THOUSANDS of pounds of damage has been caused and a Cricket match cancelled after a group of around 100 travellers set up camp on a sports field.

Pendle Council was due to go to a magistrates court today to get an eviction notice to kick the unwelcome visitors off Swinden Playing Fields, Nelson.

A senior council officer claimed his staff had been threatened when they tried to persuade the travellers to leave the field.

About 40 caravans together with assorted cars and vans set up camp on the council owned land.

Council estates manager Bill Hargreaves said: "It's a pity that these people take a two-fingered approach to the council."

A Pendle District Cricket League match scheduled for Sunday had to be cancelled as the travellers' camp spread from nearby waste land on to the playing fields.

The travellers have been spotted driving vehicles across the cricket squares but council sports officials are hoping damage will be minimal because the recent dry weather means the ground is firm. Mr Hargreaves said the travellers would leave a trail of damage and disruption when they move on.

"The council takes the view that these people are uninvited," said Mr Hargreaves.

"Initially there was a smaller group and when we asked them to move on they said they were going in a couple of days.

"They didn't keep their promise and more people arrived.

"Staff who went down to persuade them to go have been threatened.

"We've had reports of dog problems. There's been damage to the cricket pitch and they've prevented a match taking place.

"There's also been river pollution and a farmer has had to move his livestock.

"It will all add up to thousands of pounds of damage and it's the ratepayers who have to meet the bill."

Mr Hargreaves said the council usually used a low-key approach to the problem of travellers setting up camp but if that failed the authority had to use tougher action.

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