RESIDENTS are angry that travellers have moved into Pitmaston Park, despite promises to prevent another occupation after last year's rubbish dumping incident.

The caravans pulled into the park on Sunday evening and set up near to the back entrance of Pitmaston Primary School.

But one of the travellers at the site rejected the idea that they would leave rubbish behind and said travellers were not all the same.

The concerns emerged after a group of travellers left faeces, dirty nappies and toilet paper in the park after their departure last year.

Richard Udall, county councillor for St John’s, says several residents reported their shock that last year's illegal occupation has happened again. 

Cllr Udall said: “Residents and park users were promised last year that action would be taken to prevent another occupation, either a height barrier or a bollard, neither has happened.

“As a result we are faced yet again with the closure of this well used park.

“It really is not difficult, the park has one narrow entrance point."

Ruth Dodwell, who lives in Manor Road, said: “Travellers will be travellers, my issue is when it happened last time there was general talk about changing it to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.

"Children can’t play in the park. My son uses the park as he is keen on sport but I won’t allow him out while they are there.

“My daughter went in on her way to Christopher Whitehead School and she said there’s more gypsies there today.

 “They left a previous mess in the park which as tax-payers we have to clean up.

“Everyone gets irate and says do something about the gates."

The mother-of-two says she does not have a problem with the traveller community but said they communicate with each other and know where they can set up easily.

One of the bins in the park, used by dog walkers and school children, is already over-flowing with rubbish, according to the mother.

Ms Dodwell, 39, said: “We have been in this house for seven years and never had a problem. Within a year we have had it twice.”

The mother says she witnessed several cars going at 30 miles-per-hour around the park last night and feared that they could hit a child.

Cllr Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member for localism and communities, said: “Action was taken and unfortunately I understand that they broke through the new gate.

“I have been told that provision was put in place despite what Cllr Udall said and they have broken this down.

"We will start the formal process to move them on as soon as possible."

Cllr Hodgson said she wasn’t sure what the provision was but she suspects it was a gate.

The councillor said the county council gypsy service team visited the site today (September 12) to carry out welfare checks. 

She added that she was not responsible for sites where travellers go to.

Another resident who lives near the park said: “They are next door to the school grounds, children have to walk through the park.

“What concerns me is what they do when they are there. Last time they left rubbish, including nappies, and there was anti-social behaviour.

“The children who will be accessing the park will be exposed to this. They empty their toilets into the park.

“The park is locked at night so I think they would have had to break into the park.”

One of the travellers, a 37-year-old mother-of-six, said: “We are not that bad, we are normal people.

“You can’t paint us with one brush, you get good people and bad people.

“We won’t leave any rubbish behind. I can’t go to a neighbour and tell him to keep his place clean, it’s up to them.

“We get people who are abusive. We have had this our whole life. We could be here today and gone tomorrow.”

The mother, who did not want to be named, said the group had just come from Cheltenham.

Cllr Udall says he will ask the county council to take action against the travellers and implement measures to stop it happening again.

“My simple message is get it right this time, prevention is far better than the cost of cleaning up the problem after it has happened,” Cllr Udall said.

The councillor says he does not blame the travellers and instead holds the county council responsible for not providing enough pitches for touring travellers.

A police spokesman said they were made aware of the travellers at 5.55pm yesterday (September 11).

Officers from the local safer neighbourhood team attended the scene.