A CARAVAN could be set for the scrapheap after its owner was ordered to get rid of it.

Cat Haggarty, of Wakefield Road, Moldgreen, bought the caravan a fortnight ago to keep her children off the streets.

She was desperate to stop her sons, Tuine, 16, and Nyle, 17, getting into trouble with the police by giving them somewhere to “chill out”.

Ms Haggarty, 43, paid £80 for the vehicle and put it on land between their house and Gelder Terrace, a row of derelict houses that is due to be demolished.

The two boys, who have criminal records, and their mates use it to listen to music and watch television. They often sleep inside.

But Kirklees Council has now ordered mum-of-four Ms Haggarty to remove it because it is a “nuisance.”

She faces eviction from her home if she fails to do so.

She said: “All the lads who hang out there are known offenders. But they have been out of trouble since I bought it.

“It means I know where they are and the mums of the other lads know that I can keep an eye on them too.

“The council should just let us keep it so that I’m not having to worry what they are getting up to.”

The 14-year-old, four-berth caravan has a table and sofa beds, cupboards and cooking facilities.

Ms Haggarty has put in a heater to keep the boys warm at night.

She added: “I tell them to keep the music down and they’re not causing anyone any trouble.

“There’s a lot in the news about anti-social behaviour and this is helping to stop that, so I don’t see what the problem is.”

Tuine said: “They just want to spoil our fun.” And Nyle said: “If we don’t have the caravan we’ll just be back to hanging around on the streets.”

Kirklees sent Ms Haggarty a letter telling her the caravan was a nuisance and ordering her to remove it by the end of today.

The letter said: “Failure to do so may result in the loss of your temporary accommodation.”

A council spokeswoman said: “The family in question are currently in a temporary property which has two double bedrooms and a single bedroom, plus a dining kitchen and lounge, which is considered adequate for their needs.

“The caravan has been placed on communal land and must be moved because no vehicles of any kind may be parked there.”