Travellers leave trail of damage at Netherton nature reserve

Plastic bags, pieces of wood and a caravan are among items that have been left strewn across part of Bumble Hole Nature Reserve.

Between 30 and 40 caravans pitched up on land off St George's Road on September 29 and spent a week at the site before finally leaving on Tuesday night.

Visitors to the tranquil setting have been left angered by the state the conservation area has been left in.

Mike Bradshaw, who lives in nearby in Gads Green Crescent, regularly walks his dog through the woodland.

He said: "It's a conservation area, all the locals use it to walk their dogs and children play over there.

"It's disappointing when travellers turn up and take over. People feel intimidated to go over there when they are there. To my knowledge, it's the first time the nature reserve has been used in this way.

"The mess is quite horrific, there is excrement and it is a health hazard at the moment."

Netherton councillor Elaine Taylor said: "Whenever we get travellers on a site they always leave a lot of mess. It is the main reason people don't like travellers coming to their doorstep.

"It is a beautiful area that is well used by all of our neighbouring area in both Dudley and Sandwell, and is has been desecrated by all of this rubbish."

Mr Bradshaw said he was frustrated that it took a week for the travellers to be moved on.

Dudley Council went to serve the notice for them to leave on Wednesday, by which time they had already moved on.

"Personally, I believe they should have been moved on almost immediately," Mr Bradshaw said.

"The police have powers to act very quickly. In 24 hours, I believe that site should have been cleared. If that had happened, all the accumulated rubbish and mess wouldn't have been there. People invade these sites and they and they aren't moved on immediately. It also costs councils a lot of money."

Councillor Gaye Partridge, Dudley Council's cabinet member for housing, said: "We were aware that a group of travellers were at the Bumble Hole nature reserve since September 29. Following attempts by police and council officers to persuade this group to leave we were forced to apply for a court order.

"Although the travellers have left, the order we have can and will be used, should they return again. The state the site has been left in has caused much upset locally."