All protester have now been brought down from the top of the barricades/

Police and bailiffs are in process of dismantling the structure.

Bailiffs are also now working on removing protesters locked onto vehicles behind the entrance.

Update 4.01pm

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Police are removing the final few protesters from the barricades.

Bailiffs were engaged in a game of cat and mouse as one protester tried to evade capture.

He then ran to an electricity pole and threatened to snap the power box from the pole, shouting "I am prepared to die today"

There were reports that one protester was tasered after being taken down from the barricades- this is unconfirmed.

Protesters are still locked to vehicles behind the barricades meaning bailiffs will not have a clear run even after the barricade is brought down.

Update 2.40pm

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Two protesters have been taken down from on top of the baricade, around half a dozen remain.

Police officers have been joined by bailiffs on harnesses attached to a crane, to help remove those remaining.

Fires are slowly burning out, police helicopter is still above.

Update 2pm

From James Drummond, outside Dale Farm

A last-ditch defence of the Dale Farm barricades is being attempted by around 15 protesters.

Three police in riot gear lowered onto the top of the barricades have been joined by two bailiffs in a telephone box -shaped "shark cage".

Protesters are chained to the scaffolding including one with a bike lock around his neck.

There are still around 15 protesters on top of the barricade structure.

One has just been led away by officers.

Update 1.41pm

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Three police officers are now on the barricades with protesters. They appear to be talking.

Update 1.29pm

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Five police officers on a crane platform have been lowered towards the top of the barricade.

It is unclear whether they just want to talk to protesters on top of the barricade or whether this is a move to forcibly remove the remaining 15 or so protesters.

Update 1.15pm

A total of seven arrests have been made so far during today's operation to clear Dale Farm, police say.

In a revised statement issued following the earlier press conference, a spokesman for the force said that in fact one person had been tasered, rather than two, as had been reported earlier.

Update 1.07pm

Click here for Basildon Council's press statement at the earlier conference

Update 12.58pm

Bailiffs are positioning a large crane directly in front of the main gate, which is still barricaded and with protesters on top.

Moments earlier, Candy Sheridan, vice chair of the Gyspy Council , toured the site speaking with residents and police.

As she passed the main entrance gates a protester on the gates shouted down to her "I'm sorry we didn't take down the barricade for you Candy", in what seemed a sarcastic manner.

Candy distanced herself from the protesters, and when asked if she thought they should come down, she replied "Well obviously they should.

"I am here to represent the residents."

Referring to the protesters she said:"They are going to be taken down by the police one by one.

"My priority is the residents."

Ms Sheridan is also asking for three power generators to be brought onto the site from the bailiffs encampment to help support residents with health issues.

Update 12.20pm

Two elderly travellers suffering illness have been taken to hospital from the Dale Farm site after being evicted from their caravans.

Gene Sheridan, 70, and another named as Cornelius, and said to be a cancer patient, were stretchered into ambulances.

Margaret Flynn, daughter of Mrs Sheridan, and a resident of one of the legal plots, said: "My mum is not good - she might not even make it. Police came in this morning and broke down the fencing.

"The stress of all this is unreal. My children woke up and looked through the door and saw what was coming through the fields. It was unreal.

"Bailiffs are treating us like Hitler treated the Jews.

"We are human beings. The children should have been at school this morning, we are British born."

She is inviting other residents to move their caravans onto her plot.

Police are no longer on the gate Protesters are being stopped ans searched

Update 12.02pm

An investigation will take place into the use of tasers by police officers during this morning's eviction at Dale Farm.

Speaking at a press conference from the site, Supt Trevor Rowe of Essex Police said: "Serious violence was offered to a pair of officers, in particular, their response was to protect themselves, they carry personal protective equipment which included the taser, they just naturally reacted as they are trained individuals to operate that device."

Video footage screened by the BBC appears to show tasers being fired by police at protesters, through the fences barricading the entrance to the sites.

