The unnamed Police Sergeant led the action by his force on the recently established gypsy encampment near to Coronation Street in October 1970.
His primary reason for being there was to carry out an eviction order which had been prompted by a petition organised by Annie Walker who demanded that the gypsies be moved on. However it coincided with a fight that broke out between the gypsies and Ray Langton and some of his thuggish friends such as Eddie Pritchard who suspected that the travellers were behind the theft of some scrap from the Builder's Yard and were determined to retrieve it. The police broke up the violence and sent the gypsies on their way as they moved to a new site in Bury. Lucille Hewitt had gone to the site to try and prevent the fight and protect Ellen Smith and her children. As the caravans departed, the Sergeant told Lucille to move on herself. Upon hearing that the police were there as a result of Annie’s petition, she threw a brick through the windscreen of a police car in a fit of anger and was arrested.