Express & Star

Disgusting! Young children from travellers' camp spotted using public playground as toilet

Children from a travellers' camp have been filmed using a public playground as a toilet before wiping themselves clean with their own socks.

Published

The youngsters are believed to be from a nearby encampment of caravans that arrived last week.

Now, the playground, off Cot Lane in Kingswinford, has had to be sealed off for the health and safety of other users.

The shocking images have sparked fury across Staffordshire and the Black Country, with one councillor saying travellers have cost his borough up to £700,000 in the past two years.

In Wolverhampton, travellers left a huge mess in Kitchen Lane, Wednesfield, prompting local councillor Phil Bateman to say: "It's disgusting and I think there needs to be a debate with the local authority and the police about how this can happen."

And earlier this month trolleys, cushions, a rug and wooden panels were among the pile of rubbish left at park by travellers camped off Dudley Road East in Brades Park, Oldbury.

Mike Bird, leader of the Tory group on Walsall Council said: "If they want to travel that's fine, as long as they keep their wheels moving as far away as possible then I'm happy."

During a BBC Radio WM phone-in yesterday it was suggested that councils should provide 'Portaloos' for the travellers.

But Councillor Bird hit back, saying: "Providing they were plastic as if they were metal, they'd be gone."

Within minutes, a traveller calling himself Gino from Cannock accused Mr Bird of being racist.

He said: "Our community is perfectly OK and whoever Mike is he does not know what he is talking about. He is racist."

Travellers are served their notice by police at the Cot Lane playing fields, Kingswinford

The children are believed to part of a group of travellers which set up camp at Cot Lane Park a week ago.

At one time there were around a dozen caravans. A court order sought by Dudley Council evicting the travellers from the site was granted by the town's magistrates yesterday.

The photographs come after a man – also believed to be part of the traveller group – was pictured urinating in the same playground

The shocking pictures of the children were taken by a 44-year-old mother who lives close to the park.

She was at home with her son, who was taken out of school due to illness, on Tuesday when she spotted the children.

The mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "I looked out the window and I honestly could not believe what I was seeing.

"Two boys were on the climbing frame, using it as a toilet.

"They then used socks to wipe their backsides before leaving them on the floor.

"They seemed to be laughing, enjoying themselves while doing it."

A day later, the woman saw another child urinating in the field next to the playground.

The woman has reported the issue to the police, but she claims to have been told there is nothing they could do.

She said: "The community is angry. We feel let down from the lack of action from the authorities. We are feeling disgusted by what has happened."

Councillor Mike Bird

Police and council officers descended on the site yesterday to serve the notice ordering the travellers to move on. A large clear-up operation is now under way.

Conservative Dudley South MP Mike Wood said: "The behaviour towards local residents has been an absolute disgrace.

"It is completely unacceptable. The mess here and what has been going on with children defecating is disgusting.

"We are glad that this group has been moved on but what has been going on locally has been atrocious.

"The question now is, where will they turn up next?"

Radio host Danny Kelly suggested to Mr Bird that the mess was only caused by a minority of travellers.

But Mr Bird rejected the notion and said: "No. All of my local councillors have to cope with these individuals and the upset and distress that it causes is more than in excess of a minority."

A spokesman for West Midlands Police confirmed the urinating incident could be a public order offence but officers would need to identify the man.

The children are believed to be below the age of criminal responsibility which in the UK is 10.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: "The actions that have been reported are truly disgusting and have no place in the West Midlands.

"This sort of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

"People have rightly raised this issue with me and I will be meeting with the force to specifically talk about the issue of travellers next week.

"Police are working on a long-term solution. I will also be speaking to government to discuss if there are any extra powers that councils and police forces may be granted."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.