TRAVELLERS who arrived at a field at The Ketch are camped legally for a religious event.

The event took place on Sunday, on the field where the Ketch car boot sale takes place and the land has been rented legally by the travellers. The agreed rental of the fields is until Friday morning which is when they will be leaving.

PC954 Figueiredo said:

"We are aware of the travellers in the ketch car boot fields. We assisted in moving them off of a field, where they were illegally camped without any sort of issue. They have paid to rent the fields and so are there legally. We will continue to patrol the area and will deal with any reports of crime as normal."

On Friday, July 13, police were informed of a large group of travellers being in a field just off Broomhall way, Worcester. Officers went to speak to the group and the land owners were informed of the encampment. Access was gained through a gate off of Taylors Lane. The Battenhall and Nunnery local policing team told the Worcester News it is unknown how the gate was opened, but no damage was reported. On Friday night the travellers were served with a notice to leave this site within 24 hours.

After the police negotiated with the travellers and land owners, it was discovered the travellers had arranged to move on to the Ketch field for an event, after further talks it was arranged for the camp to move off the private field off Broomhall Way, where they were not welcome and on to this land earlier than previously arranged.

The police said there was no disorder or aggression from any party present and the illegal encampment was cleared by 9pm. The travellers volunteered to go back to the field the following day to clear up any mess that had been left behind but the land owner declined this offer.

It has been reported that two businesses in the area, Toby Carvery and Mcolls store, Kempsey closed early due to problems with the travellers, but neither business chose to comment on or confirm this.