A reporter at the conference pointed out that guidelines recommend that tasers are not used in public disturbances.

Supt Rowe responded: "Absolutely - as a public order tactic generally they are not recommended - however this was an isolated incident where officers were threatened directly, and I think you will see that within the footage which has been captured today."

Supt Rowe said that no police officers had been injured during the operation.

Update 11.55am

Police claim to have taken control of the Dale Farm site where evictions are proceeding today, and say that the situation is calm.

Supt Trevor Rowe of Essex Police said that three arrests were made as police and bailiffs entered the site to enforce an eviction order on 80 families living there.

Speaking alongside Supt Rowe, Basildon Council leader Tony Ball said that he took "no satisfaction" in the proceedings and that he was "sorry things turned out the way they did today."

Police came under attack from missiles including rocks, bottles, unknown powders and urine, as they moved into the site, said Supt Rowe.

Intelligence had been received overnight suggesting that large amounts of materials had been stockpiled for use in resisting the bailiffs entrance, giving fear that there would be a "significant risk" to public safety.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said there had been six casualties - one woman taken to hospital with back injuries, four treated for breathing problems and smoke inhalation, and one with chest pains.

Out the six, four have refused to go to hospital and one is being assessed.

Mr Sanderson said: "Access has been good and we are using our Polaris buggy - which has been called a golf buggy, but that is clearly not the case - it is an advanced piece of medical equipment which can enter the site and take casualties to the ambulance."

Update 11.03am

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Police have almost reached the top of the barricades and appear to be talking to protesters in an attempt to bring them down.

Nearby, barricades are still burning. Thick black smoke is bilowing out as protesters continue to fuel the flames.

Bailiffs on the perimiter fence next to the entrance are removing scaffolding in what could be an attempt to bring a bulldoser in through the woods.

Update 10.37am

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Police in riot gear are climbing the barricade, followed by bailiffs, and attaching themselves with safety harnesses.

They are attempting to remove the final remaining 20 or so protesters who are in the top part of the structure.

Update 10.25am

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Richard Sheridan, chairman of the Dale Farm Residents Association, said: "Is this the 21st century in Great Britain?

"The police have been heavy-handed. They have put one girl in hospital."

Update 10.12am

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Protesters are urinating onto police and bailiffs from on top of the main barricade at Dale Farm.

Some have been removed from the structure at the entrance to the site, but around 20 protesters remain.

About 50 bailiffs are massed around the entrance.

Update 9.50am

From Sam Smith and James Drummond, inside Dale Farm

At the rear of the site there are about 50 bailiffs with a bulldozer waiting to move in.

Protesters are in the trees in front of them, and they are being chased by bailiffs, attempting to bring them down to allow the bulldozer to come through.

It is passive resistance rather than violent resistance.

The first chalet the bulldoser will come across has two protesters attached to a pipe, which is attached to the chalet.

Their arms are locked int the pipe , one of them, Steve, 37, from London, says: "It makes me ashamed that we would treat people like this.

"This seems to be the last acceptable form of racism.

"It is unacceptable. I will stay as long as I need to."

Next to him, a lady called Myra Garrett, 79, from Oklahoma, a seasoned protester, saidL "I believe people have a right to live peacefully on their land, this is an evil thing I will stay as long as it takes.

"These people have lived here for 10 years."

Update 9.36am

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Police have removed a protester from the barricades.

He had bound his own hands and legs and was "mummified" inside a white boiler suit.

He appeared to be unable to move.

He was dragged from the barricades by police and has now been taken away, putting up no resistance.

Update 9.28am

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Police are now mounting the barricades to attempt to forcibly remove protesters.

Protesters on the barricades are hurling abuse.

A caravan which was set alight not 10 minutes ago has now disintegrated into ash.

Firefighters have got onto the site but are allowing the caravan to burn out.

Update 9.15am

From Sam Smith, inside Dale Farm

Explosions have been reported inside Dale Farm as bailiffs and riot police move in to evict travellers.

