AN international organisation fighting slavery has backed calls for a police investigation into the use of vulnerable workers on travellers’ sites.

In April, the Echo revealed how some travellers on local sites were rounding up homeless people, drug addicts, illegal immigrants, the mentally ill and even teenage runaways, and putting them to work as labourers in unofficial building firms.

In one case, a worker once employed at Hovefields site in Wickford, claimed he was beaten and forced to commit crime. He said his passport was taken and his mobile searched.

Residents in the area and Billericay Tory MP John Baron called for an investigation following publication.

Now Anti-Slavery International, has joined the call, after representatives read our articles which they said showed conditions that “align to slavery”. Klara Skrivankova, trafficking programme co-ordinator, said: “Vulnerability is one of the underlying causes of trafficking for forced labour.

“If passports are held, people are threatened, or physically and psychologically abused then these are some indicators of forced labour.

These cases must be thoroughly investigated by the police as potential cases of human trafficking.”

The organisation’s comments came as it called for tougher action against forced labour in the UK.

It says there is currently no assistance for people trafficked into labour within the UK and there have been no prosecutions, despite it being a criminal offence since 2004.

Its research found people trafficked into a range of forced labour including construction work. It says forced labour needs to be a human rights issue with support services for those exploited.

Ms Skrivankova added: “The UK is currently preparing for the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings, and according to the convention all people who are presumed to be victims of trafficking are entitled to receive protection and assistance, and have their case investigated by police.”

Essex Police Chief Inspector Simon Dobinson, said: “We have carried out further investigation with travellers and members of the public in the area and our enquiries have shown there are no offences. We will continue to keep in touch with the local community.”