Beagle,
The pikeys are still in residence right 'next' to Merryfield. They have a little settlement the other side of the hedge and apparently MF still have troubles with them/their animals going onto the airfield.
Police often raid the place and most of their caravans now have smashed up windows by the police raiding the place to get in.
Apparently some were quite nasty there and used to shine lasers and high powered torches at the crews training at night too... not good when you have NVG on.

The travellers' site at Merryfield was set up during the time the aerodrome was 'disused'. Local councils have an obligation to provide such sites and the abandoned Westlands site was selected. A reasonable choice at the time.

They probably get a bit annoyed with night flying, but that doesn't excuse any criminal or life-endangering acts such as you describe. Is there a liaison process? I'd be astonished if Zumzett Plod had stooped to breaking windows, although I do recall a local copper in Ilton once saying "A few years ago we'd just sling a straw bale under their caravans and tell them to leave before someone dropped a match....".

50 years ago we had 'real' gypsies on Brook Common - they never caused any problems and were very friendly if people were half decent to them - don't forget that only 5 years earlier many of their relatives were in Hitler's concentration camps.