Warley Woods gates shut to keep travellers out

Trustees said they felt there was still a 'considerable risk' of the 100-acre site in Bearwood being targeted.

They plan to keep the vehicle gates, off Abbey Road, closed throughout the summer, only opening them for special events. The rest of the site will be open to the public as normal.

It comes after travellers attempted to set up camp on the site in September, sparking a stand-off as a large group of people gathered to physically stop them.

To prevent further attempts, the gates remained closed for five months before they were re-opened in February with volunteers drafted in to open them up during the day and close them at night.

However, last month, bosses decided to keep them locked at all times again following an increase in travellers being reported in Sandwell and elsewhere in the Black Country.

They have now said they will review the situation again in October, when it's believed the risk will be lower, and decide then if they can be re-opened.

In the past month, groups of travellers have been reported setting up camp on sites in West Bromwich and Dudley.

Warley Woods Community Trust chairman Steve Eling said: "There are so many different groups of travellers going around the area that the board of trustees have taken the view that the risk of another incursion is too high and the best way to prevent it happening again is to keep the gates locked.

"It's a very regrettable situation but feedback within in the community shows that people support the gates being closed if it means the woods are better protected. We will review the situation again after the summer months. We have been told that the site is more vulnerable during the summer but the risk should be lower in the autumn and winter." Visitors are being asked to park either on the road or to use the Lightwoods Hill car park.