TRAVELLERS have set up camp on a site that was specifically designed to stop them.

Fourteen campers and campervans have forced their way onto council-owned land in Ombersley Way in Droitwich.

After they last appeared on the site in June, Wychavon District Council dug a 135-metre ditch to keep them out.

However, the travellers appear to have cut through a padlocked gate to re-enter.

The Droitwich Safer Neighbourhood Team has been monitoring the situation, checking cars on the site to ensure there are all taxed and insured, as well as listening out for complaints from residents.

Sergeant Sarah Kent said: “We’ve received no reports of anti-social behaviour yet.

"The district council tend to get more calls than we do, and things don’t always get reported, but we can’t do anything unless we receive complaints.”

Residents have presented a petition of more than 300 signatures to Wychavon District Council asking for a faster process to remove travellers from the land.

The travellers forced their way onto the land on Thursday (Sept 25) with Wychavon giving them notice to leave the same day.

They were ordered to leave the site by Friday (Sept 26), and the council took the matter to court on Monday (Sept 29) to commence legal proceedings.

They now have until today (October 3) to clear the site before the matter goes before Worcester County Court.

Resident John Lumsdon, of Mayhouse Farm, said: "The council has done all the work and then as soon as it finished the travellers moved back on to the site.

"It looks like a site that's been specifically prepared for travellers but in fact the council's intention is just the opposite."

Ian Marshall, head of legal and support services at Wychavon District Council, said: “We have taken all reasonable steps to secure our land.

"We could not have moved any quicker with the legal process and are doing all we can to work within the law to get the site cleared. Within the district extensive provision has been made for Gypsies.

"There are six public sites and numbers of private sites.

"Transit sites can be very problematic.”

Sir Peter Luff MP has called for more powers to be handed out to curb the nuisance caused by travellers.

He told your Worcester News that authorities need to be able to prevent the same situation happening again.

Sir Peter said: “We had to secure the site [after the travellers set up in June] but this location is a running sore.

“We need to do more to secure it and I’m going to talk to the council as it just won’t do.

“I’m convinced police have the power to move these people on.

“They left behind a trail of destruction last time and that had to be cleaned up at public expense.”

If anyone has experienced anti-social or criminal behaviour, they should call police on the non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.