TRAVELLERS have returned to Towneley Park - just months after lengthy action was taken to remove them from the same site.

Several caravans and vans set up camp on the car park at the former Towneley High School on Thursday evening. Council chiefs fear their presence will send out the wrong message as many art lovers are set to visit a new exhibition of paintings by JMW Turner at Towneley Hall this weekend.

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said the camp, with its prominent position at neat the entrance to the park would “not give a favourable impression” to visitors passing through the park to the exhibition.

He said: “Having the Turner paintings on display in the town is extremely prestigious for Burnley.

“It’s certainly not in keeping with the magnificent park and hall to have caravans, transit vans and their occupants residing there.

“I hope the council moves the travellers on as quickly as possible so this public space can be restored to its best.”

It is believed those occupying the gravel based area are the same group which stayed there for around three weeks during July and August last year.

Extra security was deployed in and around the site after the last incursion, with bollards and a security gate installed to prevent further unauthorised access.

However, it is believed that the vehicles and vans slipped through an open gate at the nearby City Learning Centre.

Residents on Woodgrove Road, which overlooks the site, said they were furious that the situation had arisen again.

Jackie Mottram, 41, said: “I saw them arriving on Thursday at around 7pm and I thought ‘here we go again’.

“The steps the council took to stop them trespassing have obviously not worked and we’re left with the same situation.

“Towneley is a beautiful park and having caravans and trucks in the middle of it with generators humming at all hours is a big blight on the area. I rung the police as soon as I saw them arriving but I’m told it’s a matter for the local authorities.”

A 55-year-old Woodgrove Road resident, who did not wish to be named, said the park was an innapproriate place for the families to stay.

He said: “I have some sympathy with them as they get the same hassle wherever they go but this is a prime public space.

“The park belongs to everyone in Burnley, for leisure and relaxation. It’s simply unacceptable for people to trespass and stay in the middle of a public park for this long.”

A Burnley Council spokesman said: “Officers have spoken to the occupants of the site and given them a copy of the possession order. The occupants will be required to vacate the site within one week.”

Because the current occupiers are believed to be the same individuals from last year – a previous possession order secured then still remains in force.

But it is understood that the vehicles managed to enter the site through a car park area for the park’s City Learning Centre. This would have occurred in the short period between the centre closing and the car park being vacated, and security gates being locked.