As the eviction of travellers from Britain’s largest travellers’ site turned violence, bishops urged families and local authorities to “move forward in a spirit of dignity and restraint”.

In a joint statement, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brentwood, the Rt Rev Thomas McMahon, and the Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, said they were praying for everyone affected by the “distressing situation”.

Riot police entered the site at Dale Farm in Essex after the travellers lost a last-minute bid to stay on the land at the Court of Appeal on Monday.

According to reports, protesters hurled stones at the police, who tasered two people and arrested another. One caravan was set on fire.

Protesters and residents accuse authorities of committing human rights abuses on the site.

One Dale Farm resident, Mary Sheridan, told The Telegraph that the police had committed “premeditated violence”.

“They knew exactly what they were doing when they started beating and tazering people,” she said.

“It’s illegal for us to travel, but illegal for us to settle down here. We’re getting hit by the police but we’ve got nowhere else to go.”

MP for Basildon and Billericay, John Baron, told the BBC that police were “using minimum force required”.

“But when you have protesters throwing rocks and holding iron bars they have to protect themselves,” he said.

“We still hope this will be a peaceful site clearance.”

The battle between residents and the local council over the site has raged for 10 years. The green belt land was bought legally by the travellers but problems arose when they started to build on it without planning permission.

Local clergy have visited the site on several occasions to offer support to the travellers.

Bishop McMahon and Bishop Cottrell called for a “peaceful approach” to the eviction of the settlers.

“Confrontation and violence only breed further hardship and distress and are not the answer to the present circumstances,” they said.

“We would encourage the families at Dale Farm and the local authorities to move forward in a spirit of dignity and restraint.

“In the meantime, we are keeping all those affected by the current and distressing situation very much in our prayers at this difficult time.”

The clearance of the site is expected to take a few days and cost £18m.