ILLEGAL travellers have been ordered to vacate a former mill site.

Police worked with the owners of the former Wheatfield Mill, next to the former Gaskells Carpets factory in Parker Street, Rishton to clear an illegal encampment on the site.

Councillors and police became involved after six caravans and two vans arrived on the site on Tuesday.

Travellers have been handed letters from site owners Stirling Investments informing them they were trespassing and ordering them to leave by the end of today to avoid court action.

Rishton Coun Ken Moss said he has been inundated with complaints from residents in the Parker Street area since traveller arrived He said: “As always the fear with the illegal sites, with no controls, is how the area will be left when they leave.

“There have also been disturbances. People did complain.

“The bowlers at the Rishton Free Gardeners’ Club next door said that there have been dis-turbances.

“In this situation, the council can’t do much because it’s on private land, not council land.

“However the police have been involved and are working with the landowners to have the site clear by Friday.

“I believe the land-owners are looking to service court notices. On private land, the courts are stricter and the travellers have no right of appeal.”