ARMED police had to deal with mobs of feuding travellers.

Officers with firearms were called after several families from Dale Farm, in Crays Hill, swamped another camp.

Families from the Billericay site attended a Catholic confirmation celebration at Smithy Fen, in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, over the weekend, when fighting broke out.

Police were called to the Chequers pub, in Cottenham, at 12.25am, on Sunday, following reports of ten people fighting.

When officers arrived, no one made any official complaint.

They were called a second time, to Smithy Fen, at 1.45am, following reports of 20 people fighting, when two men and a woman were arrested on suspicion of public disorder.

The men, aged 28 and 33, and a 40-year-old woman, from Smithy Fen, are still in custody.

Police were called again, at 9.30am the same morning, after another large fight, but no further arrests followed.

Rick Bristow, whose home overlooks Smithy Fen, said: “We believe the incident was caused by feuding families from Billericay, who were invited up for a confirmation party.”

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: “Armed police did attend, but at no time were they given authority to use firearms.

“There were no weapons involved and, as far as we are aware, no serious injuries.”

In January 2007, the Echo revealed how some members of Crays Hill’s traveller community were also trying to get planning permission to live on illegal caravan pitches at Smithy Fen, alleging it was because they were homeless in both cases.

There have been a number of feuds at both camps during big celebrations.

In March last year, five people were arrested after families from Smithy Fen came to Dale Farm and fighting broke out on site, and at the Duke of York pub, in Southend Road, Billericay.

One man was bottled and a shed burnt down on site, but no one was charged.

In March this year, Francis O’Rourke, 34, was charged with grievous bodily harm, following an alleged attack on Frederick Sheridan, at Dale Farm.

The charge was later withdrawn at Basildon Magistrates’ Court, but during the case Mr O’Rourke was bailed to live at Smithy Fen, and not come to Essex.