Campers at the Clareville showgrounds who thought they had been given a reprieve have been left stunned by a sudden reversal from the Wairarapa A&P Society, which has left them facing the future without a home - again.
Permanent campers Steve Adshead and Carol Kehely had initially been asked to leave by the end of June, after a complaint about the facilities led the society to decide to close the area rather than pay for an upgrade. But they were later allowed to stay on past that date while they sought accommodation elsewhere.
Mr Adshead said they were told in person last week by the society's president, Tracey Pollard, that they would be allowed to stay on permanently in the other, registered section of the campground.
But this week they were given a letter telling them they were required to vacate and the executive committee "in their leniency" had given them until August 18 to quit the campground.
Mrs Kehely said the sudden change had left them stunned.
"We just shook our heads because we just don't know, we don't know where we stand any more. It's awful because you can't plan anything. I'm three-quarters packed and I don't dare unpack anything because we need to move. We are living day to day."
Mr Adshead said his "heart just dropped" when he received the letter, which came after news the committee had reached a compromise and they would be allowed to stay if they agreed to move their caravans when the lawn needed to be mowed.
"We were over the moon and now she [the president] had to bring over that letter to us because of the executive committee. She had gone out of her way to help us but the executive has over-ruled her. She was gutted when she had to bring it over."
Mr Adshead and Mrs Kehely are the only two permanent campers left at the site, after the other campers found alternative accommodation and moved out several weeks ago.
Mr Adshead said they had received several offers of help after the publication of their story in April, but nothing had worked out.
"I've tried everywhere and none of them take permanents."
A sickness beneficiary, he wishes to stay in the area to keep his once a week job in Clareville, and has applied for a pensioner flat through the council but was told there was a waiting list.
With no family in the area, he said his only option if evicted from the campground would be to "stay on the side of the road" as he could not afford a flat.
The stress was bad for his health problems, he said.
"It leaves you on edge. You can't even bloody sleep properly at night because you don't know what they are going to say."
Mrs Kehely plans to move to Rotorua, where she has family. She could not understand why Mr Adshead could not remain in the registered campground until a council flat became available.
"It's all really coming to an end and once again it hasn't been done nicely."
Several executive committee members were contacted but all declined to comment.