Anger as travellers invade fields

Travellers have set up camp on playing fields popular with children near Wolverhampton city centre.

Around 25 caravans and vehicles are parked on John Roberts Playing Fields in Ward Street, Ettingshall. The convoy is believed to have moved onto the site on Thursday.

One pensioner, who lives nearby but asked not to be named, said today: "It is a lovely open space for the public with some play equipment for children and that is what it should be used for.

"Now it is a no-go zone. I just hope, when they are moved off, they don't leave all kinds of mess behind."

Council chiefs have now started court proceedings to get the travellers evicted.

Wolverhampton City Council spokesman Tim Clark said: "We have a court date on Tuesday to seek an eviction order with a target of an eviction by the following day."

Travellers have pitched up at numerous locations in the Black Country since the turn of the year, often leaving a trail of mess and clean-up bills of thousands of pounds for taxpayers.

A group first pulled onto the former GKN factory site in Lanesfield on February 22 before moving over the road to the old Texaco filling station.

The same convoy moved to the car parks of Mecca and B&Q on the industrial park in Bilston, then onto land next to Parkfield Bilston High School, followed by the car park of Staples in Willenhall.

In recent weeks a camp was set up at the disused Heath Town Leisure Centre, where residents reported a bare knuckle boxing match to police which descended into a mass brawl. Trouble then continued at New Cross Hospital's accident and emergency department.

Sites in Moxley and Oldbury have also been invaded.

At the end of last month, travellers were again booted off the car park of Mecca Bingo in Bilston but infuriated the authorities by moving 200 yards down the road to the B&Q car park

Bailiffs ordered the eight caravans and motorhomes off the site but they camped outside the DIY store until being moved on again.

By Nick Pritchard