WORK on a controversial fence to section off a travelling community from the A12 is due to get under way next week, The Evening Star has learned.The three metre high structure will be built at the West Meadows travellers' site in a bid to prevent dangerous objects being thrown at vehicles using the dual carriageway.

WORK on a controversial fence to section off a travelling community from the A12 is due to get under way next week, The Evening Star has learned.

The three metre high structure will be built at the West Meadows travellers' site in a bid to prevent dangerous objects being thrown at vehicles using the dual carriageway.

During the past 18 months police have dealt with a number of incidents of cars using the road being hit by missiles, including bricks, in the Whitehouse area, near the travellers' site.

Following talks with police chiefs, Suffolk County Council, which owns the land, applied to build a 120-metre long, three-metre high steel mesh fence that will link up with dense vegetation, blocking easy access to the verge of the A14 dual carriageway.

A spokeswoman for the council said permission for the fence has been granted and construction work will start next week.

She said: "Planning permission for the fence along the boundary onto the A14 has now been approved and work will begin next week. The work will take approximately two weeks to complete."

The reaction from the population of West Meadows has been less than warm to news of the fence being constructed.

One resident Maria Smith likened the situation to being caged like animals.

Are you concerned about safety on the A14? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk