Luton travellers' camp leaves sports pitches 'unplayable'

An abandoned caravan has been left at Crawley Green Recreation Ground

A council said it was "extremely disappointed" after human waste and rubbish was left on playing fields where travellers set up camp.

Sports clubs at Crawley Green Recreation Ground, Luton, said pitches have been left "unplayable".

Luton Council said the travellers had since moved on to land next to Challney High School for Girls

The local authority said it was hoping to meet police to "see if anything can be done quicker" to remove them.

Sports clubs at Crawley Green said the waste had resulted in football and cricket matches being suspended.

Sports clubs have had to cancel games following damage to their pitches, some of which will be unplayable for weeks

An abandoned caravan has also been left at the site.

Crawley Green Football Club's youth development officer, James Sherlock, said some pitches would be "unplayable for weeks".

Residents told BBC Three Counties Radio piles of rubbish had been left on the open space.

"They even had cars continuously running around on the cricket pitch," one said.

"Even at night you could hear them shouting at half two or three."

The travellers moved to land adjacent to the school on Addington Way following a court application by the council to evict them from Crawley Green.

A fresh eviction process was under way, the council said.

The council wrote a series of posts on Twitter on Thursday to update residents about the travellers' move across town.

It said: "We are extremely disappointed at the damage caused and the costs that have been incurred.

"We have asked for another meeting with the police to see if anything can be done quicker than our legal process and powers will allow."

• Council agrees to pay traveller waste clean-up cost

• 'Shocking' lack of homes for traveller families

• Pitch left 'like toilet' after travellers' visit

Portfolio holder for community services at the Labour-run council, Abbas Hussain, said he "sympathised" with residents.

Regarding the eviction process, he said the council had "no other powers from government" beyond legal proceedings.

"We are not a soft touch," he said. "We follow every process."

Sgt Barry Smith, from Bedfordshire Police's Luton Community Team, said the force understood "the frustration some may feel".

He said police were working with the council to follow "an appropriate legal process to move the encampment as soon as possible" including carrying out a risk assessment and making sure any eviction takes place with minimal interruption to the community.