TRAVELLERS who descended on two public areas of Nelson say they are leaving, but are unhappy about the way they have been treated.

An enforcement order was served on the group yesterday after a court hearing gave Pendle Council permission to clear the sites in Carr Road.

The notice has been varied until Monday to allow bailiffs to serve their papers, which allows the travellers 24 hours to move off the site.

During the court hearing, a council executive, John Kirk, said that the clean-up operation would cost tax payers 'several thousand' pounds.

At the site yesterday the travellers were packing up their possessions and preparing for a journey to another part of the country.

One of the travellers, who did not want to be named, claimed that they have been harassed since arriving and they feel as though they have been persecuted by the people of Nelson.

"They say that we have done this and done that and that people are afraid to come out of their houses, but we have been treated like dogs.

"We would have gone next week anyway and we would have made the site spotless before we left. You wouldn't have been able to tell we had ever been here."

The man also claimed that council and police officers had been to the site at 6am yesterday morning reminding them they had to leave.

"They were banging on our doors. That's not on at that time of the morning. We have children with us."

Mr Kirk, Executive Director (Services), said: "We went to the site again yesterday. We have been granted a court order and we would like to see it enforced.

"The sooner they go the better. Realistically they are in contempt of court and we are asking the court to enforce that."

Mr Kirk added that he was disappointed in the way the courts had reacted to the situation.

"I don't think they grasp the urgency of the situation. The people in that area want them to leave as quickly as possible," he added.

Sergeant Karen Edwards, of Nelson Police, said: "Two police officers went down after 8 o'clock yesterday morning.

"They called on about four caravans just to ask them what their intentions were. Everyone seemed in good spirits and only one chap seemed upset by our presence."