Members of a travelling community who claim they have been treated like second class citizens say they fear for their safety as M25 works are carried out close to their homes.

Travellers have lived in The Oaklands, Abbots Langley, for about 11 years.

Mary Watson, who owns the Bedmond road site and lives in a motor home there, says that she has reached “the end of her tether” with the Highways Agency as it carries out vital M25 widening work between junctions 20 and 21.

Trees which had shielded the community from the M25 have been ripped down by contractors Skanska Balfour Beatty to make way for the motorway.

The foliage, which stood on Highways Agency land, has been replaced with a metal barrier to protect residents from the traffic.

But despite insistence from the Highways Agency that residents are protected from the motorway, Mrs Watson says the barrier is completely inadequate and poses a safety risk.

She said: “There are gaping holes between each of the panels, we can’t let any of the children play on the site in case they wander onto the roadworks.

“We’ve asked them to sort this out since October last year and each time there’s some excuse as to why they haven’t helped us.

“Enough is enough. What are they waiting for, does someone have to die before highways act?”

The 62-year-old grandmother also claims residents are unable to sleep because of the noise and bright lights from the roadworks.

She said: “They are constantly drilling and digging up the road, creating large clouds of dust. It’s got to the point where I have to clean the front of my home three times a day.

“I’m always coughing and suffering from migraines.

“Then at night they’ve got their floodlights on. We’ve tried black out blinds for the windows, but even then it’s like Blackpool illuminations.”

The Highways Agency says it has been dealing “proactively” with the problems associated with its land and the caravan park, and that safety is a top priority.

The organisation also says it will arrange a meeting to discuss the problems at the site when it is convenient for residents.

Jane Manning, Highways Agency spokeswoman, said: “We have noted the concerns of residents and wish to reassure them we are taking measures to address these concerns.

“There is no question of any risk to residents of The Oaklands Caravan Park.”

Mrs Watson says she has repeatedly voiced her concerns to the Highways Agency and also claims she was never formally informed when the works were going to be carried out in the first place.

She said: “When representatives from highways turned up to start work in October, they said that that had no idea anyone was living here.

“We’ve been here for the past 11 years, how could they not know we were here?

“If it was a row of houses we wouldn’t be treated like this – they’re treating us like second class citizens.”

Ms Manning confirmed that when the contract was awarded in October 2009, there was no knowledge of the caravan park.