Rubble, rubbish and excrement: Big bill for taxpayers as travellers' rubbish is cleared

Sixteen caravans arrived at Murdoch Road in Bilston on February 13 and left after the council began eviction proceedings on Wednesday.

The city council's environmental services team were on site the next day to start the clear up and braved gale force winds during Storm Doris to tidy the site.

The exact cost of the clean-up and disposing of the waste is still being calculated, but it is likely to be in the region of several thousand pounds.

Murdoch Road leads to an industrial estate and is a well-known site for traveller incursions.

The council is now in discussions with neighbouring businesses about the possibility of putting up a barrier or other measures to deter future traveller incursions on the site.

Councillor Steve Evans, cabinet member for city environment, described the rubbish left behind by the group as a "total disgrace" and hit out at the fact taxpayers were forced to foot the bill to clean up the mess.

He added: "The state the travellers have left the site in is a total disgrace. It infuriates me that a group of people turn up somewhere they have no permission to be and then leave vast quantities of rubbish which taxpayers are forced to pay to get cleaned up.

"It is plainly wrong and we will be looking to see how we can better secure sites that are known to be popular with travellers.

"The council was in the process of getting a court order to move the travellers on when they decided to leave. Our environmental services team were on site very quickly to clear it up.

"They actually worked to clear the site during the heavy winds caused by Storm Doris. I'm pleased we were able to tidy things up speedily for the benefit of the businesses in the area."