday and 11.45am on Saturday, which are being treated as arson.

Sean Norris, of Billericay fire station, said: "Access was difficult because of barricades, which are dangerous because it took us longer to get to the fires."

The road is privately-owned and the fire service does not believe it can remove the blockage.

According to a senior officer, the blockade was put up by William Saunders, better known as Bluie, who owns the stretch of the road.

Martin Trevillion, Basildon community fire safety officer, said he had tried to convince him about removing it on safety grounds.

He said: "The rubble first went up last year.

"Bluie told me it was to stop furniture lorries delivering to Dale Farm off the A127 and past his house.

"It went up again at Christmas because kids were racing past his house.

"There seems to have been another row before the weekend before the latest blockade."

Mr Trevillion said he had previously asked Mr Saunders to remove it. He added: "He said it was his road he could do as he liked. I had to eat humble pie later after checking. We have no jurisdiction over access."

Mr Saunders is the elder of an English family who were one of the first to develop plots at Oak Lane in the 1980s. He was unavailable for comment.