Travellers leave trail of damage as they move on (From Worcester News)

Travellers leave trail of damage as they move on

10:00am Friday 21st September 2012 in News By James Connell

TRAVELLERS who smashed their way on to council-owned land have now departed, leaving litter and damaged property behind them.

The court order for possession was served on the travellers who had set up camp in Ombersley Way, Droitwich, at 2pm on Wednesday.

The travellers were moving off site as the order was being served and police confirmed the final few vans left the site at about 6.30pm that night.

The traveller invasion meant Pinders Circus lost three days’ trading, as previously reported.

A spokesman for Wychavon District Council said: “It is fair to say the land was left in a poor state with litter evident across the site and the adjacent canal towpath.”

A clean-up operation was scheduled to be completed today.

British Waterways has also been alerted to the problems and the need to clean up on the towpath. The exact cost of the enforcement and clean up operation has not been calculated at present.

A spokesman said: “The site was not unprotected before the arrival of the travellers and was actually secured with both a locked barrier and perimeter bollards.

“On this occasion it appears the travellers smashed the lock off in order to gain access. “Denying access isn’t straightforward, as previously travellers have removed bollards, cut open barriers, dug through earth bunds and filled in ditches in order to get on to land.”

A group of travellers that moved on to Kerswell Green common in Kempsey on Friday, September 14, have been served with a court order to move off the land.

Kempsey Parish Council applied for the order, which will be decided in Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday.

The five traveller families previously told the parish council they would only move on when they were legally made to.