Two massive explosions - possibly gas cannisters - were heard in the last five minutes.

Protesters have been throwing bricks and glass bottles at the lines of police as the stand off continues.

A tearful Mary Sheridan, a Dale Farm resident, said: “How can this be justice? We are human beings with children and we can’t have the right to live somewhere.

“We have been trying everything to find somewhere to live. They shut every door in our face. We have done everything we could to stay in a scrap yard.”

As I sit and type ash is blowing across the air and there are small explosions coming from the burning barricade.

About a dozen protesters are stood on the main entrance barricade, which is isolated by a ring of riot police on both sides.

There are reports that a cage is being attached to a crane next to the barricade, presumably in an attempt to remove protesters from the gate.

Ms Sheridan added: “I have nowhere to do. I will still be in Basildon. I might have to leave here, but I will live in every car park in Basildon.

“They think that fire comes out our mouths, that we have two heads on our bodies. The English government and every borough should be ashamed.

“They don’t want us anywhere. We are normal people going to school, trying to get a living.”

Most pitches on the illegal site appear to be vacant with travellers moving their caravans on to the adjacent legal site.

Police and television helicopters whir overhead.

Protester Simon Moore, 29, a community gardener from Brentford, said: “I’m not here with any group or affiliation, I’m here on my own to peacefully testify to the fact that this is wrong.

“Our country is beset with issues, but here the Government want to disrupt a settled and peaceful community.

“People have come from all over the country, just like the bailiffs have, because this is important. Martin Luther King said a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Update 9.02am

Police say they have taken the lead on the eviction operation, ahead of bailiffs, due to violent resistance encountered since the start of the operation at 7am.

Update 9am

Fire crews report they are unable to tackle blazes as they cannot get far enough into the site.

It is thought at least one caravan has been set alight in an attempt to block access.

Update 8.35am

Protestors tell the BBC that two women were injured by police when they initially forced entrance into the site.

Update 8.29am

Police say that one person has been arrested so far and electric taser guns used on two people.

Update 8.23am

Basildon Council leader Tony Ball says: "The pre-meditated and organised scenes of violence that we have already seen with protesters throwing rocks and bricks, threatening police with iron bars and setting fire to a caravan are shocking.

"These are utterly disgraceful scenes and demonstrate the fact some so called supporters were always intent on violence.

"Nonetheless we are going to press on with this operation with our partners

in a safe, dignified and humane way and will uphold the law.”"

Update 8.20am

Dale Farm resident, Mary Ann-McCarthy left the site before the eviction, she saw her daughter on live television walking around the camp with a black eye.

She said: “It’s absolutely dreadful. I haven’t a clue where they’re going to go now. It’s scandalous what they’re doing.

“They could have found somewhere for travellers to go. They have no place to go now.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I don’t have a crystal ball.”

Update 8.10am

CARAVANS are ablaze at Dale Farm as the eviction of Europe’s largest traveller site is underway.

Hundreds of bailiffs stormed the site at about 7.30am facing a hail of bottles and bricks from supporters.

The eviction of 86 traveller families and the clearance of 50 plots follows a High Court ruling on Friday, which paved the way for the forced eviction today.

Violent clashes were reported on the boundaries to the site, which was breached in a dawn raid leading to violent clashes between police and protesters.

Reports from the site suggest a supporter was tasered by police. Officers were also seen using a sledge hammer to break down walls to gain entrance.

The electricity supply to the camp was shut off before the eviction.

Bailiffs have moved into Dale Farm to evict the traveller families living there.

Clashes have been reported between police and protesters and fires have been started.

It follows the court defeat of travellers' last-ditch legal efforts to remain.

Updates to come as events take place throughout the day.

The operation began just after 7pm and bailiffs are currently attempting to dismantle the barriers put up at the site entrance.

Riot police and bailiffs are believed to have already breached the site's makeshift defences through another entrance.