CONCERNED councillors are calling on town hall chiefs to take action to stop gipsies moving on to vacant land in Oswaldtwistle.

The pleas have come after a group of three caravans reappeared on the playing fields in White Ash Lane over Easter.

Oswaldtwistle councillor Peter Britcliffe claims local residents are sick and tired of the ongoing problem and the nuisance caused by the travellers. He has the support of fellow Tory councillors Doug and Sandra Hayes.

An illegal camp was set up in January at the former Hyndburn council works depot in Heys Lane. And 12 months ago the council had to fork out £2,000 for a cleaning bill when a large group settled on the White Ash playing fields.

Coun Peter Britcliffe has written to Hyndburn council calling for measures to be taken to keep the travellers off the fields for good.

He said: "People living in Oswaldtwistle are just fed up with these travellers and the mess they leave behind them when they decide to move out of the area.

"I am very concerned that these people can just come and go, moving from site to site as they please, leaving Hyndburn council the bill for clearing up after them.

"This situation also causes a lot of disstress to local residents."

Coun Britcliffe added: "It really does seem a nonsense that we have to get an injunction to get these people moved from one site only for them to move a few miles to another piece of vacant land.

"Then they return to the same site within a couple of weeks, meaning that we have to start the whole process over again.

"This is a matter of great urgency and the present situation must not be allowed to continue."

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