A ROMANY gipsy living on a Newport estate where a proposed travellers site could be built is calling on locals to support the plans.

17-year-old Margaret Hendry, who lives in a house instead of a traditional caravan, says gipsies have as much right as everyone else to have a safe place to live.

She is calling on people to join a her Facebook campaign group Say Yes to Bettws Gipsy Site.

Her plea comes after the Argus revealed last week that Newport council proposes to create permanent and transit sites in the city - including one of on land known as Yew Tree Cottage, Bettws.

Miss Hendry says she feels intimidated by locals who are opposing the plans and says she was warned not to attend a public meeting held this week for fear of a public backlash. Residents who attended the heated meeting fiercely opposed the plans with local councillor Noel Trigg declaring he would sooner lie in the road than allow a travellers site created in his ward.

A scuffle later broke out and police were called when young woman approached the panel and two people were assaulted. Police said there have been no arrests in relation to the incident.

Mis Hendry said: “It makes it very hard to live in Bettws. I have seen the petitions saying no to gipsies and I get angry.

“I feel disgusted. A person, no matter what their race or where they come, from deserve a safe place to live for their children. To boycott someone for being a gipsy is racism.”

Miss Hendry said high profile traveller cases such as the recent Dale Farm evictions had given gipsies and travellers a bad name and it was unfair to tar everyone with the same brush.

The site in Bettws is just one site being considered by the council. Others being looked at are Pound Hill, Coedkernew, two at Pye Corner and one at Queensway Meadows, Nash.

Council officers are currently drawing up planning applications and consultation will take place in due course.